Life's Too Good

i love this lady

That moment of horror where I realize “wow that singer sounds like Bjork”, then “oh damn that definitely is Bjork” All jokes aside she’s a lot better in this format than in her solo stuff and I don’t think it’s particularly close. The much fuller sound of a band supporting her voice works surprisingly well, and honestly the instrumentation is damn solid; I like a lot of the guitar riffs and Cold Sweat highlights that better than anything else. There’s still some moments where I kinda have to roll my eyes cause Bjork still sings like Bjork; it’s just frustrating since she shows time and time again that she’s got an amazing voice but refuses to use it in the way she should. The last couple songs in particular really go off the rails and are just a bit too weird for me, not a fan at all. Definitely the best I’ve heard out of Bjork so far, really think she’s better suited for a front woman of a band rather than whatever her solo work is. My opinion of her is slightly higher

I had to turn this one off. Bjork's got a unique voice, and her wailing over rock tracks is the absolute worst application of it. I'm mad cause there's another version of this album with a different singer that I'd probably like! The instrumentals were nice and catchy, but that voice on top was nails on a chalkboard. I legitimately would go insane if I had to listen to another second.

I can only listen to Björk on a song by song basis. Sitting through a whole album of her singing and the other guy wears on my nerves after a while.

This may leave you in a Coldsweat. Don’t tell Mama, though.

I like Bjork's vocals and Birthday was decent, but other than that, I got nothing out of this.

Boo

Okayish

This didn't really stand out for me in any way, shape of form.

Another one of those 'I'm sure this hit hard at the time' records for me. I am a post-punk fan and a lot of these tunes do not have a hook.

I will never be safe from Bjork 😔

Really distinctive voice. Some of the other vocals are a bit distracting though.

Haha, that’s a familiar voice. At first I thought it was the B-52’s, but it turned out to be Björk. Not quite my sort of music, but still: Two stars...

Bjork before Bjork. It's not bad, but I didn't love it. Certainly breaks the mould and they quite probably defined something new in the post-punk/alt rock scene.

I really like the switching between Bjork and the backing singer, it adds some variety to the album that works really well. There is a lot of fun and poppy tracks on this like motor crash, which is super weird but I think it works really well. Bjork is obviously a standout with her incredible vocals but I think for this album to be a bit better it just needs to be a bit less goofy and get their ideas down. Birthday was really great.

This is too much fun fun fun

I've never heard of The Sugar Cubes but recognized Bjork's voice instantly. I'll listen to this one again.

Nice one.

Bjork does dream pop

I kind of liked this. It was fun!

The Sugarcubes? That rings a bell... Oh, right - Björk’s old band. What sounds pretty cool on paper is, for the most part, just that: I really like Thór Eldon’s guitar sound, and the song structures suit Björk quite well - especially when compared to her later solo work. The songs fall somewhere between new wave/post-punk, dark wave/EBM, and the alternative experiments we’ve all come to expect from Björk. Unfortunately, there are also passages that are uncomfortably reminiscent of the B-52s. On top of that, Einar Örn Benediktsson’s vocals have the potential to really get on your nerves. This makes “Life’s Too Good” an interesting discovery, but one that’s only good in parts. It was probably more fun back in 1988.

Birthday is amazing and there are a few other good songs.

6/10 Buen album. No hay mucho para decir, me gusto

I'm glad this is on the list.

Wow I love this. I regret putting off checking it out so long. Early U2, maybe some Pretenders, The Smiths… whole album rocks. ML402

Great early bjork. What a surprise!

Actually nice

Es ist ein quirliges, schräges Debüt, das mit Björks ungezähmter Stimme und kantigem Post‑Punk sofort auffällt. Die Energie ist frisch, manchmal aber auch so verspielt und chaotisch, dass die Songs eher auseinanderdriften als zusammenfinden.

I already like Bjork, so this album really works for me. I think it's got a pretty good sound to it. It's not what I imagined Bjork would sing to but I think this style pairs really well. There's not much I really have to say about this. To be honest, it's pretty decent all round. Not something that's gonna be in hot rotation for me, but I would stick this on again definitely. Fav Track: Delicious Demon

I was a bit skeptical about this whole Sugarcubes thing. Respect for Bjork is no replacement for a good pair of extra-strength ibuprofen tablets. But I really didn't quite know what to expect. Turns out the album is fun fun time. So short and sweet! I should have trusted the album cover

This listening experience mirrored my earlier adventure of “Bjork was in a band! Why haven’t I heard of this! This song is pretty good! These next songs are ok! These other songs are still going! I guess that’s why I’ve never heard of this! Bonus star for general weirdness.

3.2/5

cool

Bonkers with a capital B. Bjorks mental vocals coupled with an odd German-sounding bloke, utterly random lyrics and some pretty cool music makes for a rollercoaster of an album. First half isn't the strongest but I really enjoyed Delicious Demon, Deus is really catchy and Sick For Toys made me laugh. A crazy but really fun album. 3.5/5.

This is such a fun album, good vocals, good guitar, bass, and drums, quirky lyrics. I enjoy the back and forth between the two vocalists. There are a few tracks that are weaker than the rest but nothing I would skip. I never really understood how the follow-up albums lost the magic. Essential listen: yes Desert island disc: yes

Bjork is so much better solo

I can’t remember if I saw the Coldsweat video on 120 Minutes or if I heard it on HFS. Regardless, I bought this album as soon as it came out and loved it so much. It still holds up today. It’s wonderfully quirky and interesting and so good!

Maybe my fav bjork project after debut… so awesome to hear her singing some very cool and wacky post punk music.

Decent listen.

Pretty fun! Cool to see Bjork before her solo career really took off. Standouts are Birthday, Delicious Demon, Blue Eyed Pop and Sick For Toys.

Björk is freaking amazing (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️). The band is decent (⭐️⭐️⭐️). Einar is awful (⭐️). Many of the songs start out great and then fall apart when that dude opens his mouth. It's no wonder Björk went solo. She was definitely carrying this band on her back.

Some really solid late 80s pop. Nothing world changing but enjoyable

Jangle pop but make it W E I R D

Very cool, I really liked the icelandic tracks - cool to hear their interpretation of this genre Favorite Track(s): Birthday, Cat (Icelandic)

3.6, i think i liked this more than bjørks singles. But i might have some bias so ill prolly listen to bjørk again to check

Does everything from Iceland have to have Bjork associated with it? I didn't know about this band before I started listening, but my first thought was, "the female singer sure sounds like Bjork." And yeah, I didn't enjoy this one. Definitely college rock, but the vocals weren't doing it for me.

I think I owned this one on cassette, but I don't remember it sounding quite like this --- I like it.

My experience with this type of music has been that when I was aware of less examples of it, I enjoyed it more. Like angular jangly guitars and things like that. Because of how my life worked out I heard Bjork's solo music before I heard The Sugarcubes. So now when I hear this it sounds like Bjork in front of a fairly straightforward new wave sound. It's not too bad, there weren't too many songs I would put on a playlist or anything. If anything I appreciate that it came from somewhere slightly geographically/socially different than England. That and the merciful ~30 minute runtime earn an extra star

That depends on who you are.

3.5, taking half a star off for the male “vocalist”

Wanted to like it but then the vocals went bad.

At first I thought, “wow maybe Bjork just needed a band around her”. This album starts off strong with great songs, but gets weirder and weirder as it goes on… Rating: 5/10 Favorite Song: Traitor

Great album that I haven't listened to for z while so good to do so again. What a voice Bjork has got!

Blind album and artist. Interesting and intriguing, but not memorable. Cool artwork and colors though. 3.

Not a fan of Bjork in any format.

In this rock format, Bjork sounds like an Icelandic Pat Benetar. Strangely annoying while somewhat enjoyable at the same time. The music itself is really bad, but Bjork was better than her usual self. I’m conflicted in reviewing this one as the thing that usually irks me is the best part of the album.

In the mid 90s, I spent a summer in Iceland during college and one afternoon in Reykjavik, I went with a local named Dori to an upscale coffee shop / bar. It was virtually empty and after we ordered coffees from the bar and took them to a table by the window., Dori asked, “Do you have any idea what just happened?” Completely lost, I gave an absent look as my reply. “You were just served coffee with sugar by a sugar cube.” I had no idea what the hell she was talking about. Dori went on to explain that the Sugar Cubes were a popular Icelandic band, and that the guy behind the bar used to be in the band before they broke up a few years previously. I’d never heard of them but filed it away as weird Icelandic trivia and I went on with my summer of perpetual Nordic daylight. Several decades later, here we are. Now, I don’t know if that guy was actually in the band or not, but I remember Dori’s story very well. This album sucked, but at least I have a fun anecdote to accompany it!

That was weird, which isn't necessarily bad, but in this case it kinda was. They sound like an unpolished and not as fun/playful version of the B-52s (who I like). The spoken word was pretty creepy in spots, in particular Sick for Toys. That was super creepy. Struggling with this one, I didn't like it or hate it. There were spots I found interesting and enjoyed, but overall I found it to be on the bad side of the weird scale. Now this is a 2 all day, my struggle is if this is a "this is really bad but better than a 1" level 2, or, if it's a "not a 3, but pretty interesting" level of 2. So all this writing is really unnecessary because it doesn't matter to anyone but me and I don't need to write something out to feel any sort of way about it....but here I am....still writing. I think because I'm using my laptop, pretty rare to write a review with a keyboard. Quite a nice change...anyhooo...I should probably do some work.

I’m usually cool with Bjork but this one was kinda annoying to listen through.

Swedish Chef approved - Bjork Bjork Bjork

Fun, a bit too zany

A very promising and energetic young post-punk band with an experimental Icelandic edge and a mesmerising lead singer in the form of Bjork. The Sugarcubes have that classic smudged and scratchy 1980s gothic post-punk sound but their explorative nature sets them apart. The best moments are where Bjork is given space to flex her vocals a bit and provide a unique performance. The joyful Birthday is a smash hit and this album's highlight.

Somebody else reviewing the list called The Sugarcubes the B52s fronted by Bjork and gave it 2 stars. I agree but give it 4 stars.

3.5/5 pretty good stuff I like bjork vocals more

1. traitor - 2 2. motor - 1 3. day - 2 4. demon - 1 5. mama - 2 6. cold - 2 7. blue - 2 8. deuz - 1 9. toyzz - 1 10. rythm - 1 11. petrol - 1

Pretty standard new wave that's fun enough without having too much that stands out as unique about it. "Motorcrash" has great energy and fun horns, even if the song never really feels like it comes together. Björk's vocals are great and less slippery than on her solo work, and sings the hell out of a few tracks like "Birthday." The other singer, Einar Örn, is...less great. He's not a bad singer, but his lyrics about being squeaky clean and pretty much all of "Sick for Toys" are uncomfortable. The album also isn't all that well-produced, it feels a bit thin. While there are some fun tracks here, the music is too standard to fit the often weird lyrics.

Interesting in terms of Björks vita and a real pleasant listen too. Strong three stars. favourite: "Delicious Demon", "Blue Eyed Pop", "Deus", Sick For Toys" 3,5

Great!!! My favorite is "Birthday" 🎂 Thank you, awesome💘

Poor man's Cranberries

Chic tweetz

Maso

Crap

it feels close the the b52s. most of the tracks are pretty nice but the last one is annoying.

I am not cool enough for this.

I recognized the Birthday song, yeah it's a weird album, kind of pop punk. Ah and no wonder they're featured. This author loves Bjork (lead vocalist)... but Bjork doesn't really do it for me.

Not bad and in hindsight important in introducing Björk but without this historical context I feel it doesn’t stand out from other new wave fare except for a song or two, like Birthday. She can really scream.

Yes, Bjork is great but does anyone really think that if it weren't for her later work that this album would really be included? B- 52s comparisons are on point, Blokes voice was annoying. I just wanted a Bjork rock album.

Early Bjork

I couldn't hang on through the techno sound. :/

Did not know this was where Bjork got her start. A cool listen, but just wasn't my style. A bit too punk

You mean this isn't the b-52s? I liked birthday. The rest was okay. I guess it is of the era, but not necessarily something I'd seek out.

Bom, muito bom.

Bjork's vocals: 5 The music: -1 The album: 2

Bjork sounded like Bjork from the beginning. An interesting listen. 3/5.

A little too noisy and unstructured for me. but very cool to hear Bjorks early voice and zaniness

It was very cool to learn that Björk was the lead vocalist for this band before starting her solo career. Though i must admit that the more reigned in vocals compared to her later solo work is more pleasant to listen to. Favorite tracks: - Motorcrash - Blue Eyed Pop Least favorite tracks: - Traitor - Mama - Take Some Petrol Baby 3.0/5.0

Fun! Weird lyrics, upbeat songs, Icelandig accented English. So delightfully weired. Bjork was already phenomenal then.

just so memorable and fun

Something I didn’t think was possible - Bjork is the least annoying thing about this album. The male singer is beyond irritating, the song structure is painful, and their all-round contrived kookiness is too much to take.

Mám rád tento album. Nie je za 5,ale v tom čase to bolo zjavenie. Naživo urobili na mňa ohromný dojem. Bjork so svojím prejavom (myslím hlas) je doteraz fascinujúca.

Fun album, my enjoyment is definitely carried by Bjork's vocals. Im definitely coming around on her 3/5

Great album honestly, would listen to a lot of these songs again, pretty strange but definitely in a good way, overall good

3.5/5

good, kind of repetitive, but bjork has a nice voice

Started off decent, felt like a combo of Fleetwood Mac and the Cranberries. Then it got increasingly strange and I really stopped liking it at all

It was good. Birthday is a three star song. The rest of the album is forgettable. I am interested in Björk’s solo career now though.

This may not seem like a good review, especially cu Bjork is so good, but this album is infinitely better than the incredible strings band.

This was good but I wasn’t really in the mood for it

Rather a curate's egg of an album. The better parts are definitely when the dude isn't singing. Or talking.

Pretty dire!

This was a very cool insight into Bjork’s career and a genuinely good art punk album. Will listen again.

No nie wiem, dobrze się słuchało, ciekawa interpretacja: „Bjork jednak wybrała rocka zamiast oniryzmu”. Ale chyba nie wrócę do tej płyty szybko.

Let's face it, the only reason anyone even remotely remembers The Sugarcubes is because it was Björk's former band. But still, I'd say that's a good enough excuse to keep this wacky Post-Punkers in mind. This album is very good. Has all the hallmark of the genre but with an ecstatic energy you wouldn't expect. And of course, there's Björk already bringin all her trademark vocal prowess to the table. You can already see her star potential here, but no way in hell anyone would predict where she would venture into. Great stuff. Key tracks: Motorcrash Birthday Deus

This was cool and really weird. I kind of felt like it was similar to The Cranberries at first. Punk influenced Alt Rock, but then by the end it started to feel more post-punk like Talking Heads. Either way, really cool. Not entirely sure why its on the list, but I enjoyed it. I'm glad I heard this rad Icelandic band today.

Malo mi se više dopada od same Bjork.

In the early 90s in Providence, RI, there was a band called They Might Be 10 000 Mighty Lemon Cubes. The 'Cubes' was for this band.

I liked this!

punk

During the release of Bjork's first 3 solo albums, she was one of my top 3 favourite artists. I bought this and other Sugar cubes CDs but could never get into them. I just don't find the songs to be well written, interesting or memorable. 2.5 stars, rounding up for Bjork.

Icelandic electronic pop rock from the 80s. Favorite track: Birthday other picks: traitor, coldsweat

It's Björk's ethereal vocals again! It's definitely a debut album, aimless and inconsequential.

A great voice belting out some of the lamest lyrics to a sound that was done better ten years earlier. I was hoping this iteration of Bjork would sit better with me, having listened to all but one of the Bjork-adjacent works on the list. I listened to one other sugarcubes album not on this list which was much more enjoyable. The choice for this album is hard to understand.

I’ve been to Iceland. It is bleak, cold and dark, both outside and in. There is sulfuric steam, hot rocks, and boiling waters. When the sun does come out, the citizens become agitated, and public shaming is a common sight. Music is forbidden. Is this Hell? Life is not good. Don’t come here.

6/10

Nice surprise. Certainly some B52s overtones. Did enjoy this one.

She should have stayed with this band

I really liked this album, it is definitely the platform that started Bjork on her trajectory. You can already start to hear some of her trade mark Bjorkisms. I do have a soft spot for Bjork and this doesn’t disappoint.

Björk het mal es Lebe innere Band gha? Give me more! Nonie vo dene Zuckerwürfeli ghört aber s Album het schomal mitme Banger gstartet! Denn ischs biz abgflacht und spöter aber wider 1 oder zwei Bangers cho. Weg em Überraschigseffekt und de Neuentdeckig muss ichs fast uf es 4i ufrunde, au wennis wahrschindli nüm allzubald wird durelose. 4 Zuckerrüebe für mis Pferd de Fridolin

Had never heard of the Sugarcubes before listening. When the first song came on, I was like “Ha, that sounds like Bjork”. Then the second song, it was little weird that it also sounded like Bjork. A quick google meant everything made a lot more sense thereafter

I wasnt sure what to expect but I was more than pleasantly surprised. Some brilliant instrumental, some great guitar and drumming. Bjorks voice doesnt really do it for me but it wasnt the "Icelandic Yoko Ono" I I was expecting. Reminded me of Lena Lovitch in places. All in all not bad at all.

This is weird as anything. I don't know what instruments are being played and I feel like I've been hypnotised. You will enjoy this... 😵‍💫 I will enjoy this. I dig it. I think. Solid 4 for being completely different. Wild journey listening to this. Not sure it's a 5, but will listen to again.

My brain keeps expecting the B-52s, and keeps getting caught off guard by their weird, slightly off doppelgangers. The music is....fine. Not my favorite, but it works. But Bjork's vocals give me whiplash on whether I find them enjoyable, or they set my teeth on edge. "Motorcrash," for instance I find to be darkly entertaining and her vocals are perfectly fine. This is immediately followed by "Birthday," where her vocals give me the same reaction as nails on a chalk-board. Overall, the album sounds like an experiment of new wave and rock. Unfortunately, at least for me, it doesn't stick the landing and doesn't warrant another listen.

fun zany rock album, a lil post punky, a lil reggae rock, doo wop old school american genres and bjork yelps.

Bjorks voice is phenomenal. Their music is so interesting compared to what was going on in this time frame.

Raw and free. That's the impression this album left on me. A fun experimental piece which honestly got some character.

i do not like this kind of dissonant, off-putting stuff

‘Life’s Too Good’ was core text of late 80s alternative in my school along with Psychocandy, George Best, Head on the Door, The Primitives’ ‘Lovely’ etc. I doubt any of us thought we would still be talking about them almost 40 years later. Seems like we had decent taste though, because those albums can all still be taken seriously (if you’re thumbing your nose at The Primitives right now, I urge you to give it another try) Regardless of the high esteem in which we held The Sugarcubes, none of us would have predicted Björk would go on to be responsible for some of the most important Artpop records of the following 4 decades. Nevertheless, we loved her and all the rest of the Cubes, even when we were wanting Einar to shut up so we could have more Björk. Though their sound could be considered secondary to the vocals, it is worth focusing on. It’s a crisp post-punk production relying on instruments with a surprising amount of clarity and space. It is funky in an angular way more like Talking Heads than any of the effects laden, proto-shoegaze that was happening at the same time. Although such an ethereal and spooky context might have been an appropriate one for the odd lyrics these Icelanders come out with, what they do instead is a wonderful juxtaposition. Quirky is an obvious choice of word, but it’s most rewarding to accept there will be weirdness. Have that understanding without judgement, and settle in for the fun which is in plentiful supply.

Some alright Icelandic jangly pop music. The probably the most note-worthy thing about this is it features Bjork - before her solo career. It has these very weird and eccentric lyrics all over the joint, probably my favourite is a line in "Deus" where (paraphrasing) she states that Deus doesn't exist, but if he doesssss... he would like to touch Bjork. So weird, I love it. Einar's vocals serves as a strong contrast to Bjork in that it seems he provides narrator-like spoken word, in the off moments where Bjork is letting out her trademarked belting vocals. I think I'd only return to this one if I was in re-listening to some jangle pop/new wave that I think needs reassessing. It's still fine, but nothing noteworthy other than an early appearance from Bjork. Highlight Song/s: "Birthday", "Coldsweat" and "Deus"

Man I wanted to love this record. Bjork’s unique voice goes so well with the dream pop inspired guitars. But the second half is butchered by the annoying vocal passages and god-awful singing by Einar Örn Benediktsson. No wonder why Bjork went solo after hearing the weird shit this guy wanted to adlib.

What is too good??

didn't like Bjork really for her solo albums, not enjoying her old band either.

Just really didn’t enjoy the yelling even though the instrumentals had some promise. The definition of a two-star rating. Jenn’s review: “This is what is sounds like when you give a toddler a microphone.”

This is just Bjork before she could really get weird with her solo stuff.

Ok alternative aber nichts was mir hängen bleibt

2.5/5 Ganz fun. Björks Stimme ist hier deutlich weniger anstrengend als beim solo-stuff. Trotzdem weiß ich nicht ob ich's noch höre

No matter what form it comes in, we yearn for Bjork content. There might be a few entries in this list that are just pictures of Bjork. When Bjork isn't the album of the day, users should be asking "Where's Bjork?" This might be one of the coolest Bjork variants though. Talking Heads influenced 80's rock featuring HEAVY Icelandic accents? I just pulled the Sugarcubes B-Jork, losers. I'm about to sell this on eBay and retire. Listen, she's tired of old toys, and now she needs NEW toys. That 1999 Jakks Pacific Taka Michinoku isn't going to cut it anymore. wait, why NOT?? Send that shit to me. Jesus, Bjork you have a problem. What's next, "oh, I don't want this Gene Snitsky action figure." What is wrong with you?? Aren't you a fat, white guy approaching middle age and collecting childhood items? Thinking about the circle of endless time? The budding and extinguishing of lives around the clock? Dust in the wind? Wind that whirls faster the longer you feel it? Wrestling with your own mortal soul? 3.5 HIGHLIGHTS: They have music in Iceland?

Well yeah life is good the male has 2 penises and the female has 3ish boobs

Its kinda fun and different, not that long. Bjork is an artist...weird but I enjoy it

shit

I like Bjork. I can't say that I'm a big fan, as I had no idea she had a band before her solo stuff. So, with this discovery, it's pretty good. Just a nice little late-'80's rock album. I'm here for it.

This band has kind of a fun story, and if you get a chance to watch the videos from this album, you'll see a cute little baby Bjork singing her heart out! Musically, not really my cup of brennivín, though.

Life before Bjork was Bjork. It's interesting to hear what she was up to before becoming a solo artist but should it be on this list..? Nope.

A pretty enjoyable alt-pop album. I don’t know the Sugarcubes too well, but a fairly nostalgic 90s sound was nice

Always liked The Sugarcubes but haven’t listen to them in years. Also thought Bjõrk was better in this group as compared to a solo artist.

Great soundtrack for a Saturday afternoon drive

really enjoyed this as a huge Bjork fan i wasn't sure what to expect, its a fun sounding album and its was interesting to hear Bjork in a different light overall great album

Jangly pop with Bjork's unique vocals. What's not to love? Great summer time album.

Say what you will, but Bjork never broke up the Beatles. Pity about the Sugarcubes though. This album is way better than any of her solo efforts.

Birthday is an amazing song and rightly is highly regarded. The rest of this is a mess though and not one i want to spend any time with. Bjork is very much an acquired taste. Like cleaning fluid

Pretty good actually

I spent the entire time listening to this record thinking that the singer sounds like a less talented version of Björk, and holy crap, I find out afterwards that it actually IS Björk. But you can tell she hasn’t fully developed her vocal talent yet. Definitely more of a raw feel too it. To be fair, her vocals here are actually more tolerable than the non-sensical moaning she does in her later solo work, but that's about the only nice thing I can say about her performance. Einar Örn's vocals actually aren't that bad either, and his strange delivery kind of reminds me of krautrock sometimes with its repetitive, spoken-word style. The music itself, however, is just an incredibly jarring, chaotic mess of late-1980s alternative rock and post-punk that never really finds a solid groove. The band constantly shifts beneath the dual vocals, jumping between quirky art-pop and abrasive new-wave guitars, but none of the experiments actually result in a memorable song. It feels entirely like an artifact of indie-rock pretentiousness that has aged terribly.

I like it. Was apprehensive at first, the cover looked really pop-ish, but it's good. And it's Bjork? What a unique voice.

If you know Björk, then you also know that she was a member of The Sugarcubes. I get that many see a similarity to the B-52s, and I believe that it was intentional. That said, there is enough Icelandic weirdness to give this album its own spin.

I promise I wanted to like this album. Just didn’t do it for me. I was hoping that I’d find a new love for Bjork but nope. See a lot of comparisons to B-52s. Would’ve much rather listened to them today.

i knew that voice was familiar. ofc its björk. i liked traitor but she kinda overdid it on birthday imo. and dont get me started on deus. im sorry i cant. i just like 1 track. 4 stars for traitor, 2 for the rest.

Icelandic Sparks

3.5

Unique and outside the box a bit. It was ok

I mean listen, it's certainly cool in an I-know-this-band-and-you-don't sort of way, but the music kind of sucks. I think a ragtag Icelandic bunch are perfect for the new wave genre, however they should not take that as a compliment. Björk's vocals are strange as always. But hey, very cool album cover and some tracks were bangers. Fave tracks: - Traitor - Birthday - Coldsweat - Blue Eyed Pop - Deus - Cowboy

Not for me

Interesting and quirky throughout, but not enough to want to listen to other albums.

I've always been a fan on Bjork's voice, although most or her solo work is a bit weird and surreal for me. I did not love this album, but I must admit I quite enjoyed it in places.

This album was exactly what I’d expect from a group called The SugarCubes. It was upbeat, fun, and even though it’s from the 80s, it didn’t really have that typical 80s sound to it. Birthday sounded almost like a Bjork song to me. I thought it was really cool. The guitar in Delicious demon was pretty good, and I’m glad it was front and centre in the mix. Coldsweat had similar great vibes! I got to shout out the male vocalist too, he has his moments too. In blue eyed pop, I thought he was great. The female vocalist was nice doing the background vocals. Sick for toys being slightly heavier was great! I don’t usually like sexualized songs, but I did quite enjoy Fucking in rhythm and sorrow. Apart from having a rad name, take my petrol darling was a fun way to end things. 3.5/5 ⭐️ 180/1089

So much fun!

Really don't care for Björk.

Very much of it's time.

Fine!

I enjoyed it overall, i like the energy, but i don't know if i'd ever relisten to it on any given day. Hasn't left a mark on me like Bjork's solo work has done before. I think some of them shine much brighter.

The songs are delightfully offbeat and full of surprises, including a young Bjork.

I didn't know about Björk's first band. What can I said? I loved it! I had to stop at some point to look for the vocalist because I thought she was doing a *great* björk impression...

"Man, why does the lead singer of this 80s alt-rock band sound exactly like Bjork?" <15 minutes later> "Ohhh, it *is* Bjork. Huh."

Can't say it's my favourite thing - it's a bit annoying to listen to. 'Alternative' in the most irritating sense of the word possible

I should stop blaming Bjork for the amount of time I wasted when her then husband took over the Guggenheim and Film Forum with his celebrated but to my mind worthless art. I should also stop obsessing about her visual similarity to the banjo player in Deliverance. If anything, her inbred countenance proves she really did grow up on an under inhabited island. I will continue to accuse her of uninteresting songwriting. This is a band for the video age. The looked interesting to watch on TV. Their music does not stand on its own, unfortunately and influenced no one but the A&R team who signed Bjork to her solo deal. I would have preferred that the list editors included another of her solo albums instead.

Ah, Bjork before her solo career. She's still there, of course, but I like how it's not all about Bjork, sort of an Icelandic version of The B-52's, I suppose, but a decade too late, and no "Rock lobster" to catapult them to eternal fame, although this album definitely put them on the music scene, especially in the UK. It's actually really nice to get this album *after* all the (5) solo Bjork albums, to clear out all of the seemingly serious and self-important and artistic wanderings and get a more playful and interesting sound. I didn't really have any favorites on the album, and was a bit disappointed that the various singles videos weren't nearly as interesting as her later solo work videos, but I *was* impressed at how much better the Jesus and Mary Chain remix of "Birthday" was ("Birthday (the Christmas mix"); somehow the combination of these two somewhat flawed bands created a masterpiece.

random beats and random notes, random girl screams, emotes.

This album is so butt, I'm sorry Bjork, my queen.... or it would be, if it wasn't for the greatest song of all time, "Cowboy." IM A COWBOY IN THE BIG CITY!!! IM LOOKING FOR MY PONY!!! A MAN'S BEST FRIEND IS HIS PONY!!! I can not believe this song is real, by the first stanza I was sold, BUT THEN BJORK RANDOMLY APPEARS, and what does she say? What could she possibly have to say? she "The odor of his skin, it works in my head. I wanna eat him, I wanna be in him." Yet another weird horny line from my fucking goat. WE ARE SO BACK!!! Everything else is super generic, may we all praise that Bjork went solo. 2/5

despite secret bjork, enough to like here to earn a 3

Sometimes a bit too screechy, but overall a good time.

2.5 - ok

Not my thing

You learn something new everyday. I never knew that Bjork was in a band called the Sugarcubes, and they played a unique style of new wave drenched punk rock. It’s pretty good if you can get on board with Bjork vocals. She’s never bothered me with pure vocals so it’s all good there. Bjork can get really weird on her later solo stuff but she keeps it fairly contained here. So, the result is an enjoyable if average alt/punk experience.

Bon… Blue Eyed Pop super

Man are the sexual overtones on this whole album creepy. But Bjork is SO much better with a band. I remember my friend had this when we were in high school. We analyzed how truly freaky Birthday and Deus were even then. But… yeah maybe there’s not much to do in Iceland with all the cold except come up with new ways to scare people with sex. And I really dig the punkish vibe. Really don’t dig the future Bjork. 4 Boolean: True

The album that introduced Bjork to the world, on the whole not too bad, inventive and humorous.

Was just not a fan, it was alright? But like, really would not want to listen to this again. 2.25-2.5?

Some of the lyrics are creepy, maybe my complaint with Björk is that she acts whimsical/creepy in an exaggerated way that obfuscates a lot of meaning or interpretation. But this album rocks, it’s got a great run of songs between ‘Blue Eyed Pop’ and ‘Sick Of Toys’. I really like when the accented dude speak-sings. Bonus tracks ‘Cowboy’ and ‘I Want’ are great too.

I'm familiar with (and love) Birthday, so it was cool to listen to the rest of the album and find that it was 100% music I like. Energetic and weird.

Okayy

Juba esimese loo taustavokaalist oli aru saada Björki olemasolust. Põneeeev seinast-seina kõla, ma olen kindlasti fänn. Björki hääl on nii kuradi hea ka. 3.8/5

Альбом в якому Bjork на вокалі до того, як вона почала сольну кар'єру. З першого треку звучить олд скульно і зразу впізнається її вокал. Бленд new wave і Bjork - не погано.

this album is cool when björk is going off. it's pretty awful when einar is doing vocals. it is very dated. "sick for toys" and "fucking in rhythm & sorrow" are truly awful. but hey it brought us björk and that's cool.

There's obviously a lot of comparisons here to the B-52s. But for me, someone who knows exactly one song by the B-52s (you know the one) it reminded me of The Cranberries, more than anything! Interesting and spacey guitar work, relatively simple song structures, a lead singer with a soaring, beautiful voice. Reminds me a bit of The Pixies too, for similar reasons. It makes total sense that Bjork found major success after this, her voice steals the show pretty much every time.

Wow! I forgot how much better Bjork sounds with. band behind her! Great work and for those with pre-existing issues with the Icelandic Queen, give this a try.

Awesome! Sounds like a mix of Siouxsie and the Banshees and the B-52s. 4 stars

The second listen was muche better than the first one ! Her voice can get quite annoying after a while but its still better than her solo albums (so far).

Didn't blow me away but i'd be happy to listen to it again. Pretty accessible.

Heard Before? Yup, although I was very late to the party. Notes: - i really hate the production. trebly, too much reverb, the drums sound like garbage and the mix is inconsistent. some cool synth parts, but the eq is awful. - lyrics are not great - too many clunkers. they should have stuck with icelandic. maybe that's why "Cat" is my favorite song. - multiple vocalists is exciting, although this guy is, at best, a foil for Bjork. - not a lot of hooks, but some nifty song structures. - mixed differently i could potentially really enjoy this. then again, there is so much similar sounding post punk from this era that i like better. you should try Ekaterina Velika. Verdict: "hey did you know Bjork was in a post punk-band?" Listen Again? Won't avoid, won't seek out.

Couldn't finish it because I kept getting interested in other things. Just didn't click for me

I am aware of the Sugarcubes and know they are the band where Bjork came from before she started her solo career. I'm pretty sure my wife actually owned this CD back when it first came out - but don't really remember it as it never became part of my regular rotation. I have 1 song by The Sugarcubes liked on a different album - "Hit". I have 15 songs liked by Bjork from her solo albums. I didn't remember that they also had a guy singing in some of these songs, in addition to Bjork. That kinda reminds me of the B-52s - but in an annoying way. The song "Birthday" is pretty disturbing when you read the lyrics. Seems like its about a 5 year old girl being molested/raped by an older man - and she thinks they are friends. Pretty creepy. In "Deus" she fantasizes about god having sex with her - even though she doesn't believe in god. She mentions him putting her in a bathtub again (like in "Birthday"). In "Sick for Toys", a woman uses men/boys as her toys. And then she meets a "small boy" too. Again - pretty creepy. The lyrics to a lot of these songs seem strange - like it's a strained translation from Icelandic to English. Nothing grabbed me on this album as something I would want to listen to again. Sorry Bjork and crew - this didn't do it for me. Liked songs on Spotify: 0/11 Rating: 1/5 (should be zero)

Great listen! The sound is so cool and with her vocals turns it so good!

Woaaahhhhhhhh

Björk is the female David Byrne, nice

Experimental, poppy, and cooky - but not in the way I like

I liked Bjork in this! Sounded like a B52s + No Doubt cover band?

quite silly. better than any solo bjork

I can appreciate it but it's not an easy listen

Rating:★★★ Some good moments, some weird stuff, but who doesn’t like some weird stuff sometimes. This isn’t one of those times for me. Ok though.

Pre-solo Bjork, but it's still good regardless. 4.5 bumped down to 4.

I’m at a 4.5 that I’ll bump up to a 5. If you like Bjork’s vocals, you’ll like this album. If you don’t, you probably won’t. I happen to love Bjork’s vocals. Her passion comes through here, albeit with more of a juvenile and occasionally overly sexual tone compared to almost all of her solo studio albums on the list. It’s a shift that isn’t too hard to adjust to, but it is a little jarring at first. The instrumentals that compliment Bjork are by far, the most traditional instrumentation yet, with a poppy post-punk lean that feels sort of like a mix between the Stone Roses & a calmer Sonic Youth. There’s also a male vocalist here in Einar Benediktsson, whose forceful spoken word approach generally works as a good contrast to Bjork’s more carnal stylings. It’s most apparent on “Delicious Demon” & “Deus”, and I think this album is better with him on it. There’s not too much to say; a lot of these tracks are generally straightforward but compelling, so if you can get into the vibe from the instrumentals & if you can enjoy the vocals, this will generally hit as a surprisingly strong Icelandic post-punk album. The main reason I’m at a 4.5 is because more than a few tracks just sort of settled for their final minute, making the album not flow as cleanly as it could have. It’s still a breezy 33 minutes, but it could’ve been a little tighter & a little more adventurous. That said, a lot of these tracks just kinda rip, even if you’re not paying attention to the lyricism like that. I think the stretch from “Birthday” to “Deus” just kinda fucking rips, and each track has something cool going for it. It’s a really easy bump up to a 5, and I’m glad it’s on the list.

More guitars and noisy than I thought it'd be. Björk's voice is just heaven...and the guy's is too honestly. its cool post punk i really enjoyed it a lot.

this was actually surprisingly good

didn't know this was bjork's band, was pleasantly surprised to hear her

I loved Birthday but had never listened to anything else. Pleasantly surprised.

-Cool album gotta love some bjork. -guitars were rly cool and tracks like cold sweat were cool when we get a different deeper male voice rather than constant bjork. Makes you value her voice more -love the Icelandic tracks because they seem so much more passionate about the music -how did Jordan not know who you bjork was. -fav tracks: Dragon ( Icelandic ), Blue eyed pop, cowboy

2.5+/5 Un peu boring mais pas mauvais

I'd like to have dated Björk in the 80s. Bit quirky. Batty as a box of frogs. But I bet she was a wildcat in the sack. Ok maybe a bit too arty for me, so perhaps just a couple of months. This album is made in the Björk image. The only downside are the talky bits dotted throughout which I found totally annoying.

sometimes it had a good beat, but the rest was not there. bjork is still a good artist, here it didnt show that much

No hay duda q no lo volvería a escuchar. Tiene cosas buenas en algunas canciones pero en general medio flojo.

Birthday me gustó bastante, si hubieran sido todas más de ese estilo me hubiera gustado el álbum. No lo volvería a escuchar, pero no está mal.

Sinceramente no le pude dar tanta bola, no me parecio malo. Deberia de explayarme mas escuchando este genero y esta banda. Voy a darle un 3 que en realidad por lo escuche seria 2. Nada mas para agregar.

I listened to it 2-3 times but I can't remember much of it besides the opening and Birthday, as well as the fact that Bjork's singing is obviously great but the spoken-word parts of that guy are fucking annoying . Clearly not such a memorable album.

Ah I really like this. A right mesh of styles and a crossover of the 80's and 90's in sound. Couple of great tracks and Bjork is a star.

Björk is not for everyone but she is the star of the show here. This is great fun. Bonkers at times, but enjoyable. Much more of a post-punk feel than Björk's later work.

I forgot

291 A pleasant surprise, I’ve always struggled to get into Bjork as a solo act but really enjoyed this. Highlights Delicious Demon Cold Sweat Deus

7/10 I liked it more than I thought I would - it's no secret I don't like Bjork all that much. However, here her vocals make sense and really add to the music. Not as angular and obtuse as it may have been - they allow melodies and fun and pop to flourish One downside is where the bloke sings - kind of like where your mum makes you let your brother have an equal turn, even though he's a bit crap and everyone knows it would be best to leave it to the real talent

Fun!

Bjork had a band before she was Bjork. And the only thing that stood out to me was that she doesn't really need them. They didn't add much to her sound excepting live instruments over samples and synths. So it's a different Bjork, but not a better Bjork. Birthday

The sugarcubes decided life's too good, so they decided to release this album into the world to humble us all 2 ⭐️

En osaa päättää et tykkäsinkö vai en. Jossain kohdin oon et hetkonen, täähän on todella hyvää musaa mut toisaalla sit lopettamassa koko albumin kuuntelua. Björk oli entuudestaan tuttu, joten oli suht korkealla odotukset tälle.

What the fuck is happening?? This is objectively bad

Ah, the pilot episode of the Björkiverse. Honestly really cool, I see why this caught the attention of the press and launched her into the spotlight. I get it's a little satirical but she does sound genuinely good over these pop-punk beats. Not likely to return to this, but glad to have checked it out.

Enjoyed it

Overall: 8/10 I love Björk and she seems to be having so much fun on this album. The entire album is a blast to listen to, and it's one of the weirder ones lyrically. Fav Song: F***ing in Rhythm & Sorrow

I know this is 'music'—and I use that term in quotation marks—that the critics absolutely love. Just like Björk's solo career, the critics go crazy for it. But to me, it's just weird stuff that simply doesn't work.

Some catchy songs, could see how it might be what some modern bands are based off, or are aiming for a similar sound based on Bjorks vocals. Can also hear how they might not have wanted to be taken serious as sounds like they're just having fun. Not entirely for me but enjoyed parts.

5/10

had no idea this was bjork! not great.

Fun but not my thing

Interesting sound with the female and male death metal vocals. Can't say I dig it though.

All these years of Bjork being present in my life and I've never listened to a Sugarcubes album. It was generally quite solid and inventive. Not sure I'd go back to anything besides Birthday which was a 120 Minutes classic, but that's alright. Rounding up just for that one.

sadly, those jokes about how Björk sings, are a bit too real to me. I don't think she's a bad singer or artist, her career is a testimony to that. But, as i said with other artists, it depends a lot on your mood and preferences. And here, i must say that i don't like how she sings, even if the music is interesting.

Very 80s

Never got too into Bjork's solo career, but I really enjoyed this.

Wanted to like it more, might regret not rating higher

A good album, I liked Traitors the most.

Bjork is easily in my top ten favorite artists of all time, so why is it that I can't get into The Sugarcubes? It might be because, in her solo work, Bjork's singing voice has never been the main draw for me. I love her for her experimental electronic music. Her true voice is in her inimitable approach to musical composition and the way she constantly pushes the boundaries of what pop music can sound like. And I don't hear any of that on this record. Instead, what we have here is an okay late-80s band with elements of New Wave and Post-Punk. What they were doing doesn't sound particularly innovative or interesting, as scores of other bands had been doing this kind of thing for much of the decade. Bjork's vocals alone are not enough to make this stand out from the crowd.

Bjork’s voice is so unique and attention-grabbing that it’s the sort of thing you have to purposefully craft your entire album to accommodate. Just slotting her into otherwise conventional music is disastrous, really doing her dirty. All of this is to say that I love her solo work but hated this album.

Not a Bjork fan. Have tried, many times. Too many times…

Don’t like her singing

This was 100% new to me - many Bjork vibes. Nice.

I'm not sure that Bjork deserves to be as well presented on this list as she is, I'm at 280 albums and she is 1.7% of them - there is a lot of far better music than she's involved in. That said - this is even lower on the totem pole than her solo stuff because *it was nothing new* when compared to other 'college rock' acts of the time. There were so many instances where they sounded like a disjointed (translation issue?) R.E.M. or The B-52s. They were just fine - nothing really worthwhile unless you're already a fan of Bjork, though.

achei interessante esse album, 3.7 estrelas

the b52's da Islândia e motorcrash poderia ser facilmente uma música do oingo boingo

Betra en ég hélt. Skil alveg af hverju Björk komst á kortið með þessari plötu. Skemmtilegt!

Haha, that 2nd top reviewer went on a fun journey. This album is also a very fun journey in a delightfully weird way, much like the Icelandic people in my limited experience.

Sweet!!!

Still sounds as fresh as it did when it was released. The songs on this album have echoes of post punk, indie pop, jazz, B52's, Talking heads etc, but it still sounds very much nothing like Icelandic pop music by The Sugarcubes.

First thought was that I never fancied solo stuff from Björk... too hyped. I have never listened to Sugarcubes and this means that my only expectation was slight dislike based on Björks solo material. This really nice pop album that I will listen also again but I'm not sure what are reasonings why this is on 1001 list. I might just be low educated to figure out these reasonings but so what. Solid 3 star album

#396 / 1089 Heard before? ✅ Revisit? ❌ I heard some of the Sugarcubes music in the 80's and 90's from friends, besides "interesting but not for me", I have no other recollections. I stand by my 40 year old assesment; this is not for me. 2/5

Bjork was always a sensational vocalist, and hearing her with this band was a neat way to experience her singing. I just did not dig the male vocalist nearly as much, especially when he did more spoken word interludes. I can see why it's on the list though, if only for more Bjork. Really liked Traitor, Birthday and Coldsweat the most.

I've been extremely curious ever since I heard about this band as to how Björk's voice would fit in an alternative rock context, and it turns out, it fits very well! This is some excellently written alt-rock music, elevated by the ethereal strangeness of Björk's voice.

Well, this wasn’t as excruciating to listen to as her solo stuff. The first two songs weren’t half bad. But then Bjork said “it’s Bjorkin’ time!” and bjorked all over the record.

Lulled into a false sense of security, thinking this was finally the gateway album to get me into Björk. Then the final four tracks happened, culminating in the dude going feral for the last moments of the record?! The meaning of it goes over my head, a fact I accept as the 7 prior tracks are absolute heat through and through. I'd be willing to warm up to it down the line! That's something I haven't felt for any other Björk project to date! Standouts: Traitor • Motorcrash • Birthday • Delicious Demon • Cold Sweat • Blue Eyed Pop

I adored this but it is missing something to be a 5. However, I could see myself listening again and again and it turning into one. Love how Bjork uses her voice on this and I think I actually prefer her with the rock backing.

3,5 fun! I like Björk.

Just... no. Bjork will never make sense to me.

Screaming, shrieking, chainsaws on aluminum roofing, thats this

It rocks, but for some reason didn't really leave an impression. Very in one ear, out the other; even if without much friction. Bjork is an amazing singer though and you can hear some creative ideas here that might have influenced later alt rock- I'm specifically hearing some garage rock undertones which I like. Nonetheless, I think this probably wouldn't have been on this list if it weren't for Bjork's later superstardom.

The high points of this for me is when Björk sings lead and the Sugarcubes sound like an Icelandic Cocteau Twins.

This is an interesting album, and my enjoyment of it really seems to depend on my mood. Some listens click more than others, so overall I’d call it pretty hit or miss. Through it all, though, Björk absolutely shines and is the main reason the whole thing works as well as it does.

Weird

3.5, sorry i docked half a point because i find bjork's vocal style extremely grating. in some ways this reminds me a bit of gang of four, with it being a bit out there and the big focus on drums/guitars. very great first three tracks too. i can see myself coming back to this at some point...

'Birthday' is one of my favorite songs of all time but I'd never heard this before because I thought it was going to be ... exactly like it was.

Du rock avec une voix féminine donc un peu mieux que d'habitude quand même

J’ai trouvé ça très bien ! Et la fois de la chanteuse me fait penser à celle de la chanteuse de Brutus, donc j’ai peut-être des biais de confirmation ? Je trouve que ça ressort du lot par rapport à ce qu’on écoute depuis 3 semaines

Pas convaincu

I still don’t get Bjork 😔

imagine being in a band with Bjork and thinking "you know, I could sing a few lead parts. maybe the album should open with me, actually". your friends are going to tease you about that for life, right? I used to think I was merely a casual Bjork enjoyer & then a couple years ago heard the Icelandic version of Birthday. now I think there's a convincing case Bjork is the greatest vocalist in human history. the English version isn't quite as good, and the rest of this album doesn't get to those heights. music: appreciated. (⌐■_■)

Every time Bjork’s not singing, all the other characters should be asking, “Where’s Bjork?”

This is friggin awesome. I love the Icelandic. The entire album has a time and place, but gosh, does it do it perfectly.

Pretty good. I hate to give it a 3 but 4 seems a little high idk. Upon a 2nd listening it's dedicated a 4/5

Like a shiny ball of platinum covered in sparkles (yes, I think I just described a disco ball) this album is unapologetically 80s. I loved hearing baby Bjork!

I know it's unlikely, but my god it'd be fun to see Björk go back to her roots in post-punk and wild out like this. It's funny to think the queen of dance torch songs rose from this wild Icelandic supergroup destined for implosion. This is some great shit even if it is a little too wild for its own good sometimes.

5/10 I thought it was pretty okay. Cool to hear Icelandic music, think that's a first for me

Bjork is carrying the whole record imho, tho can't give more than 2

Rock. A little poppy, a little punky. I like it

Islands svar på B-52's? Ingen hadde brydd seg om The Sugarcubes hvis det ikke hadde vært for at Björk synger. Svak 3'er.

For en overraskelse! Elsker denne versjonen av Bjørk. Dette er plate jeg skal høre mye på. Mulig jeg kommer tilbake etterhvert og oppjusterer karakteren.

Friskt og gøy. Bjørk har en utrolig fin stemme, bare synd ho elske å lage pissmusikk. Birthday og Fucking in Rhythm and Sorrow e begge 10/10. Trekk for Sick for Toys🤢

Ganske bra, og Björks unike stemme løfter mange låter.

Artsy enough to be cool and pop enough to be accessible.

⚡️⚡️

Despite being a fan of her 90s solo albums, some part of me will always be like “oh yeah, the girl from the Sugarcubes!” Much like the B-52s, the mix of a very expressive female vocal with a sprechgesang/“emcee” very white male wears out its welcome pretty fast. But a few lovely singles go a long way...

just weird 80's pop. Its cool to hear something out of Iceland though. I still think Bjork is just the worst, but you know she sounds more palatable here than anywhere else I've heard. They've got a distinct enough sound, but it gets to be a bit samey the longer you listen, and again, Bjork's vocals tend to grate as the runtime continues. Not bad, it held my attention through, and I it was even a little fun to hear what was coming next.

Weird 80’s pop rock! I don’t think it’s essential listening but it was certainly more enjoyable, coherent and shorter than yesterday’s album of Bitches Brew. Lead singer has a great voice that reminded me of the Kate Bush/Bjork school of singing. *edit* ok so this just IS Bjork so I guess I fucking nailed that

A decent ladies rock album

Her voice is so crazy and amazing. Life is both sweet and sour!

This was fun, but I feel like the vocal performance is carrying the fuck out of this album. I love the crazy 80s production and the instrumentation and stuff but the songwriting is not super memorable. I don’t think I’d ever choose to listen to this over a classic Bjork album. It’s also a little bloated.

I mean what is there to say? Birthday? GOD!!! Horrifying lyrics!!! these lyrics are so strange and weird. In the words of Cameron Winter, Oh là là La voix de Björk!!