Reviews (page 6 of 10)
Love fool was a favorite, but the deep cuts are pretty great too. Renewed fan.
Music is good, but not that into it. More diverse songs than I expected. The Ironman cover was oddly cool.
I knew Lovefool, and the rest of the album played out as expected, breathy, slightly sickly vocals over bland music. The cover of Iron Man was pretty awful, but was also one of the high points of the album for me. This barely scrapes 2 stars.
I enjoyed it, as silly as it is
can’t complain. some catchy stuff here and there
Very cool
ok
One of my all time favorite albums, and bands, and I am so happy it made this list. I have listened to this album so much over the past 3 decades. After this album, I remember going around searching for their other albums and struggling to find imports. I think I ended up overpaying at a local Tower Records for one, and eventually finding another 3 years later in Germany.
The sound is just so original. Not something I want to listen to regularly, but respect this for what it is.
Of course I knew "Lovefool" 'cause it's probably one of the best hit songs to come out of the 90s. However, I have no idea why I assumed that those guys were just a one hit wonder—they're obviously way more than that. This album is really enjoyable and way more creative than the majority of pop rock from that era. Now I absolutely need to check out their other albums. Highlights: Lovefool, Your new cuckoo, Heartbreaker, Step on me, Choke 4 stars
So, the Iron man cover was cool. Otherwise, not sure why this is on the list.
FUCKING BAD ASSSSSSSS
Poppy!enjoyed
Nina's vocals carry the band, and Lovefool carries the album. The rest is ok, but not great. Though the Iron Man cover is interesting.
Pretty nice.
Enjoyed the album overall. Lead singer has "sexy baby voice". Enjoyed the groove on Ironman
Not a bad listen, wouldn’t rush back
It was ok but their comer of Iton Mam was badass.
Very unorthodox style to this album. I really did not connect with the first half at all, but the more mellow B side had some really interesting moments. Definitely was not expecting pretty up-front Sabbath influence on this album, but very appreciated. Wasnt in love with the whole thing, but is worth a listen. Top tracks: Step On Me, Lovefool, Iron Man
Det är trallvänligt. Men det är inte asbra. Deras hit (lovedool) har jag aldrig riktigt diggat. Tror ett stort problem Ninas babyröst. Lite lattjo cover på Iron man dock.
Inte lyssnat så mycket på Cardigans annat än singlarna. Tycker plattan genomgående håller hög kvalitet, men på något sätt blir det lite för släpigt och utan att riktigt lyfta till de högre höjderna (för mig i alla fall). Aldrig varit riktigt såld ens på Lovefool. Det är dock trevlig lyssning och ett gediget hantverk, så blir en stark trea.
First Band on the Moon is the sonic equivalent of a Swedish smorgasbord—cool, eclectic, and deceptively sweet until the existential meatballs hit. With syrupy vocals from Nina Persson that sound like they were filtered through a snowflake, and melodies that dance like ABBA in a dark alley with a Velvet Underground record, the album lures you in with sugar-pop charm before delivering a sly slap of melancholy. It’s as if IKEA decided to start a band: everything fits together neatly, but there’s always one piece missing just to keep you awake at night. A quirky, catchy, and cunning slice of Swedish pop alchemy.
Lovefool is one of the best pop songs of the 90s and I enjoyed the cheeky Iron Man cover.
Nothing of particular note in this album. Its fine. Iron Man cover I imagine was novel at the time but doesn't land in this age of a million "what if *insert song* was sung in *insert different genre*". Underwhelming ultimately.
Comfy.
Curti, bem meu tipo de música mesmo, alternativo anos 90 pop-rock com umas leves pitadas de lounge e etc. Surpreso que nunca tinha ouvido essa banda antes, até que chegou no maior hit deles, Lovefool, e eu imediatamente o reconheci. Não entendo como alguém ouve esse disco inteiro e tem a coragem de dizer que essa banda é one hit wonder. O album todo é consistente em instrumentalização e nos vocais. Foi um daqueles discos que tu ate deseja que fosse mais longo, que você simplesmente não quer que acabe. Analogo a um abraço, ou talvez a um bolo de cenoura com cobertura de chocolate. Coisa assim. Não consigo apontar nenhum defeito ou desavença pessoal minha então: 5/5
3.5
Why are there albums on here that should just be a single? The single on this is produced differently than the rest of the album. Why? Just make an album that sounds like the single and you might have more than one hit? That being said that one song is fucking killer. Plus the iron man cover is pretty hilarious. Rest of the album just gets whiney about 2 songs in.
Not groundbreaking enough to justify being on the list. One certified hit and an indie/Caribbean take on Black Sabbath's Iron Man are not enough to do it for me.
Didn‘t impress me much, wonder why it‘s on the list. Quite mediocre indie pop rock.
This is just a fun album. Almost bubblegum-y with an alternative edge, with themes of love/affection/heartbreak among others. The Swedes know how to produce and perform their pop music. Nina Persson's warm & soothing vocals and Peter Svensson's guitar playing help carry things along. Highlights include "Your New Cuckoo", "Been It", "Step On Me", and of course "Lovefool".
I was blown away by this, it is a really clever and creative album. It’s quite jarring to hear lovefool amongst all these songs I’ve not heard before. It is a great pop song and if id known how cool this album is i would have listened to it sooner. It covered loads of genres and went to some weird places, looking forward to my next listen
Absolutely amazing album. Real rock and they single the slow song. This album is full of ups and downs and energy and simply great surprise. Im a fan now
I think that it’s fun. Lovefool is a classic great song. It’s odd how much this sounds like music from the OC
Another nice surprise. I really like the singers voice, she reminds me of Joanna Wang. Nothing too over the top here but it just sounds nice in my ears.
Mellow, great drums and vocals - enjoyable but nothing stands out.
Beautiful album
Nina Persson has such a beautiful voice, and anyone who likes this should definitely check out their later albums. This is nice in a frothy pop way, but the later ones have some great mature themes and writing (and bit like A-Ha's trajectory).
Her voice gets annoying after about half a song. Love me love me say that you love me will now be stuck in my head all day.
I really like the Cardigans last two albums - Long Gone before Daylight and Super Extra Gravity - which are darker/ slower and more country infused and both definite 5/5 for me. I really like Nina's solo work also - especially the first A Camp album. I struggle a little with the earlier popper/kitscher albums and find them grating compared to the later albums. Do like Been It and the Iron Man cover (appear to be in minority for this) but sadly Love Fool is so over played now that I skipped it.
First Band on the Moon I was never into The Cardigans back in the 90s, I really disliked Lovefool back then, and although I do know it’s a good pop song I’m still not keen on it. I really appreciate their gift for bullet proof Scandinavian pop melody, and I like the combination of sugary catchiness and acid tongued lyrics, but it too often falls too far into loungey, nouvelle vague kitsch for my taste. It’s all very skillfully played and crafted, there is some very nice guitar, drums and bass and it’s arranged brilliantly for what they are doing, but it sadly doesn’t really resonate that well with me. I did really like Been It though, there's a bit of bite to the music, matching the acerbic words and the result is a great, lithe bit of pop. And Step on Me is nice too. It’s obviously not bad and I didn’t dislike it, it is a listenable album, but it just doesn’t really land with me. I’m unlikely to seek it out again, but a 2 does feel too low, so I’ll go with a 3. 🌕🌕🌕 Playlist submission: Been It
With th exception if the needless and Nouvelle Vague-esque Iron Man cover, this really is a marvelous album. It hits its mark pretty much without fail time after time; knowingly twee in places but offset with a little dusting of rock guitar, minor chords hooks and sweet melodies. And Nina's mellifluous voice.
Very chill, clearly wildly influentual for contemporary sweet pop music
esch ez gsi. has tbh nor einisch glost und crazy ufmerksam. müessts vlt nomol lose aber grundsätzlich no easi tötn und so chli good vibes mässig
Pretty solid.
Really really good. Warrants another listen but very high 4 possibly 5
Nice looking, Nice vocal. Boring name. Boring album cover. Quirky songs. Ah yes, Lovefool I remember that now. And a superb Iron Man cover. I can't believe they are Swedish.. can't detect any accent. Yeah pretty good. 3½ Marking up to 4 cos she's fit.
The Cardigans are so cool. They have the best vibes. Lovefool is honestly one of my all time favorite songs because it's hard to be anything but happy when it's one. Iconic voice, unique sound. Well done.
Not my favorite. Competence gets a three, but this one also contains Lovefool, which is a singularly great song. The Cardigans' cover of Iron Man also deserves special mention. It covers my primary rule of covers, "If you're going to play someone else's song, make it your own." They certainly did that.
So many great and diverse songs on here that I didn’t know. Should have been more famous. A modern day ABBA.
Hier had ik nu wel zin in. Ik kende alleen de single "Lovefool", die bij ons thuis helemaal grijs werd gedraaid door mijn zus. Veel goede nummers ("Your New Cuckoo", "Been It", "Iron Man") en veel bovengemiddeld goede tracks. Het geluid is ook mooi, qua afmix bedoel ik. Het doet me hier en daar denken aan een toegankelijkere Stereolab. Zeer consistent allemaal.
The Cardigans moon landing was an elaborate hoax. Although, if you consider the vacuum of space, and the supposed existence of man (or men) in the moon, you have to believe that these moon people would get a little chilly. Perhaps in their misunderstanding of human music and naming conventions, the moon people requested the largest cardigan they could find, only to be delivered this band. Maybe it was real. Will I wish they burned up on reentry? Play that melancholy music, white boy(s). Ooh my new clock is here. Time to ring in 9:14 in style. I’m hoping this is ironic, post-modern indie bro fake disco. A GIRL?????? Putting the (wild)card in Cardigan. The flute and guitar sections are ok, but overall? This cuckoo song sounds like Gwen Stefani on quaaludes. SOME doubt about how this puppy will continue. I’ve got a pocket, pocket full of sunshine. Whoa. There we go. That’s a fun riff. The music fades between this heavy riff and a late 90’s radio pop song. Taking me out of the interesting good stuff makes me want more of it, that’s for sure. Fascinating song. I mean, not a bad song to rip off with that opening bass line. Black sabbath’s titular debut?? Sweet. Oh yeah, I can’t say I love the vocals still, but she’s not ruining it entirely. SHE SAID THE THING. “Oh please god help me.” I do know some things about music! Cool song. Happy Meal II: The Stuart Little Car. Stay tuned for Happy Meal III: The Abhorrent Amorphous Mass. Strange song. The sweet vocals are still not the greatest but I’m hanging on here every word. The least interesting song to me so far. The percussion sounds like a large gathering of people in an apartment above you. Well, at least that is different. The vocals again attempt to kill me. I’ve heard this song before. It’s not bad. Certainly even more poppy than prior tracks. The big hit. How have I only heard the chorus for this song. This is a big stinker and bringing down my internal rating immensely. This sounds like it spawned from the remaining members of No Doubt and current members of Maroon 5. Nary a more twisted combination hath existed. Boring. Of course, it’s the one everybody liked. No swears, come on Swedish Gwen Stefani. Yeah this thing is derailing fast. Like a train set out with good intentions, More Black Sabbath?? Never thought I’d stumble upon an indie cover of Iron Man. I suppose it is the first song anybody learns on guitar. This has the benefit of being based in a great song, but obviously this loses some (all) of the terror that song invokes. With all of that said, this is still pretty fun. Well. The goodwill has been shattered. The Swedish sweater patrol has punished me for enjoying the oddities of the first few tracks. Bored 2 Tears. The new project from Sweden’s preeminent alt-pop outfit. Well a return of the flute and the riffing feels too little too late here. A musical cue that everything in the sitcom universe has returned to stasis. Everything as it was before. I can’t say I won’t remember the Cardigans. For the odd jazzy moments near the beginning of the album and the bizarre concoction of genres that scored the titular voyage to the great cheese in the sky, I give them two spaceships up. The blatant appeal to radio listeners and sugary sweet vocals that veered into sickly territory dragged this album back down to earth. We’ve managed to avoid a Challenger disaster on this one, but we were unable to bring back the cultures that prove the moon is indeed, a large cheese wheel. I think that’s the saddest part of all. 2.5 HIGHLIGHTS: Been It, Heartbreakers, Iron Man,
Dreamy pop, wanders through various flavors from bubblegum to folky to reggae/surfy. Great variety
vaguely interesting, feels a bit weird-quirky-style over substance the lunar vibe comes through on the iron man cover in particular
Was ok. Interesting enough to balance out the pop leanings. 3.3 stars.
Very fricken cool, not exactly what a guy would expect from the mega hit single. I will listen to this again.
One radio hit, one weird Black Sabbath cover and a bunch of bland 90s pop music.
This was such a surprise. Going in, I’d never heard of the album or the artist though I later found out that Lovefool was a song I’d heard before but didn’t know the name of nor the artist! This was so much fun and I will definitely listen to it again. The cover of Iron Man was a surprise but I really liked their spin on it!
Decent stuff. Nothing amazing
A perfect example of a band that shouldn't be just known for their singles. Very good!
<3
Can see how it was interesting in 1996
Recognise a couple of songs but underwhelming overall
3.75 great album. Ironman cover is a treat
Lì scota!
Maso
Fun and soothing voice
lounge-y indie pop with subtle electronic influences is my SHIT man. love this! I've heard lovefool a million times, never knew they made it, such a great song. the trip-hop rendition of iron man by black sabbath came out of no where. so strange but I love it. i think part of the reason i loved this album as much as i did was because spring is starting and it was sunny and 12 degree celius, which is lowkey cold asl but its okay because its better than -5 degrees with snow everywhere god i hate winter so much. this album matched the sheer joy and whimsy i was experiencing today and for that im thankful
really great listen
One hit, and a bunch of bland garbage.
Great albums. Feel-good tunes, dark lyrics, some metal influences, loved it.
Didn't realize I knew Lovefool until it came up, and yeah I understand why that was the big hit off the album. But while that is undeniably the best song on the album, I feel like the rest of the album is more interesting. Very unique sound, basically funneling a 60's sound through the 90's, with a fantastic vocalist and great lyrics. Also, one of the most interesting covers of a song I've ever heard, covering Black Sabbath's Iron Man.
mid album, but lovefool is a generational banger
Niet mijn ding.
I didn’t think the world needed an acid jazz cover of Sabbath’s Iron Man. I still don’t, but now that view is based on direct experience rather than conjecture.
To be honest, her voice is very annoying. And it gets increasingly bad throughout until the point you can’t take it anymore. I will give it a 2 because lovefool is just too catchy and the tracks have some catchy rhythms to them.
I was pleasantly surprised by this album. I always thought of The Cardigans as a bit of a one-hit wonder with Lovefool, but I couldn’t have been more wrong. Beyond Lovefool, there are some real gems on this album. Your New Cuckoo, Never Recover, and Heartbreaker stood out to me — all catchy and well-crafted. Nina Persson’s vocals are fantastic, and the band sounds tight and polished throughout. It’s a solid album that I’ll definitely be revisiting. Favourite song: Lovefool is a classic, but aside from the obvious pick, I really enjoyed Step on Me. Least favourite: Honestly, there isn’t a bad track on the album. Album artwork: Very cool cover — it suits the vibe of the album perfectly
Favorite Track: Iron Man
Lovefool natürlich fantastisch der Rest so lala
Für Lovefool, sonst hat’s mich nicht abgeholt.
Solid stuff, chill vibes a bit slow at times mes but lovefool is a great song
Happy sounds.
Took me to the moon with this album.
Meh.
Had zero expectations of this album as I had only ever heard love fool. Some of it was actually init too bad. I really wanted to like it more than I did. Sownof iron man was good but the intro ruined it for me.
Mega schwach und langweilig
Lovefool banger generazionale
3+
-love me loveme say that you love me…. -this is a very nice collection of songs.. her voice reminds me of a lot of other 90s indie / trip hop artists I like. some bangers on here including of course Lovefool -there would have been a time when I’d give this a four-star rating, though some tracks fell flat. healthy 3.5 -Favorites are Happy Meal II, Lovefool, and Iron Man
Heard a different Cardigans album before in full (and of course I know Lovefool). What a coincidence, I was thinking about Nina Persson yesterday. The album is really lovely. The Iron Man cover took me by surprise, quite unexpected. 3/5
The songs improved toward the end of the album. But the more pop-oriented songs were of no interest to me.
Pretty good, almost feels unique, like a chill but poppy and groovy light rock sound or something. Lovefools a classic of course
I found this a little bit boring. Pleasant but boring.
Gear: ZMF Bokeh Artwork: 📸🥁🤘 Production: 🧏♂️📏💩 Music: 🧼👩🎤😯🤖 Rating: 🌕🌕(🌕)/5
Yeah, that's a pretty good album. I'm surprised I don't have too much to say about it, either. Y'know, it's one of those fun 4's where I think it sounds good, but it doesn't really inspire any specific words. You'd think between this album having their big-ass hit "Lovefool" and these Black Sabbath references I'd have more I'd want to say, but... Nah. Not off the top of my head, anyway. Lemme try and force something through, though. Uhm... The keys. I really like the keys on this thing. There's a line on "Step On Me" that I really like. The "Iron Man" cover has some neat stuff, too... So does "Great Divide", too — it may be the best song for keys? And of course "Lovefool"'s keys are good, to bring that up again. The melodies are really good. Like, I guess I can't be too surprised that the Swedish have a good ear for melodies, but goodness me. It's really solid stuff, front to back. What else, what else? Uh... Oh, the vocals. Nina is a good vocalist. Sometimes her voice dips maybe a bit too close into "cooing baby voice," although I never think she goes far enough for it to be too annoying. There's a lot of great stuff happening on "Choke", particularly that riff between lines... Oh, and the flute! I dig the flute all over this thing. And going back to that "Iron Man" cover. On its face, it's ridiculous. To most people, it might not be any more than just kind of amusing. However, take it from someone who loves these kinds of genre roulette covers: it's legit. For serious. Gosh, honestly. As a whole, I feel like the second half of the album is the stronger half. That's where you get all of the songs I've mentioned above... Yeah, if I were to come back to this, it'd be the second side of the LP for sure. And... Yeah. I think those're all the thoughts I've had. I bet this is one of the most well-structured reviews I've ever done, ho-ho... But, no, for real, it's a good album, worth checking out for more than just the one big hit. A real solid 4. Not bad for what's apparently the first musical group to grace the lunar surface.
While familiar with Lovefool, I wasn't really familiar with the group the song came from, so it was kind of a pleasant surprise to discover that this album is actually pretty good on its own merits. 4.5 bumped down to 4.
Well, that’s a 5. Been a while since I’ve had an, “oh, this is THAT song” moment, but I sort of felt it coming with the 754 million plays that “Lovefool” has on Spotify. Truly cannot believe that wasn’t in my big playlist until now. But, hey, that’s just one of the 11 tracks on here – how do the rest hold up? Well, I can safely confirm that, for my ears, this is the type of “fun” album we haven’t really gotten since that Scissor Sisters album, or at the very least, the type of instrumentation that’s just bubbly & happy, mixed with some rather sad lyricism full of self-doubt. I love a good “happy song / sad lyrics” combo when it’s done right, and the Cardigans know how to do it really well. I genuinely thought I hadn’t heard of them at all until now, but again, “Lovefool”. There’s some super good standouts here for my ears – “Your New Cuckoo” feels like a super genuine opener about 2 people just falling in love with some city pop vibes, and I’m ok with buying into that. “Been It” is really catchy, reminiscent of “Girlfriend” by MJ, though it’s a bit repetitive over its last 90 seconds or so. “Never Recover” is awesome; big Teen Titans energy with a 60s feel, and it’s really easy to get caught in the groove of it. “Step on Me” has some devastatingly sad lyrics, but the instrumentation makes it feel really modern and a great listen. For some reason, the elevator music / hard rock structure of “Losers” really worked for me. I think that cover of Iron Man deserves its own paragraph – it’s a super bold move to take such an iconic heavy metal track (which I’ve only really heard in passing, without paying super close attention to; it’ll be in the list, I’m sure of it) & make it a lo-fi lounge-y track that you might hear in a modern cozy indie game about like, serving coffee or something. I thought it was cool as hell, & for 1996, feels insanely timely for 2025. That exact style of production feels more relaxed & normal now, & I really wonder how they settled on that nearly 30 years ago. I would’ve flipped “Great Divide” & “Choke” – “Choke” is a really nice track, and it has a bit of a “Billie Eilish does Mr. Blue Sky” vibe going for it that I think works great as a closer… if “Great Divide” didn’t exist. I think the glittery instrumentation on that track is lovely, I think the Sinatra-esque tone to the vocals and structure works really well, and as a sort of narrative ending to the abusive relationship talk that permeates this album, ending on a track that finally has some sort of happy positive conclusion would’ve felt satisfying. Regardless, I really, REALLY liked this – it’s a breezy 39 minutes, a welcome pop cleanser with a hint of edge, & another one for the “this is THAT song” pile that will certainly continue to grow. It’s a super easy 5 for me, and I’m very glad it’s in the list; super deserved, and highly recommended. Great, great stuff here.
Meh
Sabrosón y con el exitazo de Lovefool, pero tampoco me pareció tan memorable.
There was some good stuff here. The cover of Iron Man was interesting. A lot was pretty forgettable. Lovefool is a great song.
Not bad, not great.
Don't care much for this band. Don't like the vocals.
Fun and bouncy sound
Great transitions. Easy listen. Summer album for sure.
OK, but not one for me. Fave tracks are Heartbreaker and Lovefool.
That cover of Iron Man is one of the coolest ever.
Not actively bad but far too banal and safe for me to really like it
They weren’t the first band on the moon. That was Houmous & Chutney in 1968 - we were actually sent up to firstly test the landing craft for Buzz and Neil and also to test whether anyone could actually hear music in space. NASA never shared the results. 3.2
I wash shocked and how creative this record was only knowing this bands lead single. Feels like if stereo lab became a 90’s alt rock band (at least with the amount of vibes/marimba playing). Some cool brass/woodwind incorporations too throughout. Lovefool is essential, first three tracks are great. Honestly no bad songs or playing to me such a cool discovery!
Something about the way the vocals are recorded drags the whole thing down. Wasn't expecting a black Sabbath cover though.
Very 90s and very chill pop rock. I love the drum parts and I love the mix of instrumentation across the album. The cover of Iron Man and the use of the Black Sabbath riff on Heartbreaker were unexpected but interesting. And Lovefool is a 90s classic of course.
I like the light, whimsical sound of the album a lot
was nice in a nostalgic mid 90s sort of way but ultimately this was characterised by lovefool. Without that song it would be nice but unremarkable
++: Been It, Happy Meal II, Never Recover, Lovefool, Losers, Iron Man, Great Divide, Choke +: Your New Cuckoo, Heartbreaker +-: Step on Me 8,2/10
One song
Maybe the only song I heard more than "Lovefool" on the radio in 1996 was "The Macarena." Lovefool was one of those songs that I initially liked but ended up hating with a passion because there was just no way to get away from it. I think I largely wrote the band off because of that. Over the years I've come to appreciate The Cardigans a bit more — I thought their cover of "Iron Man" (which is featured on this album) was cool, and their appearance on Last Week Tonight with John Oliver a few years back was rather endearing. But I never sat down to listen to any of their albums in full until now. This album is hard to describe other than it's very 90s. It's a weird mix of 70s-style soft rock (complete with schmalzy flute solos), experimental art pop, and Sheryl Crow soft rock. And I'm not sure I really enjoyed it. Maybe repeated listens are required, but nothing really grabbed me on the first play through. It's good enough background music, but not something I'd go out of my way to listen to. The singles (Lovefool and Iron Man) are definitely the best songs on the album. I can see this being a hit with fans of Air and even Beck. For me it was just ok. 3/5
what a fun album to listen to, i liked all songs on this
I knew a couple of their songs. I like those. Only one is on this album. The album is not as good as I expected. Most of it sounds kitschy. It gets better towards the end. Favorite song: losers.
A surprisingly fun listen!
Fine but the hits really annoying
Good shit
Pretty unique stuff. The vocalist is very good, but a little too cutsie poopsie for my taste. The more upbeat songs break it up nicely. The music is clever and quirky at times.
Lovefool is nice Album creates a pleasant atmosphere
4 - This had more depth than I thought and definitely gonna come back to them I think
Actually really enjoyed this. It was pleasant music to accompany a slow Sunday morning. Lots of nice melodies but also healthy dose of 90s lo-fi grit and self-awareness. The Iron Man cover is most amusing. Fave Tracks: Been It, Step on Me, Lovefool, Losers, Iron Man 4.1/5
This is a masterclass in pop music and I fully admit as a middle-aged, straight, white man that this is and has always been one of my top albums of all time! I can't call it a "guilty pleasure" because for me it's 100% pleasure and 0% guilt. Production on this album is delightfully eclectic with a different approach to the mix and unique drum sounds on on every track. There's great variety from song to song with some bubblegum pop, some retro 70s vibes, a creative Black Sabbath cover, and more. The only real common thread through this album as a whole that brings it all together is Nina Persson's sweet and charming vocals. Most of the songs are themed around love but the tone shifts from song to song with new infatuation, being vulnerable, emotional manipulation, insecurity and desperation, power dynamics, feeling trapped and becoming disillusioned. Favorite Tracks: Heartbreaker, Step on Me, Never Recover and Choke
Pleasant
Iron Man cover was a surprise. Love Fool is a pop GOAT. Otherwise eh. High 2s
I've never consciously heard "The Cardigans" so approached this with no expectations other than what I might expect from a late 90s recording. I got something that sounded like it was from several decades earlier. There's a distinct 50s style to the vocal presentation. An interesting selection. With some good arrangements. Can someone please take the drummer's cymbals away? Too much and too prominent in the mix. I failed to be grabbed by anything on here but it was pleasant enough. That gets it a middling 3/5.
I suspect corruption and bribery in making of this list.
Sure it's bubblegum pop, but it's difficult to believe how many absolutely fantastic vocal melodies are on this album. Combine that with clever, succinct songwriting and unusual instrumentation, and this is one of the very best albums on this list. The nods to Black Sabbath (both the cover and sneaking the riff to "Black Sabbath" into "Heartbreaker") are nice, totally unexpected touches.
there are certainly worse albums on the list. extra points for the iron man cover. i appreciate when artists can take a song from another genre and make it sound like their own. i dont think i ever want to hear it again but A+ for effort.
Really really good. I really loved the sound of this one. It all blends so well together to create amazing pop rock. Especially the vocals, I love the way she sings. A lot of 4 starts lately, but they're all deserved. Standouts: Been It, Love fool, Choke
Today I listened to the most cute version of Iron Man ever! Jokes apart, that's a great album! Her voice is so soft and enjoyable to listen to. It's an album that I need to listen more times to proper digest. I'll give 4 stars today!
There were bits of this that were good but overall it was a bit meh - I didn't love the vocals and the Iron Man cover wasn't it.
I found myself falling in love with the lead singer’s dreamy voice. When she sang “love me, love me, say that you love me”, I shouted back at the speaker “I do love you!!” I also really enjoyed the Black Sabbath cover - this is how all cover versions should be, they really made it their own rather than trying to imitate the original. I’ll find it hard to move on from this album and leave Nina Persson behind, so I will definitely give it another listen.
Ufff, "Romeo + Juliet" is such an iconic film with such an iconic song "Lovefool". The album itself was very okay.
Great album!
Pretty good.
8/10 Favorite Tracks: Choke, The Great Divide, Your New Cuckoo, Losers Least Favorite Tracks: Losers, Iron Man
No private session used for Spotify. I didn't realize The Cardigans were the first band on the moon, I will have to fact check that later. Nina has a very sweet voice and the rhythms are interesting. I remember Love Fool when was ubiquitous which is probably the embodiment of the mellow but catchy rhythms and Nina's voice. Also, I checked with ChatGPT, it said the Eagles were the first band on the moon.
I listened to (and IIRC bought) Gran Turismo back in the day, and rather enjoyed it. This is also good, though perhaps not overall as strong other than Lovefool. I quite liked the cover of Iron Man; I like seeing a cover that's so dramatically different from the original. Low four.
Only one decent song in this whole album, and I heard it so many times in the 90s that I never want to hear it again.
Surprisingly great! I only knew that one song, but really the whole album was pretty fun. Her voice is pleasant, the instrumentation is interesting (multiple flute solos?!), beats and bass are on point. And an off the wall cover of a Black Sabbath song? What? Good times.
1. cuckoo - 1.5 2. been - 1 3. heartbreaker - 2 4. happy - 1.5 5. never - 1 6. me - 1.5 7. lovefool - 3.5 8. loozerz - 1.5 9. iron man - 0 10. divide - 1.5 11. choke - 1.5
7.5/10. Nice vocals. Mellow, but pleasant vibe. For some reason, I don't really like Lovefool. I find the cover of Black Sabbath's Iron Man to be rather interesting. The Cardigans also covered Sabbath Bloody Sabbath!!! :)
I tried. Was about to quit and found the one song worth anything (Lovefool) before giving up and moving on.
Good Pop/Rock album...Nice cover Iron Man!
Didn't realize they sang Lovefool. Overall the album wasn't too bad. A few songs stood out.
Excellent album.
Fun. Bubbly, airy, effortless-ish. Her voice is a bit too thin and shallow for a repeat listen. "Lovefool" is still a banger. The cover of "Iron Man" was a grotesque miss.
own
Lovefool
Wow, hat mich überrascht. Ok, die kieksig, flache Stimme der Sängerin ist gewöhnungsbedürftig. Beinharte Sabbath-Fans werden sich mit Grausen abwenden. Ich dagegen fand die Interpretation von Iron Man originell und gelungen.
been it isch seeeehr geil. tönt suuuper. hässig mit süessem gsang i love.
11 mio. monatlichi???? drums töned ultra komisch sicher extra aber naja s erste lied isch ok been it chli nervig oh nei heartbreaker chli ihschlaflied aber hans eig na gern ahh lovefool kenntmer hä jo schono cool iron man findi seehr en geile bass also s letschte lied isch eig na cool gsi... 2 oder 3 sorr
Lead singer so hot
I liked Lovefool, but I had to make an effort to finish the rest of the album.
Interesting for the iron Man cover alone.
can get with this cover of iron man tho. could i write poetry to this? y
A rare gem from what could have been just another one-hit wonder band. The tunes are punchy and groovy. The album as a whole is not overlong and leaves the listener wanting just a bit more. The band here is playing to its strengths, but also allowing room for variety. The top-drawer production should have kept them on the radio for more than just the smash single, "Lovefool." Even the Black Sabbath cover, "Iron Man', comes across as a fresh reimagining of what could have been a cheap novelty. I expected this album to be a grind. Instead, I was pleasantly surprised by this record. They may not have been the first band on the moon, but they also deserved to be saved and brought home.
You'd think I would love this album, but it doesn't really do much for me. Lovefool does most of the work towards this album scoring a 3.
3- Stars (7/15)
Terrific. Really enjoyed this.
A bit surprised this is deemed “essential”. Pleasant enough but not groundbreaking. And I’ve never really liked Lovefool. I remember enjoying the singles from their next album though.
Had higher hopes for this. Lovefool is obviously a certified hood classic but the rest was kinda meh.
Oh how I love this album!
No preconceived ideas coming into this, did they have a hit once being the only thing I could recall, well 1 hit song does not make an essential album. Lot of people on here really seem to like this but I just found it insipid. The baby doll vocals are grating and made me want to punch myself in the face. It's well arranged and produced and they do have 1 good song in them, that stands out a mile, listened couple of times but couldnt be bother at that point just find it dull and irritating.
Meh
First Band on the Moon represents the breakout moment in The Cardigans’ career. While its lasting fame is tied heavily to “Lovefool”—a track the band were never entirely comfortable with—it’s hard to deny its cultural significance. Most bands would trade a couple of kidneys to become a pop culture staple, as they did after its inclusion in Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo + Juliet. That said, the album marked a clear shift from their earlier, whimsical indie pop sound toward polished, radio-friendly tracks. While it never quite reaches the giddy heights of “Lovefool”, it offers a compelling mix of irony, glossy production, and melancholic undertones. One of the album's most striking features is the contrast between its bright, catchy melodies and the darker, often sarcastic themes in the lyrics. For example, “Been It” explores disillusionment in a relationship with an upbeat melody that almost feels like it’s making light of the situation, while “Your New Cuckoo” brings a playful sound that contrasts with the themes of betrayal and confusion in the lyrics. The irony lies in how these seemingly carefree tunes carry an emotional weight that is often at odds with the sound itself, creating a sense of both humor and unease. As the old adage goes: an in-joke is only funny to those in on it. Sometimes it’s unclear if The Cardigans are laughing with us—or at us. Other highlights include the catchy “Happy Meal II”, with its quirky melody that delivers a perfect blend of pop sensibility and subtle dark humor, and “Never Recover”, which has a bouncy energy but explores themes of emotional exhaustion. Then there’s the absolutely mad cover of “Iron Man”—a lounge-pop reinvention that, in less capable hands, would have been a disaster. Somehow, The Cardigans make it work. The band would go on to perfect their sound with 1998’s Gran Turismo, a darker, more electronic album that abandoned much of the playful pop for brooding, cinematic textures. Tracks like “My Favourite Game” and “Erase/Rewind” cemented their ability to evolve. First Band on the Moon may not be their most cohesive work, but it’s a bold, ironic pop record that established The Cardigans as masters of reinvention. Did/Do I own this release? No, but I lost my virginity to the Romeo + Juliet soundtrack. Does this release belong on the list? It’s a fun listen, but I think it’s not even the band's best work. Would this release make my personal list? No, but I want to reevaluate Gran Turismo now. Will I be listening to it again? This was entertaining, and I can see myself returning to it once or twice a year.
Listened Before? N Pretty good mellow 90s album. The quality of the tracks other than Lovefool is lacking, though. It's fine. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: Lovefool
ehhh
Some great songs on this album, Lovefool being the best. I have listen to the cardigans a fair bit since they are from Sweden so this isn't a new listen for me. Good to hear some of the songs I haven't listened to a while tho.
Okie dokie pop. Wouldn't have guessed from just hearing Lovefool that they were from Sweden, so that's neat. 3/5
This is better than my 3 stars may indicate. Its a “3.49 out of 5” but I just can’t being myself to round up. Why? The sugary vocal presentation guarantees I won’t return to it… BUT, arguing against myself, you need to know this is some fine, energetic pop and that sweet voice masks some darker themes and interesting musical influences. The most intriguing don’t-wanna-miss-it moment is their ironic and groovy cover of Black Sabbath’s “Iron Man.”
очень милая и нежная музыка. на любителя.
This was definitely better than I expected. More interesting instrumentally for sure. I wish there was a broader number take range because this deserves more than a 3 but not on a 5 star scale.
First song was really strong, but then it became a bit too soft where I lost interest. Will still recommend highly for a car trip or those days where an album is needed.
Warm and easy, with a bite behind the sweetness. Few pull off the cutesy girl voice as successfully as Nina Persson.
Solid album. Nice vocals. I enjoyed the whole thing. Not my usual listening but I wouldn't turn it off.
The Cardigans stand out as one of the few "twee" bands to make it (and not just indie circlejerk "make it" like Bull & Shitbastian -- actually make it). it's honestly hard to tell how they even DID make it. "Lovefool" was in William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet for like 10 seconds in a scene nobody really remembers, but the soundtrack sold well. i guess people were just drawn to the strength of the song. for a hot second, The Cardigans had a time in the spotlight, paced around a bit, and then walked back home. for a genre of snarky doofuses named after a type of sweater, this counts as winning the lottery. you could say they sold out with First Band on the Moon -- i'd argue their aesthetic choices are no more smooth than they were on Life. i'd also argue that there are multiple songs on the record that are as good, if not better than "Lovefool", like "Been It" and (as retroactively recognized by the internet) "Step on Me". basically, the past few years of my life have seen me falling in love with FBotM's space age continuation of the last album's globetrot. in each song, there's a delightful little hook and a mean little turn of phrase, said with a bitter smile on the lips. The Cardigans remain one of the few legitimate practitioners of the black arts of the 1990's best known as "irony". and the Sabbath covers DO make sense. what's more Swedish than heavy metal?
Another listener described this as Saccharin and that's exactly what it is. Gross. 1.45
When you talk to people who grew up with iTunes and Spotify and talk about what things were like back when we bought albums, this is one of the albums I think about. You hear one song on the radio or MTV, you like it, then you have to decide, do I want to spend $15 for the album with a chance the rest of the album is no good. Like this one! Luckily I never bought it. However, when I was in college the Cardigans came through town and I went to see them. I was thoroughly unimpressed. Luckily for me, then we opening for Beck, who was amazing.
Never got in to them. Tried again for this, but... Nah.
Original and high-quality, Lovefool is awesome! 4
“Lovefool” is on here, plus a pretty neat cover of “Iron Man!”
great album cool take on iron man by black sabbath 9/10
This album really got me by surprise, it was really great. Unique sound with the vocals and the instruments, feels very ahead of it's time. Everything about it was very unique, I feel like this inspired florence + the machine some and a lot of more modern pop like clairo
Mehhhhhhh twee twee twee
Wow what is this. Ever since I first gave "Lovefool" a proper listen as an adult, I've thought it was so cool, and the rest of this album matches that energy. I truly loved this album. It's weird in a unique way that is still accessible. The reference to "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath" rocks, and the cover of "Iron Man"--a song I've always hated--is amazing. Loved it all.
Lovefool is a worldie
Kind of indie pop songs, quite boring.
A perfectly pleasant album. I do feel however there are much better Cardigans albums than this, albeit its status propelled forward by the commercial success of Lovefool
A hot lead singer? That’s immediately a 2 star, unless it’s Grimes. Vocally soothing Musically pleasant, bordering on soft rock. Lyrically it holds up and doesn’t seem completely out there with good structure. Words aren’t sung just to make it fit. This was different in it’s time in regards to the sound that they put out. As in they had a distinct sound that could identify them to a person. There aren’t really any pauses in between songs, which I’m big on, for some reason….that’s another star from me. I’m easy to please. There are a few songs that take away from the pace of the album, it’s not perfect but it’s interesting to listen to. It’s not at all complex though so don’t think you’re getting yourself into an artsy album . You really just have to be accepting of a female voice longing for love throughout the whole album. She says “whore”, if you like a little edge in your female leads. Their worst song is a cover, so that says something. Choice cut: Choke
Super bright, on the nose album. I really enjoyed this one, it had me smiling throughout. Some good bops, but let's be real, the only reason this album is on this list is because of Lovefool, which is an absolute classic and a 10/10. Great listen, would do again. Not perfect, but I'm glad this was included on this list despite being a one-hit-wonder.
For something that was definitely more in the one hit wonder camp (I didn't even realise this was the Lovefool band at first despite still hearing it regularly). I was surprised with how much of the album I enjoyed. The first few songs were alright and had me expecting this would be sitting at roughly a 3. But the album was surprisingly middle loaded and really got me hooked in the stretch between Never Recover and Losers. The last few songs (Iron Man - Choke) are all still good and I prefer them over the first few tracks, but the middle of this album does a lot of heavy lifting. I really liked the indie style on a lot of this. A really cool surprise of an album honestly
Like most people I only know the song “Lovefool” and I absolutely did not know the artist who performed it. This band definitely strikes me commercially as one hit wonders if they didn’t really have the mainstream legacy or longevity as an act, so I went into this assuming it was gonna be full of forgettable stinkers I would slog through never listen to again but I have to say this was a strong collection of songs that also have remarkable consistency as an album that most pop artists absolutely do not have. Just about every song here can stand on its own merits as a track beyond just the big singles. Instrumentally groovy and definitely projects the 90s low cut jeans type sound. The lead singers voice is pure sugar. My personal favourite track on this album was Losers, and my least favourite was that weird cover of Iron Man. This is the type of pleasant surprise listen to an artist I would never seek out otherwise that I wish this shitty list would give me more of rather than a 6th and 7th Bob Dylan album.
Crazy that this came out in '96 so insanely ahead of its time, sounds like the indie pop /rock of mid 2010s if it wasn't shit 9/10 Fav tracks - Your New Cuckoo, Been It, Step On Me, Losers, Iron Man, Choke, Least Fav - none really
Well-performed light pop. Really enjoyed a listen of this but on repeats it didn’t stick with me much apart from Lovefool which is probably going to get way more plays now that I can finally put a name to a song I’ve heard on and off since I was a kid. Highlights: Never Recover, Step On Me, Lovefool, Great Divide
now thats what i call sex music
Sometimes one wonders why albums even exist... The singer apparently did not plan to be a musician and only joined the band out of boredom - but then why is this music still so boring and same-ish? Every song sounds the same and not in a good way. They are all thirteen-to-the-dozen pop tunes. The single "Lovefool" is probably the most catchy one of the bunch. Still nothing novel or anything like that, and I am clueless why this is on the "must hear" list. I'll give it a 2* because some of the arrangements are quite good and it's not _that_ bad, just (or did I mention this already) boring. Sorry for the boring review.
Saved Prior: Your New Cuckoo, Been It, Never Recover, Step On Me, Lovefool, Iron Man, Choke Not Saved: 11. Losers Saved: 10. Great Divide 9. Happy Meal II 8. Been It 7. Step On Me 6. Heartbreaker 5. Iron Man 4. Choke 3. Never Recover 2. Your New Cuckoo 1. Lovefool Overall Notes: I love these Swedes so much. They had the juice to make Lovefool, possibly the most perfect pop song of all time, but stayed true to their inner indie freak and recorded whatever they wanted to make. If that included a lounge Black Sabbath cover that kinda fucks then so be it. If The Cardigans have no fans I am dead.
The Cardigans are one of those bands I was well aware of, but for whatever reason never listened to them. I've read references to this band as influential to several female-fronted bands I enjoy and after hearing "First Band On The Moon" I have to agree. Their sound is a little lightweight, but I like girly vocals, unless it's too poppy and fortunately the Cardigans music is a smooth listen with a jazz, rock, pop mix. Most of their songs were bang on, with maybe the exception of their cover of Black Sabbath's, Iron Man, which I didn't care for. A good, decent 90's sounding release, though I've never really been a fan of groups from Sweden.
# Album Name: First band on the moon # Artist: The Cardigans # Rating: 2/5 # Comments: Wow this one has not aged well. Its unbelievable to think lovefool was spawned from such an awful album if im honest. They absolutely butchered iron man. Honestly, i thought this was a dreadful album. Lovefool took it from a 1 to a 2. # Top Tunes: Lovefool # Would I listen to it again? No. Only lovefool.
Listen to this album for the one hit wonder, stay for one of the worst cover songs ever!
They made Cardigans cool before Taylor Swift
Quite enjoyable album that's easy to listen to, but not bucket-list worthy.
Really really bad 1.5/2
Highlights: Never Recover, Lovefool. In a nutshell: indie pop, Scandi style Dreamy whimsy pop, a little rock, baroque disco perhaps? Best known for Lovefool, a song many 90s teeny boppers treasured. As an album, it would be a grower. Is it essential? Not really. There's not much I took away from this album and I'd be interested to know if The Cardigans were indeed popular in Sweden before this album was released. Overall: 3/10
The Cardigans have faced an interesting resurgence of popularity within the last few years or so. Not to imply they weren’t popular in the 90s. Lovefool was still a big hit. But their presence on social media platforms like TikTok have really bolstered that popularity. I don’t even use the app myself anymore, and for good reason. But I can’t deny the effect that it has had, and will continue to have, on many bands and artists careers. I mean, I don’t think Duster would be facing nearly as much recognition as they are now if it weren’t for social media. I know I likely never would have found them. And I don’t think this is a bad thing. I don’t see why people feel the need to keep their favorite music under wraps, as if them becoming more well known wouldn’t be good for the growth of the band itself. Now I don’t really see that being the case with The Cardigans. They’ve been around long enough where anyone pretending they are still some underground band just looks silly. Before today, I’ve heard both Step On Me and Lovefool on many occasions. Specifically the latter. Where I find this album really shines is its deeper, lesser known cuts. This particular mid to late 90s indie sound is really something special. Records that delicately walk the line between indie pop and this sort of soft alternative rock. Everything I enjoy about this reminds me of what made me fall in love with Stereolab so much. Both have killer female lead vocalists too. Nina Persson is interesting to say the least. I really love her voice. It only adds to the warmth of the whole record. But her choice of words, plus her overall delivery, gives her performances this strangely seductive and sexual feeling that I’m not so sure about. It’s not enough to make me hate her presence on the album, but it’s also maybe a little too on the nose at times for me. Everything backing her is amazing though. Production was handled by Tore Johansson, maybe most notable for his work on the debut Franz Ferdinand record, and I love his style here. And man, the performances from each member, combined with the incredibly unique arrangements from Svensson, make for an engaging listen. The instrumentals are what really drew me into this, and all of the little touches are great. This is an album that thrives the most in its less popular songs, and even with its hits, I would potentially go as far as to say this is slightly underrated. Rating: 8/10
Kinda surprised this us here instead of Gran Turismo, and I kinda feel I'm rating the band rather than the album. It's good, by today's ear they don't sound much like a band because everything is so tight and well produced, I think the music scene is poorer for the absence of groups like this.
I hadn’t heard of this band before. I had heard the song Lovefoot on the radio, but always thought that was No Doubt. And I don’t understand their cover of Ironman at all. Another record that I don’t need to hear again.
Day 56 - Oct 23, 2024 Go random white guy go!!!!! 4/5
Tosi hyvää pop rokkia. Kappaleet on tosi miellyttäviä, mutta samaan aikaan sopivan erikoisia ja mielenkiintosia. Laulajalla tosi pehmeä ääni. Lovefool tuttu. Parhaat: Been It, Step On Me, Lovefool
Bit meh, very 90s, sickly sweet
A fun surprise! Would definitely give a re-listen.
Everyone talks about how The Cardigans were the first band on the moon, but no one wants to discuss the horrific mechanical failures that left their lunar lander stranded there, leaving them to perish in the distant and cold silence of space. Very sad.
Lovefool rules the album the rest of the stuff is good but just not the same, except that iron man cover I just hate how loungey it is. 4/5
2.8 1x catchup 10/21 - not as bad as i expected
Saved by the 90s vibes and nostalgia and devoid of much other musically creative qualities. It's fun to listen to until you're forced to sit through a really crappy cover of 'Iron Man'. Just slander.
of course i didn't know this was the band that did the Love Me Love Me song. love the vocalist, such a cool voice!! Step on Me and Heartbreaker are my standouts.
Nice way listening rock from the mid 90’s. I really like Lovefool (reminds me of my teenage years), but some of the other tracks were a bit forgettable.
Couldn't handle the multiple songs with the whiny fake voice. Poor Iron Man!!
I’ve never called a 1-900 sex line before but the baby talk vocals of this album are what I imagine it would sound like.
Really cool pop album. One of the first pop albums I've heard that has strong musicality to fall back on. Really liked the Iron Man cover too. There was just one moment every song where I couldn't help but think to myself, damn this song is pretty annoying. It never lasted long but it happened every time. Maybe that's a limit of the genre for me, but I thought every song was a 4/5.
Fun. Not bad for a girl
Wait, that isn’t a No Doubt song?
Nope.
I like this! Good stuff - LOVE ME LOVE ME SAY THAT YOU LOVE ME
Interesting, pretty good. The Iron Man cover is hilarious, like something I would randomly do while messing around on guitar. First song is excellent.
Glad this album is on the list and not the follow up Gran Turismo which has My Favourite Game as not much else, but this is full of bright sparkly indie pop tunes that could put a smile on even the grumpiest of faces. Nina Persson's house is soothing & sweet and let's face it Lovefool is so good.
Jams Flows
3,5
Ég er náttúrulega með Svíþjóðarblæti fyrir allan peninginn þannig að plata eins og þessi sem vanalega fengi 3 stjörnur fær 4 frá mér og ég réttlæti það þeð stórkostlega skemmtilegri útgáfu af Black Sabbath laginu Iron Man
Her voice is incredibly grating.
This is the kind of record that if you don't care for the lead vocalist, you're really not going to like it - the vocals are mixed really up front. I don't care for the singer at all. The whole thing smacks of easy listening that you might hear in an old film, or maybe the Swingle Singers. The only redeeming feature is that that they (rather bizarrely) cover the Sab's Iron Man in the same style. Sorry but this is not for me at all, and I played it through twice.
Catchy, rocks, good vocals. Thus far nothing to complain about, solid easy listening.
Apparently in the confines of 1990’s SW Denver Swedish Pop was limited to Ace Of Base, but low and behold there was more! If Brittney Spears and Radiohead had a love child it would be this album. Listening to Nina Perrson’s cotton candy voice against a barrage of historical influences created a contrast of themes, especially when referring to herself as someone’s whore in her babydoll voice. I really appreciated this album as a predecessor of late ‘90s-Early ‘00s retro-Ska movement. Key tracks included Been It, Losers and Great Divide. This is getting another listen!
I actually owned this one in the 90s. Back when you had to buy the whole CD for 1 song. But again I might have also got the CD from BMG music club for one penny. Anyway, I've always enjoyed this album and the band. Obviously, any person of the 90s will recognize and adore "Lovefool". I enjoyed "Been It". I totally forgot they covered Black Sabbath. Once I heard that, I swear there were 2 other songs that weren't straight up covers but definitely cribbed some of the chord progressions from Sabbath as well. "Choke" is on of the songs that sounds like they borrowed from Sabbath. Overall, a fun little throw back to the 90s. This is not essential for anyone. I don't know how it made the top 1001 albums to hear but is a nice listen anyway.
Funka greit nok
Too much sugar in this pop for my tastes, but I understand the appeal. I prefer the 90s indie-pop approach to feel either more like Saint Etienne who put a sophisticated wrapper around things or Komeda which takes similar ingredients but makes it weirder. The Cardigans covering Iron Man in their style isn't weirder, it's a clever content substitution. I'm half-charmed by it but it also reveals a certain kind of one dimensionality you can charge the band's output with: the cute idea amidst the gloss. But my least favorite tracks are the cute-forward ones. This cover, despite it not being among my favorite songs on the record, is a good example because it's less subtle than other times, here the cute idea is too front and center. More often, it's clever little twists in lyrics and knowing winks in the music like when "Heartbreaker" incorporates a musical quote of Black Sabbath's Black Sabbath (excellent). Or the subtle cuckoo/bird sounds at the start of "Your New Cuckoo" (mercifully brief, nicely sitting in the mix). Or a deceptive direction the lyrics take in a love song (the most enduring and endearing move). This is a low four or a high three star rating. The first couple of tracks are very strong. As you move through the record, the cleverness can pass you by in which case your impression might just be the shiny pop gloss and without picking up on some of the more interesting things about it. Even though this is a true Swedish pop mix with the vocals super forward I think the album benefits from being played loud. Put your pop on blast. Of course, Lovefool sparkles brilliantly as the gem of the collection. A near perfect pop confection, it raises the entire record a star on its own. And so, in the end, The Cardigans may not have made it to five stars but they did manage four and I guess that along with being the first band on the moon is not such a bad thing after all.
I love her voice
7.8
One of the best pop albums I've ever heard. Every song is interesting and charming, the "Iron Man" cover is fucking awesome. Love the singers voice, it is very sweet. "Lovefool" is a banger and yet it possibly gets overshadowed by other songs here like "Heartbreaker", "Step On Me", and "Choke". What a killer fuckin album
Lovefool and Been It are the standout tracks here, but this is some great laid-back pop tinged with regret and sadness. Very nice and easy to listen to.
Bekanntester Song: Lovefool Typisch 90s, Themen: Liebe
I know several songs by The Cardigans and love them all (Lovefool is a spectacular hit) but I have never listened to a full album by this group. I love this even more than I expected to. There's the blending of pop and '90s indie rock that I expected, and Nina's voice is perfect of course, but the sum of it is really perfect to my ears - good flow track to track and no skips. This scratches my Rilo Kiley itch and makes me want to dig into more albums by The Cardigans.
I have this one and I remember being a bit disappointed when I first listened to it. I was expecting rock, so the style was quite unexpected, but it's not a bad listen at all. It has some lovely melodies.
Banger, love the jangle pop rock feel.
Blondie meets the soundtrack of a Katamari game. Very 90s, very weird at times but some really great songs on here. Could be considered a one hit wonder album with Lovefool being such a massive hit but there are some other fantastic songs on here. Her breathy airy voice really works with the genre of music they produce, which I dont even know what to call it other than 90s rock pop? 8/10
FLUTE SOLOOOOOOOOOO. Yes, Lovefool is great, but album is otherwise fine. This reminded me of Komeda, a different band from Sweden that I was into way back when. It’s been a while since I listened to Komeda, but I’m a bigger fan of Komeda than The Cardigans.
Real fun, not just the mega-hit but good dancy pop. I will have to check out more.
I loved it. Even the Iron Man cover.
Catchy tunes, peak pop and enjoyable throughout! Lovefool went on to become a very popular song, but I find some of the others a lot more interesting personally
Who knew a lounge cover of Iron Man could be so good?
Is it summer in in the mid 90s, are you in the park with an alcopop? No, well you'll soon feel like you are. Pop indie easy to listen to songs all the way through. Would I listen again? Maybe, however it's definitely a sunny day kinda album, BBQ with mates vibes. Not unfortunately a driving through the hammering rainy Welsh hills vibe that we had going on at the time!
This album is straight up pop music. It has both a very well known song that aside from it being well known seems unremarkable and a cover of Black Sabbath's "Iron Man." This album is short and sweet, but seems inessential.
Der Song "Heartbreaker" gibt einem das Gefühl auf dem Mond zu sein. Die Stimmer passt auch sehr gut. Insgesamt ist die Grundstimmung sehr angenehm, trotz anspruchsvolle Arrangements z.B Happy Meal II ist ein herausragendes Stück. Schöne Melodien in bunten Kleidern von kreativen Schneidern.
neil armstrong walked so the cardigans could run
pink sabbath with sparkles 3.5/5
Molto ascoltabile, famosissima "lovefool". Carina anche la cover di "Iron Man"
Ok...nothing special.
Never heard this album before. I like Lovefool well enough, so I expected to like this album. Where to start? Lovefool was clearly a high-water mark for this band. Listening to the album gave me a migraine. The singer's voice is consistently annoying and the music is insipid. By the time Lovefool rolled around, I didn't care. It didn't stop the annoyance. PLEASE MAKE IT STOP. "You know, the ABBA makes more money each year than the Volvo corporation" - Not a lyric, just a quote from a Swedish friend while we were in high school. That odd brag still makes me laugh to this day. Famous Swedish Bands: ABBA The Cardigans Europe Hmmm...I guess I'll take ABBA?
Quite interesting
The Cardigans are a very cutesy and good band: Sanrio coded (I can't be the only one who sees that, right—?) I think The Cardigans revolutionized the J-Pop aesthetic despite being in Sweden. Love, love "Step On Me." Fantastic commentary about the disillusionment of love. Rest of the album great too. Sugary-sweet, catchy with just the right amount of unease in the undertone. ✶ Feels like a sunny day with a storm quietly building in the distance. ✶
idk....! not bad not amazing
With the monotonous singing and music, it's hard not to fall asleep.
The cover if Iron Man was a welcome surprise. I also did not know who sang Lovefool until now.
Had heard of The Cardigans in my past but if I’d been asked before today I would have said they were part of the UK late punk alternative movement. So when I read their Wiki page I was surprised they were Swedish. Nevertheless they were still classed has alternative/adult rockers so hoped for the best. One give away and cautionary tag in their Roon description was Twee Pop. By Jove was Roon right. A lot more twee than rock in my view. Anyway another musical lesson learnt and knowledge gained albeit if useless information. Album title caused me to stop and ruminate the concept of when and who will be the first band to play on the moon. And what will be the first song? If it were to happen today I’m sure Swiftie would be a strong candidate. But I don’t think present day spacecraft technology would allow for the expansive stage set used during her Era’s tour. Which led me to think that the lack of gravity would allow her to whizz around the set without use of lifts and motorised sleigh so that would save space. I then climbed out of that rabbit hole and played some more agreeable music. 2/5 11/9/24
2.5 They really couldn't find a graphic designer, huh?
Good album. Some good songs that I hadnt heard before.
A little too cutesy, but not bad.
My uncle played this version of "Iron Man" for me when I was a kid, but I hadn't heard it since that time. 4 stars for dredging up a pleasant memory, and one more because the rest of the album is pretty great too.
Didn't love this album. Ok, but not great. 2.5
There are some okay parts to this album but there is way too much I don't like at all to rate it higher than 2 stars or D.
I really like the cardigans and lovefool is an amazing track everyone should hear. The rest of the album is not what I’d call essential though.
I hadn't heard of the Cardigans, but was familiar with "Lovefool". Overall a really fun pop rock album.
Solid record with a unique vocalist who continues to draw tour attention throughout
Actually not so bad. Lovefool is well known of course, daring cover of Ozzy also on this album!
Good album. I only knew a couple of songs by The Cardigans, but this was a nice find! 3.7
Ugh. I don't know if it's the falsetto pitch or the sugary twee-pop that gets under my skin so much, but I just don't enjoy this album. It feels all silicone and eyelash extender while trying to coax extra money out of daddy.
Great album. I do believe Gran Turismo is the better album, Not quite a 4. Probably a 3.8 but a very enjoyable listen with a wonderful playfulness. Tightly written pop-rock songs and always showing off their love of Sabbath. (Sabbath Bloody Sabbath is a delightfully playful upbeat rendering of the original)
Swedish Pop!
The mix really hurts this album for me
This was so easy to go through that i feel like I’ll give it another go at another time. Also the Iron Man cover was so unexpected but pretty sick
I wanted to like this more than I did. Lovefool is great and I hoped the rest would hit similarly but I was really underwhelmed by most of it. 2.5
Even though I always loved the song Lovefool, I never dug any deeper into the tunes of The Cardigans. I can mostly see why, nothing really remarkable but the singer has a good voice that translates to other songs. Sexy Iron Man was interesting
Only knew Lovefool going in, but was pleasantly surprised at how much I liked this. Really interesting use of minor chords and interesting arrangements
Quite pleasant.
Not bad! Beyond “Lovefool”, there were some solid catchy songs, and the overall sound is something comparable to Belle and Sebastians mid-2000s work, so somewhat innovative for the mid-90s!
very 90s
Something about this grates on me.
OK, wow, I had a good impression of this album going into it but I didn't realize that it's wall-to-wall bops. A worthy addition to the canon.
Well that's some damn good pop rock, don't think there was a single track I didn't enjoy. The Black Sabbath cover somehow worked, and it was nice to find out finally where Lovefool came from.
Lovefool is still ruined by overplay for me but this album is great.
good album from this pop band love rhe sabbath cover and the instrumentation
I always mix up their hit song with Ace of Base for some odd reason.
Das Album hat interessante Momente, wird aber durch die oft als nervig empfundene piepsige Stimme der Sängerin getrübt. Das Album hat keine herausragenden Highlights, abgesehen von dem bekannten und beliebten Song “Lovefool”, der vieles verzeiht und das Album aufwertet. “Lovefool” ist zweifellos der Höhepunkt des Albums. Der Song, der durch seine eingängige Melodie und den charmanten Text besticht, hat es geschafft, sich in den Köpfen der Hörer festzusetzen. Die bittersüße Geschichte von unerwiderter Liebe, die im Refrain mit dem berühmten “Love me, love me, say that you love me” gipfelt, hat eine universelle Anziehungskraft. Dieser Track hat nicht nur das Album, sondern auch die Band selbst in den internationalen Fokus gerückt und bleibt ein zeitloser Klassiker. Insgesamt ist First Band on the Moon ein solides Werk, das jedoch nicht übermäßig begeistert.
Surprise.
The first 4 songs are very good but it fades slowly after that. Very happy to have listened to this. Sounds like it could have been released today. Would go 3.5.