Björk Gudmundsdottir "Björk" (Falkinn FA 006) 1977
Tappi Tikarrass "Miranda" (Gramm 16) 1983
Björk Gudmundsdottir & trio Gudmundar Ingolfssonar "Gling-Glo" (One Little Indian TPLP61CD) 1990
As one of the vocalists for the late-'80's cult band Sugarcubes, Björk Gudmundsdottir was one of the very first music stars from the ever-experimental Iceland scene to achieve success beyond her native country. After the Sugarcubes split in the early '90's, Björk began a more successful solo career under her first name, and has made increasingly distinctive dance club-oriented albums. In addition, she received acting plaudits for her lead performance in the 2000 Lars Von Trier film
Dancer In The Dark.
What many people don't know is that Björk recorded a self-titled children's album in 1977 at age 11 which was only released in her native Iceland. (Therefore, her 1993 album Debut is actually not her solo debut). Björk studied classical piano as a child. She received a recording deal after her teachers submitted a tape of her singing to Radio One in Iceland. The album was sung in her native tongue, and contained songs about (among other things) fairy-tale cows and reindeer. One song, "Bukolla", is sung to the tune of the Stevie Wonder/Syreeta Wright composition "Your Kiss Is Sweet". Another, "Alfur Ut Ur Hol", translates into "Elf From A Hill"; sure enough, it's sung to the tune of the Beatles' "Fool On The Hill". Her young voice (sometimes recognizable by her accent) is largely accompanied by piano and wind instruments. Her stepfather Saevar Arnason played guitar. Two of the tracks are instrumentals; one of them, "Johannes Kjarval", is named after an early-20th-century Icelandic painter, and was composed by young Björk.
Besides having obvious novelty value as a foreign-language children's album from a little-known culture, Björk is entertaining if you listen to it in the right frame of mind. It's a charming specimen of childhood (not to mention pre-punk, in her case) innocence, albeit one without subtitles. The overall sound does have a foreign ambience, but it is still accessible to English-speaking listeners. A few of the songs (especially "Oliver" and a cover of Edgar Winter's "Alta Mira") are reminiscent of the Jackson 5. Björk shows a chapter of the singer's career that does not deserve to be overlooked. Unfortunately, a proper reissue is probably impossible. The Icelandic Falkinn company, which is primarily a manufacturer of bicycles and machinery, divested its music label in 1986, and the album's master tapes were reportedly lost.
Track Listing:
1. Arabadrengurinn 2. Bukolla 3. Alta Mira 4. Johannes Kjarval 5. Fusi Hreindyr 6. Himnafor 7. Oliver 8. Alfur Ut Ur Hol 9. Musastiginn 10. Baenin
In the ten years between the release of that album and the formation of the Sugarcubes, Björk became part of a burgeoning post-punk music scene in Iceland. One of the bands she was involved with was called Tappi Tikarrass. The band's only full-length album, titled Miranda, was released in Iceland in 1983. The teenage Björk sang lead vocals on all but the first and last tracks (those were sung by a less talented male singer), and all of them are sung in Icelandic. The material is not great -- most of the goth-rock songs sound like skeletal imitations of early Cure and Siouxsie and the Banshees -- but Björk is in good voice here, perfecting the purring and wailing that are now her trademarks. The better tracks ("Beri-Beri", "Hvitibjorn") sometimes presage the directions she would take with the Sugarcubes and on her '90's solo albums.
Track Listing:
1. Miranda 2. Skrid 3. Krio 4. I Prottir 5. Tjeh 6. Laekning 7. Drek-lek 8. Beri-Beri 9. Hvitibjorn 10. Sokkar 11. Med-Tek 12. Get Ekki Sofid 13. Myrin Andar
If you've ever wondered what type of musician that precocious youngster might have grown up to be if she had never encountered punk rock, the 1990 Icelandic release Gling-Glo may answer the question. Björk recorded the album as a side project during her days with the Sugarcubes. Backed by an exuberant jazz trio who provide piano, percussion and string bass sounds, Björk performs 14 Icelandic pop classics, as well as two English-language American ones ("Ruby Baby" and "I Can't Stop Loving That Man") that fit right into the program. Most of the songs resemble American big band swing, which was much-played on Armed Forces Radio in Iceland during the 1950's. Besides being a revealing glimpse into her homeland musical roots, Gling-Glo is an utterly charming temporary return to the child-like innocence of Björk's 1977 debut. When contrasted with that album, one can see the strides Björk has taken to develop her unique vocal style. Her delightful singing makes Gling-Glo thoroughly entertaining, regardless of the foreign-language lyrics. You've come a long way, baby. (Note: the CD was released in the U.S. in September 2003).
Track Listing:
1. Gling-Glo 2. Luktar-Gvendur 3. Kata Rokkar 4. Pabbi Minn 5. Brestir Og Brak 6. Astartofrar 7. Bella Simamaer 8. Litli Tonlistarmadurinn 9. Pad Sest Ekki Saetari Mey 10. Bilavisur 11. Tondeleyo 12. Eg Veit Ei Hvad Skal Segja 13. I Dansi Med Per 14. Bornin Vid Tjornina 15. Ruby Baby 16. I Can't Help Loving That Man
