Reviews (page 6 of 9)
I thought "I've heard of the Cardigans before but I don't know where from." So I put the album on and let it play out. While it went and I thought it was pretty solid, suddenly we got Lovefool and I realised oh yeah. I know The Cardigans. I think I appreciate this album more than I actively like it. Lovefool did flip my opinion of this album a little but I appreciate that this album is actually pretty weird and sprawling, presenting a lot of different sounds and directions. The vocals on this whole album are pretty solid. I think if you go into this album with a pre-emptive opinion based on Lovefool you might dislike bits like the vocals more than if you had a clean slate. I was convinced my ears were wrong and that was NOT how she sings on that song. Best songs: Lovefool Worst songs: N/A Rank compared to everything else so far: 39/49 (below Coat of Many Colors, above S.F Sorrows)
Surprisingly solid! The cover of Iron Man was quite funny rendered in this style, and all of their originals were very pleasant to the ear. Right in the 7/10 range for me.
One of the most bewildering listens of the album challenge so far. Knowing only Lovefool going in, I was surprised by all the different directions and twists and turns this album took. I still have no idea if I like that Iron Man cover or not. Less one hit wonders on the album list plz
Some mildly intriguing stuff going on here. Felt like a huge letdown on the first listen but I did warm up to it the second time. However, I think their "thing" is a little thin for a whole album. Also nothing on here sounds like Lovefool.
The Cardigans are a cool band. this is a decently cool album too. everyone knows Lovefool, but they have other bangers too that kinda remind me of Shibuya-kei. deserves to be one of the 1001? this list desperately needs fun indie music. yes. maybe swap in Life instead, but i want Cardigans representation
Good album. Seems a little dated at this point.
sometimes you have to just let a girl sing in your ears and vibe out
Dans l'ensemble, album agréable. Iron Man est mon morceau préféré, très agréable. 3/5
Decent record. A few songs on the album that I like but overall not a favorite. I do like other songs from other albums of theirs.
Probably a little better than expected. Nothing earthshaking or lifechanging though. It's a fine pop-rock album, but not a Must Listen, by any stretch. Her voice is high and sweet, but it starts to wear thin after just a few songs. Fine in small doses. "Lovefool" is a clear standout. Same band, writers, and producer, but it's a level above the rest. Obvs, "Iron Man" is divisive here. I'm joining team WTF here. This is a crazy choice that is just plain goofy. My theory is this is the reason the album is here... just so more people can be exposed to this crazy take. I give them credit for making it their own and honestly if the lyrics were different this could be a decent tune. They could drop "Happy Meal II" and "Never Recover" to make it tighter. No value in these that I heard. Calling this a 3 because there's nothing terribly annoying, but 90% of it sounds about the same with a 1 of the points coming from the hit.
Not a bad album, good songs bubbles along poppy slightly dated production.
Damn so they have more songs than lovefool????
“Lovefool” earns its reputation. It’s catchy, impeccably constructed, and hard to shake. But beyond that initial hook, the album didn’t pull me in as much as I expected. The musicianship is consistently solid and thoughtfully arranged, and Nina Persson’s voice is distinctive and expressive, though over a full album it starts to feel a bit relentless rather than inviting. There’s craft here, no question. The band is tight, the production is clean, and the contrast between sweet surfaces and darker undercurrents is clearly intentional. Still, that contrast doesn’t deepen enough for me to sustain interest across the whole record. I found myself appreciating the execution more than actually connecting with the songs. The cover of “Iron Man” is the wild card. Unexpected, clever, and genuinely fun, it momentarily jolts the album awake and shows a playful side that I wish surfaced more often elsewhere. I wanted to like this more than I did. It’s a good record, well made and occasionally surprising, but it doesn’t quite stick. A respectable three stars: enjoyable in parts, admirable in execution, but not something I feel drawn to revisit often.
Different
Hadn't listened to anything other than Lovefool. Black Sabbath interpolations AND covers? Interesting.
Ok, went into this one not expecting a lot based on my experience with the radio hit Lovefool, but I'll admit I was pleasantly surprised. Also, the Iron Man rendition was a cool change to the popular metal song. Solid 3/5
This was ok, but only ok. It’s a bit poppy for my liking. Gran Turismo was better, but only marginally, as an album.
Issa vibe
I'm going to get the Elephant out of the room. Lovefool is definitely the highlight of this album, a timeless hit that is quite clever in its execution. The album starts quite well, and then, other than that song, it really does not go anywhere. Though that is what the album is designed to sound like, so I can't really knock them for it.
Artig å høre Lovefool i kontekst av albumet.
Lovefool + the Iron Man cover rule, and the other tracks are pleasant enough
Their sound is definitely unique - kind of a neo-soul lounge thing, if you were in an IKEA and meatballs were most certainly on the menu. Vocals are surprisingly interesting and feel “cool”. Maybe that’s the thing with this record - it feels cool, but I can’t pin down what the “cool” is - when you know, you know.
7 A big fan of first band on the moon for an album name
bleeding edge twee. they are called the CARDIGANS for pete's sake. They are tight, and I like the sabbath references. thats worth a whole star on it's own. 3
Went into this expecting it to not be my thing. I mean it isn’t, but it’s a solid pop album. I liked Been It, Never Recover, and Step On Me- And of course, Lovefool. The Black Sabbath cover was unexpected, but a fun surprise. There’s actually some interesting stuff going on instrumentally here and there. I was ready to write this one off, and while this isn’t really my taste, It’s an enjoyable enough album.
Звук у них своеобразный, узнаваемый, какой-то спрессованный.
3/5
Amazing combination of 4 star music with some 2 star lyrics...
Pleasant and original, a bit too sticky sweet in places. 3/5
A solid 3 from me, I agree they have a distinctive sound and I enjoy much of it but not more than it just being decent to good
Not my thing, but nice
Interesting Iron Man cover, little too sweet of an album for my liking. Still enjoyed it.
Sexy voice mehr nicht
This is a cute little album. I absolutely love the "Iron Man" cover. It works a lot better than you would think. Favorite track: Step On Me 3.5/5
Aye alright
It was nice but 🤷♂️
This was good, only knew the single so I was pleasantly surprised with the rest of it.
Of course we know the big hit but this was actually surprising. Fun pop music and well out together.
Fun!
It’s fine!
It's been a long time since 1996 so maybe I'm just not recalling, but this record has a kinda unique sound, really big and crunchy, and it cuts well against the grain of the poppy, dreamy songwriting and chord changes. That said, it's good not great, and other than the big single, there's not one song here that really makes me need to hear it again. There's like good parts of songs that might make 3-4 total good songs?
Funka greit nok
I like a few of their songs. The rest... meh
Enjoyable
Vale, este album ya me lo habia escuchado hace mucho tiempo y ha sido un buen momento para reescucharlo. Si, yo soy de los que les molan The Cardigans. Soy un bujarrilla jeje. El album en si está bien. Las melodias vocales y estribillos son memorables y en general la banda funciona guay en el estudio. Las canciones son pegadizas y son indie rock para madres divorciadas (o por aquel entonces cuando salió el disco, estudiantes de universidad de filología) Lo unico que si o si que tengo que recalcar es la producción. Es malísima. Es peor de lo que la recordaba. Y no es algo que podamos achacar a la época, porque por aquel entonces habia albums ya muy muy bien producidos. El disco este suena como si el productor le hubiese bajado los volumenes a todo a último momento. Se carga mucho la vidilla de los instrumentos, y es una pena. Por lo demás el disco está bien.
Good album with some sad undertones. Nice for zoning out.
Cardigans have a few great tracks. This album a bit samy as Nina’s voice lacks colour for me. Ok listen.
Unterhaltungsmusik
Dismissed as a one hit wonder, this one flew under the radar. Beautiful voice well produced good song construction.
Decent enough album, definitely some songs I will add to my playlist but felt that the rest were kind of filler.
A decent listen with a few standouts. The Iron Man cover took me by surprise but I kinda love their groovy take on it.
It moves up and down between a more intimate setting and a fuller, more central sound, creating a nice contrast throughout the record. This is best expressed in “Step On Me,” where a wide variety of sounds are used to build that contrast. “Lovefool” is undoubtedly the most well-known song on this record. It’s a bit too mellow for my taste, though it fits perfectly with the lyrics and explains why it was the track that first caught my attention. After relistening, “Iron Man” stands out as a surprisingly creative take on the Black Sabbath original - a real highlight among the many metal covers I’ve heard over the years. Balancing this with my personal preferences, the album sits more in the background listening category for me, and it does a great job in that role. Still, it’s not something I’d choose to actively listen to, which puts it at a high 3 overall. The remastered version suffers slightly in recording quality, with some sections sounding overly sharp. That ultimately helps me decide between a 3 and a 4 out of 5 rating.
later
This was borderline forgettable, still fun, like self-aware and clever 90s Miramax romcom music. I'm not sure how much I like it all the way through but it does have its moments. The Black Sabbath cover was fun! You can tell this is a pop rock band that didn't start out doing pop rock and are underplaying their hand with all their cool influences. I do like the album Gran Turismo more.
I’d heard Lovefool countless times before, but this was my first time listening to the whole album. I like the guitar sound quite a bit, but to be honest, the sweet vocals were a bit too much for my taste over the course of the whole album.
Cool sounds in an 80’s kinda way
Started just so-so but found its groove by the well-known Lovefool hit and finished strong.
-pretty chill album, but not very memorable tbh.
I didn’t expect much, but this was actually pretty decent. Love Fool is the obvious standout, but the rest is also adequately listenable. The Iron Man was definitely different, though. I kind of dig it, but can see how a lot of folks would downright hate it. Maybe not high praise, but there’s also not a lot to complain about either.
I know this band. They are awesome from the couple songs I have heard on the radio. Pretty good songs. and then you have lovefool. Great track.
The Iron Man cover was certainly an odd moment, but overall it was alright. A couple of tracks stood out, but generally a fine album.
I like having a female fronted alt album, just wish it did a little more. Only Lovefool remained in my memory after listening, and I just don’t love that single. Meh
Lovefool almost pushed this up to a 4 star but the vocals on some of the other songs just didn’t match up it. An OK album overall.
love fool is a masterpiece, rest of the album is okay
Rating: 5.5/10 What an intriguing album, experimental pop that does not really click with me but I recognize the unique nature of this. Will definitely re-listen at some point.
I thought this was a fun listen. Very interesting they covered Iron Man, because man the vibes are so different between Ozzie and Nina. Favorite tracks: Lovefool, Iron Man
A good listen! Lovefool is an undeniable hit, but most of the rest of this is on the level of good but not great. The singers voice is fantastic and this is produced ‘around’ her sound, but the energy in most of this is just too low and slow. Still a great time and a great time capsule. Their next record is better I think.
Your New Cuckoo is the kind of Twee Pop I've only ever heard Japanese bands do, I really enjoy it and I guess this is my sign to listen to more of it. Immediately afterwards, the album switches to a more pop-rock sounds and provides a consistently underwhelming series of tracks, with the exception of Lovefool. Hard to fully describe but they're just boring/uninteresting/forgettable. Additional note: I honestly thought prior to listening that Lovefool was a Kylie Minogue release.
Pleasantly surprised. I love Karen O from YYYs, Emily Haines from Metric, as well as Helena from Arcade Fire. And you don't really get those great 2000's icons without this super powerpuff pop princess. I'll admit its not the strongest case for 1990s alt pop rock but its neat knowing this was the same decade as Nirvana and Oasis.
Interesting Iron Man cover
Solid listen. Will probably listen again.
Loved the nods to Black Sabbath, and all the slight tips of the cap to metal music in general. But for the most part I found this music suspiciously hypnotizing. Like most tracks could have been used in Zoolander to trigger the male models to attack. Maybe it's because I find the lead singers voice to be adorable, and the guitars were pretty catchy.
Lovefool.
Could have sworn Lovefool was by Kylie Minogue, but apparently that’s completely wrong. No idea why I thought that other than it sounds a bit like her. That revelation was the most interesting thing about the album for me.
Lovefool is a decent banger. I did like this, and the singer has a lovely voice. But 24 hours on I can’t really remember anything other than Lovefool. Perhaps it was all a bit samey. Simpsons: No
Love Fool is a good track and does all of the heavy lifting here. The rest are all right; however, I was a little disappointed with the Iron Man cover.
Strong 3, pushing 4
3.5
Recognized Lovefool.
Sure, this was...fine. I have no opinions about it, really.
I enjoyed it, couple classics, but just ok overall.
Not a classic.
Only ever heard the singles. Found this quite hit and miss overall. And interesting cover of iron man as well!
The name, The Cardigans, sounded vaguely familiar but I initially couldn't place it. Within the first 30sec of this album I said “Oh... I bet this is the album with that ‘love me love me, say that you love me’ song”. Well, that's called “Lovefool” and it’s track 7. I have a vivid memory of sleeping over a friend’s house when I was ten and hearing that song play on repeat from his sister’s room all night while I couldn’t sleep. It’s not a bad song, but I heard it enough in that one night to last me a lifetime. Looking past that, the rest of the album is a pretty fun/light listen that added some sunshine to my morning. I know the band is Swedish, but the sound is like a 'California Rock' album with all the 60s nostalgia of 90s Brit Rock. They even include a cover of Black Sabbath's "Iron Man", and "Iron Man" references in "Heartbreaker" and "Choke", just to prove the point. This sound persisted (you can hear it from actual California bands like Beulah) but "Lovefool" feels like the high-water mark for this sound. Hole will drop the nostalgia for grunge and relaunch the California sound in '98 with Celebrity Skin. Then there's the Red Hot Chili Peppers' Californication in '99, and so on... anyways, I digress. If I have a complaint, it's that Nina's voice starts to get a little cloying over the course of the album; I wish her range was just a little bit lower and not so saccharine sweet in every song. Interestingly, "Lovefool" has some stacked vocal harmonies that help balance this out really well, but they didn't bother with it anywhere else on the album.
A decent album, although I preferred Gran Turismo to this one.
Not my kind of music but it wasn't bad at all
Pure 90s nostalgia. Loved it!
not bad
Pretty good, but I became less engaged as it went on
opening song was cool. nice indie / alt rock.
The album was solid. It started pretty well. But the singers voice started to bother me after a while. Also, what on earth was going on with the cover of Iron Man?
This album sounds like my summer girl. The one who'll be a summery girl. She'll have hair. She'll have summery friends who know how to be outside. She'll play tennis and wear dresses and have bare feet, and in the autumn, I'll ditch her, because she's my summer girl! Jaunty and sexy, with a universal hit plopped right in the middle. But why the Sabbath cover? We already know how kooky you are after the rest of the album! Favourite tracks: Been It, Never Recover, Great Divide
Some great stuff on here. Started slow and I wasn't convinced but it really grew on me. Love Fool still absolutely slaps, too.
A meld of soft pop and rock. The gentle vocals soothed my ears as I listened, and having a female singer was very enjoyable especially after the recent run of albums. The issue is as a whole I didn’t enjoy listening to the album. Losers was a great song- loved the bridge to chorus. But I was left wanting more on a lot of the album
Okay, there was some interesting ones in the first half of the album. Lovefool being their song I remember. The second one, personally, felt like they were trying to fluff the runtime of the album, were as catchy.
Solid album with Lovefool as it's lonely hit, i really prefer their later years with Gran Turismo
Good album
Pleasantly weird
lovefool carried hard
Stylish Swedish lounge indie with a surprisingly strong bite underneath all the surface sugar. Nina Persson is one of the coolest singers imaginable. Standout track: Losers.
They definitely have a unique sound, for me something I didn't love or hate.
Fun songs,
3.5
Some strikes against this one - mostly generic rock, she apparently pioneered that sorta whispery annoying voice in rock ladies, confusing Nordglish lyrics, borderline misogyny in some of the songs, I think? Some HRs too, a truly unhinged take on Iron Man, and lovefool (ohhhh that song!) is interesting and has no end of hooks.
Svenskt andra dagen på raken. Jovars, det funkar väl det här.
Some decent indie rock. Love Your New Cuckoo. Im not a huge fan of Lovefool though. I like some of the vocals here though 6/10 Favourite: Your New Cuckoo Least Favourite: Heartbreaker
They tried many things. Lots of key changes, bends, and some unusual chord progression. But sometimes I find it overwhelming. There are too many “novel” ideas in one song. And sometimes the disharmony is not really “resolved”. Instead they just switched to a completely different direction. Many times I feel the disharmony is gone but the discomfort is still there. Lead vocal is relatively recognisable. Very good. She sounds amazing when she tries belting! But often she goes more breathy. Overall this album has a 5 star potential but it lands at 3 for me.
an enjoyable album for sure. lovefool is the obvious standout, but i let this run on repeat yesterday while playing some Balatro and it was lovely.
It's a solid pop record that has more to offer than the radio-known hit "Lovefool". There are dreamier songs on there and also rockier stuff. It's nice, but nothing that gets me going too much.
Fun, fav songs were lovefool and step on me
Mid level 90’s music. Nothing more. Nothing less.
Decent album, her voice is certainly distinctive.
An interesting lead vocalist
It's good, nothing special, sounds fine, enjoyable enough. Nothing impressive don't really see why this is on the list but you know it didn't suck so I guess I'll take it.
was only familiar w/ Lovefool. rest of album was solid "meh". vocals just blended in together......
not really great idk.
i didn't enjoy it at first but listening to it a second time I started to get it (more, her voice is so angelic, she's coming straight from the heaven)
Rakastettava ääni laulajalla! Musat toimii toimii!
this album is like eating candy with a tooth ache. It’s good in the moment, but there’s a pain throughout. the woman’s voice compliments the music well but i can’t help but feel like it starts to annoy me/give me a headache after a while. not bad in general tho
It's a good record, but don't really see it as being an essential or that big a deal honestly. It's a fun indie/pop rock record, with one big hit, but it wasn't really that much more for me. There's some nice bass lines, and Nina Persson's voice is great. The rest works pretty well too, the strings are good too. But overall, it's nothing to write home about being honest. The Black Sabbath nods are a nice touch but not much else. In terms of songs, "Lovefool" is the obvious standout. It's a banger. Besides that, "Your New Cuckoo" and "Been It" had a nice vibe.
Music is ok. Like the Iron Man cover.
I have loved the song Lovefool since I was a kid. I didn’t know any of the other songs on the album. There was a weird cover of Iron Man though. I like her voice and it sounds like a lot of things I listen to.
If this album had ‘My Favourite Game’ on it I’d probably be giving it a 4 instead. Just a few too many ‘meh’ songs. Your New Cuckoo (6/10) Been It (8/10) Heartbreaker (6/10) Happy Meal II (7/10) Never Recover (8/10) Step On Me (7/10) Lovefool (8/10) Losers (7/10) Iron Man (6/10) Great Divide (7/10) Choke (7/10) 7/10
Pretty good for its time and place
"Lovefool" is a great track and still a classic. There are a couple other solid songs here, but overall the album feels flat and forgettable.
I mean, I like “Lovefool.” But there’s nothing essential about even that. And the rest of the album, while pleasant enough, isn’t at the level of “Lovefool.” I rounded up to three stars.
2,5
I had hoped to like this more. I think “Lovefool” deserves its iconic status, but I never listened to more Cardigans than that (and I listened to that song a lot). The rest of this album is probably too smart for the same crowd that enjoyed their radio hit. Still (or maybe consequently) it’s not as easy to get into for me. Big points for the Iron Man cover though.
Ok but not like the previous one
Strong start to be honest. I wasn’t expecting a woman as the singer but I like her voice. Also a smooth transition from the 1st song to the second song
A bit of a departure from the sabbath that everyone had yesterday but I almost think we all came here too as a little joke from Mr 1001 man. The iron man cover is funny but a pretty unique rendition. I liked it. Love fool is a song ive known forever but never once thought about who sang it. And its still a good one. The other songs here are also pretty good. Nothing too crazy but the singers voice is very nice and one of a kind. Just a laid back chill kinda time. Enjoyable if not the most engaging thing of all time. Worth a listen though for sure
nice, me sigue pareciendo mejor el primer disco de cardigans, pero igual ta re copado, mejoraron la produccion y las melodias del disco anterior !
5/10 It's... Fine? Jingle, jangle pop guitar. Very much of its time.
I first heard Carnival by the Cardigans in one of the Austin Powers movies, but I never listened to anything else by them until this album. Lovefool is the most popular song from this album—you’ve probably heard it. “Love me, love me, say that you love me. Leave me, leave me, just say that you need me.” The album still sounds very fresh for an album from the ‘90s. The production and mixing is pristine. There’s a strange cover of Iron Man on here. The lyrics don’t fit the instrumental very well. They should’ve just added their own lyrics over the instrumental. Your New Cuckoo is my favorite track.
I like her voice. Was a nice album for a rainy afternoon.
👍
Love me love me, say that you love me. Other songs were kinda dreamy, lay singer has a nice voice. Not unlikely to revisit, but didn’t necessarily love.
Classic
Meh
Didn’t know much about Cardigans outside a couple hits, but they’re a fun, diverse and kinda weird band (Burning Down the House with Tom Jones?). Started on their catalog after this one, which is high otraise from me. Nina Persson’s voice is fetching.
Ok, I guess. Some decent/unexpected arrangements with horns and flute and whatnot, but I definitely could have died without hearing this. I got sick of the singer's baby voice quite quickly.
Altogether quite fun, although not a lot stood out . Have never been a massive fan of love fool but was pleasantly surprised by their other songs
ehh not my thing
Enjoyable but nothing really stood out to me
It was cute, perhaps a little too cute. I found her voice annoying at a point. Not bad, not great, very middle.
I wanted to like this, and I think a lot of Cardigans sounds good but apart from the big single this struggled a bit. Musically really interesting but not quite consistent.
Happy pop. “Lovefool” is a great song. Not sure the rest of the album rises to the same level.
Tsja, lovefool bekend nummer en ik zal niet liegen, die heb ik met enigszins geknepen ballen mee lopen bleren. Verder oke, wel vrij deprimerende teksten. Vrouw die over zichzelf zingt dat ze gebruikt wilt worden, ik vind daar wat van. Anyway. 2.5 ster, dus 3
A flashback. Love the hits, not so much the album.
Better than I had expected. Very fun
More interesting than I thought it’d be. I didn’t get then when I was young but now I see how they were making alt-pop. A good listen.
Fine. Nothing groundbreaking. Enjoyable enough. Good aesthetic. Strange that there are Sabbath references but they're not obtrusive.
It was a fine album. Realized I actually knew lovefool, the rest kinda feels samey. I do kinda like the baby voice singer vibes. But I’ll be honest man of the year by Lorde really overshadowed this record today.
I really enjoyed the hit from the album Lovefool. Otherwise there were a couple other really solid songs, but the vibe of the album as a whole just felt really strange and unsettling and I’m not sure how I feel about it. I think it’s good but I’m not sure.
Tale of two halves. First half of the album is pretty generic. Everything from "Lovefool" on was pretty cool
Its pretty ok. They have their one banger from the 90s but nothing else stood out or really pulled me in.
‘Lovefool’ is a catchy song, there’s the same tone but not as remarkable.
Overall, not a bad album but it definitely feels like it's not from the late 90s. I can imagine people enjoying jamming to this. I also hadn't really thought about who sings that "love me, love me, say that you love mee" song, which is also their most popular one. Overall, the album is pretty chill, nothing too exciting but also nothing too bad.
3.3.
First Band On The Moon makes the 1001 List because of the album title (and maybe throw one to the Swedes.) Familiar with Lovefool from late 90s radio, but couldn’t have told you the band. Must have been much more impactful in Europe. To me, this album is middle-of-the-road 90s pop carried by one song and the vocals. Comes in at (2.6*s) cute.
This album was obviously carried by the one big hit. But there's still a lot of cool stuff in here, so I wouldn't overlook this one. A solid listen. You're in the mood for that kind of alt sophisticated pop
This is decent. There's one hit on it. I'll go 3/5, but I'd say it's right-in-the-middle average.
Somehow in my mind I confused the cardigans and the cranberries. Therefore I went in thinking I was going to hear the distinctive sound and voice of the Cranberries, which I enjoy, and that tainted the first few songs. After an adjustment I ended up happily listening to the remainder of the album. It was good but nothing outstanding and even though it has been years since I heard the single i could only remember how overplayed it was which made me unable to fully enjoy it.
Pretty good, even outside the hits. I like her soft voice
tokfu music :D
Pop rock met een zangeres die klinkt alsof ze normaal triphopliedjes inzingt. Met een beetje zo'n Killers-achtig megafoon effect op de stem ook. Het heeft wel iets zomers en vrolijks, maar toch pakt het album me niet helemaal. Ik heb hier eigenlijk niet zo bijzonder veel over te melden. Gewoon een eenvoudige 3 sterren.
The Iron Man cover is great. Not as a song I listen to regularly, but it's a fun play on the original. Lovefool is one of those minor hits that doesn't get radio play or cultural recognition, but it's also pretty good for what it is. The rest of the album is... more of that. A weird mix of bubblegum and serious that makes it a fascinating album, but is ultimately just a curiosity, unless it hits for you. It feels like they are courting a proto-Charli XCX fan base.
3/5
Greatly enjoyable in its own right. I definitely recognized lovefool but hadn't heard of this band otherwise. Inoffensive and has a nice softness throughout. I like the overly sweet vocals. Feels lavish. Iron man was unexpected though
Music is good, but not that into it. More diverse songs than I expected. The Ironman cover was oddly cool.
I enjoyed it, as silly as it is
can’t complain. some catchy stuff here and there
The sound is just so original. Not something I want to listen to regularly, but respect this for what it is.
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.
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.
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.
Didn‘t impress me much, wonder why it‘s on the list. Quite mediocre indie pop rock.
I think that it’s fun. Lovefool is a classic great song. It’s odd how much this sounds like music from the OC
Mellow, great drums and vocals - enjoyable but nothing stands out.
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.
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.
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.
<3
3.75 great album. Ironman cover is a treat
mid album, but lovefool is a generational banger
Favorite Track: Iron Man
Solid stuff, chill vibes a bit slow at times mes but lovefool is a great song
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
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.
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
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
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
Fine but the hits really annoying
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.
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.
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.
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.
Ufff, "Romeo + Juliet" is such an iconic film with such an iconic song "Lovefool". The album itself was very okay.
Pretty good.
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.
Lead singer so hot
can get with this cover of iron man tho. could i write poetry to this? y
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)
Had higher hopes for this. Lovefool is obviously a certified hood classic but the rest was kinda meh.
ehhh
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.
Warm and easy, with a bite behind the sweetness. Few pull off the cutesy girl voice as successfully as Nina Persson.
“Lovefool” is on here, plus a pretty neat cover of “Iron Man!”
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
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
Quite enjoyable album that's easy to listen to, but not bucket-list worthy.
Bit meh, very 90s, sickly sweet
2.8 1x catchup 10/21 - not as bad as i expected
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.
Fun. Not bad for a girl
I like this! Good stuff - LOVE ME LOVE ME SAY THAT YOU LOVE ME
3,5
Funka greit nok
I love her voice
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 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.
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.
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.
Ok...nothing special.
Quite interesting
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.
2.5 They really couldn't find a graphic designer, huh?
Good album. Some good songs that I hadnt heard before.
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!
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
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
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
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.
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.
I didn't really know much beyond the singles of this band. This is a perfectly fine album, so creative ideas in there. But without multiple repeated listens (which won't happen) I can't see this having much staying power
This album was pretty solid. Fairly distinct tunes with a great singer and a unique sound. Lovefool is a classic and I liked Your New Cuckoo as an opener. 3/5.
Did not listen
I knew nothing about this band or it's music but had unknowingly heard one of the songs before. The vocalist sounded soft and girly throughout and reminded me of another singer or two that I can't recall just now. It was different and a pleasant listen that I'd probably neither seek out or reject in any way.
Other than the popular “Love Fool” not much caught my attention
I'm not sure what to do with this. I think it's clearly well done but I can't explain how. I enjoyed the listen enough but don't think I'd ever put in the effort to come back. If it was on I can't imagine I'd put in the effort to turn it off. Likely a day thing more than anything for me.
This is a very 50/50 album. Some songs I enjoyed, like Lovefool and Step On Me. Others, such as the awful cover of Iron Man, were just not good. I do enjoy the vocals and some of the instrumentals, when they seem to put thought into them anyway.
This was fine. Beyond Loverfool I’m not sure there’s anything else all that interesting on here.
Chill easy-to-listen-to pop album. Nice to know there’s more to The Cardigans than that one song.
This is fine. Poppy. Swedish. Pleasant vocals. There is way worse music than this and so I’m inclined to give it a pass for being pretty insubstantial. Doesn’t do much for me, but it ain’t hurting nothing.
90's pop. I didn't really know this band though I knew the song "Lovefool". Solid musicianship elevates this record over the vast majority of the genre, but it's still a little too cotton candy for me to really enjoy. Lovefool, unsurprisingly, is the best song on the record and I don't see myself listening to the other ones again.
Decent - lovefool a classic
some good tunes but not memorable
i really liked it, i think this is a great album for a road trip
This sounds like "Happy Birthday" Marilyn Monroe fronting a made for TV ABBA with a little 90s alternative angst thrown in for good measure. Which means I don't necessarily HATE it, but I don't need to listen to it again.
Pleasant and inoffensive. Not a favourite.
Not bad - 3.5 overall. A couple of deserved hits, one odd but interesting cover
That one song is pretty killer huh
Better than I expected based on their 90s hit.
From knowing this band only from their biggest hit, this was far more listenable than I expected. Not the greatest, but “Been It”, “Never Recover”, and “Your New Cuckoo” were all pretty catchy.
Enjoyed rehearing a few of these songs and discovering others.
Interesting and exploratory. I think LoveFool is the best on the album and some of their other albums are better, but I still thought this wasn't bad. Singing register *almost* right, but still not danceable.
Ok...nothing special.
-catchy melodies -the singer gives me vibes of a joyful version of Beth Gibbons (of Portishead) -this can have some dark lyrics and mask them with their catchy melodies -it can get orchestral at times -dont know if I would spin this often, but it sure has some bangers -favourite songs: Your New Cuckoo, Never Recover, Step On Me, Lovefool, Choke -least favourite song: Heartbreaker
Having only known the singles the expansion to an album was refreshing. String solid pop music.
I really expected more out of this. Their one big hit just gets stuck in my head and not in a good way. I just hear No Doubt, and I would rather listen to No Doubt…and that’s not saying much.
Bubblegum alt pop for Gen X-ers
Like so many other indie albums of the '90s and '00s, it's fine. Enjoyable enough, but nothing to really catch my attention.
довольно однообразно и недостаточно музыкально драматично. но они хорошие, надо всё послушать