ICELAND'S BJORK FEATHERS HER NEST AT PAVILION.

Byline: Rob Lowman Entertainment Editor

If Bjork hadn't been singing in English on Monday at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, I would have thought something was lost in the translation.

Her dreamy, introspective music that works so well on her albums - particularly the new one, ``Vespertine'' - seemed overwrought when presented with a 56-piece orchestra; a choir of 11 women from Greenland; an electronica duo, Matmos, cranking out rhythms and sound effects; and a harpist.

Not that it mattered to the packed house in their de rigueur black who would scream out ``I love you'' even as the Icelandic diva was trying to set a quiet mood. Of course, arriving on stage in one of her ``swan-goose'' outfits for the opening half of the concert was going to cause a stir. This one was white with a ballooned, feathered skirt and white tights. She had a bright red version for the second half.

One of the numbers from ``Vespertine'' that Bjork performed was ``Pagan Poetry,''the title of which in some ways seems to go to the heart of her art. The songs often come across as disconnected, primitive despite the sophisticated backing. Her lyrics are not particularly profound or interesting - ``on the surface simplicity but the darkest pit in me is pagan poetry ... I love him.'' Her voice is breathy (often breathing on every note) and many times it will wonder off to some odd note or scream.

The performances themselves sometimes plays out like psychodramas, as Bjork cuts the air with her left hand or stomps her feet as she utters something like ``I love him'' repeatedly. Then she'll dance on stage in some strange fashion that seems to have little to do with the songs or even the beat, sometimes swaying her hips like a hula girl, sending her feathered skirt shaking.

The music, as noted, isn't challenging. It's really Bjork's unorthodox delivery and the atmospheric combination of electronica and orchestra backing that give it a distinctive flavor. On Monday, the string section could have phoned in its part. Mostly all they were called on to do was bow long droning notes. The brass was used even less.

Picking apart the Bjork music isn't hard. Ultimately, you either accept her mystique - which means her strange, alluring personality that permeates her songs - or you don't. The adoring fans in the audience on Monday clearly did find something appealing in this odd swan. But for others of us, hearing her in a quiet place through good speakers is enough.

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Bjork's trademark swan outfits were in evidence - along with her breathy voice - at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, where she showcased songs from her new album, ``Vespertine.''

Charlotte Schmid-Maybach/Staff Photographer