A Must Have For All Bjork Fans

This is a great collection to start with if you are just getting into Bjork's music, or if you have everything else she has done. I had this collection in the middle of collecting her music, I would have bought the Family Tree anyway, because I love all of Bjork's music. I highly recommend this set to everyone because it has lots of great selections. From Icelandic to English she is great. Buy this collection and you'll be listening to Bjork for a while, you will not be disappointed.

interesting, but overpriced with a few sprinkled gems

So i finally bought this box set a few weeks ago. It took me this long because I was always skeptical about the price. Now that I have it, i can say that, yes, it IS too much money for what it contains. It's a great item, but should have been at least twenty bucks less!



CD 1 is the first "roots" cd. it contains 2 previously released b-sides from the "Big Time Sensuality" single, "Sidasta Eg" and "Glora". I think "Sidasta Eg is a great song, it is sung in Icelandic, however. "Glora" is a short instrumental track in which Bjork plays the flute, there's not really much to it. The other 3 tracks are from Bjork's participation in the bands Kukl and The Sugarcubes. The only one that really stood out to me was "Ammaeli" (track 4) which I thought was a cute song, even though I have no idea what it is about!



CD2 is the second "roots" CD. The first track is an alternate version of "Immature" that I think might have been a demo version before it was produced by Howie B. for the HOMOGENIC album, since this version is sometimes credited as 'Bjork's Version'. This is a great, stripped-down version of the song which really emphasizes the vocals and piano. It was previously only available on the UK "Joga" CD Singles. Track 2 is a previously unreleased alternate version of "Cover Me", which might also be a demo. It didn't really blow me away, but it's nice to hear a difference.

Track 3 is a great live version of the "Hidden Place" b-side, "Generous Palmstroke", track 4 is a Strings and Vocal version of "Joga" (previously available on the single), and track 5 is the previously released b-side "Mother Heroic", which I think is one of the best Bjork B-sides and I'm really glad of it's inclusion here.



CD3 is the "beats" CD. Tracks 2-5 are previously released B-sides "Karvel" (from the "I Miss You" single), "I Go Humble" (from the "Isobel" single), and "Nature Is Ancient" (from the "Bachelorette" single, although it was actually called "My Snare" on that disc, and not "Nature Is Ancient", but it's still the exact same song.) The REAL gem on this disc, and dare I say it, the ENTIRE box set, is track 1 on this disc, the demo version of "The Modern Things" (previously UN-released). I've always liked this song, and this version from 1991 is SO much better! It just has this whole other dimension than the version which appeared on the POST album. The discovery of this track was worth the whole box set for me. If you don't end up getting this box, at least try to hunt down this track. I'm surprised for a disc titled "beats" they didn't include any dance remixes, like "Violently Happy" or "Big Time Sensuality". Or even "Army of Me!"



cd4 and 5 are the "strings" cd's featuring 9 songs (total) performed with the Brodski Quartet, all of these previously unreleased on audio CD. The strings do MIRACLES to "The Anchor Song", which, before I heard the version included here, was one of my least favorite Bjork songs ever. But this version is so damn beautiful, the strings and bjork's new vocals make it sound like such a sad song. I love this track. "Hunter" also sounds AMAZING with a full-lenght strings accompaniment. pure gorgeousness. The other tracks are "Unravel" (also great), "Possibly Maybe", "Cover Me" (Interesting), "All Neon Like", "Bachelorette", "I've Seem It All" and "Play Dead" (Great).



Disc 6 is the "Greatest Hits" as chosen by Bjork, which I never listen to because all of the songs are on the other albums. It's interesting to see what Bjork chose, but i think this disc was unecessary and maybe could have been replaced by something else. All the trakcs here are album versions except "All is full of love" which is the video version. FYI-Did you know that the video version is ACTUALLY the original version and the version on the HOMOGENIC album is the remix?! I did not know this until I read an interview that Bjork did. Apparently she wanted a different version for the album as she described: "the mood after a thunderstorm". Interesting indeed.



The Packaging: Great Idea, but yeah, it's difficult to re-close properly. I love the 3" mini CD's, and the artwork is interesting as well



So...

should you get it? If you're a hardcore fan who likes to hear rarities and alterante versions, YES. If you're a casual fan, mmm, maybe not. Just stick with the regular Greatest Hits (which, in my opinion, SHOULD have included "Violently Happy"!)

Check out the VOLUMEN DVD too

Original But...

I feel like I have been cheated. I mean, sure I read these reviews before purchase and knew that the packaging was...odd and that the price was...not worth it. Oddly enough, the box is better than many people have said. Sure, the box is going to bend and the discs are going to look squished, but come on, if you saw this in the store, you should have realized that the six discs were not going to have much room. If you feel like you have been cheated because of the packaging, than you should have realized what you were buying, but if you feel cheated because of the price, I can relate. I can see how this box is this expensive (how much do you think all the artwork, papers, mini-disc containers, and pink n' white embossed box cost the company?) but it seems like they could've compiled it all in 2 or 3 CDs for a cheaper amount. Am I happy? Yes. Do I feel like this could've been done better? Yes and No. I think the box really adds character and I found no problem getting everything back in, but I do miss the cash I shelled out for this. And the mini-discs really were cool and hi-tech looking which added to the flair but I keep wondering about something...The second section (Beats) had only one disc, so instead of having a cardboard-like container for two, it was only in a plastic sleeve. So, my question is, why couldn't they have put each of the five mini's in seperate, single sleeves marked, "Roots Part One", then "Roots Part Two", etc. Then the box wouldn't be under so much weight. And if they combined the "Words" booklet and the map of "Family tree" in one slightly larger booklet, it could make up space too. So, yes the originality is neat but they could have made it with the same materials, just in smaller packages. I'm sure you're wondering if all this is really worth it but for me I think I'm quite happy on the whole. Plus, when I was reading past reviews of the box the suspense was killing me to see what it really looked like, so maybe this review will not only help you to decide to buy it but make you crazy with anxeity over what you will find when you tear away the shrink wrap...