Reviews (page 7 of 8)
Is this album on this list because it was Björk group before she went solo? Yes. Is it also Björk best album? Yes but that is not saying much. Do you need to hear it? No. It was tolerable and it is punk music. It being just over 30 minutes helps.
This is a really strong album. Some post punk vibes, mixed with jangly new wave sounds, some shiny pop melodies and Bjork's unique, fascinating vocals. There's a few tracks on here I didn't care for, but the majority was good fun, unique and interesting.
I always overlooked this album, without realising how Bjorky it actually is. She's of course her earlier, kookier, excited self which is refreshing after her more recent, joyless heavy eco stuff. There are plenty of those weird little Bjork growls here. By the way, if you haven't seen her exploring the inside of a TV on YouTube, search for it now, it's the best thing on the internet.
I did not realize this was Bjork's beginnings. The pop bombast was a fresh breath of air from the stale rock elements present across many of these American albums.
so very british
Muito doido ouvir a Bjork novinha assim
So-so 2/5
First time listening to it, like it very much
Damn this was really good. I was always interested in listening to more of Bjork. And this was a delightful surprise. I didn't even know she was in this band. Great listen to. Made me want to check out more for sure.
Haven’t heard of them. Alternative album from 1988. It’s alright, definitely 80s vibes. 3/5 though.
Как-то грубовато мне показалось. И музыка, и вокал
This was a fun album!
I didn’t know Bjork did anything besides her solo work. It’s pretty good, but not amazing
Was er bekend mee, uiteraard bjork, en vind dit een stuk fijner dat haar solo werk. Paar nummers sprongen er echt uit
Absolutely fantastic. Probably my favorite new album in doing this.
Medium
eh
There’s times I think I get the hype around Bjork, like she has a good voice, but then other times I just accept I don’t get it. Either way she’s not for me and I like her even less with this band than her solo stuff
Hyvä platta ja hyllyssä vinskana! Björk alkaa kuulostaa tällä levyllä jo aika paljon siltä mitä soololla on myöhemmin tulema. Rokimpaa toki. 4/5
Björk on kyllä ihan huikea jo tässä. Muutenkin todella jees rockia. Vahva nelonen.
Raikas levy, joka varmasti ansaitsi aikanaan haippinsa. (toki listalle tyyppilliseen tapaan haipin piti olla briteissä :) ) Björkillä on kyllä hieno ääni. 4/5
I have never been able to get The Sugarcubes, which is disappointing given my enjoyment of Björk. This is right on the threshold between 2 and 3 for me, so I had a bit of trouble trying to rate this.
Apparently this album was never supposed to be taken seriously and was a surprise hit. Perhaps it was a mistake to ever take this seriously? I really hated listening to it.
Bjork is often appealing (already showing herself as one of a kind) and there are a few winning cuts – "Birthday" is a great song – but the other vocalist (Einar, one presumes) sounds very much like the joke the record was allegedly conceived as; his vocal impositions nearly squander the otherwise pretty cool "Deus" and "Sick with Toys." The band woulda been better off without him. The hype overwhelmed the actual goods here – this really shoulda been considered minor, such is the larkiness and predominant slightness (outside of just a few tunes), suggesting what was to come with future oversold Bjork efforts.
Good stuff, precursor to Bjorks later stuff. But a little out there, kind of blends together for an hour long able.
bjork
lovely and weird
its quite wierd but also nice
Hate the accents, pretty boring album
Björk.
-It's hard to have an opinion on this one. A lot of it feels kind of meandering and unfocused, so my initial impressions aren't super positive, but as it goes on I feel like I'm listening to a joke that I'm not in on. I'm definitely missing some context. -Definitely a punk edge to it. It's pretty clear this is intentionally silly, if the album art didn't give it away. -OOOOOOHHH, this is Bjork's debut band. This makes so much more sense now.
Amazing female vocals, but the male singer can't keep up at all and ruins it. Very interesting style of music, I liked it a lot apart from the male singer (please shut up). Stand-out: Cold Sweat
Pretty interesting alt rock album. Bjork’s band before her solo career, my first time listening to her. Good instrumentals, interesting singing but mostly nothing lyrics. Favorite track: Blue Eyed Pop
Not for me thanks.
Sounds like a basic Euro pop album, no better or worse, save for Bjork’s lead which does add some intrigue.
Good songs, comfy listening, nothing special
This is album is about as bad musically as anything I’ve heard on this list, but Bjork’s voice. Favorite track is Fucking in Rhythm and Sorrow
3/5 A bit too experimental for me, but damn, Björk can really sing.
I like every song on here except the ones where Bjork sings lead.
Canciones con intensidad apoyadas en un pop-rock escuchable. Todo sustentado por una espectacular voz femenina con muchísima fuerza e intensidad. Aun con todo, he visto que muchos temas son muy planos o iguales entre sí
Not my cup of tea. Björk is weirdly in her place in that new wave/pop/humor album. Better than her later stuff. 2 stars.
Seemingly an unexpected hit, particularly with the British music press, and the record that brought both the Icelandic music scene and Björk to international attention. None of that is surprising, as it's a fun, artistically interesting and catchy record, and a reminder that beneath all the layers of creativity, Björk is an unbelievably talented singer with an incredible and unique voice. Rating: 3.5/5 Playlist track: Deus Date listened: 28/10/23
Very interesting album with okay production and weird vocals, but still good. The guy and girl vocal combo is cool. Best song: Birthday Worst song: Sick for Toys and Take Some Petrol Darling
Kind of a banger, it’s about nothing but good vocals and production.
This one snuck up on me. How is Bjork so freaking cool? Channelling Blondie and the Pretenders. Was this band what catapulted her to the zeitgeist? How have I never heard this before? Is this Iceland's response to Echo and the Bunnymen? Punky new wave, proto-grunge? Unique sound combinations that unlock new neural pathways. This is an album that demands another listen.
incheresting
Pipes! Base! Drums! This album has it all.
Los escuché en España poco antes de separarse y toda la inercia se la llevó Björk. He escuchado cosas sueltas pero vamos con ellos. Qué bonita es Birthday!!! También está Deus por donde se ve el estilo vocal que luego seguiría.
BJORK
4. It was a very good track with a beautiful sound to it. There were just a few points where it brought points down for me
I tried and failed several times to get into the Sugarcubes during their heyday. The best tracks on this album really point towards Bjork's subsequent solo career. It's creative and varied, but also grating and forgettable at too many points for me.
A solid classic with Bjork's old band.
#6. To be honest, I had kinda assumed I would go my lifetime without hearing what Björk actually sounded like. And I'm not entirely sure that I'm better off for knowing. I listened to this in the car, and the woman at the drive thru window had an "oh, my" look on her face when Björk started doing her Yoko Ono shrieks on Birthday, and for the most part I agree even though I think that's the best song on the album. I know Europeans have weird taste in music, but even still I'm not sure who this is for. 2/5: meh Song added to playlist: Birthday I've created a playlist on Spotify that consists of the best and/or my favorite song from each of the albums in this book. This list can be found here if you are interested: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7MAXDGLWlwLkFLb8veGfkA?si=FqkQQPgZTFWG0jAUJXLFZA&utm_source=copy-link
Ok garage rock, a bit of punk, some cranberries vibes. 2,50, but to be fair with the rest of my starts this will be a 2.
Really enjoyable. Young bjork?!
This one worked for me more than I expected, having had no prior knowledge of this band. I really enjoy Björk's vocals. 4/5
It was a surprise to hear Björk on an album I had never heard of, which was definitely the biggest thing I liked about us. Otherwise, it was cool, and sometimes inventive punk music. You can’t go wrong with this tbh. It’s good
decent?
Liked it more than I thought. Preferred the more rock and ambient material over the pop stuff. Bjork's voice is more restrained for the most part here. Not perfect but decent.
Björk has always felt like weird music for people who don't really like weird music. Take that away and this sounds like typical Eighties indie rock. Birthday is fun, and so this gets a star for that, but the rest I will be happy if I never hear again.
It's hard to listen to this now without thinking that it's a standalone Bjork album. Her voice is so distinctive. It rises above what is a decent overall sound. Birthday is incredibly trippy. The post-punk Icelandic scene sounds like it was some serious shit.
better than i was expecting. i generally liked her voice
Not unpleasant
Everything that there was to say about Bjork and her projects has been said. Her style is very unique and addition of soft rock band doesn't change anything. 2023 - I survived another Bjork's album.
This is a fun one, very off beat poppy new-wave/post-punk kinda stuff. I put this one on when the mood strikes me, it's a very solid 4 IMHO.
wild
Love Bjork...the spoken word stuff, not so much. Birthday was a highlight for me
Weird not sure it's good, add it to the listen again someday pile
it was ok bjorks voice is great
“Mom, can you buy me a B52 record?” “But we have B52 at home” B52 at home:
I simply do not get Bjork
Bjork is one of the greatest singers of all time. In the Sugarcubes you get to hear her paired with one of the worst rappers in history I don’t dislike the Sugarcubes but there are far better examples of Bjork’s extraordinary voice out there. Fail to understand why this is on the list as an essential album but it’s fun in a what-Bjork-did-before-she-was-famous sort of way
Birthday is great the others are a bit meh
Not sure about this one, or about Björk generally. Think it needs another listen.
Such an arc Life's Too Good by The Sugarcubes took me on: I started it with headache and pessimism, felt hope flower after a minute of promising post-punk gestures, followed by about 30 minutes of distraction and more headache to go with the realisation that this is an aimless, pointless record. More importantly, it is not fun.
decent if a bit unmemorable '80s indie with those crazy vocals on top. Birthday is great rest is meh
2/5. Not too bad but not interesting enough to hold my attention. A little too artsy and not enough punk for me. The singer is the best part and her vocals are not utilized enough, save a few songs. If it went a little bit harder, this would be really good.
Bjork less abrasive here than on solo work and enjoyed the random bits spoken with a heavy Icelandic accent
Would have scored 3* if the male vocals werent annoying me.
Bjork 😩 and then they added the annoying bastard in the background.
Pretty sweet
A pretty fun introduction to one of the most distinctive voices in popular music. I think I’d maybe appreciate this more if I’d heard it at the time but, knowing the incredible highs that Björk’s sound develops to over her career, it’s difficult to get too excited by what is otherwise a relatively forgettable jangle-pop record
I liked her voice
Stel je Björk in de 80's voor. Dat is precies wat dit album aflevert. Reverb stadion drums met Björk die zich door een attaque heen worstelt. En dan af en toe een verveeld mompelende man die ook wat mag zeggen in het Engels met een soort Allo Allo achtig Duits accent. Muzikaal gezien gaat het een beetje richting wat ik leuk vind (grungy), maar het is nog net iets te 80's. En Björks stem hakt erin natuurlijk.
A whole album of crazy clattering cats in a sack is a bit too much, but tremendous energy and vibes. Birthday is a tuuuunne.
Strong debut album, best Sugarcubes album by consensus. The postpunk influences are great - favourite songs: delicious demon; blue eyed pop; deus; sick for toys. Other songs are good as well. Just fall short of 5 stars. score: 8/10.
Mildly entertaining.
Very nice to hear Bjork in this rock/postpunk setting.
2 Pretty boring, not that bad though
Pretty basic, some where good and others where tolerable
Solid late 80s vibe that I enjoy very much
Can’t say I’ve listened to Icelandic rock before. Pretty good listen that got better over time in my opinion. I honestly thought they were at their best when they embraced the Icelandic in them.
did not realize bjork would be on here. great vocals throughout.
Odd but fun.But still very odd.I guess bjork has always been bjork.weird song about god.could do without the male vocalist on some songs.Bjork has a beautiful voice.But the songs are a bit overbearing at times to a very annoying degree.
Some good young Bjork.
parece la movida madrileña de fuera de españa
Bjork 10/10 El otro men No comment
I *love* Bjork, and pretty much anything she has done. This is great fun, as well as an interesting view of the early work of a wonderful artist.
It’s aight
I feel I should know this but if I did all memory of it has gone. And listening to it, I can see why. No doubt there are people for whom this album was life changing. And good luck and all gods blessings on them. My life trudges on, unchanged and unmoved by this.
Björk the screaming sparring angel. So playful and Acid drenched... A fascinating warm and merry band of revellers twirling the skirts of reality - bluegrass and freeform meets dervish singers..... I also liked her on 808 State....
Heard this a lot around the time it was released. It’s weathered well. Particularly Birthday,, one of the great singles of the late 80’s & the springboard for Bjork’s bizarre career. Other highlights for me are F***ing In Rhythm & Sorrow & Motorcrash. Until this band arrived, all I knew about Iceland was that Bobby Fischer beat Boris Spassky at Reykjavik.
I instantly took to the Sugarcubes as soon as I heard them, and bought this album when it first came out. Birthday is an instant classic. Peter regularly drops 'Birthday' into the set when we are DJing together, and it still pops , 35 years later. My mate Tim and I saw them at Selinas at the Coogee Bay Hotel in 1990. I remember that Bjork was great and compelling, but that Einar was equally annoying. This record is weird and naughty and funny and scary and funky and dark and rude. It certainly has precedents (B52s, Birthday Party, Gang of Four, etc.), but when you look at them all in a list like, it is a pretty oddball mix, and could never be accused of being a copy of any of them. They really understand pop, but the way the tunes are constructed is compelling and unique. It was pretty clear from the beginning that Bjork was a vital creative voice (both literally and figuratively). They complained at the time that media attention focused mostly on her, instead of the band, but she really is the star of this album. And history has gone on to prove what a star and great artist she is. Her approach is always fresh and surprising, and you could hear that from this, her first international appearance. This album is still fresh and surprising to me. Bjork is still the star, and Einar is still annoying (in a good way, like Fred in the B52s). Five star, classic.
Kind of Annoying to listen too honestly. I had no idea Bjork was in this. I just don't care for the instrumentation or vocals honestly it just felt like noise to me. There's some stuff here that's different I guess, I think Birthday might be the best track but idk it all just sounded like noise to me. *coughs*
Bjork go bsjsihdbfjd
Has a voice that reminds me of Alanis at some times. Punk and angsty. Not my vibe. 2.5
Tried to like it when the album came out, still have a hard time listening to it.
Best Song: Birthday. I cannot remember the last time a vocal performance struck me like this. To cover the range - not just of actual notes but of emotions - that she covers in this song is unbelievable. Worst Song: Blue Eyed Pop. This feels like it could be a B-52s song. Give me more Björk. Overall: This is my first exposure to Björk and it is fucking revelatory. I'd heard of her as being a controversial vocalist, and I don't know if she jumps the vocal shark at some point later in her career, but this is incredible. Literally the only downsides of this album are when the male vocalist inserts himself with some random nonsense. Dude, get out of the way. You're blocking Björk.
This is the most listenable form of bjork. I didn't realize what it was until a little way in.
6/10. Had a few songs where I realized I like Bjork's singing sometimes, when she isn't being so Bjorky
Surprisingly unmemorable for Björk. 6/10
Eh
This was a lot of fun and had interesting moments throughout
It's very hard to take Dimery's list seriously when it comes to Björk. *Debut* is listed, along with *Medúlla* and *Vulnicura*, but as nice as those two latter experimental records from the Icelandic diva's later career are, they can't beat the musical and cultural impact of the marvels found in *Post*, *Homogenic* and *Vespertine*, inexplicably absent from the 1001 albums book. Likewise, listing this LP from the band that helped the Icelandic singer rise to international fame is a clear misstep, especially under the light of those inexplicable omissions. This nordic version of B52s and Talking Heads shenanigans could perform some fun stuff once in a while. But in terms of memorable tunes, only "Birthday" stands out, mostly because Björk's elated vocals are given enough room to breathe there, contrary to a lot of the other tracks in this weird album--she was not the only singer in the band, unfortunately, and even when she was the only one to sing, the heavy-handed rock instrumentation took away a lot of her powers anyway. So I'll be damned if *Life's Too Good* was universally considered as "essential". It's still an interesting listen for hardcore fans of Björk's voice. But it can't go any further than that. 2/5 for the purposes of this list, which translates to a 7/10 grade for more general purposes (5 + 2). Next, please. Number of albums left to review: 511 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 232 Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 113 Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more essential to me): 143 (including this one)
Great bit of musical history - I'm not surprised the critics focused on Bjork - of course they did! Guys voice annoyed.
cool
NAHHHHHH I WAS LITERALLY GOING TO LISTEN TO THIS WHEN I CAME HOME ANYWAY WHAT THE SUS AHQHJQBNAJIOQOSJSHSBHHSHSHSHHSHS I ONLY FOUND OUT IT WAS ON THE LIST YESTERDAY WHAT A COINCIDENCE OH MY LORD AHJQIJWHWNSNNSJSSJSJJSJS The first song is pretty good and I love the harmonica! Björk's vocals are fantastic (as per usual)! 'Motorcrash' is really good and the chorus is well-performed. Definite 5/5. Excellent soft/alternative rock music. 'Birthday' is pretty good but, despite being the most famous, is not the best. 'Deus' reminds me of 'Venus as a Boy' -- the lyrics more so than the music. Björk is better than Einar, the other lead vocalist. Best songs: 'Motorcrash', 'Delicious Demon', 'Mama', 'Deus'.
I like this more than her solo albums. Bjork's vocals coupled with music that has more pace is a great combination. The instruments fly all over the place and would make dance floors in Iceland hot. This is Alternative music before the genre became so-called Alternative music.
“Cold Sweat” has a bit of a Siouxsie and the Banshees feel to it and “Blue-Eyed Pop”, with Bjork on backing vocals and the mention of hot dogs, reminds me of the B52s. There are a handful of catchy songs here and it’s easy to see how Bjork would have been hand-picked for a solo career, since the other vocalist is a limiting feature of the band.
Bjork's amazing vocal range is on full display here. I prefer the songs where she's the lead vocalist as the male singer can't really keep up with her. Birthday is the best song here and it hints at a lot of very creative and original music to come. Some have compared their sound to the B52s and i can't disagree.
Love the energy on this one
Bjork Band
As stated in other reviews, not my cup of tea. Bjork sounds. No thanks.
It was very much fun to experience the album that brought the Sugarcubes, Iceland, and Björk to the attention of the world.
My brain was a bit like a fluorescent bulb on a bitterly cold day. —Hmmm…The Sugarcubes…I think that I have heard that name before. —Ok, it’s some quirky music. Fun. That female vocalist sounds like someone I have heard before. —Oh, I know, that sounds like Björk. Interesting. —Wow, it’s incredible how much like Bjö…oh, right, never mind…
An absolute delight. Quirky and funny but seriously good. I want to listen to this a lot.
Years ago I spotted this album in the collections of friends cooler than me. I never heard any of it that I was aware of. When I read that Björk was a lead singer in this band I wasn’t reassured even though there are some Björk works I have very much enjoyed… What I didn’t expect was how much this would sound like The B-52’s! Who’d have thought Björk could be bizarro Kate Pierson, or Einar Örn Benediktsson bizarro Fred Schneider?! This was a lot more fun than I expected, with catchy songs often taking somewhat absurd turns. Good stuff!
Bjork, pre Bjork. Pretty good
Pleasant, but completely forgettable
Surprise bjork!
Try as I might with Bjork, I just don’t get it.
Classic late 80s indie. Bjorn is there yelping her vowels. Some interesting rhythms. Bit of style over substance. Meh.
Was slightly odd but not the worst
2.5/5. Some parts were good, others not so much. Reading the Spotify bio for the artist made me appreciate this group more. I think there were some different sounds on this album, but overall, I found it difficult to enjoy.
When I heard that Björk was the singer, I should have known what to expect. This music - sadly, as I respect Björk - is really, REALLY not my cup of tea. I had trouble getting through this. 2/5
Brilliant. 5/5
Like others have said, the Sugarcubes are very much in the same vein as the B-52s. It’s interesting hearing Bjork in this context as this music is less experimental than her solo work, though it still has an edge. Overall a very good post-punk album.
Wow. Dit is ook een raar album zeg. Zang is niet altijd heel zuiver, beetje gillerig. Maar ook de muziek zelf veranderd regelmatig van snelheid en toon. **
There is a naked person in my flat!
A wild Björky ride.
Hold on a minute... I know that voice... of course, the very distinctive sound of a young Bjork. Quite enjoyed this alternative rock album, it sits out there as being different to the American and European sound of the time.
When I heard Bjork on the first track I didn't think I was going to like this, but I was wrong!
Kind of like the B-52’s, but only the lyrics and vocals are cringe.
This was alright as far as 80s alternative goes. This felt dated and its sound was mostly a wide array of instrumentals and clamoring behind bjorks singing. Obviously the singing is decent but it seemed too clustered while listening. Not worth revisiting. 4.5/10
This album is fun.
kinda bonkers, I like it. B52s-ish meets The Cardigans.
I sing a lot when listening to music. I have a particular love for singing along with Bjork. It think it is the S and T sounds. I've loved this album for about 30 years and it still hits all the right markers. It marks the beginning of Bjork's best decade of music making. Life's too good.
I thought, oh another Gen X postpunk album, and then I heard this familiar voice and I thought, Iceland punches above its musical weight.
Not for me, but cool ig
It's weird in a good way. The combination of male and female vocals works well, which does not happen often. Also, they have a cat, a pony, and a dragon in one album - what's not to like?
Started out as generic pop rock, or what I assume is pop rock, but got extremely boring halfway through the album. Not the worst thing I have heard but this is teetering on the edge of mediocrity threatening to fall over into the "bad" territory for a large portion of the album. The guy speaking in the background of "Sick of Toys" sounds like German Slowthai. This is a low 3/5 maybe a high 2/5
i mean, it gets points for not being afraid to be a little weird, but still not really something i actively enjoyed listening to
I've gotten a couple of Bjork albums thus far and they've been a bit too eclectic for my tastes BUT I really enjoyed this! 4/5
Who could’ve guessed Bjork would become a big star without the weird dude talking about toys and bathtubs in the background?
Birthday the standout. Nothing can beat Bjork's voval gymnastics and the way she attacks teach track
Fijn om naast de stem van Bjork ook een andere stem te horen.
Ik kon altijd al weinig met Bjork en dit was niet veel beter.
Ik meende Björk te ontwaren. Leuk om te horen hoe ze ooit begon en een paar leuke nummers. Maar haar solowerk is toch een stuk interessanter.
'Birthday' is altijd al een van mijn favoriete nummers geweest, en de rest van dit album bevalt me ook bovenbest.
Wat een vondst dit!
Ok. Buckle Up... I'm sorry ahead of time for this super hot take. It's spicy and I hope it's taken tongue-in-cheek as it's meant. I hate this album with the flames of a thousand suns. There's nearly nothing about the album that I like. First, I don't like the songs. As compositions they lack any real potency of meaning or intent for me. I don't identify with them topically or emotionally, and I'm not even entirely convinced that there's a structure or meaning behind the them at all. Second, the recording is absolutely the worst. I've heard recordings of raccoons fighting in a dumpster that were easier to listen to. There's clipping throughout the tracks, it doesn't sound like it was mastered at all, the mix cuts the music when the voice track clips, the recording process was completely ignored. It literally sounds like they set up the instruments, plugged a single mic in the middle of the room, pushed the faders all the way up, and then hired a pack of screaming goats to have a karate tournament next to the drum set while the actual band fucked off and drank cheap wine out back by the railroad tracks. On a serious note, I'm not one to shy away from difficult music. I like art that challenges assumptions and disregards norms and breaks rules... That means it can deeply uncomfortable to listen to at times, and I appreciate that. But I genuinely don't understand this record's intent. Why were these choices made? What's the artistic expression here and why is music the choice of medium for it? What does this have to teach me? What conversation am I meant to have with this? What thoughts or emotion is it supposed to translate? I feel like someone is speaking a language I don't understand and then asking my opinion on the author's ideas.
You know, I think I like my bjork better when served with some Sugarcubes.
I really don't know what i'm listening to... what the hell is happening. Musically, this is shit. How in the world is this album influential? I could easily die without hearing this. These songs are all over the place, musical anarchy. I will admit, there were a handful of bars that I was grooving to thanks to some neat percussion work. I'm gonna try to use Chris' cafe scale on this one: I walked out halfway through my scone and took back my tip from the tip jar on my way out.
Solid late 80s alternative. (And, for some of us, our introduction to Björk.)
Less interesting, but more listenable than solo Bjork. I enjoyed this, but not too much.
I score this a 2.0/5 I did not enjoy this one at all. I tried to like it but I just couldn't get myself to enjoy any of it.
Bjork is actually interesting here. Kind of get a feeling that they were inspiration for The Cranberries.
Not Björk's best work, but good practice and I am glad she went solo later. This album just felt messy, she's just screaming with some shitty music in the background. Birthday was a good song, everything else was pretty bad.
Weird but not quite wonderful
First half of the album is great. Never heard Bjork before, her voice is really interesting. Didnt enjoy the 2nd half so much, and the mans singing was really odd. Interested to hear Bjorks later work.
Des morceaux de sucres très à propos avec une Björk ma foi bien plus inspirée que quand elle fait du trip-hop, ce genre musical atroce.
C'est avec une grande surprise que nous retrouvons la reine de la trip-hop Bjork dans ce groupe de rock islandais. Ceci porte le nombre d'apparitions de Bjork dans le générateur à un nombre des plus conséquent, témoignant au passage de la liaison que Robert a entretenu avec la chanteuse islandaise durant ses jeunes années. Une histoire d'amour se terminant en eau de boudin malheureusement, tout comme cet album.
Did not like lol
Oh Oh Oh Oh! Not a Björk listener, but loved this song and adore the way she sings those Ohs. This album is wacky and punky in such a fun way. I enjoyed it. I wish Björk had veered left into punk instead of going right to take the electronic exit.
Brilliant, exuberant, energetic youthful record. Lacks a maturity and focus in places but quite fun. Bjork is excellent but hasn't quite claimed the forefront at this point. Birthdays a good track. Perfectly bloody nice
HL: "Traitor", "Birthday", "Blue Eyed Pop" First Björk album (or album featuring Björk). Fun, inventive, quick album I'll probably revisit later on; I can't decide if any of the lyrics have purpose or if they're just stream-of-consciousness/nonsense poetry. February 25, 2023
These songs take me right back to the indie top 20 LPs and reading my brother's NME. Or rather, 'Birthday' and 'Hit'(from elsewhere) do, I've never listened to this album. So I was confused by the many B52s references in the reviews here, until I heard Motorcrash and OK, I get it, Bjork could be Kate Pearson and Einer could be Fred. Same with a few others. Birthday, if anything sounds like Cocteau Twins with an electrified Liz Fraser, Bjork is spectacular, the instrumentation otherworldly, simple but superb bass. Love this whole late 80s/early 90s indie vibe.
I first heard The Sugarcubes on the radio only a couple of weeks ago. I didn’t recognise the music, but I thought, “This sounds like Björk but it isn’t super weird. Who could this be?” And that’s when I found out the Björk used to be in a band. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Motorcrash, Blue Eyed Pop I write this review as somebody who never understood the appeal of Björk. I’ve always found it to lean a few miles too far into strangeness to find it appealing. However, with The Sugarcubes, we have music that it much more approachable while still showcasing her unique voice (and the other singer too). Despite being released in 1988, this reminded me of 90’s alt rock bands such as Plumtree at times, perhaps demonstrating being quite ahead of their time. Overall, a really enjoyable album. If you’re one of the few who doesn’t particularly like Björk’s solo work, don’t necessarily write off this album.
Liked the new wave and hearing her with a band
I've never heard the Sugarcubes, but I know about them (or better to say: I used to listen to Björk's Post a lot and know vaguely where she came from) and tbh I don't really have high expectations. This kind of Gen X alt rock is too often just artsy, listen-til-you-like-it tripe. But I haven't heard it yet, so here goes... Ok it's not just alt rock; most of it sounds like the B-52s, which I really wasn't expecting. Actually, that's probably the #1 influence here, especially on Björk's voice. Her "unhinged control" thing hasn't been perfected yet here. There's still a lot of power behind her voice and a wide range of experimental hooting, shrieking and squealing, but also lots of bum notes. The dud notes generally come through when she's just singing normally. The male singer mostly just speaks; to describe him as "accented" is a bit of an understatement. Music mostly takes a back seat to Björk's yelling; it's just a rehash of the B-52s anyway, albeit sometimes with a little more late-80s alternative vibe. Still jangly, vaguely retro sounds. Production is nice and clear, all the instruments are nicely separated in the mix (drums and bass really well recorded when they get some spotlight), although vocals are way too loud. It's hard to tell if it's serious or just all joke songs. I dunno, an unexpected 3/5? It's not GOOD, and on paper I hated every second, but in practice I was just vaguely bemused for half an hour.
These writers are thirsty for Björk. Not for me.
Eeek, no. Like the cranberries but screachier.
Actually nice. Felt really crispy, a change of pace from the albums that I got recently so that might also be why I rate this 4 stars.
Good album before Bjork launched her solo career.
Met Björk, origineel
Traitor - harmonica sounds really good and vocals are really good as well, talking gets annoying GOOD Motorcrash - lyrics are pretty bad but other than that it’s pretty good tbh OK Birthday - she sounds like she’s dying on the Ohhh and the vocals just are not hitting, instrumental is ok BAD Delicious Demon - vocals are really good and the instrumental is decent GOOD Mama - it’s just a weird song, and so has the rest of the album, but it’s not like terrible, just weird fr OK Cold Sweat - prolly the best song on the album so far bc the instrumental hits pretty well and the vocals are good GREAT Blue Eyes Pop - Actually really good vocals again and pretty good def another banger GREAT Deus - A decent vocal performance and the instrumental sounds abt the same, atp I’m not super impressed OK Sick For Toys - A song I think was actually pretty good in comparison wit everything else but it just isn’t super impressive in general GOOD Fucking In Rhythm and Sorrow - It’s a good clusterfuck and I honestly don’t hate it, until she starts saying life is sweet and sour OK Take Some Petrol Darling - the perfect ending to the interesting album, idek what to say, it’s and outro INTERLUDE
Birthday is an amazing song. This album helped spawn the career of the lead singer who wears a swan dress sometimes.
Not my thing at all. Endured to track 5 then had to call it a day
It was OK. Thankfully Bjork's vocals didn't dominate too much.
As is probably the case with most people, I have been a fan of Bjork's solo music for awhile now, without having listened to or heard of The Sugarcubes. I am continually impressed by Bjork's versatility as a singer, and this album was no exception. Her trademark style was present throughout the duration of "Life's Too Good", yet it maintains the band's overall sound. I especially love when she does that high-pitch scream thing, it's a bit jarring at first, but then it adds to the music I think. One issue I have with the album though is the songs kind of blend together, after the first few tracks. First two songs are bangers by the way :) Was happily surprised overall, especially because I went in with no expectations about the band, besides knowing Bjork was singing. Love you Bjork <3
Rating: 8/10 Best songs: Motorcrash, Birthday, Delicious demon
Grupo de Björk. Está bien. Un 4.
It wasn’t as bad as I expected. Sort of a precursor to The Cranberries, 4 Non Blonds, Local H, etc.
It's a tale as old as time. Band makes album intending to be humorous. Album ends up being groundbreaking debut of musical superstar. Band is forced to continue making albums. I'm not sure what there is to say about this album. It sounds very good, and Bjork is incredible as usual. Her voice is soaringly powerful, yet supple and idiosyncratic as well. The album gets a lot less interesting any time anyone else is doing vocals, but luckily that rarely happens. I was surprised that I already knew two songs off of this album. The music compliments everything that she does well. It's not terribly interesting or groundbreaking music, but it's good enough to sound great when paired with Bjork 4/5
A classic.
decent if a bit unmemorable '80s indie with those crazy vocals on top. Birthday is great rest is meh
Björk’s growl is incredible, the shrill scream contrasted with chimes on Birthday is a great touch and her trailing “da-da”s towards the ends show her off hand vocal smarts. Great jangly guitar and accompaniment generally, they have great rhythm on top of melodic lines. I love Björk and alt-rock so this is a no brainer I’d like it. US edition with bonus tracks not recommended. I should listen to the new Björk album, like fuck why haven’t I already?
Bjork is amazing and without a doubt the clear standout on this album. What doesn't age well is the background spoken word vocals that accompany Bjork's amazing voice.... Yes, it really does make this sound like a B-52's album from Iceland. The instrumentals also have the iconic new wave sound. If that's your jam, this is a perfect album for you. I'm not a big fan of that sound, it's really all about Bjork's unique voice for me. I'm feeling a 2.5 here.
Good. Not my thing. More interesting at times than I'd expected.
Forgot about this band since I prefer Bjork solo. A few good songs but many nerve-grating ones thanks to the male vocalist.
Ok sounding. Reminds me of Tina turner
It' not a 'meh' 3 star rating. It's a 'wooooow that's good' vs 'I can't stand this, let's skip' rollercoaster 3 start rating.
Pretty creative and cool sounding. It was neat to hear early Bjork.
Неожиданно энергичный и несколько абстрактный пост-панк из Исландии приятно разбавил мой музыкальный фон. Этот альбом моментально цепляет своими необычными абсурдными текстами, исполнение которых местами напоминает чистую психоделию, а в некоторых моментах и вовсе проскальзывает влияние классического панка. (8)
Having to endure at least three previous Bjork "projects" on this list, I wasn't looking forward to another. Bjork was a member of The Sugarcubes before she went solo and though she's still annoying and hard to listen to most of the time, it was a much easier to handle because I liked the sound of the band. A more standard, less unique, alt-rock style, the songs are catchy and at times quite good. The guy singing is also annoying, so it made me not hate Bjork's vocals so much. Believe it or not, I might even listen to this again!
Not my cup of tea
Ahhh it’s Bork.
I can already hear Björk's unique and dazzling sound and style here, both vocally and musically. What a treasure!
Heard it before?: No Enjoy it?: Yeah, wasn’t at all was I expecting but a nice blend of grunge/early rock Favourite song: Track 4 - Delicious Demon
Þessi stendur alltaf fyrir sínu. Skemmtilega kaotísk og hressileg.
Never knew Bjork was in a band! It was okay.
The only thing I was really thinking throughout this whole album was "Wait is that Bjork??" and then finding out that it is and subsequently researching Bjork's entire music history leading up to that 2004 album I got from her. It's weird hearing her voice outside of unsettling dark music (minus it's oh so quiet) but I still liked her performance on this as well as the album in general for its uniqueness. Birthday is probably the best song and maybe also sick for toys.
This album tried to make the most of the time it was released in, but by now it doesn't really cut it. I can, however, see a future for the band's singer, she has a wonderful voice.
The only song I really liked was ‘Birthday’. The rest was forgettable.
Different, but in a more annoying than interesting way.
Did not know this was bjork until the second song. This album was great. I adore the song “Birthday”.
Meh
Ok
Birthday is a corker, the rest a mixed bag but not a controversial point to suggest that the better moments are when Einar enjoys some moments of reflective silence and allows Bjork to do her stuff.
Hello. It is Christmas time and I am sitting here by my TV. I've been watching it very much lately because I'm on holiday. You shouldn't let poets lie to you.
Tof en grappig album. Doldwaze hoes ook
Fuck. That was good! Great find.
With the caveat that "Birthday" is a great song, this was overrated them and remains so today. And it has provided a foundation for the steady overrating of Bjork down the years. If the band truly started out as a joke, one wonder whom it's been on.
Bjork's early efforts before going solo. This would be her first proper breakthrough, as The Sugarcubes gave their own Icelandic spin on post-punk. She proves herself to be a very powerful singer here, working well with with the full-band compositions. I already anjoy Bjork, and I enjoy post-punk too, so this should be a shoe-in, right? Mostly. I definitely like the sound and Bjork's signature contributions, but the songwriting was a bit too weak for it to be memorable, though this only seems to be a problem with the middle songs. I think Sugarcubes has enough Icelandic weirdness (along with a healthy does of Bjork) to make their post-punk notable enough for listeners. Cool album!
Pretty interesting album. Bjork really carries the album here. I do think that the mix is pretty bad at times, with the vocals being too quiet to understand compared to the instruments.
Bad Icelandic music
Never have managed to get into Bjork - but I really liked this, so maybe I'll give her another go too. Really liked Motorcrash, Delicious Demon and Coldsweat. Not so keen on Birthday - it's a bit shouty (which is fine, just not for me!)
Prefs: Traitor, Motorcrash, Birthday, Delicious Demon, Deus, Sick for Toys, F***ing in Rythm and Sorrow Moins pref: Take Some Petrol Darling
It's so jarring hearing Bjork singing in something that isn't hyperpop, but it still goes hard
I'm not that partial to solo Bjork, but I do like poppy Bjork. This level of interesting and quirky is better suited to my taste. 3.5 stars.
Potential is there but this is not that album
Bjork’s first band and that’s all I really know to be honest and from the first track (traitor) you can tell this thing is wired with male spoken word vocals backed by Bjork’s beautiful screaming. The rest of the of the album does mostly tone down after though. I think her singing is definitely not something that appeals to everyone that hears it but I’ve really enjoyed it, I also think that while she obviously goes in a more experimental pop direction Bjork’s music is quite grounded in the formalities of rock music so to hear her in a rock band was cool. If I had to call out specific best tracks on the album they would probably be: traitor, delicious demon, mama, coldsweat and deus! But honestly, I like all of the tracks especially when they get weird 4/5!
I bought this record ON CASSETTE as a young teen after reading a review in Thrasher magazine. At the time, I would never have predicted Björk would become a world-wide sensation. Instead, it was just a great college radio record from an obscure Icelandic band I read about in a magazine. None of their other records quite hit like this one for me and it still sounds fresh, sweet and a little creepy.
Very Bork forward
Odmah sam rekao da mi se album cover ne sviđa. Čitajući o albumu, općenito jer mi je glas bio nekako poznat, i gle vraga, Björk je na albumu, to je njen bend prije nego što je ošla u solo vode. Interesting, interesting indeed! Album nije imao baš neki najbolji opener, ali što je kasnije išlo - razvezale su se pertle i krenula je dobra glazba ispadati iz zvučnika (ignorirajući nekad muški glas jer većinom nema baš šta posebno za reći, a Björk je ukrala show, odlična.)
Björk's singing just got my heart. This album is so strange, upbeat, so many different things going on, very good.
I wonder what a mix of this would sound like if you removed Einar's shouty vocals?
I have mixed thoughts on Björk (Vespertine is great though). This album was kind of all over the place - good songs, forgettable songs, goofy songs.. for something that only lasts 30 minutes, that's pretty impressive.
Fun, Bjork before the extreme arty experimentation. Includes the wonderful Birthday and I really like the music and groove of Blue eyed pop even if it a complete ironic send-up.
очень сложно для меня, не понимаю Бьорк (но зато почитала, как она произносится)
Top 3 Songs: 1 - Birthday (3) 2 - Coldsweat (6) 3 - Deus (8)
Peel of the high gloss layers of 80's rock and you'll find Björk! A women I'd prostrate myself before and pledge my undying devotion if only she'd song sweetly in my ear.
I know this is post Punk and everything, but this album feels like the producer (the head honcho at One Little Indian?) misread the brief, simply polishing the demos rather than building on them. Ho hum. Still, we do have this fortuitous discovery to thank for...well, Vespertine, for example. And Hyperballad.
They are unique... Bjork is unique. Nobody like her in music. Singles: --------------------------------------- Birthday Coldsweat Deus Birthday (The Christmas Mix) Motorcrash Standouts: Motorcrash, Birthday, Deus Rating: 3/5
4.0 - Having been a Björk fan, I was eager to explore the Sugarcubes but I made the mistake of purchasing their other, more critically acclaimed "Here Today..." record. I hated Einar Benediktsson's obnoxious spoken contributions, shouting about dumb shit like lobster and shrimp. Too whacky. But on this debut record, Benediktsson's contributions are far less distracting. I can actually appreciate the warbly interplay of guitar and drums on "Birthday" where Björk breathily sings about a girl who "threads worms on a string" and "keeps spiders in her pocket." Björk's weirdness is front-and-center without that other wanker crowding her out.
Has this uncomfortable vibe of two strangers next to you on the bus talking out loud about the most specific pornographic stuff. Great album though
very cool
Yeah
Wel degelijk, maar vrouwenstemmen blijven niet helemaal mijn ding.
Caught me off guard. Really enjoyed this.
This is cool glimpse into early Bjork - you can really hear some of the same themes that she returns to for Human Behavior many years later.
Already ranked before I joined my group. 'Birthday' is really the stand out hit. Despite repeated listens and loving some of the song titles, I'm still nonplused.
i love bjork ! so wonderfully weird. i liked birthday and cold sweat but didn’t get to finish the album :/ - i am manifesting so hard i’ll be able to see pitch perfect 💀💀 ik i’m being annoying but i literally do not care. i HAVE to have something to look forward to or i will go insane bc literally nothing has worked out in my favor this entire year i am in turmoil despite my immaculate appearance🤨
09/10/2022 There’s probably nothing inherently wrong w this album, I just truly can’t stand the 1980s sound. Bjork’s vocals were fine, I can see how she found individual success after this, but overall this album just isn’t for someone like me. — Went to the maggiano’s yesterday :P very chill day. Hung out at boysville, ate the best pho of my life, and got some yummy cheesecake
Bjork is great as always
Icelandic pop perfection
eh
Some mildly catchy rhythms, but the vocals were annoying and the tunes were forgettable.
Love this. Björk's voice is so unique and the sugar cubes really rocked. Not heard any of these songs before (I think Hit is the only one of theirs I know). Good fun.
Wow. It took me a song or two to realize that the female singer was Björk. Some interesting tunes in there, definitely its own vibe. The spoken word stuff didn't really do it for me. Probably could do with another listen, just not sure if I'll ever get to it. Stand out tracks: Birthday, Motor Crash.
Mediocre
Bjork is singer. Indie rock, interesting.
The background vocals are pretty funny, not awful and kinda catchy
I’ve got to revisit this one, a lot of it I’m not super interested in. But the Icelandic songs are quite good imo, the English ones just seem quirky though
I will become a cowboy 🤠 Cool album with Bjork and some early alt rock sounds
First track - had Bjork heard this before recording Big Time Sensually? Holy shit. Just glanced at the album notes and these guys are Icelandic. So yes, Bjork had definitely heard this before recording Big Time Sensuality. Second track is also strongly Bjorkish in vocal vibe. I mean, the music isn't, but the vocals sure are. Hah. Reading the notes more, the lead singer IS Bjork! What a journey of discovery! The album is great. Can really see the evolution of Bjork as a singer and artist. I wonder if the rest of the band have gone on to other stuff?
I really disliked when the guy sang/talked but wow I was really into bjork’s voice, never listened to her before. I can see how she was influenced by that early 80s new wave alt rock female vocal style, but she totally builds on and surpasses it. I don’t usually like this genre but bjonk makes it cool
Obviously Bjork. But also the drumming in this is really fun and exciting. The sense of humor of everyone in the band is notable throughout the album. Listening to the Icelandic lyrics is also fun, despite not understanding any of the words.
Interesting to hear a young Bjork in a band context. They're quirky little fuckers, those Eskimos.
Damn fine album. Post-punk meets 80s synth pop. Bjork catches a lot of slack, but like Yoko Ono, her skill is in her range and this album doesn't suffer as a result. This is a revisit-worthy album. 4/5.
The Sugarcubes: great band with a one of a kind incredible lead singer and a sometimes secondary lead singer who wishes he was Frank Black. Rilo Kiley: great band with a one of a kind incredible lead singer and a sometimes secondary lead singer who wishes he was Elliott Smith.
Bjork is a true force
Lotta love for Bjork on this list.. There's a few songs that are almost tolerable on this album but it's still hard to get through.
I don’t even really fully understand why, but… I really like this album. I know I shouldn’t. It’s just so odd it’s appealing. And I enjoy the music. Birthday is one of my favorite songs. I don’t mean just on the album, I mean favorite songs. Bjork’s vocals bridge ethereal and gutteral and it works for me.
Better then i was expecting. Much more a straight forward indie rock record then what Bjork is known for. Still her voice started to grate on me by the end.
This album has one song (Motorcross) that I sort of liked. But the entire rest of the album is fairly standard alt rock that is turned to complete shit by Bjork’s wailing. Absolutely unlistenable.
Did not realize that this was Björk’s old band. Easy to see why she popped out of this, which sounds like Birthday.
Give me all the Björk tbh.
My favorite Icelandic band. Ok - short list. At the time of its release, writers had difficulty in categorizing the music. Not so sure why. Sounds like post-rock to me and I would argue Siouxsie and the Banshees are the closest comparable, with the idiosyncratic Bjork being the difference. I liked this quite a bit when it was released, but three decades on it doesn't work as well for me.
Better than Bjork on her own. Some of this reminds me of the B52’s but I don’t like the male vocals very much.
Meh. Nothing on here was terrible until we got to the song in Icelandic with the death metal vocals, but I did not love it. Sounds like the Go Gos a bit. I won’t be listening to this again.
It's kind fo refreshing to hear Bjork without the overworked vocals that lead nowhere that characterise her solo work, only her standard phrasing is still only vaguely interesting. I'm pleased to say that while she's barely emotive, the rhythms are more than barely funky, and plenty playful. An exercise class in quirkiness rather than an elite level performance of it.
It’s fun. A high 3 stars.
I am only somewhat familiar with the Sugarcubes. I know I've heard a track or two from the band, but even after looking through a list of their singles I'm not sure what I have heard. I enjoyed listening to Life's Too Good, and it was good to hear early Bjork. The band has a respectibly defined character, particularly with a debut album. "Traitor" and "Birthday" got my highest ratings, but "Sick for Toys" (it was TOO weird for me) and "Take Some Petrol Darling" anchor this album below 4 stars.
Bjork!
Such an interesting sound. Bjork is very unique! Birthday is really great. Motorcrash isn't bad either. I can get into this, but it might take a few more listens.
Sorry, not my cup of tea
It's nice to see where Björk comes from and this is rather good but let's be honest, nobody would care about it if it wasn't for her. Musically, this is standard post-punk that owes everything to Björk's fabulous voice and personality. More of a "for fans only" album than an essential one, me thinks.
Very good post-punk stuff and you begin to see a glimpse of what's coming for the 90s. Björk's voice and presence is just amazing.
Another nice dig. Cool post punk stuff. Bjork voice is really nice. I will give an ear on their others albums and more related stuff
Very interesting album. As always, Bjork is perfect. On the drum side, it feels like Neil Peart playing in a post-punk band and it's really cool. Among the other musicians, I feel a strong desire to innovate. However, it looks like a young group whose best is yet to come, with songs just not yet fully developed or compositions not strong enough. It's hard to rate this album. I feel in a good mood: 4 stars.
Not to be ungenerous, but there isn't much here for me to hang my attention on. It isn't even bad to listen to. It's fine, it sounds like the 80s and 90s, it's fine.
Got weird as fuck at times. It's a vibe that I enjoyed quite a bit.
A wonderful album! I saw them in Houston on their first American tour. I remember Bjork messing up a note while singing and making a face. Her voice was so singular. They had an unusual to me at the time stage set up with the drummer off to one side. I also saw Sigur Rós on their first American tour, and when I went to Iceland, people were impressed that I knew about them so early.
Interesting to hear the genesis of Bjork, couple hints of B52s all up nothing special
I'd rather just listen to a Bjork album. This is fine I guess but I don't feel compelled to ever listen to it on my own.
A 'kids in the dressing up box' of an album, but it just works.
yowl and gibber, rock and roll
I love this so much, it's so out there and you can see why Bjork had to go her own way. Just so much fun. Faves: Birthday, Deus, Take Some Petrol Darling
Weird stuff! Poppy new wave liberally sprinkled with Björk. I gave this three listens and still don't really know what to make of it... Fave track - "Delicious Demon", maybe? Sounds like a Björky B-52s track!