Björk might seem an odd subject for a cover, but it makes sense when you think about it. Her often minimal arrangements leave plenty open to interpretation, and her avant-garde style certainly has earned many fans among fellow artists. In fact, Thom Yorke called "Unravel" his "favorite song ever," which he covered during a 2007 Radiohead webcast, and experimental acts including Liars, Dirty Projectors and Atlas Sound all contributed to a tribute to Bjork's second album, Post.
Denton indie folk artist Roy Robertson recently sent us a version of "Who Is It (Carry My Joy On The Left, Carry My Pain On The Right)" from 2004 album Medúlla. The original features beat-boxed rhythms, sparse synths and layers of Björk's otherworldly vocals. Rather than try to out-weird that, Robertson turns in a somewhat straightforward vocal/acoustic guitar version that gets added weight from gurgling electronics, driving percussion and a healthy dose of reverb.
Nice one. Definitely an improvement on Bon Iver's adult-alternative, cell phones in the air live version.
