Gling-Glo Review

07/13/2005 7:24 AM, AMG


Björk's elastic, somersaulting voice is right at home delivering these traditional Icelandic and jazz tunes. Happy songs performed by Björk with the Icelandic jazz group Gudmundar Ingólfssonar Trio really showcase her voice and reveal how her unique singing style shares some common ground with scatting. The trio consists of pianist Gudmundar Ingólfsson (who, contrary to popular rumor, is not Björk's father), Gudmundur Steingrímsson on drums, and Thórdur Högnason on bass. Björk performed with this trio a few times before they recorded Gling Glo, and everyone must've had a good time, because the album captures the group moving through a mixture of jazz numbers and Icelandic songs with a free and easy feel. When Gling Glo was first released in 1990 on the Smekkleysa (Bad Taste) label, it went platinum, becoming the label's best seller. The first 14 songs are from this original issue, while the last two tracks (and the only songs sung in English -- "Ruby Baby" and "I Can't Help Loving That Man") are drawn from a rehearsal recording made a year prior to the album. ~ Joslyn Layne, All Music Guide