Bjork Vespertine Live CD

Beginning with the strangely soothing, childlike music-box intro of "Frosti," this live album, recorded on the 2001 tour, presents Bjork in the mellowest of moods. Here the often-restless Icelandic performer conveys her unique mixture of wide-eyed innocence and tender sensuality in a set that draws heavily from the relatively subdued VESPERTINE and HOMOGENIC albums. As on her other live releases, Bjork presents reconfigured versions of her compositions, never content to simply recreate her studio albums onstage.

Bjork's drifting, dreamy songs--including "All Is Full of Love," "Aurora," "Undo," and "Unravel"--benefit from spare electronics by the duo Matmos, the entrancing harp playing of Zeena Parkins, and the angelic background vocals of a Scandinavian choir. In a rare treat, Bjork performs "I've Seen It All" from the SELMASONGS album, taking over the lines originally sung by Radiohead's Thom Yorke. The concert also features two excellent non-album tracks--"Generous Palmstroke," with Bjork's emotive voice accompanied only by Parkins's harp, and "It's in Our Hands," the blissed-out closing number.

Live Recording

Recording information: 08/2001-12/2001.

Translator: Bernard Scudder.

Arrangers: Björk; Matmos; Simon Lee.

Personnel: Björk (vocals); Martin C. Schmidt (various instruments, acoustic guitar, synthesizer, cymbals, shaker, hand claps, sound effects); Drew Daniel (hand claps, electronics, sound effects); Zeena Parkins (harp, electric harp, accordion, celesta, hand claps).

Audio Mixer: Björk.