Medúlla 967370 226157692 2008-07-17T02:13:42Z Mrperfect125 6866971 {{Unreferenced|date=June 2007}} {{Infobox Album <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject_Albums --> | Name = Medúlla | Type = studio | Artist = [[Björk]] | Cover = Medulla.jpg | Released = [[August 30]] [[2004]] <small>(UK) | Recorded = Greenhouse (Iceland),<br>Estúdio Ilha Dos Sapos (Brazil),<br>La Hoyita Studios (Spain) | Genre = [[A cappella]], [[Beatboxing]], [[Folk]], [[Alternative]], [[Avant-garde music]], [[Throat singing]] | Length = 45:40 | Label = US: [[Atlantic Records]], [[One Little Indian]] | Producer = [[Björk]], [[Mark Bell (LFO)|Mark Bell]], [[Valgeir Sigurðsson]] | Reviews = *[[Allmusic]] {{Rating-5|4}} [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:umf1zfa4ehok link] *''[[The A.V. Club]]'' (favourable) [http://avclub.com/content/node/15492 link] *''[[The Guardian]]'' {{Rating-5|5}} [http://www.guardian.co.uk/arts/reviews/story/0,11712,1291370,00.html link] *''[[The Independent]]'' {{Rating-5|4}} [http://enjoyment.independent.co.uk/music/reviews/article53417.ece link] *''[[NME]]'' (8/10) 4 Sept 2004, p.73 *[[Pitchfork Media|Pitchfork]] (8.4/10) [http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/15471-medulla link] *[[Robert Christgau]] {{Rating-Christgau|cut}} [http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?name=bjork link] *''[[Rolling Stone]]'' {{Rating-5|3.5}} [http://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/album/_/id/6439250/bjork link] *[[Slant Magazine|Slant]] {{Rating-5|3}} [http://www.slantmagazine.com/music/music_review.asp?ID=489 link] *''[[Spin magazine|Spin]]'' (B+) [http://www.spin.com/features/magazine/2004/10/bjork_medulla/ link] | Last album = ''[[Live Box]]''<br>(2003) | This album = '''''Medúlla''''' <br> (2004) | Next album = ''[[Army of Me: Remixes and Covers]]''<br> (2005) | Misc = {{Singles | Name = Medúlla | Type = album |single 1 = [[Oceania (song)|Oceania]] |single 1 date = 2004 |single 2 = [[Who Is It (Björk song)|Who Is It]] |single 2 date = [[18 october]][[2004]] |single 3 = [[Triumph of a Heart]] |single 3 date = February 2005 |single 4 = [[Where Is the Line]] |single 4 date = August 2005 }}}} '''''Medúlla''''', meaning "bone marrow" in [[Latin language|Latin]], is an [[album]] by [[Iceland]]ic singer/songwriter/musician [[Björk]], which was released on [[30 August]] [[2004]] (see [[2004 in music]]). The album is almost entirely [[a cappella]] and constructed with human vocals; only few musical instruments are featured: a bass [[synthesizer]] on "[[Who Is It (Björk song)|Who Is It]]", [[piano]] on "Ancestors" and a [[gong]] on "Pleasure Is All Mine". However, the vocals are sometimes processed or sampled: for example, the atmospheric haze that dominates "Desired Constellation" was created from a sample of Björk singing the phrase "I'm not sure what to do with it" from "[[Hidden Place]]" on her previous album, ''[[Vespertine]]''. The album features [[beatboxing]], [[choral]] arrangements and [[Inuit throat singing|throat singing]], as well as guest appearances by such artists as [[Mike Patton]], [[Robert Wyatt]], [[Tanya Tagaq Gillis|Tagaq]], [[Rahzel]] (formerly of [[The Roots]]), [[Shlomo (human beatbox)|Shlomo]] and [[Dokaka]]. All songs were written by Bjork, except the lyrics for "Sonnets/Unrealities XI" which was based on a poem by [[E. E. Cummings]], and the song "Vökuró", originally by Jórunn Viðar. Björk received two [[Grammy Award]] nominations for ''Medúlla'', including Female Pop Vocal Performance for "Oceania", and Alternative Music Album. This album is also featured in the book [[1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die]] The album reached a position of number nine on the [[UK Albums Chart]], number 14 on the U.S. [[Billboard 200]] (her highest position until [[Volta (album)|Volta]] 2007 debut at no.9), and number one in Estonia, France, Iceland and Belgium (Wallonia). The album was originally released both on CD and on [[DVD-Audio]] in 5.1-channel advanced resolution. The album was re-released in 2006 as a [[DualDisc]] including a lower-quality [[Digital Theater System|DTS]] 96/24 version of the original advanced resolution 5.1 mix. The DualDisc also formed part of the ''[[( surrounded):]]'' box set. Medúlla as since sold 235,000 copies in the U.S. and more than a 1 million worldwide. ==Track listing== All songs written by Björk unless otherwise noted. # "Pleasure Is All Mine" – 3:26 # "Show Me Forgiveness" – 1:23 # "[[Where Is the Line]]" – 4:41 # "Vökuró" (Sigurðardóttir, Viðar) – 3:14 # "Öll Birtan" – 1:52 # "[[Who Is It (Björk song)|Who Is It (Carry My Joy on the Left, Carry My Pain on the Right)]]" – 3:57 # "Submarine" – 3:13 # "Desired Constellation" (Björk, [[Olivier Alary]]) – 4:55 # "[[Oceania (song)|Oceania]]" (Björk, Sjón) – 3:24 # "Sonnets/Unrealities XI" (Björk, Cummings) – 1:59 # "[[Ancestors (song)|Ancestors]]" (Björk, [[Tagaq]]) – 4:08 # "Mouth's Cradle" – 4:00 # "Miðvikudags" – 1:24 # "[[Triumph of a Heart]]" – 4:04 # "Komið" (Japanese bonus track, [[iTunes]] release) – 2:02 ==Performances== "Oceania" was commissioned by the [[International Olympic Committee]] and performed at the opening ceremony of the [[2004 Olympic Games]], in which Björk's sea-blue dress expanded to cover nearly the entire stadium. On [[October 8]] [[2004]], Björk performed at the [[BBC]] Studios for the [[Jonathan Ross]] Show. She performed "Who Is It (Bell Choir Mix)" with Rahzel and the Bell Choir. On [[October 15]] [[2004]], Björk performed a set of six songs for a French television show called ''Album de la Semaine'' at the Canal studios in [[Paris]], [[France]]. Setlist: #"Desired Constellation" #"Pleasure Is All Mine" #"Show Me Forgiveness" #"Sonnets/Unrealites XI" #"Vökuró" #"Who Is It" On [[July 2]][[2005]], Björk performed in [[Tokyo]], [[Japan]] at the [[Makuhari Messe]] for [[Live 8]]. Accompanied by [[Matmos]], the [[Japanese String Octet]], and [[Zeena Parkins]], she performed a set of nine songs. Setlist: #"Pagan Poetry" (Instrumental) #"Pagan Poetry" #"All Is Full of Love" #"Desired Constellation" #"Jóga" #"Hyper-Ballad" #"Generous Palmstroke" #"Bachelorette" #"It's in Our Hands" (Soft Pink Truth Mix) On [[January 7]] [[2006]], Björk performed in [[Reykjavík]], [[Iceland]] at the [[Stórtónleikar]]. The major concert in Iceland was announced in the Icelandic Morgunblaðið for the support of Icelandic Nature preserve. The artists playing were Ham, Magga Stína, Múm, Sigur Rós, Hjálmar, KK, Rass, Björk, Ghostigital, Damon Albarn and Egó. Björk was accompanied by [[Zeena Parkins]] on harp and she performed 3 songs. Setlist: #"Vökuró" (Harp version) #"Show Me Forgiveness" #"Generous Palmstroke" ==Chart performance== {|class="wikitable" ! Chart (2004) ! Peak<br>position |- | Argentinean Albums Chart |align="center"| 4 |- | [[ARIA Charts|Australian Albums Chart]] |align="center"| 17 |- | Austrian Albums Chart |align="center"| 6 |- | Belgium ([[Flanders]]) Albums Chart |align="center"| 4 |- | Belgium ([[Wallonia]]) Albums Chart |align="center"| 1 |- | Brazilian Albums Chart |align="center"| 33 |- | [[Canadian Albums Chart]] |align="center"| 6 |- | Czech Republic Albums Chart |align="center"| 13 |- | Danish Albums Chart |align="center"| 2 |- | Dutch Albums Chart |align="center"| 20 |- | Estonian Albums Chart |align="center"| 1 |- | Finnish Albums Chart |align="center"| 4 |- | [[Syndicat National de l'Edition Phonographique|French Albums Chart]] |align="center"| 1 |- | [[Media Control Charts|German Albums Chart]] |align="center"| 5 |- | Greek International Albums Chart |align="center"| 3 |- | Hungarian Albums Chart |align="center"| 71 |- | Icelandic Albums Chart |align="center"| 1 |- | [[Irish Albums Chart]] |align="center"| 22 |- | Italian Albums Chart |align="center"| 2 |- | [[Oricon|Japanese Albums Chart]] |align="center"| 10 |- | Mexican Albums Chart |align="center"| 2 |- | [[Recording Industry Association of New Zealand|New Zealand Albums Chart]] |align="center"| 35 |- | Norwegian Albums Chart |align="center"| 3 |- | Polish Albums Chart |align="center"| 2 |- | Portuguese Albums Chart |align="center"| 5 |- | Singaporean Albums Chart |align="center"| 6 |- | Spanish Albums Chart |align="center"| 6 |- | Swedish Albums Chart |align="center"| 7 |- | Swiss Albums Chart |align="center"| 3 |- | [[UK Albums Chart]] |align="center"| 9 |- | U.S. [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]] |align="center"| 14 |- | U.S. ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' Top Electronic Albums |align="center"| 1 |- | U.S. ''Billboard'' European Top 100 Albums |align="center"| 1 |- |- | U.S. ''Billboard'' Top Internet Albums |align="center"| 7 |- | United World Chart |align="center"| 2 |- |} ==External links== * [http://unit.bjork.com/specials/albums/medulla/ ''Medúlla'' mini-site] {{Bjork}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Medulla}} [[Category:Björk albums]] [[Category:2004 albums]] [[de:Medúlla]] [[es:Medúlla]] [[fr:Medúlla]] [[it:Medúlla]] [[he:Medúlla]] [[nl:Medúlla]] [[no:Medúlla]] [[pl:Medúlla]] [[pt:Medúlla]] [[ru:Medúlla]] [[fi:Medúlla]] [[sv:Medúlla]] [[tr:Medulla]]