Björk & Analyzing Popular Music

Bjork is one of my favourites. In high school I saw and heard the completely contrasting videos for "Isobel" and "It's Oh So Quiet" and I think I must have been impressed that someone could do such remarkably different things stylistically and yet still sound like only they could sound. 



At one point I was listening to her record "Vespertine" with another musician/Bjork-fan.  I mentioned how one song was completely in the Lydian mode. His response was that he didn't like to analyze her music because it spoiled the magic. Something inside me disagreed with that, but more recently I was reminded of this in Richard Feynman's "What Do You Care What Other People Think?" where he recounts a similar argument with an artist who feels he better appreciates a flower than a scientist.  In Feynman's mind, understanding more only adds to appreciation, how could it take anything away to better understand why you like something?  (Skip to 5:46 in the following audio clip)




Since I just found out Bjork is playing Ottawa in July 2013 I think I'll be digging into some of her music between now and then.

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