Debut [CD]

Bjork does seem to be one of those performers which is either loved or hated. For many years I couldn't seem to get on with her sound until getting her 'greatest hits' album a couple of years ago. I figured it's going cheap why not pick it up and have a listen. I have to admit that the remixes on the 'greatest hits' album are more to my liking than some of the original album material, but I can't argue with pop perfection such as 'Human Behaviour', 'Venus As A Boy' and 'Big Time Sensuality'. Other highlights here are 'The Anchor Song' with its weird honking horn arrangement and 'Play Dead' with that incredible widescreen sound. If you know about Bjork then this review is superfluous, if like me you are a recent convert looking to dip your toe in the water I can't think of a better place to begin than her debut solo album.

I had been avoiding Bjork's music over the years, fearing her eccentricity, her weirdness, I'd always felt she was a 'human alien'. It was until a few months ago, while I was looking for cassettes to buy on a record store, I found Debut.

And I thought to myself 'Why not pick up this one?'. So I did [though reluctantly].

Before I bought this album , I had known some of the titles. And I was frightened. You know titles like 'Violently Happy' or 'The Anchor Song' used to freak me out [silly, I know]. But that day, I decided to let go of my fear and give this record a try.

And when I bought it..I realised that I was completely wong!

This record, along with Post and Homogenic, ranks up to be one of the best records ever released.

And what surprised me more is that the lyrics, are actually relatable.

The lyrics aren't as 'outer-spacey' or as 'larger than life' than I thought.

Like on 'Come to Me', 'Aeroplane' and 'One Day'. The lyrics are talking about love, about feeling affection, desire, longing for a loved one or 'Crying' and 'Violently Happy' which are about feeling lost and longing towards someone you deeply care about.

So I was blown away.

Let's not forget songs like 'Human Behaviour' with its jungl-ish sound, hard-hitting percussion beat and spicy guitar sounds near the end of the song, it's just breath-taking. And the lyrics are also genius: "If you ever get close to a human/A human behaviour/Be ready, be ready to get confused/There's definitely, definitely no logic/In human behaviour"... Simply a classic.

'Venus as a Boy' and 'Big Time Sensuality' are talking about sexuality and attraction [most notably the former]. Whereas 'There's More to Life than This' can simply be a dance anthem, with its ecstatic beat.

'Like Someone in Love', a cover of an old jazz tune, is performed incredibly and beautifully by Bjork. Only with the accompaniment of harp, Bjork's voice soars low then high, with such emotion and heartfeltness, which makes this song so beautiful, dreamy and hypnotic.

'The Anchor Song', a short song about Bjork's life in Iceland. Here, Bjork is only accompanied by a group of brass players..and it makes this song so unique and reflective...it really captures the sense of loneliness, the solitude of the sea.

And then 'Play Dead' closes the record. Although I believe The Anchor Song would close the album better, this is a great song. Starts by Bjork screaming to the peak of the song, it's just breathtaking.

All that being said, this is absolutely a creative, artsy, innovative record that will surely impress you. It might take some getting used to... but this record is only a beginning of a ride of a Musical Genius,an ever-changing, groundbreaking artist named Bjork. Enjoy!

The article below is mistaken. This album is far from nonsense bland pop! Although her later work is perhaps more obviously produced and more expense has been given to samples, the apparent rawness of Debut always leave a sparkle of freshness and youth. The sound is dancy, poppy, brooding at times but there is always her stunning vocals mixed with passion and her lightness and depth of being shine through. An excellent album for chilling out, thinking, getting high - her career was not born here in humble beginnings, she just allows us to see her for what she is.