January Mini Reviews Part 2: Bjork, Aphex Twin, Viet Cong

Back with some more opinions on a few albums. This January has been pretty crazy when it comes to releases I was interested in. I'm sharing my views on Bjork's Vulnicura, the new EP by Aphex Twin, and the debut LP of post punk outfit, Viet Cong.

Bjork- Vulnicura


This project is amazing. Bjork probably gets the most personal here of her whole career, backed by morose strings and lavish production. This album comes after some very trying times in Bjork's personal life, and this definitely comes across in the lyrics and tone of the album. The most captivating part of this album to me is Bjork's vocals, which have a very vulnerable quality about them, and her delivery rivals even some of her classic performances. A lot of people believe this album succeeds where Biophilia left people cold due to its more personal content, to which I must agree. This is a must listen.






Aphex Twin- Computer Controlled Acoustic Instruments pt2 EP


Aphex Twin aka Richard James continues his comeback winning streak with a fascinating experimental EP. All the instruments here are acoustic, which are then sampled, so no synths or drum machines here. I applaud the inventiveness and novel concept, and the sounds James can produce even by live instrument samples is pretty impressive. The piano and drum samples make this a pretty unnerving listen, as the low end of the piano can get kind of creepy. I feel like my only complaint might be the length. Some tracks are very short, and as soon as I start really getting into some of these tracks, they're over. I realize this is just an EP, and a series of experiments and etudes, but I think some of these ideas would have been so much better if they were given more time to expand.

Viet Cong- Viet Cong

This is powerful and intense post punk. Confrontational guitar attacks and insistent drum patterns serve as the backing for some very sternly delivered lyrics, which sound as intense as they are dispassionate and cold. Let's just say this is not 'Shiny Happy People'. And yet, with all its darkness and seriousness, it's a really fun record with grooves for days. It's really hard to find a record that can be so heavy and abrasive, and yet still have a fun, poppy quality about it. I'm glad I was turned onto this group, and I'm looking forward to more they have to offer.






Looking forward to more albums coming out soon. I'm feeling another Grateful Dead album spotlight in the meantime. Feel free to share some of your favorite albums of the new year.


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