Life's Too Good

I just do not enjoy Einar Örn Benediktsson's voice and I can't get past it. My standouts: Birthday, Coldsweat.

Surprised with how good it was. Normally wouldn’t be my cup of tea but turned out good.

While Bjork's later voicings can easily irritate me, on this and on their next album she and the band are like the fresh-faced new kid on the block: everything is new and intriguing. The music is fairly competent post-punk and with Bjork it soars. My favorite part? Singing in Icelandic.

Such an amazing album. Still holds up, and still hard to classify. and of course young Bjork is amazing.

Oh, the irony! Life’s Too Good? No - but the music ain’t bad.

I love Björk... her voice and quirkiness. I have listened to the Sugar Cubes before and love the mix of pop, punk, and techno. This is a fun album.

I liked this more than I thought I would. But... I really didn't like it that much. Bjork has her own approach to music and singing, and she can wail, I'll give her that. I just don't much enjoy it. When she was a bit more subdued (on the first half of the album), I was starting to have a change of heart about that, but as things progressed, the reality set in. Oh well... I did appreciate the off-kilter writing/arranging sensibilities of the band.

I somehow never heard this before today. I knew of it. I'm sure I must have heard Birthday at some point, but not the rest of it. I dug it. The male singer not so much, though at times he brought a certain B-52s energy to the proceedings. But Bjork. Damn. What a powerhouse.

Really enjoyed this. Forgot how much I love Birthday.

Solid 3

Didn't love the sound overall but "F***ing in Rhythm and Sorrow" was solid.

Twas ok

Pretty great. Had a real mid-90s feel even though they recorded it in the late 80s. Visionaries.

Didn't full grab me but it had its moments

Ahh Bjork is so powerful. This had a bit too much proggy vagueness to really sink in for me but even then she just lifts it. And she's bratty here! Three and a half. Fave track: Birthday

Mikið er þetta góð plata. Lögin misskemmtileg svo sem, en alltaf töff, margslungin og fjörug, og þau bestu eru algjörlega frábær. Og svo eru þetta svaka næs grúv. Einar Örn eldist líka vel, tengi 0 við þau sem láta hann fara í taugarnar á sér.

I'd been bewitched by 'Birthday' the previous year, and bought this album the week of release. I was delighted by it then, and it still delights me today. In May 1988, I saw The Sugarcubes live on the tour for this album, and was able to get the autographs of all five of them afterwards (the joys of being a teenager). I can see now why people are making comparisons to The B-52s. Never any doubt what score I was going to give this one.

80s. Forgettable.

Okay, album. Didn't enjoy it much.

Bjork was so sensational, I think intriguingly different in her vocal style. I never knew the Sugarcubes, but from what I gather this was an early colab just before her wave crested in the US and worldwide. I can understand how groundbreaking she was for Iceland, for women, and for creativity. That said, although I've listened to her many times, I have never been able to fully embrace her music. This album is right there. The sharp fractured singing is hard for me to process and enjoy.

Great launching pad for Björk. And sadly, I think we all owe some gratitude to the Sugarcubes demise.

Bjork with a backing rock band is a terrific pairing. If the back half of this album was as good as the start, I would prefer it to most of her solo work.

As I listened to this I thought, "this sounds like a pop-y Bjork" only to read that this IS a pop-y Bjork album. I have always loved her voice, this is no exception, but I enjoy hearing it set to music that is less experimental and dramatic.

I don’t know what I just listened to. Avant Garde is not for me.

Bjork the prequel

Sorry, couldn't get into this sound.

This was a lot of fun. Maybe I need to check out more of the Sugarcubes and Björk

Bjork! Didn’t know Bjork was here. Impressed of the music quality for being 90s Icelandic group

Interesting stuff. Probably not something I'll put on again, but it's cool to hear where Bjork started

This was alright. Interesting that it was what led to Bjork being Bjork.

Some really influential stuff. Basically the birth of Björk. Birthday is an iconic song! I still haven't gotten used to Einar's vocals, but I love some of this stuff. The bass tone, Björk's vocals. I remember my dad playing their remix album It's-It a lot and I thought the lyrics to Birthday were so weird. But obviously she arew on me.

Björk sings about her mum's tits. Take what you want out of that.

This day's album was a very pleasant surprise. I was listening to the album and quickly realized that Bjork was the singer. Now, I literally use Bjork as my measurement for whether an album deserves 1 star or not. If they're better than Bjork, they get 2 stars. But in this album, she is reigned in by the music of the band. Bjork can sing, and has a very unique voice and makes interesting choices, and with more straight forward music in the background, those choice really shine. It's not exactly the most profound amazing music, probably really just a 3.5, but because it made me like Bjork and even consider giving her another chance, I'm going to give it a 4.

Always knew what she did before her solo releases, but never had a chance to hear it. And this is really-really solid

Oof

I didn't know that Bjork was in a band before going solo. Before going into this, it sounds like this is pretty tongue-in-cheek. It's pretty good! Definitely Bjork with the ethereal vocals.

I distinctly remember falling in love with Coldsweat from my early days of watching 120 Minutes on MTV but for some reason that never inspired me to buy and listen to the whole album. Blame my discovery of hardcore and my narrowing of tastes at that age I guess. Really nice post-punk here with an almost futuristic (for the time) approach to new wave. Björk's voice is as outstanding as it is unique here and it's no surprise that in a few years she will be propelled into being a successful solo artist.

It started like a little A-Ha, mixed in some Oingo Boingo and threw in the Bjork! Come to find out, it was actually Bjork! My family did not like this but I found her work prior to her solo career good! There some good tracks on here, most of all Birthday though credit has to be given to the ‘50s inspired Fucking in Rhythm & Sorrow. Interesting listen

I couldn’t name a single Sugarcubrs song before today. I’d definitely heard the group name before. I vaguely knew in the back of my dusty mind that this was Bjork’s band Motorcrash specifically sounds like it should be on the Ferris Bueller soundtrack. Overall, I like this one pretty well! I think I like it better than Bjork solo. More rock and less Broadway.

Pure joy.

Konnte ich nicht anhören. Björk macht mich fertig

3.5 rounded up they invented a whole new genre with this shit tbh…… Quirked Up highlights: delicious demon, deus, cowboy (aug 13 2024)

Is this just a sneaky way where yet another Bjork on the list? Begins strong but runs out of steam for me. That shouldn’t happen on a short album

Gear: Abyss DIANA MR (vegan) Artwork: ✍️✅☢️ Produktion: 😲🙂👌 Musik: 🤩🤪💡 Wertung: ✍️✍️✍️/5

I have never heard of this band before today. Sounds like a mash-up of the B52s with Rammstein in the worst way possible. First album I wanted to turn off.

I had this back in the day but didn’t remember anything about it except that ‘Birthday’ is an all time classic. This is quirky and fun and interesting and grew on me after several listens. I see the B52s/Talking Heads comparisons and that is not a bad thing

Niet heel memorabel maar wel oke, zelfs wat interessant her en der.

Thought the album was interesting, but I’m not too crazy about it. The female vocalist has some good range and is very expressive. She made the album for me. The songs were strange yet charming at times. Standouts: Birthday, Mama, Cold Sweat, and Blue Eyed Pop.

Unique poo album from the lates 80s

really cool album. part of my journey in this project is being exposed to bjork, whom i had only heard of beforehand. i had no idea she was even in a band before her solo career, so this was a terrific surprise. she is a great singer and has a quality to her voice that i am finding i adore. this album is less avant-garde than her solo output, but that doesn't mean i like it less. really great late 80s alternative album with great vocals on top. it really is the best of both worlds for me - a singer i am finding i like a lot singing a genre of music i find i adore a lot.

3.7. sounded like Bjork, then found out they were Icelandic

Einar ruins this.

Weirdly enjoyed this considering I’m personally not a big fan of Bjorks solo work. Fun time

Post-punk in a way that's bordering on goth. Reminds me heavily of the Cure in certain spots. I like Bjork's voice throughout, her ability to just belt and hit some really sinister growls is crazy. You can pretty easily here where she would go from here. A little bit too "artsy" in spots. Favorite tracks: "Delicious Demon", "Mama", "Sick For Toys"

I was not expecting to like this as much as I did. This is easily some of Bjork's best work. If the male vocalist was silenced, this might have even been better.

After 3 listens, the album has grown on me. Bjork’s singing mixed with punk like song constructs connected. 4/5!

I wasn't super into this. It was cool hearing more of young Bjork, but overall the Sugarcubes don't do much for me. I could see this growing on me on more listens maybe, but it's not one I'm going to replay soon. 2.5/5

Really weird to hear Bjork with more people. The guy singer sorta reminded me of B-52s. I liked this though. A few of the songs were strange in a good way. One of them made me think of The Slits. 4/5

As much as I love Björk, I haven’t listened to her band before. Glad I did, this is pretty neat. B

Goofy af but I like it

It's like Björk but the only good part is Björk's singing

3☆/5 09.20.2024

2.5

Interesting 80’s sound. British. Reminded me of tears for fears

Still find Bjork’s voice odd but generally loved it

This is a 5 star album because Bjork. The band is pretty average and will be soon left behind. Bjork is already a star 10/10 Yes, Birthday is all it's hyped up to be

3.5

Props to Bjork for making an album I like.

Groupe connu, j'avais entendu des morceaux de plusieurs albums dans la période 1988-90, sans vraiment accrocher. La voix, et la façon de chanter de Björk est vraiment originale (Birthday par exemple), par contre je n'aime pas beaucoup la voix masculine qui gâche pas mal de morceaux (Deus). L'accompagnement n'est par contre pas très marquant. Dans certains morceaux un instrument est bien mis en avant (Basse dans Blue Eyed Pop - mais chant masculin pénible ; batterie dans Mama) et c'est plus intéressant, sauf la guitare que je trouve un peu effacée. Un morceau vraiment inattendu : Take Some Petrol Darling, très différent et malheureusement trop court. Donc un album original mais avec des imperfections. Il me donne envie d'en découvrir d'autres (mais aucun autre dans la liste ?) ou Björk en solo. =>3.5/5

The quintessential album for the weird girl outside of the punk show who shyly smoked alone between sets, not talking to anyone but constantly making awkward eye contact with everyone, playing Pokemon Crystal on an old translucent Game Boy Color, who then went inside and jumped on stage with a bunch of boys who each played with different bands earlier in the night, and then proceeded to play the best set of the whole night. (It’s me, I’m the weird girl who did this shit at 20, but also, not actually, because I’m not fucking Björk.) For a post-punk piss take on pop music, this album is incredibly fun, catchy, and accessible while never feeling overbearingly obnoxious, yet Life’s Too Good always retains that good ol’ tongue-in-cheek irony of post-punk. A couple tracks do come close to being annoying, but that’s when the joke of it all saves it. Oh yeah, and motherfuckin’ BJÖRK does the vocals and sounds perfect!!! Lord knows why I’ve glanced past this album all these years, because it’s totally up my alley.

Life's Too Good is the debut studio album by The Sugarcubes, originally released in 1988. Bjork is the lead singer of this band. I was never really a fan of her solo work for some reason. This record is pretty different than what she would release later. This is some alright punk/new wave. It's interesting to hear her in this setting/genre. The live shows were probably great. Their sound is just a bit lacking on record. It sounds a little bit disjointed to me at times. But maybe that's the point. This album is pretty weird but kinda in an appealing way that makes you want to hear more.

Entertaining. Bjork became a massive star, the glimmer of that was present here

Ah, takes me back to 6th form college and Birthday coming out and sounding like nothing else and then this album with its post punk energy. It's a great album, though I think their third is better.

Kind of a strange album. Some of Bjork's vocal work is impressive, but ultimately a little too much for me. Some of the songs are musically interesting. Overall just okay. 2.5/5 Probably won't listen again

4 stars for young Björk

I know this album quite well. After falling in love with Bjork after her first solo album, I learned that she had a previous band called The Sugarcubes. I was unable to find anything from them at first, until one fateful day I found a copy in a bargain bin. Fun album. Bjork's solo work is much better, but there's elements in what was to become from her in this album.

Meh 2/5 not my cup of tea. May not be my cup of tea today but I will still blame the generator

Wasn't sure I was going to like this much but it was diverting enough. Birthday obviously excellent. Plenty more interesting tracks to explore as well. Needs a revisit.

oh! its bjork's baby band! cute! Very Poppy. Easy 4.

Unique album. Not bad

i didn’t realize Bjork was in a band before her solo mission. i enjoyed this. made me wanna move my body in a dancing fashion

This album is a great time, but the non Bjork singing is ridiculous. This is kind of line a slightly dancier Siouxie and the Banshees.

5/5 album for me, what an impact this had on music, especial Icelandic music and for Bjork in particular. My infant also absolutely adored it.

I prefer Life's Too Good to pretty much anything Bjork did as a solo artist afterwards, this isn't spectacular but it's got enough about it to keep me interested and manages to deliver an authentic sound even though that wasn't apparently the intention. Mama is my favourite song off the album, easy 3, haunting and aggressive, makes the later 80s-style alt rock sound interesting.

This is cool, keeps all the edge of a Bjork vocal but shaves off most of the really OTT bits. Male vocalist nowhere near as good, and it's a bit distracting really. It's interesting, Birthday and Mama probably the best tracks, lands on a mid to high 3 I think.

This was a fantastic journey start to finish. I worried it would be another standard brit-pop album, it’s Icelandic, but this album is fantastic. It doesn’t necessarily sound groundbreaking, but there’s something here that is undeniably fresh and infectiously fun. Björk, perhaps? I’ll have to go with that, though I’ve never enjoyed any of her solo albums. Well done Ice People. 4/5

7/10

Til Björk was in a band before going solo

This was excellent and might have even been a five star album if it wasn't for the annoying male vocalist.

Honestly, some really good post-punk hailing from Iceland. The production jumps between gloomy early Cure-esque moments like on 'Birthday', and upbeat funky like on 'Fucking in Rhythm and Sorrow'. I love the groove on 'Blue Eyed Pop', peak post-punk stuff. I have no idea how to feel about the Einar interjections, Bjork is such an all-encompassing, talented, and likable vocalist that she sort of overshadows him (aside from a song like 'Sick for Toys' where I think he does a good enough job). Bjork is what makes this album incredible for me. Not to discredit the rest of the band, but I can't overstate how incredible Bjork's melodies, growls, and dynamics are all over this album, especially on songs like 'Motorcrash' and 'Delicious Demon'. Her lyrics are subtly eerie on a majority of these songs as well - especially with the gruesome and almost gorey sexual depictions on 'Coldsweat'. Bjork or not though, this album would've still stood out as an incredible gothic encapsulation of post-punk ethos as it was on its first-wave deathbed.

Couple of decent songs on here, but overall doesn’t really do it for me

Odd and high paced, but actually really fun. At times creepy but sometimes funny, often being very weird.

Well, this is disappointing, but I suppose it should be at least a tad expected. Bjork plays a relatively small role here, feeling like nothing more than being the "female vocals" to a strange, B-52s-like band. Obviously, she is the highlight, and makes tracks like Birthday shine as her own, but Einar Orn really is trying his best to sing over her with the most obnoxious noises he can make, like a child going "nanananana," while a parent is trying to work. It can get annoying, and if it wasn't for some solid hooks and sound changes in the latter half of the album, I think I'd be more upset by this. The album luckily pulls through enough for me to come away somewhat happy, and while I don't think the album even comes close to Bjork's solo work, it still works as a neat little capsule of her work from before. It just isn't all that special, and so I can't really rank it higher.

Fizzing with ideas, Bjork's singular harmonic sense and singular sense of timing adding soaring tunes - always with a sense of unease. Lots and lots going on, but much of is is agitated. not a listen that I enjoyed.

hell yeah bjonk

My first CD!

Really good. My first real exposure to Björk. Björk is really obviously the star of this band.

Was a lot of fun to listen to Bjork's band, which I honestly have not ever given much time to. It kicked off the Sunday morning of Otakon 2024 for me

An interesting pre-solo Bjork curio with maybe 3 decent songs?

Would be a lot better if the bloke could shut the fuck up and let Björk sing. Anyway I've got no idea why this is on the list but Post and Homogenic are not. Post is a bit messy but contains one of the best songs of all time with Hyper ballad while Homogenic is one of the most influential albums of the 90s. There is plenty of mediocre slop (including this album tbh) on the list that I'd happily remove in favour of one of those two.

Interesting... Didn't know Bjork had a career before her solo one. I think I like it more, since it is more accessible.

Really fantastic. Refreshing balance between Bjork’s sparkly outbursts and the bands almost dull post punk influenced indie music

islanti valtaistuimella seisoo.. länsimaiden valokeilassa nautiskelee... remote island not like boring finlan mainland... ei viikinkifantasiaa.. hollywoodfantasiaa suomessa tarpeeksi... sugarcubes kuulostaa erikoisen epäerikoiselta... yrittää tehdä jotain.... jotain mitä kaikki muut tekee... ja annettu valokeilaa koska politiikka, islantiulkopolitiikka.... islanti valtaistuimella... katsoo alas halveksien... meillä, on, BJÖRKKI!!! Ailishin pilli.. Hehehe... Billy.. vai... Hehheh.... Billy ailiiishi... hehehe. myndir þú læra að gera eitthvað annað en sterka menn og vitleysu þarna á Íslandi. holy fucking shit guyz this is crazy... traitor

The vocals are very impressive on this album, but otherwise it's just okay.

I admittedly only knew Birthday by The Sugarcubes going into this and I worried it was maybe their only good song. I was so wrong. This album is great. Björk is a very hit or miss artist. You either love her style or hate it. My favorite part of any Björk song is when she growls. The growls pull you out of her pristine vocals and let you know there is a lion inside this woman. I thoroughly enjoyed this album and almost wish Björk had never gone solo because Einar does a great job on vocals too. They seemed to have a good chemistry. Maybe someday they will collaborate musically again.

After listening to this, I can’t honestly say life had improved significantly…

Fresh, energetic, driving, complete album, showcasing yet harnessing Bjork's wonderful quirkiness ...I LOVED it

Don't like this at all. Bjork's voice grates on my nerves and, in this genre, The Sundays are way, way better.

Couple songs in and I was quite enjoying it, very intriguing. Then I recognised it was Bjorks voice and it clicked why the band's name sounded familiar. Not as good as her solo stuff but still good, especially the first half. Petered out towards the end, and the songs with the male vocals were noticeably worse. Interesting to hear more of her pre-solo days. 3.5*

This is exactly what I would think Bjork + 80s would sound like. That being said, I kind of like it. But vocally evokes B52s without the camp.

Björk.

I knew this one. Sounds better than I remembered.

bjork's singing is good as always and teh tunes themselves were pretty eh

not anything to go back to

Didn’t make it all the way through but sincerely enjoyed everything I heard

I didn't enjoy it. I listened to the first several songs then checked out

Kinda whacky background singing and overly singing female lead but good at times

I can't say Icelandic alt-rock would've ever come up on my Spotify search if not for this project, so this was intriguing to get into to say the least. With that in mind, there were many elements to The Sugarcubes that resemble some of my favorite artists. Vocals similar to Heart (no small feat), and instrumentation of acts like Stevie Nicks and Garbage (again, high praise) made this a very relatable experience even though they are not state-side. That being said I probably won't circle back to this band, but I enjoyed my time with them and it's cool to hear similar styles of music being popular elsewhere in the world. Notable Tracks: - Motorcrash - ska vibes - Coldsweat - Deus - Cowboy 6/10

Eh

Thoroughly unenjoyable

I’m familiar with one of their songs but I’ve never listened to an album in entirety and it was just alright. I think sometimes the music was funky in a good way and I do see the attraction to her voice but to me I just didn’t agree with the sound of it. I recognize that’s completely a preference for me and that i’d why I give some respect because it’s definitely different from a lot.

I went to Iceland many years ago, partially in hopes of seeing the northern lights. On the night they were supposed to be brilliant ... it snowed. I just walked around Reykjavik and bought local music in a store. Sometimes the universe steers you in the right direction. Man this is a fun album. Music is all over the place while still being a good trip - vocals are more than a little out there with Bjork and that other guy (who is not unlike an Icelandic Fred Schneider, but thankfully more reigned in) but that's actually a selling point for this band. The lyrics are.... wild ("Deus" in particular). And there's absolutely something about them being sung (or spoken) with such heavy accents that gives it extra intrigue - something it would absolutely not have if this band were from, say, Indiana. No offence, Terre Haute. It'll never escape being so very 1988 but in this case I love it - the sound/mix and music are perfectly enmeshed. 8/10 4 stars

That was an interesting listen. Of course Bjork totally stole the show on this, but it was cool to see her back in her early days. It was pretty fun an experimental. Some of the songs were repetitive or fell flat for me, but all around a worthwhile listen. 3/5

This is cool! Some strange lyrics, but overall I enjoyed the vibe. Super funny that I got this on my birthday and there is a song called Birthday 🥳

Always thought Bjork was weird and never got into this band. It was better than I expected

Not a huge fan but it sounded pretty interesting, maybe if I was in a different mood I would return to this. High 2.

2.2 The more I listen to Bjork, the more I do not like

Not bad

When the Sugarcubes appeared, out of nowhere, on the music scene int he late 80s, no one knew what to make of them. They were quirky to the point of weird and came from Iceland. Bands from Iceland were hardly ever scene. Bjork especially was this space pixie that seemed to have dropped out of the sky. There first album, Life's Too Good, mirrored the band in music. Full of off-tempo songs with odd lyrics, and weird singing, they were nothing like the emerging alternative scene or previous new wave. Instead, they were fresh, interesting, and attention getting. Birthday, is full of strnage vocal tics, motorcrash has a great driving beat but the lyrics hardly make sense. Delicious Demon is... I don't know what it is. It's just out there. I had the oppurtunty to see them live with PiL and New Order. Live they were even stranger and hyperactive. In other words, an excellent show. The Sugarcubes didn't last very long. They only had one more album but the novelty had worn off as the alt music scene got weirder in it's own right. Bjork left to basically invent Euro Dance Pop. For a moment though, in 1988, weird was good, and the Sugarcubesw awesome.

Enjoyed this far more than I thought I would, very interesting. I can enjoy Bjork in this context

That intro after a soft start scared the SHIT out of me

Totally didn't even realize at first that this is Bjork's band. This was pretty good! Not sure I'd listen again but I enjoyed it and am going to save "Fucking in Rhythm & Sorrow" to my highlights playlist. More of a 3.5.

This album answers the question of what would it sound like if Fred Schneider was Icelandic. I'm not a huge of Bjork's music, at least that which I have heard, because it wants to be so serious I find it hard to enjoy. This album is (totally unexpectedly) the complete opposite of the music from her solo career. I state this a lot but while I enjoyed this album I don't know if I would listen to it again. While Bjork's music is so serious and weird, this is so light and fluffy I don't know which mood it best fits. Should I find someone who really likes Bjork's music then I would very much recommend this album to that person. Motorcrash, Birthday (on which Bjork really shines vocally), Delicious Demon (where the male vocalist goes full Fred Schneider) and Deus are pretty good songs. Though, I'm a bit weirded out by the talk of being put in a bathtub and getting squeaky clean in Deus.

A lot of of it is solid alt rock, but some tracks are a little too yell-y for me.

Bjork will go on to do much more interesting things. This is still pretty solid though.

þrælfínt, markað tímabilinu. 4.

My first thought was this sounded kind of like B-52s, but then I kept listening and realized "wait a minute no, that's *definitely* Björk singing!" Keeping up the trend of preferring her early work, I liked this one a lot.

Un album très intéressant et assez unique. Ça fait drôle d'entendre la voix de Bjork dans un contexte de groupe post-punk comme celui-ci. Certaines pièces m'ont un peu laissé indifférent, mais globalement c'était vraiment un album amusant. 8/10

I didn’t know Björk had a band. Thank you 1001 for the info.

I only knew them by name. Better than I expected. Everything pop and alternative of the mid to late 80s in a blender probably gets you something like this, but not quite. It's better than that. Except the lyrics, but it's not their language, so you can't really blame them. Favorite song: sick for toys.

"Birthday" is the obvious highlight. A lot of ideas here, but uneven execution nets a 3. Hints of post-punk, Cocteau Twins and the other stuff going on in the early-to-mid 80's. Usually just my kind of thing, but this album just comes off as a bit thin in the end.

Really enjoyed it, Björk is always a good time.

Was unfamiliar with today's band so I looked at their bio. Icelandic alt rock. I thought, ok, sounds interesting. Lead singer... Bjork...... Fuck. So this was apparently her band prior to getting huge and going out on her own. This is like Icelandic B-52s but shittier. Favourite songs: Deus Least favourite songs: Birthday, Delicious Demon, Mama, Take Some Petrol Darling.... And others.... Most of this record is garbage. I really don't like much post punk/Avant pop. It's just too quirky and weird for me. 2/5

Not my jam. Still not the worst thing I’ve ever listened to but won’t be coming back to this one.

Guðmundsdóttir.......

Bjorn has a beautiful voice. This was my first time experiencing her and this genre. Big fan!

nope

Just like Bjork's solo work, I struggled to get into it. A few good songs, but overall meh.

Weird but I kinda liked it

It was ok, very 80s

Forgettable

I have not explored The Sugarcubes at all and am only aware of them for being the band Björk was in. I don't know what I was expecting, but I liked this a lot. Great fun little post-punk record.

Not really my kind of music but it’s cool as hell that this is Bjork pre-solo run. Didn’t expect her voice to pop up. I liked that motor song a lot.

Why does knowing that this group is Icelandic make me more amenable to liking them than if I heard the same music coming from an American or British band? I had never heard of The Sugar Cubes and I had heard of Bjork but was unfamiliar with her work. This album surprised me and I liked it much more than I thought I would. It often reminded me of the B-52s but with more grit and gravity. I'd welcome listening to this one again.

Super cool, Björk!

B52s? Lol

B52s without the upbeat energy or the hits.

All I knew about this band, the Icelandic B-52s, was that it launched Bjork…this was a fun listen.

So weird and fun. Björk singing her heart out with every kind of music fused into one

That's two brilliant and unexpected albums in a row after months of slogging through awful dad rock and jazz. And it's Bjork, showing us how she is and has always been a force to be reckoned with in music. This is fresh and exciting to my ears, even as parts haven't aged well. This is another example of why I persist with this list. And disliking Bjork is big NPC energy. I'm onto you.

This is good, and a sound that would probably grow on me.

When this came out it was unlike anything I'd heard before. I was lucky enough to see them live in 1989 and they didn't disappoint. I like this much better than Bjork's solo stuff.

I would have given this a 5 if it wasnt for Einars stupid "singing"

3.5/5

Interesting but not for me

Fun. Weird. I like the early bjorkisms, and the B-52 esque male counterpoint. Deus is a highlight, and the icelandic ones. Deus deus!

Apart from the hit single, this left me pretty disappointed. 2/5

What's this Bjork-sounding nonsense? Oh, it's early Bjork.

Started strong then just kind got a bit annoying towards the end

Not the kind of music I like

Very enjoyable and quirky throughout. Bjork has one of the most distinct voices in music and it's really cool to see the origins of what would become one of the most creative and unique artists ever.

Definetly not my type of music.

Sounds like the B-52s.

my queen bjork is being dragged down by these knaves

Echoey rock, wanders between punky and poppy. Passionate vocals

Tbh this is the first time i really liked music with björk in it nothing against her its just not quite my taste but this was amazing i will deffinetely listen a lot more to this album

What the fuck was the point of all that?

Vivant et irrévérencieux, un parfait contre-point à la voix de Björk, tantôt angélique, tantôt scream queen

Ganske chill

A surprising gem, even if it was meant as a joke. Made Bjork make sense. Might give her a listen with new ears now.

Obviously, Bjork was destined for bigger things.

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

Sometimes you’ll say wait is that bjork and it is.

Definitely an interesting listening. I think it's a little bit too "experimental" for my taste, but not by much. For the most part I could at least tolerate what was going on and liked a lot of it. Would I listen to it again? Probably not.

Not always the easiest listen but I enjoyed it nevertheless

Screeching woman is not my genre

Rating: 8.5/10 Great album overall. So many catchy melodies while also being very creative. The instrumentation sounds like post-punk from the early 80s with its unique twist to it. The production is great and Bjork's voice matches this sound so well which adds to the uniqueness. Very refreshing to get an album like this on the list, it does not always work but when it does it is very memorable. Favorite songs: Traitor, Motorcrash, Birthday, Mama, Coldsweat, Blue Eyed Pop, Deus, Sick For Toys, Fucking in Rhythm & Sorrow. Worst song: Taking Some Petrol.

Life's Too Good is just a really weird album but it had several rather good aspects. The music is some very good new wave rock and Bjork's voice was also very good too and it is just interesting seeing her do something before her more electronic sound she would do in her solo career. However, While Bjork's voice was great, I really wasn't a fan of the male voice, he just sounds so creepy, And the lyrics were also, lets just say odd. It is a rather decent album but it is really weird in a not good way in a lot of places. Best Song: Birthday Worst Song: F***ing in Rhythm & Sorrow

I love everything about this band. Sort of a weird B-52s vibe but a little... nastier? Funny, interesting, different, upbeat, fun, contemplative, cerebral, poetic, odd, indecipherable, fascinating, Arty, percussive - has a good beat, you can dance to it. High quality musicianship, you can tell they've played together for a long time, very cohesive and tight, expressive, good dynamics and support for the voices. This is a good band. Oh, yeah, also Björk 🤩 (pronounced "byerk").

interesting Icelandic alternate music

Very different from bjork

This had a cool late 80s vibe somewhere between the B-52s and the Pixies. You can feel the stale 80s music fading and the creative explosion if the 90s coming when you listen to this. Weird and memorable but I'm not sure I could listen to it regularly.

Young Bjork was bringing it!

Perfectly pleasant indie-pop, but that's about it.

Y a des trucs bien et des trucs pas ouf. Notamment j'aime pas comment il te piège au début de l'album avec un volume bas pour bien t'éclater les tympans ensuite.

I was surprised I liked this as much as I did. Bjork is not usually my cup of tea really. This clangy new wave style is also not usually my favourite haha. On today’s record, I sometimes feel like Bjork is a bit like the 2000s Janis Joplin (Joplin was undeniably ‘better’). Her singing isn’t for everyone but goddamn can she belt it, and she’s so expressive - no fucking autotune on this one haha she is /all OVER the place/ in terms of pitch and timing (no protools grid either haha) and goes from that quivery-totally-out-of-tune pure-emotion noise-delivery to rock-solid-in-tune-in-time every once in a while just for a surprise. I bet she was a riot live in those days. This whole record’s aesthetic is sounding a bit B-52’s to me also

Not vibing with it at all. But I read the reviews and maybe I have to give it another chance. Tried it and not for me.

Stronger first half than second, but I’m learning I love Bjork and that makes up for it

I much prefer Björk in this environment. It’d be the full four stars if the male singer wasn’t there. 3.5/5

I really like Bjork but I don't know Sugarcubes that well, and after a couple of listens I'm not really into them. I like her voice but this music is very different from her style. It reminds me more of Talking Heads or (as mentioned in our chat) the Sprokets skit from SNL. I only knew one track on this album: Birthday. That seems to be the popular track and it is pretty good. Some of the other ones are just funny-weird, like Delicious Demon.

Maybe a 3, but felt like I had to pick a side on this divisive album. Started out making confused and being a little put off by it; but when I stopped thinking of it as a Bjork album, and instead started thinking of it as a weird Icelandic punk album from before Iceland was cool, my opinion 180-ed on it.

Literally about to add a song to a playlist and then some dude starts talking about sideburns. No thank you.

B52 vibes

Kind of poppy, kind of light punk

3 - I loved a lot of this and the female vocals are lovely. The guy vocals were off for me and weird lyrics

I loved this. A wild ride. So many great quirky tunes. 4.8/5

Today's review is presented by a special guest, my lovely and talented wife! In her words: "Please don't ever make me have to listen to that again."

I imagine a lot of peope come to this hoping to find a lost Bjork album. While her unique voice and contributions are clear, it's better to think of this as a post-punk album by separate band. Anyone who followed the Sugarcubes back in the late 80s must have felt like they discovered something very special.

Quirky is, I think, the word for them. Bjork’s squeaky vocals, bounced back and forth with the male lead’s own odd inflections, but it works and the songs are interesting. Holds up surprisingly well.

Pure joy

(Most of) the world’s first taste of Bjork, eh? It’s as you’d expect: brilliantly high-flying vocals from Lady McIceland and serviceable post-punk work from everyone else. I liked it. I had only ever heard “Birthday”. I might listen again.

good start

I liked a lot of this. Could do without the Icelandic songs.

This album (and band) takes on a different context with Björk’s solo career in mind, but even on it’s own it’s a good album! Björk’s performance is great as you’d expect, and the rest of the band is similarly solid. Good stuff

Så nice

This just sounds like such a fun album to make. Always brings a smile to my face

Quirky.

Definitely not my cup of tea

screaming. noise... Take Some Petrol is more than a track. It's advice.

Bjork!!!! Gotta love an album that directly speaks to the part of me that had Aqua's Aquarium as the first album I ever owned, or the part of me that loves The B52's Love Shack. It's super weird but super cool. I was never into Bjork's solo material, but apparently I really enjoy her work with The Sugarcubes. Standouts are Cold Sweat, Birthday, Deus, Blue Eyed Pop, and F***ing in in Rhythm and Sorrow.

This is tough as the good bits on this are excellent. Only ever heard of Birthday before, but Delicious Demon, Mama, Blue Eyed Pop, Deus are all bangers. But theres also a lot of bits that passed me by and it does get old quick. If this was an EP it’d be a strong 4. Overall though a very good indie record, will be back for a few tracks

Well it doesn't sound like other bjork stuff but then again none of bjorks stuff sounds like other bjork stuff. Sounded very 80s, decent enough but I feel like we've had a bit too much of this recently. Struggle to think of any songs that stood out for the better. Can see why it's on the list but won't be back. 2.5 but closer to 2.

Motorcrash and Cold Sweat were great, but the rest meandered between annoying and boring.

It's a blend of some of my most hated genres, New Wave and Post Punk 🤮 Highlights: Motorcrash Birthday Coldsweat

I'm an idiot, I was thinking how strange this is that the singer sounds like Bjork, and they both are Icelandic, must have inspired her. I assumed she was much younger than she is....Thought she would've been a child in 1988… can't believe she's 58! Anyway, not sure about this. Feel like she found the type of music her voice and style works with in her solo career. Didn't hate it, but didn't do much for me. I like her voice though, but would prefer her solo stuff. 2.5

Took my two songs before it dawned on me that that was indeed Bjorks voice that I was hearing. Overall, I have been severely underwhelmed by her albums that have been on this list and this one didn’t change my opinion, which is meh.

Only got two songs in , this one is not for me . Is it Björk because it sounds like Björk

This is a really good album, man. I kind of want to give it 4 stars, but I’m not entirely sure I can because it does sound a bit dated. But it’s a hell of a fun ride and Bjork is incredible as always. You know what, I’m just gonna do it. I’d probably give it a 3.5 if I could do half stars, but this album is so much better than many others that I’ve given 3 stars to. Maybe not as good a those I’ve given 4 stars to, but the gap is much smaller.

Nice!

This was a gem. 3.5/5, maybe a 4/5 after another listen.

Weer fucking Björk

I've never been a big punk/new wave fan, but I night be a Bjork fan. She's a phenomenal vocalist, and even if I didn't like every track on the album, I absolutely feel the energy and talent she brings. Excited to hear more if her solo career. Top tracks: Birthday, Delicious Demon, Deus

А, я ничего не написал тут пока слушал. Ну норм вроде было

I havent ever listened to björk and this hasnt inspired me to start

"Life's Too Good" is the debut studio album by Icelandic alternative rock band the Sugarcubes. The music is post-punk...not much more to say there. The album title was a humorous take on pop music's optimism. The album was an unexpected success and garnered them international attention. The Sugarcubes are Björk Guðmundsdóttir (vocals, keyboards), Einar Örn Benediktsson (vocals, trumpet), Bragi Ólafsson (bass), Þór Eldon (guitar) and Sigtryggur Baldursson (drums). The album hit #1 in the UK and #54 in the US. The second song and last single "Motorcrash" has fast drums and an angular very post-punk guitar which keeps up the pace. Björk's vocals are layered as she describes a girl who goes to motorcrashes. We get a hint at the strength of her voice. Einar throws in trumpet parts and says Einar things in the background vocals. "Birthday" was the song that broke them into the mainstream and now Björk starts to really let her vocals loose. Bass, a crawling guitar, more trumpet. Björk said the song was about a tasteless love affair drawing memories from her as a 5-year old. My favorite Sugarcubes' song is "Delicious Demon." Here, Björk's vocals explode and you realize, yeah, she'll be going places. The most effective use of Einar's vocals combined with Björk's. The band really goes goth in "Coldsweat." Heavy drums and bass. The scratching guitar fits perfectly. "Deus" was the third single maybe the most poppy and bouncey song on the album. A good drum beat and guitar. A keyboard melody. I don't think she believes in God. I remember getting this album when it came out and liking it some extent; I really liked it today...it's aged pretty well. The music is absolutely post punk and even goth. There's a dark edge to the music and the lyrics that I don't remember picking up in 1988. It sounds more like an early 80's album which makes sense since the band had these sings around for some time before the album was released. And what can you say about Björk? This album is worth listening to just for her vocals. I can't think of many singers where a voice is just much bigger than the music. And hers is.

The exhilarating chaos of the debut album of The Sugarcubes (and, dare I say, the true debut of Björk) remains as vital and exciting as it did when it came out in 1988. Its playful nature, all the way down to the album cover, (regardless of whether it is set aside or not) would ultimately become central to the solo career that the band spawned; the long-lasting influence subtle yet apparent as it ended up putting Iceland on the musical map. Life's Too Good? Well, when it comes to The Sugarcubes, may it be. Favorites: Traitor, Motorcrash, Birthday, Delicious Demon, Mama, Blue Eyed Pop, Sick for Toys.

So great! I didn’t know Bjork was in this band and hearing her vocals in the background of track one perked me right up. Superb singing and instruments were consistently “off” in such a delightful way. Dug it!

I found it hard to listen to more than 3 songs at a time.

Not for me this. It’s not bad, but it’s not good either. Bjork’s vocals just sort of wrap me up in a cold feeling.

Delightfully weird but mostly filled with songs I won't revisit.

Album con sonido clásico de los 80 pero con canciones no tan típicas. La voz de la chica es la que más me gustó.

Slightly off kilter pop that somehow feels a bit metal. It was fun!

nein danke 2x

TIL Bjork was in a band before going solo. Almost like a mix between the B-52s and other 80s New Wave/Rock.

I would like this to fall into my 5 star category: An album I had genuine fun with, no if/buts, or that I fully enjoyed discovering for the first time, but there's a bit of a chipper extrovert madness in the music here (not necessarily via Björk) that I found tiring after a while, somehow, right now, today. Shame. It's good, though!

Hey! This is another discovery! Obviously had heard of The Sugarcubes, but I guess I expected their music to be a little more jagged, and Bjork's vocals to be a little more turbulent, but it really wasn't. It was far more hooky than I expected. It's like they took the best elements from so many new wave/80s alternative sounds and melded them beautifully. There's some B-52s, and some Siouxsie & the Banshees, some INXS, some XTC, some Cure... Not saying they're derivative at all, but just trying to say they've built their sound in ways that I enjoy. Really dug the rhythm section across this album. Thought for a while this might be a 5, but I reserve those for *perfect* albums so ended on a 4, but this was a really great surprise! (We really need to be able to add .5 on these ratings because this is likely a 4.5.)

Bjork is very talented, there is no question. But her voice really starts to grate on me after a few songs.

first listen. i had no idea Bjork used to be in a band but i really liked this album. i will be most definitely revisiting it.

I saw the Sugar Cubes tour for this album, as an opening act for New Order. Looking it up now it seems I also saw Public Image Ltd on the same ticket? Blech. I believe I gave their album a 1. I’ll be kinder to the Sugarcubes, but I’ve never really seen the appeal.

“To create a universe/You must taste/The forbidden fruit.” When I was much younger and first listened to “Deus” this sounded so profound to me; needless to say, I’ve loved this song forever but for some reason never listened to the whole album. The album is a fun listen, but no other song came to the same level.

This is an album made for my taste. I love punk/riot-girls sounds, and punk music is always a good option for the day. That being said, this album is a bit common sense for me, with energy but without novelty, even being from 1988, so it deserves just 3 stars. I'll finish with 4 because of my curiosity about being the first Bjork band.

Grew on me as I listened. Pretty solid.

Experimental Pop

Lots of yelling 80s women. Pretty whacky avant-gard stuff.

Not my cup of tea

Not really my thing. The music was OK but didn't like the female vocalist. Overall did not particularly wnjoy

Icelandic Deep Blue something but even weirder.

Is life too good? It must be to allow these types of albums to be on this list. No disrespect to the Icelandic group that no doubt inspired countless Eurovision contestants. Much like I am not a huge fan of Bjork, I’m not of this band either. A little too frenzied and the lyrics and just wild. Whole song about a motorcrash, and just saying motorcrash over and over.

Eh. Maybe we're in another weak streak. This album has a lot of life, but it feels very disjointed. A lot of stuff just crammed together. Quite a few vocalists, and sometimes that variety is cool, but sometimes it's a lady that sounds like Bjork, and I'm not a Bjork fan. I'll keep two from here, but considering how many tracks are here, that's not saying much at all. Favorite tracks: Motorcrash, Blue Eyed Pop. Album art: At least we get some bright colors out of this? Nice green background, and abstract drawings of I think two naked people - don't want to think or look at it too hard. Pretty solid cover in my opinion, but can't say the same about the album experience. 2.5/5

I feel that products containing Bjork need a Bjork warning sticker.

Yeah enjoyed this, I hadn't realised how much id missed Bjorks crazy singing. Nice sounds nice vocals.

Loved this when it was released, still do. Still bonkers fun throughout.

Enjoyable Björk teamwork.

First listened to this last year, thought it was great fun. I've grown quite fond of Einar's dry witted vocals.

I liked it a lot and not just because of the unmistakable vocals from Björk - the music, (Post-Punk according to Wikipedia), was quirky, but not enough to put me off. My favourite track was "Delicious Demon".

Gang of Four singed by Björk, niiiiice.

Actually enjoyed it! Something about listening to Bjørk seemed pretentious to me so I haven't , but it was more or less enjoyable. Punky drums.

It's okay. It's now a third Icelandic artist I know. Specific type of music they have.

8.5/10 Highlights: Traitor Deus Birthday Motorcrass Momo

Grupo de Björk. Está bien. Un 4.

Björk.

Fun album!

Don't really like new Bjork, and apparently I also don't like old Bjork ⭐️

Starts good ends shit

Was just alright, bjorks vocals were great but not too keen on the other singer. Interesting music but not particularaly my cup of tea

Icelandic B-52's is the best description I saw, and I kinda dig it.

First listen Saved 2/11: Traitor Birthday

Not my thing. Dues and Toy I didn't get at all

Son of a... Listen, you can't just ambush a body with a Björk album like that! It's inhumane! You gotta give people time to prepare their minds and hearts for the vocal war crimes of Iceland's native drunk-demon-baby fairy princess! I hated that so much. Every damn second of it. I wish every single Björk album could be thrown into an Icelandic volcano and bleached off of every server on earth. Someone needs to be held responsible and make amends for this offense against music.

Interesting enough. Bjork shines through as a real start even early in her career. Really annoying vocals from the male singer start to drag on the project - but overall, I think it's a fine inclusion on this list. "Birthday" is a great track.

Put me in a great mood. Definitely going to listen to this one again! Thank you Bjork and I presume the others also contributed

Favorite Track: Birthday

Life's Too Good and so is this album It's such a nice listen. I first listening to this album 2 years ago, and i enjoyed it, but never really went back and listened to it again, I'm not sure why. Since then I heard Vespertine for the first time, and it blew my socks off completely and became my 'go-to' recommendation. Bjork is incredible. Her melodic ideas she incorporates in songs just seems to be in a different dimension that a lot of singers. Her voice is an instrument. Its so good to hear her on an album like this, doing completely different things to what she does on Vespertine. The album itself is just over 33 mins, its short and punchy, at no point does it every over stay its welcome, only one song is longer than 4 minutes. I really like the sound of the guitars on the record. Really really like the production of the songs. Traitor is a great opener, a really good statement song to start the record off, great riff, fantastic vocals, and a nice spoken word bit. Echos of really early 80s alternative music. Birthday an obvious stand out, great song Delicious Demon is a great little pop rock song. There's almost a Smiths-esque rhythm to Motorcrash, as well as some great brass.

kind of unmemorable but bjork is awesome so

I made it through the entire album....at times it was hard. Not my normal listen, but at least it was not a "1". Favorite was Coldsweat original.

Bjork

The disappointing thing about this album is that I always come back to it hoping that the rest of the tracks will be as good as Birthday, but they never are. Sure Motorcrash and Delicious Demon are very solid, but the rest do a poor job of highlighting the talents of Bjork. Birthday is such a gem, it shines a light on the otherwise unremarkable album, to the point where it is passable as recommended listening.

I've heard some Sugarcubes songs before and gone through the entire Bjork discography, but I've never listened to a full Sugarcubes album. To me, at this point in time, "Life's Too Good" sounds like an Icelandic B52's - a quirky new wave outfit. I like the album, though it is not one I'm going to go back to regularly. There is a lot of great music behind the vocals which obviously take center stage.

Great classic pop punk album. It’s fun to listen and hear the seeds of what Bjork would do later.

J'adore les cubes j'ai beaucoup joué à minecraft

la vie est bien trop belle

I didn’t think I’d like this one at first but it definitely grew on me. I also thought that the vocals and guitar pared together was really cool.

Life's Too Good is the debut album by Icelandic alternative rock group the Sugarcubes. This post-punk album was an unexpected success as the group had no intention of being taken seriously. After critical acclaim and worldwide commercial success, two additional albums were released and Bjork - their lead singer - gained international attention for her amazing vocals and eventually launched a solo career. The album is praised for the fun, creative take on pop music of the era. I enjoyed this album and thought Bjork's singing was the highlight. Overall it was silly, but has a deeper layer of seriousness if you listen closely. Give this cult-classic a shot!

Thoughts before listening: This is Bjork's band before she went solo. Poppy Icelandic indie rock with Bjork singing overtop...this should be interesting. Review: I've always loved Bjork's voice but rarely love her music...it's too weird and out there for me I guess. This however is much more up my alley with it's late 80s/early 90s indie rock sound. With the male and female vocals I'm getting kind of a post-punk X vibe. I'm really enjoying this and will be adding a few songs to the playlist. 4-stars.

I jumped on the Sugarcubes as soon as I heard Bjork's vocals, luckily got to see them live in 1990 on their only Australian tour. Fun gig and a great band. Bjork of course would go onto greater things but even here it was evident what a talent she is, doing things with her voice I'd never heard before. Sugarcubes were a proper band though, not just a vehicle for her brand of weird, and the songs here are great.

Für mich deutlich besser als Björk alleine. Aber immer noch nichts, was ich mir täglich anhören könnte.

I bought this when it came out, loved it, and still do. I know people complain about Einar's voice "ruining" it, but for me it's an essential part of the Sugarcubes experience.

This was okay. The instrumentals were good, some solid riffs. But the singing. The singing was just not it for me. Also the lyrics, when in English, were fine

Stone cold classic

Ugh, tough one. As much as I enjoyed Björks unhinged vocals, I hated the dudes narrated parts in his overly Icelandic accented English.