Life's Too Good

Pre solo bjork! Eclectic!

Borinnnggg

I have this album on vinyl, and saw them live. But haven't listened to it for ages. I love this album, the Sugarcubes were a great band, but you can see what a star Bjork was going to become.

Bjork's voice is beautiful, just not sure if I like the music. 2.5/5

So good you still want more.

Omg Bjork? Music history drop. One song in love already.

Wore this cassette to shit, I played it so much. Easily one of the best records of all time. Never get tired of it.

I have this record as a special edition. First time for me hearing Bjork. It is a fun record and showcases Bjork's voice and the quirkyness of the music of the Sugarcubes.

This was really not my style. Maybe 2 out of 5.

I didn't know that Björk was in a band before her solo career, but I'm happy to learn about them now. This is awesome. The Sugarcubes are like if Björk sang in The B-52's. She’s got a B-52's-esque energy on lead vocals: a willingness to get wild and freaky in the name of rock 'n' roll. The band has a post-punk style with jagged riffs and deep bass lines, but they have some playful moments too. And the drums are nonstop energy, driving the music's momentum. Definitely worth more listens.

Interesting album. Lots of boomy bassy ness and cool production ideas with a ton of depth. I really like "Birthday"; the woman's voice sounds Bjork-esque while still grounded in pop/rock and not so experimental. It's not only a palatable sound, but a really attractive one for me. Cool record. I'm listening now and didn't see when it was released and I really have no idea when this came out. It has such a 90's indie feel to it, but the drum production screams 80's. I'm going with 1988... heyyyy I was right! Hahahah that was fun. Ok yea I'm reading about them now and it is Bjork! How cool.

Sometimes it's the Cranberries if they'd found a synth and been more experimental, other times it's a punk band with a bit more melody. It's all pretty good! But I could have died without hearing it.

A colorful album, to be sure. I liked the indie-jangle tidbits more than the dance, pop, and metal(?) stuff.

Really surprised by the creepy vibes and undertones of the lyrics on this album, which on the surface appeared to be an upbeat 80's pop-punk music based on the album art, band name, song titles, and instrumentation. The satire played on pop music lands well and Bjork's vocals are impressive - it's easy to see how she became famous after this introduction.

2.5/5

I love Bjork so I'm super excited to see this pop up today. I know I've heard this before but it's been ages. Always fun to revisit something you know you used to like after years. Overall I feel like this is a slightly poppier version of early Bjork; which I suppose is exactly what this is. Her vocals are unmistakable and I love that. She has such an interesting style and it's clear that her hands were all over the production of this album. The rest of the music is just sort of filling in the background, the vocals are clearly the highlight. I still like this album, but if I were to choose, I would just go with Bjork's solo stuff instead. If I ever came across this in the record shop I would totally buy it. 4/5

Det här kändes tyvärr som ungdomar som salmats i ett garage och bestämt sig för att starta band. Utan att snacka ihop sig så drar alla igång sina instrument.

Då har man hört detta. Ett album jag aldrig hade satt på om jag inte fått upp det i denna lista. Det sägs ju att man inte ska döma en bok utifrån omslaget men det gäller inte i fallet Life's Too Good. Precis som jag inte har den blekaste aningen om vad som pågår på konvolutet, fattar jag inte musiken alls. Ibland hör jag "artsy" musik och tänker att jag kanske är för korkad, oraffinerad, simpel, för att kunna uppskatta det jag hör. Men nej, det är inget fel på mig. Jag är ingen musikalisk barbar. Det är skivan, åtminstone i detta fallet. Björk ylar sig igenom en halvtimmeslång kakafoni av slagverk, blåsverk och annat som producerar ljud. Jag fattar ingenting och halvvägs genom skivan är jag utmattad. Men givet att The Sugarcubes har över 300K månatliga lyssnare på Spotify så får vi ändå dra slutsatsen att detta bara inte är min grej, helt enkelt.

Sounds like Bjork... not surprise it's Icelandic :-) there's some interesting energy to it, sometimes works more, sometimes less

This is one of my favorite albums. It’s almost 40 years old now, but still manages to sound as fresh as it did in 1988.

Björk’s voice is so distinctive and iconic that no matter what the band plays, it instantly becomes her sound. I can’t help wondering what would’ve happened if she had continued in this Icelandic punk direction — it’s such a unique starting point for her career.

fun, too long. i think i've heard one of these or maybe it's just that generic britpop sound. 3/5

I think I hate this. Not because it's bad, but because it does exactly what it set out to do, which is a take on pop's over-optimism. It feels really unsettling actually. I also don't think the music is actually all that good, either. It's really a weird album. They did a good job doing what they set out to do with this album, but I don't think this album should have gotten all that popular. And maybe we'd have a little less or maybe better sounding Björk if we did. Favorite Song(s): Mama

Not for me

Birthday!

The best of Icelandic funk pop.

So this is bjork apparently. Didn't really realize until I was almost through the album, so had to do a relisten. Not that I like Bjork or know anything about her other than she was a diva at some point. Track 1 starting with 20 seconds of silence, like why? So I crank the volume trying to hear something then it blasts me away once it finally starts? Definitely diva behavior Bjork, I don't appreciate that.

A lot of harmonica. Its weird. Not in a good way. Put me in a bathtub and make me squeaky clean? So weird. Like, it reminds me of the German couple from Super Troopers if they made a music album together. At least it was short.

I put this in timeout yesterday because the first 20 seconds of track 1 were sooooo quiet I had the headphones up full volume and then it came in at normal volume and gave me such a fright. I get frights easily but this one set me up for a full day of angst. I will confess I didn't listen at all and this is my first transgression of this kind. Giving a 3 for guilt and complete guess

Great pick

Man if this vocalist split off from this goofy ass sound and terrible backing male singer I bet she could really succeed as an artist!!

I really dislike the male-female "call and response" campy thing that the B52s do, and they do it here too. Bjork's first album? Better listen to it before we die!

I feel a bit ashamed to admit the fact that this was my first contact with The Sugarcubes. Björk‘s vocals are phenomenal as always and fits oddly well with the post-punk sound, the execution overall is lacking though

I don't really like Bjork solo but this is pretty good post wave stuff

Young Bjork is still annoying

my poor ears

This is college radio as I remember it. Some catchy rhythms, strange vocals and lyrics. It's clear, though, that each song is intentional, and this is a well- crafted album. Bjork is weird but actually quite talented.

I've never listened to this album (46). Would probably be forgotten it is wasn't for Bjork.

Si no hubiera sido por que cuanto mas se acercaba al final mas estridente se hacia no hubiera estado tan mal

Context is important with this one. Not meant to be taken seriously. Listening in that light, it’s much more enjoyable. I hate Bjork solo, but this is much better.

Ok it has Björk but for me was an average album.

great album, deeply concerning anatomy on the cover though

NO MORE BJORK PLEASE

Pretty good

Pretty solid late 80's alt rock. I listened to the 11 track version. It's short enough I played it 4 or 5 times. Musically I enjoyed it a lot. Vocally I never pick this type of singer to listen to anymore.

4/10 Deus/Deus - Remix Not my jam but it was okay to listen to when studying for chem.

Nothing is as good as the first song

I don't like this record. To call it "important" or "groundbreaking" is disingenuous to important and groundbreaking records. It's "artsy" noise-pop. I guess it appeals to someone... not me.

Pre 90s angst but doesn’t find a groove

slightly better than solo bjork but, it’s still bjork

non è un album che ascolterei chissà quanto spesso probabilmente ma vista la portata sperimentale è un 3 quasi sul 4, poi la voce di björk è paurosa side note: mi piace lo stile delle copertine dei loro album

No vabbè sembra troppo la voce di bjork. È letteralmente bjork. Devo dire che mi è piaciuto, del resto combo new wave + bjork era difficile fare male.

7/10 Favourite: Birthday Least Favourite: Delicious Demon

I love this album.

Listened to most of this album, and I just didn’t enjoy the sound.

I thought I had this album, but it turns out I've been listening to the greatest hits compilation all these years. This is a great debut, with a lot of unique songwriting and great energy from Bjork. I love drumming on it as well. The downsides for me are the somewhat annoying male vocalist who talk-sings from time to time, and the too-bright 80s style production. Both of those date the album somewhat, but there's still enough great songs on here to make up a memorable album. 8/10

Turns out not only do I like Björk , but I like Björk even when I at first don't know it's Björk.

The least amount of EeeEe eEeEE EEEeee from bjork per album so that means it was OK

Just like Bjork. Way better than I think it should be.

Having never heard of this and, I was exactly two songs in before I went “Hey! That’s Bjork!” And had to confirm on their Wiki. Interestingly enough, Rolling Stone called them the biggest thing to come out of Iceland. Fun little album.

This was fun. Wasn't aware of Bjorks band, now I am

I was 17 when this came out it was THE album to listen too. Blue eyes pop and birthday were the main songs.

Expected Sugarbabes, got Sugarcubes.

Did not do it for me

I had no idea that Bjork was in a band prior to going solo but I knew as soon as I heard the voice. Anything with her unique vocals prowess is at least interesting and in this case a good album.

Fort og gæli. Birthday er bra.

As stereotypically Icelandic as can be (see: SICK FOR TOYS). I think the oddness kept my interest, especially the nu-wave mixed with the impending grunge sound. Tracks fitting that description; F***ING IN RHYTHM & SORROW and COWBOY. Outside of that, maybe a bit of brevity would've propelled this score higher.

I think “Dragon (Icelandic)” is one of the worst songs I’ve listened to in recent memory. I was trying to think who the female singer reminded me of and it’s Bjork so now I can see where she gets her influence from

De grootste attractie hier is de direct herkenbare stem van Björk, want verder is dit wat vage jarentachtigjengelpop zonder al te veel kraak of smaak. Echt ergerlijk wordt het als een van die andere gasten z'n smoel opentrekt, en het geschreeuw van de dame zelf gaat op den duur ook op de zenuwen werken.

Dit album wilde ik al eerder eens luisteren en een paar dagen geleden werd ik er door Spotify op getipt. Tja, of The Beatles uitluisteren in opdracht van de 1001 of iets anders luisteren. Die keuze is snel gemaakt. Dus vandaag luister ik het album voor de tweede maal in korte tijd. En dat gaat eigenlijk prima. Het album toont soms duidelijk de tijd waarin het gemaakt is, soms kiest het voor meer sfeer, en soms voor een soort duitse synthpop klank. Om Björk kan je niet heen. Maar eerlijk gezegd heeft haar excentrieke zang nooit meer zo goed bij de rest gepakt. Al met al is het een unieke beleving, maar op de een of andere manier toch erg toegankelijk. 4,5 ster

Het is onmiskenbaar 80s, het is onmiskenbaar postpunk en het is onmiskenbaar (deels) Bjork. Genoeg ingredienten om dit helemaal kut te vinden. Maar ik vond dit wel een lekker albumpje eigenlijk. Het heeft een 80s sfeer met zeker wel drumcomputers, wat gekke geluidjes en een licht doorgedraaide zangeres, maar het schurkt ook al tegen de 90s aan. Het lijkt, ondanks dat het ietwat gedateerd is, al een modernere variant van de 80s sound. Ook Bjorks solodebuut kon ik wel waarderen, met 4 sterren. Later zou Bjork pas echt artsy fartsy worden en haak ik definitief af (voor zover ik uberhaupt aangehaakt was). Maar ik heb me hier goed mee vermaakt. Laten we de 3,5 ster weer eens afronden naar boven.

Too noisy.

Nope

It was weird.

We a Bjork album early on and thought it was a brutal listen. This was a lot more enjoyable and different than her solo album. I did not realize her voice was so good. Not that I'm going back but I just remember a lot a chanting and screaming. Anyway, I thought this album had it's good and fun moments. At times, reminded me a bit of the B-52's. I think she should have stayed with the guy, instead of going solo. I couldn't rename many songs, but I thought the majority were solid. I guess if one song stood out it was Cowboy. Not sure I'll revisit, but I would certainly let it play out if it popped up my Spotify. Think she would make a pretty good rock/punk singer. I'm at that 2.5-3 range. I'll go with a 3 since I think I ripped her pretty bad on the solo effort. 3

3 Before she was Björk, she was… well, Björk Guðmundsdóttir (no idea how to pronounce that, don’t ask), and a member of what seems to be the Icelandic version of The B-52s. Björk and her bandmate Einar definitely have a dynamic to them that feels heavily reminiscent of that of Kate Pierson and Fred Schneider’s, except in this case, the leading lady completely steals the show. While Einar certainly has a voice I would describe as about as unique as Schneider’s, it lacks any of the charm, and I mostly just found myself annoyed whenever he jumped in - if he was the only vocalist on this album, I would have given it a much lower rating. That said, the songwriting leaves a bit to be desired as well. I don’t want to spend my whole review comparing the two groups, but the personality to this album is extremely lacking as compared to the The B-52s’ debut (though tbf most albums pale in comparison in that regard), and most of the songs don’t seem to have a ton of remarkable traits about them. Don’t get me wrong, they all sound pleasant enough, and in some ways, I even prefer them to some of Björk’s later theatrical, over-indulgent stuff (I said what I said), but they mostly blend together and leave me without much to stay. Supposedly my guy Einar was even once described as the first punk in Iceland, and I gotta say, I’m not picking up on any of that so-called edge here. Maybe a bit on Sick For Toys, even if I couldn’t tell you what the hell that means if I tried - it makes for a cool hook though. However, the best song by far is Birthday, which seems to be the general consensus with this album. I guess it’s the only song here that got any American radio airplay, and I can see why considering it’s definitely the biggest earworm. Not much else to say on this one - it’s one of those albums that hints at greatness to come (at least for one of the members here), but in and of itself isn’t all that spectacular. Though, what’s up with the album cover? Is that left stick figure packing two of what I think he has??

La verdad es que me gustó bastante

6.21/10 Not a huge fan I think I accidentally listened to the deluxe version and the further the songs went the less I liked them... 2/5

If I was the male vocalist for the Sugarcubes I would say, "why don't you go ahead and sing everything, Björk, so that I don't sound like a fucking fool." Nobody else like her, epitomized by the combination of grit and sweetness and range (within the span of three seconds) in the chorus to birthday.

Fun album

Not really a fan of Björk’s voice but this was better than her solo stuff.

so far the only album u should ACTUALLY listen to before u die imo

It wasn’t bad but would not listen to again.

It's Icelandic, and that slightly different feel is its strength, it's kinda interesting with a B52s feel. Vague recollection of this and that Bjork came from them. Glad heard it wouldn't necessarily go looking for it though. Not a fan of Bjorks vocal phrasing, and started to grate making it a long 33 minutes, so moving it down 1 point to 2 Star

This one was hard to get through

I don't think people would care about this at all in 2025 if it wasn't for Björk. Her voice is spectacular obviously but literally any of her solo albums are a better listen than this

Icelandic, Bjork's band from the 80s - very cool

I was only aware of the song Birthday from this - listened to this song a lot when commuting in winter 2021, playing it again totally took me back to this time. Don’t know why it took for this generator to give the full album a go - but grateful it did. 3.5/5 ⭐️

Ok 2/5

05.10.25 #11 Favourite tracks: Come on, Feel the ILLINOISE; CHICAGO; The tallest man. Rate: 8/10 I really enjoyed listening to this album. great songs

I knew about this group from the Birthday song but hadn't realized it was Bjork until now. Fun quirky little album

Definitely an original sounding band/album - which is really nice to hear. Bjork’s vocals are certainly a standout here, but the album’s songs are solid as well. Overall, very good listen.

Okay

top 3: - motorcrash - birthday - blue eyed pop

Remind me of the value brand The Cranberries

Really enjoyable.

3/5

Some decent song, it was a good album that draws from the influences for the time. I could hear Toad the Wet Sprocket, Gin Blossums and others in the album.

Bjork origin story

450/1001 🌕🌕🌕🌗🌑

Best Track - "Birthday"

Love Bjork on her own. This has its moments and they’re all because of her. Unremarkable otherwise.

Bizarre at times, but some decent light punkish vibes

1988 Gen X student union indie staple, and still an excellent listen. Brash, angular and unique. Heard before ✅️ Listened this time ✅️ Revisit ✅️ ★★★★☆ (8/10)

The first 9 tracks are great. Absolutely enjoyed them more than expected. However, the final 8 tracks (on the version I listened to) are a mess. 3/5

birthday is great the rest aren't as great

Très perturbé parce que j'ai entendu mais c'est un peu le but donc ça marche bien Pas trop fan du délire

Pas adoré, pas détesté non plus.

Overall bien mais aucune chanson ma vraiment fait kiffer

Merci pour ça les islandais à 2 doigts d'atteindre le valhalla. Instruments on point, voix originale et très agréable une super découverte, on sent bien la rébellion

Different, can’t tell if I like it or hate it…ha ha

Another happy surprise from the project, thank you! I had never heard of this group, and was intrigued to learn that it was Bjork's launch pad into stardom. However, I wasn't expecting much from the album based on many of the reviews I read. By the end of the first track though, I knew this one was going to be a keeper. Yes, it's a little weird to hear all those icelandic accents, but it's great to hear what Bjork can do as part of a group. I think her vocals are amazing on this album, and as for comparison with the B52s, I rate this album far more favourably than anything I have heard from them.

yipee

Reminds me a lot of Amyl and the Sniffers. Favorite songs: Deus, F***ing in Rhythm and Sorrow

The weirder the better, and this was pretty darn weird.

Meh

I think the best part is Brojk's vocal and every other component if the album is dragging it down. The male singers reminds of the guy who had the balls to sing on big brother and the holding company's albums 2*

Bjork’s origin story. Some interesting moments here but it failed to really grab me at any moment. That echo-y, texture-heavy post-punk sound isn’t my thing.

this slaps!! absolutely love björk’s voice. fave songs: traitor, mama, coldsweat ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

"It's a lot of isolated people, who know how to control and operate electricity. They sneak a listen to American radio, and they get what's going on in Europe as well, and they kind of misunderstand it in a very beautiful way." Björk's description of the Icelandic music scene to Conan O'Brien, is a perfect description of the sound that The Sugarcubes introduced to the world. This album was very much an introduction to the Icelandic music scene. But, more than anything else, it was an introduction to Björk. The album, while not originally intended to be taken seriously, blends Krautrock, post-punk, electro and pop into something that sounded very fresh at the time. But it's mostly the fevered energy levels that hold all of this together. You can't listen to these songs without imagining Björk skipping (literally) around the stage, while the other band members switch between guitars, synths, brass and megaphones. Some of the more pretentious spoken-word heavy, Krautrock-inspired, post punk pieces haven't aged as well as other songs on the album ("Delicious Demon" and "Sick for Toys" I'm glaring in your direction). But, the songs that focus more on Björk, and her incredible, alien vocals, more than make up for it. It might seem obvious to jump on "Birthday" and "Deus", but it's hard to listen to this album and not concentrate solely on the massive talents of Björk. "Birthday" still holds up as an amazing piece of music. The instrumentation works so well to augment the absolutely mind-blowing vocal gymnastics that Björk unleashes on our ears. I still don't think there's a single voice in music that could come close to Björk's, both in ability and uniqueness. A fantastic album, with some flaws, but an important moment in music history, when the world was introduced to the beautiful misunderstandings of the Icelandic music scene, and more importantly, to the artistic brilliance of the crazy little pixie with the gigantic voice that we all know and love as Björk.

80s post punk pop from Iceland. Bjork had a good voice, just not my type of music.

Fun and thoughtfully constructed, and Bjork gives it all on vocals as always. She’s definitely the standout performance. This manages to marry ideas from New Wave, pop, and post-rock in a way that doesn’t feel forced. It’s a good record. I wasn’t expecting to enjoy it as much as I did.

Fun new wave pop with some dreamy shimmer and post punk angularity to go with the bouncy bass - the mix is cure, siouxsie & cocteau twins combined with devo & talking heads. Synthesizes a lot of 80s sounds and presages a ton of 90s alt rock style. What a voice! A spectacular range from guttural lows and shattering highs within moments.

Without 𝘓𝘪𝘧𝘦’𝘴 𝘛𝘰𝘰 𝘎𝘰𝘰𝘥, the Icelandic music scene with bands like Sigur Rós, múm, or Of Monsters and Men might never have made it past Reykjavík’s record shops. Björk Guðmundsdóttir had already cut her first solo album in 1977 at the age of eleven (a collector’s holy grail today) and played in bands like Tappi Tíkarrass and Kukl, but this is where her voice truly exploded onto the international stage. The Sugarcubes sound like nothing else: jagged post-punk colliding with eccentric pop, half naïve, half unhinged. 𝘉𝘪𝘳𝘵𝘩𝘥𝘢𝘺 drips with surreal innocence, 𝘔𝘰𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘤𝘳𝘢𝘴𝘩 turns a grisly accident into gleeful absurdity, and 𝘔𝘢𝘮𝘢 is both tender and unsettling. Einar Örn’s half-shouted, half-spoken vocals are chaotic, sometimes maddening, but they give the record its crooked charm. Weird, playful, and unforgettable, 𝘓𝘪𝘧𝘦’𝘴 𝘛𝘰𝘰 𝘎𝘰𝘰𝘥 is a debut that made Iceland more than just volcanoes and geysers — it put Reykjavík’s weirdness on the world map. The press only wanted Björk, but the chaos was the whole point.

2.54

Enjoyed it. Bjork in a bad is good

2 5

Fun to listen to and experience once, but not really the material I would have picked for this list. It doesn't even have their best song on here.

Ihan ok. 2,75/5.

Kind of just an unremarkable album. Feels a bit empty and underproduced. Björk is indeed there, but that's all I can say. I’m not a fan of Björk anyway, so I didn’t really care. I don’t know. I didn’t really get anything out of this album—listened and forgot. But I can’t say it was bad or grating in any way. Just didn’t excite me.

I would see this live and enjoy it. The album gets monotonous.

This has to be Bjork's side project. Wrong...Bjork's first band. The Icelandic guy talking throughout the album sounds like the inspiration for Gagnam Style. The Pet Shop Boys should probably get royalties from these guys. The songs where Bjork sings are fine...the songs where the guy talks over the whole song are awful, Sick for Toys is the worst of them. Those songs are Nada Surf's favorites though.

This list has been trying to get Björk into me like some terrible tasting medicine and I’ve resisted at every turn. Finally, THIS worked - take Björk with Sugar Cubes. A great groove, a sense of humor, some sarcasm. I wish that more 80s music sounded like this. Original track list is just the first 11 tracks FWIW.

Early Pop Bjork! Life's Too Good moves between nuance pop, Icelandic tradition, and ambient sound. Great for an innovative debut album, though it doesn't feel like they're fully committed to the work. Bjork's vocal playfulness and style are there immediately, and it is no surprise that the Sugarcubes are really a launching point for her.

Could have sworn Bjork was in there...

Gonna form a cover band called The Splendas

Couldn’t really warm to this

This album's too good! Great discovery, delicious demon was a great song!

I don’t think I understand Iceland.

There's definitely a B-52s vibe here. The music is pretty good, but the singing is annoying. This would be a 4 without Bjorks wailing.

I was curious to hear pre-Bjork Bjork. Her vocals are pretty insane. The overall music is different, but not so different as to be a challenge to listen to.

Not for me

I think I liked this more than some of Bjork’s solo stuff.

This was tough to get through. Every time I noticed him, the male singer(s?) was ruining a perfectly good Bjork song.

Odd but ok

Meh

Bjork cooks. I wasn't familiar with her early work, but this is pretty nice. I liked it.

Didn't like dude's vocals

Weird stuff

nice lyrics non conetei moitísimo coa música pero impresión positiva

What? And furthermore, huh?

This was weird, but not in a way that was unmusical. I wouldn't listen to it again but it was interesting at least. Bjork's vocals are so unique, and I'm still not sure if that's in a way that I like or not

The band is alright, but I don't like Björks voice very much.

I love you Björk!! This is a cool album.

Bjork is altijd cool en the Sugarcubes zijn sowieso underrated! 3.5

This was an interesting one! Enjoyed "Cowboy" "Dragon (Icelandic)" and "Blue Eyed Pop"

It sounds like what you'd get if Bjork fronted a late 80s post-punk band. There are some cool tracks and it's pretty uplifting vibe overall but it feels a bit zany and not something I'd be that likely to come back to regularly.

I love weird and kooky rock like this. I really enjoyed this one. More than the solo Bjork album I’ve heard so far.

Album's too good today after 35 years.

Not for me. 1/5

The only thing I don't like about this album or this band is all the voices that are not Bjork. Fantastic and fun album otherwise

zodyn sie nie spodziewal post punka islandzkiego, a jesli islandia, to nie moze sie obyc bez bjork, ktora chyba ma mocnego fana w autorze tej listy, bo zeby wygrzebac taki album i umiescic go na liste, jest to pierwszy krazek w dyskografii tej bandy z roku 88, pomimo tego ze w skladzie jest piatka ludzi, to jedyna rzecza jaka mnie bedzie przesladowac z tego 33 miunutowego seansu beda, juz nawet wtedy, mocno krzyczane wokale bjorkowe, na plejke dodam otwierajacy kawalek traitor, jako jedyny ktory przesluchalem jeszcze bez swiadomosci, ze krzyki tam slyszane naleza do bjork, no i jest drugi wokal pana einara, ktory pomimo dosc zabawnego akcentu i tak jest przyjemniejszy dla ucha niz jeki i meki jakie oferuje druga polowa wokalu

Better than what i expected to be honest

I mean, I guess bjork had to be in a band at some point prior to the becoming bjork we know? I almost wish, in addition to the more experimental stuff she'd made, that she'd kept on with this kind of weirdo Icelandic pop-punk?

I think this has enough about it to warrant inclusion on merit, rather than just because it's by ‘that band Björk was in’. There’s certainly a unique identity there in terms of musical and lyrical style, and the results, like sugar cubes, can be sweet. Take Deus for example, which is a catchy tune and also the right kind of wacky (*really* clean) to raise a smile. Sugar cubes don't contain enough nutrition to sustain you for a long time, however, and too much can become a bit sickly (i.e. some of those zany spoken word bits border on irritating after a while).

Bjork fronting an alt rock band is kind of like watching a walrus lead a parade. Like, it's remarkable even under normal circumstances but surely awe-inspiring and bizarre if you had never seen or heard of walruses before.

First listen to a fantastic album.

I wanted to make a joke that it sounds like Bjork until I found out it actually is Bjork. God music!

A weird record. It's good instrumentally, and the vocals were decent. Some of the lyrics were weird. Favourite Track(s): Traitor, Motorcrash Least Favourite Track(s): Sick For Toys

higher side of 3

sugarcubes? I thought you said sugar dudes

The first Bjork album so far that’s worth more than a 2. An acceptable level of squeak and squark.

Quirky fun, my introduction to Bjork. Hit that weird late 80s niche of Pop/Alt/Art

Never listened to Bjork, but she’s got some pipes.

Energy is there. Thats more than I can say for my recent albums.

drei minus

could i write poetry to this? n

"Birthday" alone makes this a special album. The rest of the tracks congeal with it to form a quirky, funny, scary, and danceable record. I liked this one even before I started listening to College Radio. And now, almost four decades later, it's still fresh as a daisy. Extra half-star for the album art's color scheme, which makes it easy to spot in a large record, CD, or tape collection. Another half-star for the surprising connection between the Sugarcubes and Chumbawumba. Look it up.

Not what I expected. You can definitely tell it was mostly a vehicle for Bjork. 2/5

The Sugarcubes were a pretty good band that are almost entirely an afterthought because of how brilliant Bjork was, almost immediately, in her solo career. Not sure there's any other group who so quickly became a footnote.

if this weren't the band with bjork before she became bjork then it wouldn't be as interesting. as it is, it's an album for that nerdy kid who reads all the plaques at the art museum, even in the room that's just a bunch of clay pots.

At first glance I would've said this wasnt for me but was a worthy listen. Still a bit mixed in terms of the songs I enjoyed but upbeat bjork and the guitar sound were pretty decent 👍

Pretty good but feels like it’s here just to be a historical tidbit

Yuck

81/1001. Although Björk at some point was a sort of a goddess a la Kate Bush for me, I never digged too deep to her earlier production. Well Gling-glo yes and some sugarcubes, but they were not so interesting. Listening to Sugacubes debut arises mixed feelings: on the other hand it is energetic, on the other the music isn't too innovative. Björk's singing is an instrument on it's own, the comes Einar with his crappy output. I don't know if they wanted to create an unmatched pair for a reason, but that's what we hear. Our perhaps they all were to good friends to tell him not to sing. Or most likely just so punk that they wanted to have the shitty output and poor mixing as part of rhe show. Well it is raw and rough, and somehow part of the attraction of it - otherwise it sounds more dated than late 80's in general. But come on, looking back: the band was angry that all the media focused on Björk - well what the fuck else is there to focus on? 3 stars +1 for the supernova called Björk. Btw. i've performed on stage while Björk was in the audience at the Reykjavík city theatre (as a host, not as a musician). God damn you crazy s.l.a.t.u.r. people, or perhaps thanks for not telling me beforehand. I love you all.

Always enjoy Bjork, in all her quirkiness. This was no exception. A couple tracks sounded familiar and were quite enjoyable, particularly 'Birthday'. A solid 3-star album for me. Added to my library.

crazy ass album cover 3.5

Aight I guess I don't know

Life’s Too Good is a fresh discovery for me—I wasn’t familiar with The Sugarcubes or aware that Björk was their lead singer. Her distinctive vocals really shine throughout the album, adding an otherworldly charm to the band’s sound. The record is a bold and quirky mix of post-punk and new wave, full of unpredictable energy and off-kilter melodies. It’s inventive without losing its pop edge, with standout tracks like "Birthday" and "Motorcrash" showcasing the band's unique blend of rawness and playfulness. Favourite Tracks: "Birthday" and "Mama" both stood out for their dynamic arrangements and Björk’s emotive delivery. Least Favourite Track: Honestly, nothing felt skippable—each track brought something interesting to the table. Album Artwork: Eye-catching and strange in a good way—perfectly in tune with the band’s eccentric vibe.

This was like a surprisingly good opening act when you showed up to see another band.

Add this to the category of albums that make me jealous of friend groups. Of course Bjork came from such a talented, weird, fun crew. I like the B-52's comparison. From the album's wiki: "a humorous take on pop music's optimism" -- I never really understand when bands do satire. Like MGMT's origins. I can appreciate artists (and people in general) that don't take themselves too seriously.. but there's always a question of knowing what's a goof and what they actually care about? Is it an attempt to keep listeners at arms length? I didn't go to art school. Having heard this album before today and before reading the wiki, ultimately I just interpret it all simply as a group of folks with a wide range of expression, both fun loving but also convicted and feeling deeply. No doubt Bjork brings a level of passion and feeling like no other. I wish everyone was able to leverage their instrument as handily. Overall I like this album. Undeniably unique. Blue Eyed Pop is my jam. 3.5

Some of this was good. Some was just...noisy.

It was alright. Just not too memorable.

Ja dit is gewoon precies wat je verwacht van een Björk album, maar dan rock invloeden in plaats van dance/pop invloeden. Meteen ook een stuk minder voor iemand die geen heel groot fan is van rock. Voor de teksten hoef je het niet te doen, daar is mijn Ijslands gewoon net te roestig voor, maar wat me wel echt opvalt is dat Björk hier al haar trademark schreeuwen en krijsen doet. Tsja, ik vind het gewoon niet heel erg goed? Muzikaal blaast het me niet weg en ik vind het gewoon grotendeels te raar om het nou echt een fantastisch album te noemen. Ook hier kan ik me er niet aan onttrekken dat het er alleen maar in staat want Björk.

Yeah, no. Sorry Björk, you're great, but this album sounds like a less fun, more dated B52's than anything of interest.

Experimental, cheeky, and pulsing with a post-punk undercurrent, The Sugarcubes stick to the jubilant thesis statement of their infectiously authentic debut.

Never in my wildest dreams would I have ever guessed that Björk started off as the vocalist of a post-punk band. Now that I heard it, it surprisingly works very well. Her vocal style somehow works with the post-punk backdrop. I kept seeing comparisons to the B-52s in the reviews and I definitely see it. They even have their own weird male vocalist too. Thought there’s a little more edge to these guys. My only critique is that some of this got a little too weird for me, especially Sick for Toys. Besides that, this very much feels like a beta version of a Björk album before her big break. Crazy that this is how it started for her. Favorite track: Birthday Other hits: Motorcrash, Delicious Demon, Coldsweat, Blue Eyed Pop, Deus, Fucking in Rhythm & Sorrow

As a Bjork fan, it was great finally listening to The Sugarcubes, but I found the male vocalist very distracting. Bjork is incredible as always though.

It’s… fine? I never got into the Sugarcubes the way I got into Bjork.

luv Bjork but only a few tracks I loved.

These are some of the most unique song titles I’ve seen thus far, and they are perfect for some post punk music. But I’m not pleased I was tricked into listening to Björk. Her voice grated on me even when I didn’t know it was her, which is how I know I truly dislike her. I think Life’s Too Good was a more interesting listen than her solo stuff I’ve heard. Björk with less experimental music goes a long way, or at least to a 2.

Sugarcubes’ band name, the "Life's Too Good" album title, and the album cover all sound and look like you can expect some bubblegum pop music, something like The Archies or Katrina and the Waves. But with song titles like “Motorcrash”, “Delicious Demon”, “Fucking in Rhythm and Sorrow”, and “Take Some Petrol Darling”, I began to think we were firmly out of Archies and Katrina territory. But come to find out upon listening, the advertising was working exactly as intended. There IS in fact a bubblegum pop overlay in places on this album, running intentionally contrary to the non-bubblegum tracks. But there's also a B-52s post-punky new wave sound and attitude intermingled, too. But then again, what else would one expect from Björk (who I did not know had been involved in anything like this)? Her voice is really well suited to this style of music, and it was fun to hear it in this context. Anyway, I was pleasantly surprised by this album.

Not as bad as I thought but I can't get on with bjorks voice.

I don’t even know what to say about this. I just didn’t enjoy the experience listening to this.

Remember when we beat those arrogant Iceland kids in Mighty Ducks 2? Yeah, even with Bjork, they lose again!

No escuché entero

Альбом, очень интересный! Я до этого не знал про The Sugarcubes, и слабо был знаком с творчеством великой Бьорк, НО МНЕ ПОНРАВИЛСЯ ЭТОТ АЛЬБОМ!!! Он очень хорошо звучит и очень красиво!!! Вокал Бьорк очень красив! Инструментальная часть тоже восхетительна!!! Альбом меня не сильно зацепил, но и равнодушным не оставил!!! Очень понравились песни: Blue Eyed Pop, Deus, Sick For Toys

Fun listen! Bjork!

Like I’ve said in previous reviews I prefer Björks vocal delivery in more upbeat songs and I’m glad that this sticks more to that but even with that I feel this was still lacking things. 3 stars

I hate this less than Bjork solo, but still would not willingly listen to this again.

Fourth best Icelandic band after Sólstafir, Misþyrming, and Svartidauði. Super creative & unique post punk/pop. 4.5/5.0: Excellent

this isnt what i was expecting after reading bjork was the vocalist. enjoyed the vocals from her but the dudes vocals threw me off a bit. the songs were interesting and didnt drag on like a lot of post punk tends to do

I'm a big Bjork fan, but for some reason I don't think I've ever listened to the Sugarcubes for some reason. First reaction is it's fully fledged Bjork vocals with more traditional guitar and drums, which is pretty frickin awesome. Birthday is a particular highlight for Bjork's vocals. There are some mis-steps that prevent me giving it a 5 though. Unfortunately the tracks lead by the male vocalist didn't really work for me - they give B-52 vibes. Maybe I'm just having a hard time thinking of them as anything other than "Bjork's former band".

It’s a lot. Very bjorky. Some interesting music in there tho

Not a fan. Bjôrk makes me anxious

Birthday is a song I have heard and like but the rest of album not so much

Doctor - “only take a small dosage of Björk or you will break out in warts and hives”

I LOVE this LOVE this so much!! Bork’s voice is magical and blows me away every time I hear it. This album is fun and upbeat and full of life and so so interesting.

I don’t like Bjork all that much, but I like the album overall. Very simple and clean in a way. I give it a 3.

Weird at first, but by the end of the album I was almost into it. Female vocals really sold it to me, even though the lyrics were at times goofy or outright absurd

Very cool to hear Bjork before her solo stuff! I enjoyed this album :) :)

En general me gustó el album pero hay canciones medio x y esto de que haya una voz ahi medio q hablando todo el tiempo en ciertos momentos no me llamó mucho la atención. AMO ver a Bjork como cantante de una banda de post-punk/pop como es sugarcubes y me gustó mucho MOTORCRASH y algun otro tema como blue eyed pop. Pero motorcrash es la mejor la verdad, super high energy y se me quedá pegada montón.

I remember being in Reykjavík and passing the local Icelandic Punk Museum as I was walking. Unfortunately, I wasn't staying in the city for very long and didn't have enough time to make a stop there. A real shame; the next time I come across a local music museum, I won't make the same mistake again! Anyway, this is some pretty fine post-punk. Brilliant and snappy, with fantastic vocals from Björk's end. I had a pretty visceral reaction to some of her more electronic-oriented solo work when I first heard it some years back, but hearing her voice accompanied by a musical style that gives her so much room for expression (and that I like!) makes me very intrigued about her other projects. Check this one out (regardless of your familiarity with her music) if you like the genre; it's well worth a listen either way.

i've always wanted to like björk more than i actually do

Overall good. It had a lot of interesting stuff going on.

It was... different.

I can’t say I was ever the biggest Bjork fan but really liked this. The sound of the songs was good enough that the grating sound of her vocals wasn’t too much. In fact the sound of her voice even complemented a lot of these songs. Maybe tailed off slightly on a couple of tracks towards the end but overall a very enjoyable listen. Good enough to revisit at some point.

Whilst this is generally an uninspiring album I quite liked the male voice and the post punk sound. Bjork’s voice ruins it in places but in others enhances the song and works well on those songs where she is effectively backing vocals. Top track: Sick for Toys

has been discussed ad naseum on this site, Bjork requires decent backing to become tolerable/entertaining. This band have no redeeming features, tinny production and difficult to define song structures did not help. At best they sound like a really shit Teardrop Explodes. Mercifully it was a short album.

01) Traitor - 6,5 02) Motorcrash - 7,0 03) Birthday - 8,0 04) Delicious Demon - 7,5 05) Mama - 6,5 06) Coldsweat - 7,0 07) Blue Eyed Pop - 7,0 08) Deus - 7,5 09) Sick for Toys - 6,5 10) Fucking in Rhythm & Sorrow - 6,5 11) Take Some Petrol Darling - 5,5 TOTAL: 6,86 (69/100)

It was ok. Definitely can tell Bjork is in the band… it’s a little grating but I could see the potential in how it all started. Probably wouldn’t listen again.

Meh

The music is okay but I’m not a fan of Bjork’s vocals

Not a fan They're not british, but iceland is close enough i think.

Quirky but lacking the cheekiness and fun that say the the B-52's had. The second half of the album was stronger. Musically, this is good, but vocally it's hit and miss for me. This was OK but not something I would listen to again. 3 stars. Would I listen to this again? No. Would I buy this album? No. 1 "Traitor" - 3 Stars 2 "Motorcrash" - 3 Stars 3 "Birthday" - 3 Stars 4 "Delicious Demon" - 3 Stars 5 "Mama" - 3 Stars 6 "Coldsweat" - 3 Stars 7 "Blue Eyed Pop" - Catchy. - 4 Stars 8 "Deus" - On this track Bjork's lead vocals compliment the music and the co-vocals very well. Even the "whoop, whoop"! - 4 Stars 9 "Sick for Toys" - This reminds me of Siouxsie and The Banshees. Best track so far. - 4 Stars 10 "Fucking in Rhythm & Sorrow" - Another very good track. - 4 Stars 11 "Take Some Petrol Darling" (hidden track) - 3 Stars Total /55 - 37 Average - 3.36

Not what I'd expect from bjork's 1st album/band, but surprisingly catchy & fun.

Not quite sure what to make of this but I know I didn't like it

Désolé, ça ressemble trop à du Björk pour que j'aille la force de finir. Je sais que ça fait un bout que j'ai été positif dans mes reviews, mais le générateur semble pogné dans un stretch d'albums conçu pour m'épuiser mentalement. Edit: Wait, la chanteuse c'est Björk pour vrai? C'est pour ça que ça me drainait autant!

4/5

did everyone else know that bjork rose to fame in an alternative band in the 80s besides me?? i had absolutely no idea until the vocals kicked in and i went HUH!??! this album petered out a little bit and got weird at the end but overall, i quite enjoyed it. what a fun surprise! the essence of 1001 albums!

i had NO idea bjork was in bands prior to her solo career, so this album was a very cool discovery. the new wave/alt rock sound is so unlike what i'm familar with from her solo career, and i really enjoyed listening to this a few times. favorites: traitor, motorcrash, birthday, delicious demon

Weird and wonderful indie pop.

19/06/2025 It wasn't too bad actually. It's nice to see where Björk originated from.

Here’s that band that Bjork was in before she went solo.

Meget cool, anderledes end jeg forventede

Synes den her plade er så pissecool, det er bare virkelig solid underlig post-punk. Det er fed kontekst for resten af Björks karriere.

Nice to hear Björk in another setting. I actually prefer her solo stuff!

This is the group that Bjork was in, that's all I knew before listening. Of itself that is not a good start as I can't stand her. Putting aside the music, she is so far up her own arse she forms a human moebius-strip! Her music always annoyed the fuck out of me too, but maybe this album will be different as it's not just her.... Nope, fucking awful, made it to track 3, had to turn it off. Utter horse-shit.

4.0 - Very Good

Wow! The Sugarcubes came roaring out of Iceland with a sound so infectious and arty—like a better B-52s—and a stunner of a lead singer in young Bjork. I missed this at the time but am loving it. 4.5 stars on first listen

Dad- 8 Mom- 7 Mike- NA Lori- 6.5 Michael- 7 Miles- NA Cole- NA Avg- 7.13

I love Björk, I love post-punk, I love oddball music, I love strong European accents, so of course I... think this album is just pretty okay. That one doesn't quite add up, I suppose. Oh well.

Never heard of this band. Interesting to check them out. eh. first song was pretty rocking. 2nd track not really my style. This next song very Bjork-like. Interesting band.

Surprisingly good, wailing is way better than Donna in the dead

I found this album to be pretty interesting. Lots of good energy, a little chaotic, strong sound. I dig this.

It's like Bjork meets punk or metal rather than indie dance pop. I quite liked it but i could see why the most successful member of this band was bjork her vocals are the most notable part

Delightfully weird. Bjork is a force, and a voice. Einar Örn is hilarious as co-vocalist. Not the sort of thing I'm going to put on often, but it's too strange and fun to rate lower than four stars.

Well at least this 80s punk is from Iceland and not England like some others. Still sounds pretty similar and very Euro. I would say this album was a step up from the other punk albums we had and the singers were tolerable for the most part (Birthday was cringey though). Nonetheless I'm still not digging this Euro punk stuff that's been on this list. Low 3.

Didn't realize that Bjork got her start as a member of The Sugarcubes. Frankly I've never heard of The Sugarcubes before. Motorcrash find her husky vocals weaving around an interesting Police-esq bopper with some cheesy 80s horns. Really enjoy the slightly dilapidated vibe of Birthday. Delicious Demon is not my favorite on here... Mama through Blue Eyed Pop is a pretty great run IMO. The bass on Blue Eyed Pop alone was fantastic to vibe with. I listened without the bonus tracks, stopping at Taking Some Petrol. With that in mind, I found this to be a short and sweet, punchy post-punk album. Certainly this leans more poppy than other post-punk that we've been exposed to on the list (more aligned with The Police than Joy Division if that makes sense). In general I think this was above the median water line, but not by a ton. I think that if they removed the male vocalist from the mix this album would be even stronger -- I just found his entries to be a bit more quirky and cringy (e.g., Sick for Toys and Deus). For me this straddles the 3/4 boundary, but I don't think there's enough there to bring me back quickly. So with that in mind, 3.

uhhhh, no thanks!

That was such a terribly weird album. Not really my jam at all but I can see where people would like it. High 2

Oooo Icelandic alternative. Kept thinking this sounds like Bjork and sure enough it's her singing pre solo Bjork. I can understand why her voice would annoy people its very jarring, but kinda works for me. The instrumentals are solid too. Nothing crazy that I'll come back to most likely but was interesting enough.

It’s a rock version of Björk, for better or worse.

3.5

crazy, mysterious and surreal icelandic new wave rock... dance music. this album is notably for introducing bjork to the world; she was the lead vocalist for this band before doing a solo career. it's pretty decent 80s new wave. to the surprise of nobody, bjork's breathy and ethereal singing style compliments this album very well all the way through. not every song is a winner, but the songs that are good, they're great. words can't understate how talented she is, give me more of her singing and less of the spoken word narration from eythor arnalds.

Probably the least interesting so far

7/10…80er alternative

It was good but it was 2 notes away from stumbling into B52's love shack

very fun record

Some parts are quite ahead of their time, like some the more 'dream pop' elements, which sound a bit like the Sundays. It is quite obviously overshadowed by Björk's next 4-5 albums, which are quite a lot more groundbreaking than this, but that's not to understate this at all. The singing is quite interesting, with the other dude doing some kind of talking-narrative stuff, which is quite interesting and very creative, as I guess there were no creative boundaries for a band from Iceland, they were going to be seen as 'weird' from the outset, and I think that the do lean into it a bit. The guitars and stuff are cool, there's also a bit of early electronic stuff on here as well. Favourite songs: Traitor, Birthday, motorcrash, delicious Demon, blue eyed pop, Deus, F**king in rhythm and sorrow (They censored not me) Overall around 7/10

Album de 1988. Banda da Bkjork. Punk/indie. Nada de mais!!

Very 80s but with touches of unexpected instruments. Not my thing but very talented musicians.

New wave reminded me of souse and the banshees or something. Not that I even know their music. Background listen for me nothing here to get into.

80s Bjork Lots of fun.

If you dig Bjork, you'll like this album. If you don't, give it a pass.

Good 3

I like the sugar cubes. Nice groove ang bjorks voice fits in nice

eu amo a björk

I don’t even make an effort to understand the words Bjork is saying. Are they English? Icelandic? Going off of sound and vibes only they are pretty good. The rest of the band is pretty good too and this is a fun album. Favorite songs were Motorcrash, Birthday, Coldsweat, and F***ing In Rhythm & Sorrow.

The usual 2 stars. An Icelandic group, it's an easy listen but nothing memorable it's not for me.

Not really in the mood for it.

WTF! Awful.

Not bad

I completely forgot Bjork was in the Sugarcubes…until she started singing. She has an unmistakable voice. She hadn't reached peak weird yet here, which I appreciate. I saw some comparisons to the B-52’s that I think are pretty valid, although this sounded more palatable and less out there.

First album this time around. 83/100. Some good guitar and bass lines and liked Bjork’s voice. Would listen again. Good start!

Every time I started liking it, something made me dislike it. 2.8.

This was very interesting. Personal enjoyment: 3/5 Relevance to this list: 4/5

I've never heard of the Sugarcubes. I was thinking this sounded like a goth B-52's with Bjork on vocals, and what do you know, it is her on vocals! And as much as I liked her singing on this (most of the time), I did not like the male singer. One of the later songs reminded me of Rammstein. Favorite track: Delicious Demon

The Sugarcubes seemed to be just a little bit too late the the party with their sound. It was an ok album but nothing memorable.

This as i can see from the comments is a divisive album. I finally am in the group that loves the album. Didn't take too long to realize that Bjork is on this one, and I think she made this one shine. And I'm really glad I could also recognize the similarity to B-52s. I don't think that this is any worse than them. I loved the themes, the instrument sounds and of course the Icelandic girlie's voice on this one. I want to listen again in the future for sure

Bjork in a pop band equals a lot of fun

I remember listening to this in high school as a way to start listening to "the cool stuff", and didn't like it then, and I don't like it now. It’s not that it’s bad, it’s just not what I would deem good. It’s a bit too weird for me.

79% Best: Motorcrash; Delicious Demon; Cold Sweat; Fucking In Rhythm and Sorrow Must-Hear? Parts of it, yeah. Maybe?

I remember The Sugarcubes. I bought their second album at the time when you had to buy physical media to find out if liked something. My conclusion was that they were weird, the female singer was good but there was a a funny sounding man that kept popping up and doing weird “raps”. My opinion now is pretty much the same. But I enjoyed it more as a quirky little offshoot. The band are pretty good with a strange dissonance. But it makes Björk (for it was she) would go off and do her own thing.

Eccentric Icelandic power pop indie… a glimpse into the future world of Bjork..

Birthday

Bjork is great obviously. Listening to one-and-a-quarter Sugarcubes albums, I can see why she left after three records. Also, the songs with the guy singing too are pretty crap. Parodies of euro music to come

Fun. Weird.

nice vibe

You don't need to hear everything Bjork has ever put to wax, but this actually slaps. Like seriously, could be up there with her best work.