First Band On The Moon

pitää respektiä antaa jos konseptia löytyy... ja iron maan indie coveri olusi voinutnpaljon huonommin mennä, paskaahan se tosiaan on. ja instrumentosointi ei vaan napannut... kudoksia...annetaan silti kudokset tästä..poppibiisi paras lovefool

Felt like it was ahead of its time, gave 2000s vibes. Cool but maybe would take a bit longer to get used to

An easy enough listen. I enjoyed the first half more than the second, as the vocals became a bit samey.

It was lovely to hear a whole album by these folks. I just love Nina's voice, the funky bass, the flutes, the kooky lyrics. A nice time capsule from the era of gentle Indie.

Okay pop

Catchy, worth the listen

Sweet vocals, but find the overall sound a little boring.

Perfectly pleasant pop, at times (and dreary at others), but not exactly essential listening before you die.

Zzzzzz

Great album Really good. Love the vibe, love the poppy nature, love the production, love the instrumentation. Very very high 4, was thinking of a 5, I'm sure it will grow, but for now it's 4/5

Probably my favourite album of all time, so easy to listen to, sickly sweet

I had the pleasure of seeing The Cardigans live earlier this year. During the setlist, they played their, now quite well-known, cover of a legendary Black Sabbath song - you guessed it, it was 'Changes'. The inclusion of the cover live felt just as pointless as their cute cover of 'Iron Man' on First Band on the Moon. The performance equally as dull overall as this record feels. Definitely a “Greatest Hits” kind of band for me.

I honestly never listened to this because while I thought “Lovefool” was fine the band probably didn’t have much else to offer. Boy, was I wrong. I could have done without the Sabbath cover, but everything else feels incredible fresh with Nina Persson’s vocal being the finishing touch.

I broke my leg in the summer this song was popular. I remember staying in the hospital overnight and just couldn't keep this song out of my head while in agonizing pain.

Lovefool is just lovely, the rest easily dreamy.

Not for me.

Interesting album. Well structured and easy to listen to. Probablt won't listen again.

Poppy summer music. One bona fide hit. There’s a certain lounge quality to it.

I've always heard that The Cardigans shouldn't be judged by Lovefool, but I think Lovefool is actually a pretty appropriate representative of this album as a whole. Just a chill alt rock album with some funky undercurrent. What a well-composed piece, I really enjoyed the whole thing (except maybe the Iron Man cover - that was a bit much.)

I'm a fan of the style of songs, I also recognised Step On Me and Lovefool. I liked Choke and Lovefool the most.

didn't expect to like this at all, much more off-kilter than I anticipating and a slightly horny vibe to it all - good stuff

Surprisingly upbeat and easy to enjoy. One or two tracks I have heard before but context is always good. A three.five

was okay. 1 famous song i knew. i hate the use of the recorder in ‘Choke’.

3.5/5

It was an enjoyable album that had some very interesting smart music

Oh man - this record threw me back and I realise how criminally under rated this band feels to me. The musicianship is mind blowing - production perfect - there isn’t one song that doesn’t fit - and at their poppiest this band is gold - even with the overly sweet and possibly omnipresent single in 1996 ‘Lovefool’ - it’s still subtly brilliant. Crown jewel to me is the Sabbath cover.

Don’t like it

I will not speak

Really enjoyed this album

The album is kind of boring. Lovefool is the obvious standout but it seems to me that this song is overplayed everywhere and I am pretty sure I would be happy if I never heard it again. Iron Man cover is sort if interesting but nothing to write home about. One star.

Really only liked the last half of the album. The single is a classic.

This was an absolute treat. Such a strange but perfect combo with eerie, distant-sounding instrumentals behind very intimately-mic’d lullaby-esque vocals, producing some very off-kilter indie rock and pop until bam, Lovefool kicks in out of nowhere and the vibe completely changes. But it still works. Even when they throw in a lounge-jazz-ish cover of Black Sabbath, it still somehow works. Great stuff

In a word, bland. Not bad but nothing I felt the desire to revisit.

What can I say? It's a really well made, beautifully crafted, charming indie pop rock album. This isn't just "the album with Lovefool in it". First Band on the Moon really sounds like the quintessential 90s indie album. Best song: Been It

Another band whose name I've heard a lot but never checked out. This is my jam. Absolutely loved it and will have to dig deeper.

I had heard the tracks that get radio play before and really liked them, but it turns out the whole album is excellent

This takes me back to high school. I’d never heard the full album before… I liked it!

I’ve enjoyed this one a decent amount. She has cute, pleasing vocals and the writing supports her well. There is nothing to complain about with the instruments, they usually have a nice tone and are played well. The writing overall is pretty simple, but fits the style well and is quite catchy. I had heard the song lovefool, although I don’t think it was their version, it represents their style well, a very catchy tune with pleasing vocals and overall simple but good writing. Overall would listen to again.

Gosh this is pretty just OK but it is really one of the 1001 best albums ever made? Slightly twee, very clean and in Lovefool an annoying earworm. Thanks Baz Luhrmann. Cue cliches about Swedes and their sturdy constructions from Volvo cars and Ikea sofas, ok maybe not Ikea sofas, to this. Can you tell I can't think of that much to say about this album.

3.5

One annoying hit and a lot of meh.

More complex than I thought but underwhelming. Scandinavians are great at pop music but this has not aged well

J’aime beaucoup le single, mais la voix haute et les cuivres m’ont irritée à la longue

Highlights: "Been It," "Lovefool," "Never Recover," "Happy Meal" Respect to the Cardigans for leaning into basically everything that was not in fashion in the 90s: a blend of disco with bossa nova jazz and 50s pop. Does fall on its face in the last stretch, but mostly moves at an incredible pace, stopping its hooks on a dime and jumping right into the next one, with plenty of surprising twists on the way.

Iha jees!

One okay song and the rest is a bland soup.

Album 127 of 1001 The Cardigans - First Band On the Moon Rating : 3 / 5 Favorite Track : Choke Swedish group. Kind of like if the Carpenters went a different direction. It was an enjoyable album. Neither here nor there. There is a nice cover of Iron Man.

love these guys

so good!

2nd listen. I was surprised about how much I liked this album the first time I listened to it, but somehow now, listening to it for the second time, I’m still surprised. I think this is the first 5 star album for me on here that hasn’t been from a band that I am really a fan of (although I should probably listen to them more).

Confession: I had a bit of a crush on Nina Persson back in the day. So I've seen the Lovefool video a few times. As for the album, it's not bad. Hit and miss. Quirky fun but sometimes too quirky. That Iron Man cover is interesting.

Wasn’t as bad as I thought it was going to be Pleasantly surprised by the Iron Man cover too Favourite tracks: Your New Cuckoo, Been It, Step On Me, Losers, Iron Man

I have so much to talk about relating to this album, so apologies to whoever reads this if you choose to do so, although I doubt anyone will. Firstly, I've been looking forward to listening to this album for years, with it always being something I wanted to get around to listening to, but always forgetting. This is because not only is Lovefool easily one of the best, if not the best, pop hit of the 1990s, but because The Cardigans have always been compared to and been put into this bubble along with some of my other favorite bands, with Cloudberry Jam (which sadly seems to have been mostly lost in the streaming age), Stereolab, and one of my favorite bands of all time, Komeda. Cloudberry Jam always had some jazzy sensibilities, Stereolab, who's pretty well known, was the electronic one, and Komeda has a bigger alt-rock focus. The Cardigans, however, were far more pop-y then those others, and it had me worried I might not care for this quite as much as those other bands, but this was just as excellent as those. I love the whispery singing of Nina Persson, and they completely understand what I am looking for with a song, with each movement of a piece being satisfying in its own way, and they know when to bring into horns and woodwinds and all sorts of really creative stuff that sets their music apart without being too out there. I'm happy to finally listened to this. If you disagree with me, then know I'm the type of person to give a Black Sabbath album a three, and enjoy this cover of Iron Man far more than the original. Amazing album. What can I say, the Swedes make good music. Also, just to make this review more niche than it already is, the bass riff in Lovefool is the same as Persona 4 Golden's intro theme, and that's knowledge I don't know what to do with. Also also, the first song sounds like a Katamari song, even more bonus points there. God, I love this feel good shit, pump it into my veins.

That one is tricky to explain. I'm gonna start with the positive stuff. The Cardigans are awesome composers and performers, and this album displays productions values that all-around nice and effective. Those chord changes are quite brilliant, anyone with an ear for those sorts of details can tell you this. And this, even if--like me--your ear is badly educated or trained... That being said, the songs use so many of those spectacular chord modulations that the results make me feel queasy after a while. I know it's just a matter of personal taste here, but sometimes a good ol' E - G - A - C chord sequence can do the trick. It all depends on the vocal melody and its harmonies over said sequence (or subsequent flourishes *after* those basic chords). You can write great vocal lines over quite banal chords. Actually, that's probably one of the trickiest thing to accomplish when you're tackling pop aesthetics. But here The Cardigans constantly up the ante. They won't stick to anything banal for sure. Which sometimes works *against* the songs and what they're supposed to be. Off-kilter chord modulations can often suggest bittersweet feelings, which is the aim of most of the tracks here. But if you're too cute about the whole thing, you end up erasing the "bitter" part of that adjective, and merely sound sweet instead. As in *sugarcoated*. I guess that's probably where my queasiness comes from when I listen to this record. In spite of all those modal shenanigans, many tunes in this album admittedly remain catchy enough. "Heartbreaker" and "Happy Meals" first come to mind as examples of how The Cardigans can shine in that regard. Yet it's as if their usual harmonic sophistication--worthy of a musicologist's early studies--hampered genuine emotions to be expressed. Take those funny winks to Black Sabbath, for instance. They're found in three separate moments, including an admittedly great cover of "Iron Man"... Sure, those moments are fun. But they also keep hammering home the idea that this band might be too smart for their own good to convey feelings that would sound 100% sincere. Sprinkle too many references in your tunes, even subliminal ones, and you might end up sounding like a pompous fop. Which takes the cake when you're quoting Black (bloody) Sabbath, among other things... I don't really know how to put all this into words. The whole thing is a little too... *studied*? *Scholarly*? And then again, the first track, "Your New Cuckoo", still manages to sound trite and tired. And speaking of trite, "Lovefool" (of *Romeo + Juliet* fame) can be quite annoying, depending on the mood you're in. Sure, that track has been overplayed to death on radios all over the western world and beyond... But overplayed or not, this LP still manages to sound *both* sugary and cynical as a consequence of the composers' peculiar choices. It's that distinctive pastiche aspect found in a lot of the tunes--both the good and the not-so-good ones--and it can get on my nerves sometimes. As far as musicianship goes, there's a solid backbone to this thing, from Nina Persson's enticing voice to the musicians performing with her. I just wish there was a similarly solid backbone in terms of "spirit" and emotions, instead of all the simpering and other affected posturing I'm sensing in this band. Am I the only person feeling this here? So in spite of all the talents involved, I'd say *First Band On the Moon* still verges on being a mixed-bag thing--at least as far as "essential" albums go in my own book... 3/5 for the purposes of this list, which translates to a 8/10 grade for more general purposes (5+3). Next, please... Number of albums left to review: 484 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 245 Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 115 Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more essential to me): 154 (including this one)

Beautiful, lush pop songs filled with 60s grooviness, jazziness, a bit of lo-fi (notably on the vocals and some synths), and all sorts of synths to match it's ethereal or triumphant moods. At times can be jammy, at times can be Beatlesesque. I'm in love with this album. I like her voice and the studio production, and every song sounds fantastic and memorable. Many of which are addictive earworms. I'm also a huge fan of the smooth transitions. This is one of the those cases where I'm biased because this is exactly my sound and I can't find anything I dislike about it.

Didn't hate this. It really felt like the early to mid 90s.

Meh. Good, not great! 2/5

The iron man cover was a nice surprise, and lovefool is a banger. Rest of it isn't really for me but it is good music

More interesting than I expected and who saw that Iron Man Cover coming!?

Head bangingly dull.

The Cardigans!!! I'm always down for some nostalgic 90s tunes. I don't think I've listened to this whole album. Just Lovefool. oooh cool flute at the end of that first track. I didn't know these guys were Swedish. I really love Nina Persson's voice. It's like tangerine honey. How was Lovefool such a great song!! It totally sticks out from all the other songs to this point. What a hit! Great Divide...nice lyrics. Well the whole album was only 39 min. I was good, but of all the songs Lovefool is the best. Don't think I would revisit any of the other songs. 3 stars.

achei bom em geral, calmo e talvez um pouco nostalgico. 7/10

Oh hey it’s that song! 2.5/5

Great 90s vibe, I'd give this a solid 3.5

Really enjoyed this, each track like a hidden treat. Except for that Iron Man cover. Strange that I JUST had Black Sabbath before this album too!

Very good album from start to finish. Rating: 4.6

Solid 90s alt rock

This album is incredible. Musically, it's so complex and interesting, you can hear how tightly arranged everything is, and every instrument has a purpose. Lovefool is a classic for a reason, and this is one of the most mellow covers of Iron Man I've ever heard. Blown away.

Great! Listen again

This was not my cup of tea at all. Just pop, innit. Nothing exciting or groundbreaking? Hard to see why this is an album I should be listening to before I die? Less than average.

I like the cardigans in general, know many of their singles. however don't think this is them at their best. sounds a bit like a local band performing at a pub. Mostly enjoyed but apart from the single didn't stand out.

Belles chansons très variées, what a surprise

PREFS : Your New Cuckoo, Been It, Heartbreaker, Happy Meal II, Never Recover, Lovefool, Iron Man, Great Divide, Choke MOINS PREF : Losers

Pop-rock. Un megahit. Ni fu ni fa.

Bien. Normal. Lovefool superconocida.

Quiet and loud background listen!

Swedish pop with dabblings of alt-rock. Not bad at all - though the vocals do get a bit cloying after a while. Though top marks for the cover of 'Iron Man'. Best Tracks: Your New Cuckoo; Step On Me; Love Fool

It was a pleasant listen. Definitely had more of a 70s vibe to it. The Iron Man rendition was amazing. I enjoyed her voice and I thought it fit the music well.

Charming and fun with sugar-sweet hooks. Vocals from Nina Persson define much of the album's personality, with the band backing her excellently. Lovefool is the obvious standout song, with it's instantly grabbing chorus (love me, love me, say that you love me). It pulls a disco beat and builds it's indie pop sound on top of it, leaving a playfully lovey song that landed itself on the Romeo + Juliet soundtrack. The album hits some peaks and valleys (both in pacing and in quality), but First Band On The Moon is more fun than not. Also features an interesting rendition of Black Sabbath's Iron Man. I'll also say it ends on a high note. Very enjoyable.

Not my thing

Really sweet. Went by fast, but had a cool vibe. Lovefool is obviously a great bop. + Lovefool + Your New Cuckoo + Happy Meal II + Never Recover

First Band On The Moon was a good listen to some pop/alt-rock from the mid 90s. Who couldn't forget that absolute banger Lovefool from the Romeo + Juliet soundtrack? That track was the most nostalgic and brought me right back. I can't recall any other track from the album from the time, or whether or not they had any other hits from any other albums, to me they were a one-hit wonder, with a decent album to back up the single's success. Best: Lovefool Worst: Never Recover

From a band I’ve never heard of, but now I’m glad that this was recommended to me. Almost no bad songs. What’s with all the Black Sabbath references though?

Woolly.

should have stayed there

I’m usually not a fan of female vocalists but this isn’t bad, a few catchy songs with Lovefool of course being the most catchy.

At least it’s not another Britpop Not much here Just because someone thought doing a smaltzy cover of Iron Man was a good idea, doesn’t mean you should do it However, for having the balls to do it I give them an extra star

I only knew the Cardigans from the Love song, and I wouldn't say I enjoyed it. But this is overall a really good record. I liked a lot of it. May have to check out more.

Lovely cut of indie pop

Nice pop music, but really dirty. 2/5

5 stars because of Lovefool. Other songs are good too.

Love the Cardigans and this album.

Hard no. The 90s gave us some great albums. Just not in 96. It was a spectacularly crappy year for music. If it wasn't for The Fugees it would almost be a complete wash. "First Band on the Moon" is a great example of mid-90s garbage rock. No, that's not a typo. It's not garage rock. It's garbage not because of technical or monetary reasons. One can only assume it's garbage on purpose. Like, that was their aesthetic. Utterly pretentious trash... with an ever-so-slight rock tinge. It's a collection of parse, poorly-mixed songs lead by whispery, too-twee, fairy-garden vocals and stuffed full of pseudo-intellectual lyrics. It's just garbage. I'm not even going to give it credit for "Lovefool" because there are a dozen covers of it that are 100x better than this garbage original. Did I mention that this is garbage? Because it is. Utter garbage.

If they were the first band on the moon, I'd understand any album of theirs being a must listen. Since they are not, and don't necessarily meet the 80-90s UK pop profile the writer(s) love, I guess Sweden is close enough. It's an okay album, I give them credit for remaking Iron Man in their sound - they were out punched by the song, but they tried. 3/5.

Put on a sweater.

Better than I anticipated

Good. Not great beyond love me love me.

Enjoyed it a lot

🤩

this is so much more than lovefool which i absolutely did not expect. full of true 90s bops and also some more subdued tracks which were really enjoyable. at its weakest when it retreads tropes or doesn't lean into its aesthetic. best tracks: been it, lovefool, step on me

This is what I imagine Sonic Youth would sound like without the distortions lol. The vocals are annoying most of the time, although it sounds nice sometimes.

Perfectly cromulent record, but no reason for it to be on this list.

first listen fun little swedish twee pop journey

Fun catchy songs that stick with you. The mixing is weak, and some songwriting is meh, but as a whole it stands out as an album worthy of a 5.

It sounds so wishy-washy that I almost forget I was listening to it until the third or fourth song. Then I enjoyed it a bit, but it still has a sound that harkens back to the less memorable tracks from the 90s. It's not the worst thing in the music world but it is entirely forgettable. PS: The "Iron Man" cover is on the edge of disrespect.

First Band On The Moon is the one album I've heard from The Cardigans, but I've heard at least a few other tracks from the band. I like the band enough that I will check out the occasional track from the band when they come up. It's been a decade or two since I've listened to this album. I like the pop-sensibility of the music with an underlying darker tinge. The music sounds like pop, but there's something bordering on sinister in many of the tracks. "Lovefool" is a classic track, but I have always liked what they decided to do with Black Sabbath's "Iron Man" to make it their own. I could come back to this album again, because ¿why not?

Surprisingly fun!

I like the Cardigans! Catchy, inoffensive stuff.

Very nice listen. First time for this album and this artist, really good sound to the whole thing. Very solid album all around! Probably will check out others like this!

Good vocals, good music, and I like the chill vibe

This was a fun album. I really liked the Iron Man cover, very unique.

This album is a quick listen with some fun melodies. Lovefool is ALWAYS a jam.

3.5 Lovefool is a BANGER

Id never heard any of their songs other than the famous Lovefool, but it was quite good. I would call the album “cute” honestly- there wasn’t much uniqueness to it but I would listen again.

Where a Swedish light-rock band fronted by a singer with a lovely and perfectly clear voice covers Black Sabbath - and crushes it. Obviously "Lovefool" was the big N American hit but I've always loved this entire album. I even formed a band trying in some ways to pattern ourselves after the Cardigans' template. 11 relatively short melodic pop songs but somehow/oddly never boring to me. Excellent musicianship without ever showing off; these guys were subtle about creating little melodic twists in nearly every song (e.g. "Choke" there's a little in-unison riff that starts the song then poof - into the song we go. It reprises a few times in the song and almost doesn't seem like it belongs... yet of course it does) that keep it all interesting. Maybe the <40 minute length was always the best part of it. TAKE NOTE: albums longer than 45 minutes were/are almost *always* too much. Hard to be in a bad mood listening to this album - love it. 8/10 4 stars.

Meh

I liked this more than I expected to. And that's knowing how good Lovefool was already. There are more gems to be found on this album, and the most weirdly good electropop version of Black Sabbath's Iron Man. A surprisingly broad and interesting listen and great pop and interesting fun.

Love love love 😍😍

Wanted to give this a 4 going into it. Lovefool and Iron Man are excellent, but the rest fell just a little short.

Catchy driving tunes. A bit like the band Cake with sultry vocals. Worth a listen, but wouldn’t listen a lot. 3.5 stars

Simplemente genial (ONB) Una delicia para el viernes (PSP)

Not bad....a little poppy, but not nauseatingly so....

loved - wish i could have seen this album live

I'm into this, I think they have some cool elements that balance the sugary poppyness and their Spotify says that there's 2 metal guitarists in the band which shows a little in heartbreaker which may be my favorite. the horn solo is cool

I found some of the songs really grating vocally. Didn't expect that.

This was surprisingly okay

Fine indie stuff. Nothing stood out but also inoffensive.

Not really my bag but kinda dug it anyway.

-I get nothing from the album cover but that they are a band with a drummer -early impression is that this aged super well, they sound more like contemporaries of CHVRCHES and Alvvays than I'd expect from a '96 album -spoke too soon, "Never Recover" & "Step on Me" are unabashedly mid-90s (not a complaint) -then there's "Lovefool", which is both super 90s but also foreshadows the disco boom in newer pop (e.g. "Say So" by Doja Cat) -someone, somewhere, a classic metal fan is surely upset by the Cardigans' inclusion of Black Sabbath- & another is fist punching the air 3.5 HL: "Heartbreaker", "Been It", "Lovefool" also March 13, 2023

Could’ve easily gone my whole life without listening to this album. The vocals are lovely but the music is so dull. Was interesting to read that The Cardigans are Swedish tho - so much famous music from Sweden !

Really understand why this is liked. I don't. Just not doing a lot for me.

Enjoyable

Lovefool is obviously ingrained in my memory since I grew up in the 90s. I remember hearing that song on the radio, in romcom movies, in commercials… It’s not a bad song, and this isn’t a bad album. The music isn’t really my cup of tea, though.

Surprisingly dense for being so sugary-sweet.

Didn't do much for me

Yhh, ei. Vinkuva ääni, tosi ruotsalaisen ylituotetun kuuloista ja AIVAN liian paljon soinut joka paikassa. Ykkönen vai kakkonen, ykkönen vai kakkonen.

Tää on must varsin mukiin menevä poprock levy! Tätä ja Gran turismoa on tullut kuunneltua joskus silloin kun kirjaston kaikki levyt lainattiin kerralla. 3/5

Tykkään ja tuntuu, että voisin tyylin puolesta tykätä vielä paljon enemmänkin. Ei silti lähde ihan odotetulla tavalla lentoon.

Kakkosraita erittäinkin hyvä, muutenkin mukiinmenevä levy. 4/5

Surprised how much I liked this!!

The Cardigans really do sound like the first band on the moon with some of the out-there sounds they explore on here.

I was lucky enough to go to Europe during the summer between my junior and senior years of high school, and Sweden was where I spent the majority of the trip. Then I got home and soon afterwards this album dropped, "Lovefool" was everywhere thanks to being on the "Romeo + Juliet" soundtrack, and I found myself with a timely new Swedish obsession: Nina Persson and the Cardigans. Their penchant for xylophones gives them a lounge-y feel at times, and Nina's voice is sweet as any confection, but don't underestimate this band. There's an undercurrent of darkness in their music that counterbalances the superficial cheerfulness. That's a very Scandinavian quality, now that I think about it—they're gregarious and friendly, but get enough mead in them and they'll grab an axe and bust some heads. Revisiting this album was a fantastic way to start my weekend. The nostalgia factor has me wanting to give it a 5, but I don't think it quite meets that standard. Let's call it a 4.5 for this kooky masterpiece. (And if you enjoyed this, be sure to check out "Carnival," their track from the "Austin Powers" soundtrack. Quality stuff.)

I was hoping for more from this album since Love Fool is one of the best 90s pop songs, but it fell a little flat. It was pretty voice music with not much to offer. I did enjoy Losers & an interesting take on Iron Man, but everything else was just ordinary. 3.5 stars.

I'd forgotten how much I liked The Cardigans. This was great to revisit.

Still felt fresh, bit poppier than I would usually go for but pleasant listen

Kind of a fun one! Some really catchy stuff with super sweet production and vocals. I like the incorporation of random instruments into many of the songs as well. 6/10

Not too keen on this. Lovefool drives me mad.

Could of done without the cover of Iron Man, but overall a quite enjoyable album.

This album was charming. Enjoyable all the way through, anchored by Lovefool. I had a colleague come in and mention that he bought a bootleg of this CD in the 90s in Kosovo, and still had it in his attic. Hoarding tendencies aside, its worth a yearly listen

Really pleasant listening. A typical album of its time. And a great voice.

the unexpected Black Sabbath cover bumped this up a star for me

Standouts: Lovefool Others: Your New Cookoo, Been It, Heartbreaker, Happy Meal II, Iron Man, Great Divide, Choke Rating: 3.5

Redelijk soepele afdronk, dit flesje Cardigans. Vooral die Iron Man cover smaakte me goed.

Ben halverwege in slaap gevallen. Weet alleen niet wat dat over de plaat zegt. Te weinig om er een goed oordeel over te vellen.

Best ok.

Beetje zoet, best prettig.

Are they called The Cardigans because they're a bit wooly? Defintely the strangest and most uninspired version of Iron Man that I've ever heard.

As a kid, I absolutely hated it when "Lovefool" came on the radio. There was just something about that song that I absolutely hated. Thankfully, I can fully appreciate it now. I wasn't wowed by this album, but it was a fun listen. The vocals were really great, and the instrumentation was really unique. It's not something I'd probably rush to listen to again, but overall a decent experience.

Not sure how to classify this album. It is definitely pop forward, but has some substantial jazz and lounge music influences baked in as well. It is pleasant which cloaks its sexually charged slightly masochistic and deferential vocals in a strange and disorienting veneer. The cover of Iron Man is probably the weirdest thing on this album. Even weirder still, it works.

A couple of great singles on this, the rest sort of washed over me pleasantly. That was about it.

Bien. Normal. Lovefool superconocida.

I could barely tell this album from the last one... it was only that I searched YouTube Music for this album that it wasn't just "similar songs" added at the end of the last album. I think the Cardigans would have faded into obscurity much faster if it wasn't for Love Fool being part of the Romeo & Juliet soundtrack.

🤮

Solid pop album, I probably prefer Gran Turismo, but I still really like this one.

The Cardigans and The Wannadies did indie better than the Brits thanks to the innate Swedish understanding of how to write great pop songs. The sweetness of Nina Persson's voice makes up for the insipid nature of some of the songs here.

1996: Lovefool, Step On Me, Losers

Nothing special. I always liked the sound of Lovefool decently well, so had high hopes. Disappointed again. 2/5

surprised how much I liked some of these songs - some edgier than I would have imagined

I actually like The Cardigans. But I really did not enjoy this album. It somehow did not come together at all - only thing it has going is the Lovefool song and that quirky version of Iron Man, which was bearely enough to push it to 2/5

Got this on a Sunday which is very appropriate, the C90 I had with this on one side and Life on the other was permanently on while I played Sensible Soccer in the late 90s, or as a hangover cure. I think I may prefer Life slightly, but let's go anyway. Not listened for many years now but it doesn't seem to have dated, probably because of the many retro influences to start with. Maybe it's the flute solos. Gloriously weird in places, the mixture of this sweet, slightly twee sounding Swedish band and Black Sabbath is some sort of alchemy. Other metal moves are elsewhere, the kerchunk that punctuates the otherwise sad-indie banger Step On Me. So much so, that the worldwide smash and ludicrously overplayed Lovefool actually feels out of place when I listen to this album and it always has. Hard for me to remember the time listening to this before Romeo and Juliet. Oh god, Losers just came on. I fucking love this beautiful, wonderful song. Changed my mind, this is clearly the best Cardigans album, and actually one of my favourite albums of the 90s. Going back into circulation. Faves: Losers, Your New Cuckoo, Been it, Never Recover, Step On Me, Heartbreaker, Choke. Fuck me, the whole album except Lovefool, which is still good but passes me by due to overplayment. Sticking the excellent Sabbath Bloody Sabbath cover on to round things off.

Haha this was unexpectedly awesome. Very familiar with Lovefool as a go to party starter/catalyst but it was so good listening to it in the context of the album (also a bit of a depresso tune when you really listen). Super nice song structure, beautiful little guitar licks and the Black Sabbath cover was perfect little treat toward the end to keep things interesting. The transition from tune to tune was masterclass too. Based on the album radio would love to explore this little pocket of the late 90s way more.

I am so disoriented. I turned this on and firmly scoffed, “HA this is exactly what tHe cARdiGaNS would sound like.” Then I started liking it by “Step On Me.” Then they played the song that Jim and Andy sing in The Office and I thought I hated it again. Then they covered fucking IRON MAN and i hated them for indie-fying such a sacred heavy metal song, but I also kind of liked it at the same time?! Oh god I’m a mess over here

Good tunes 3.7/5

Lovefool is a great song. Everything else was fine

Nice album, shades of portishead

I’m a little familiar with The Cardigans, in that I’ve heard the main big hits that still get radio play. I really enjoy the songs I’ve heard, so im excited to hear more. Let’s listen! Songs I already knew: Lovefool Favourites: Lovefool, Iron Man What a fun album! It’s a mix of alt and pop-rock, and I love the soft singing and how this is mixed with the music. I would love to hear what other people think of their cover of Iron Man - I was excited to show it to my partner as I thought it was amazing! It is very different to the Black Sabbath version and they really make it their own. However, my partner said she thought it was terrible and far too different from the original. Feel free to tell me that I’m right and she is wrong! Overall, a very easy album to recommend.

Surprisingly enjoyable. Lovefool was played to death back when it was new and I thought it was just okay back then. The other songs were not quite what I was expecting and I really liked that. They did a Black Sabbath cover, that's worth something for sure. I enjoyed it at about a 3 level, but the surprise factor is bumping this to a 4. Good job, Cardigans.

Simple sound, a type of pop rock or early indie in nature, with some big covers and a nice vocal performance.

One of these albums that just run along without any highlights until you stumble upon the one famous song that you didn't even know was theirs

Some good ones but overall meh. Reminded me of No doubt

This is a pretty good album. Everyone knows the single Lovefool, but the rest of the album was surprisingly solid. Easy 4

4.5

Above all, the production was fantastic. Great songs and writing, and unique. Her voice grates after a bit in a some spots.

Pretty good, actually a much better album than I thought.

Just one banger for me... not a fan otherwise

For listeners who had caught up with the Cardigans on their breakout album, Life, the group's third album was a confusing pastiche which included several conventional pop songs, but also added tracks with left-field arrangements and some (comparatively) disturbing lyrics. In reality, however, the group had simply returned to the mood and feel of their debut album.

I haven't heard a full album by The Cardigans before although I knew a couple of songs from them. It is a good alt rock album which didn't seemed to be long when I listened to it. I guess it means it is a good thing.

пупсяшный рок

Пока мега няшно Не знала, что шведы Слышно что гармонии им важны Ну так Тексты сосо ляля потому что шведы Музон- симпатично, но так же долговечно как альбом каких-нибудь мультfильмов Креативно, но без чего-то ЕЩЕ в японии наверно бы зашло, им нравится такое

This is a nice Indie pop like record it's a bit loungy and psychedelic too. The band is one of a lot of similar bands in this era. But they did score some big hits and stood out just a bit more. Lovefool in particular was an absolute smash single. Singer, Nina Persson takes the spotlight in most of the songs. Instrumentally, the band is quite interesting as well. All in all it's a quite interesting record, although a bit too bland at times. They could definitely do with a better album cover though. Key tracks: Your New Cuckoo, Step On Me, Lovefool, Great Divide 6,5 out of 10

Every so often one takes a listen that confuses in a particularly delightful way. The Cardigans don't venture into mysterious territories on this album; Instead, the reference points get all confused. The Swedish-pop sheen comes with lyrics that are tougher than gossamer. You hear Metric and realize that you might like that band even more than you'd like to admit. First Band on the Moon's transitions are absolutely perfect, and the references to heavy music absolutely twee. I don't want to find the faults.

◼️◼️◼️◼️◼️◼️◼️◼️◼️◼️◼️◼️◼️ ◼️ ◼️ ◼️ ~ W A N T E D ~ ◼️ ◼️ 🛡️ DEAD or ALIVE 🛡️ ◼️ ◼️ _____________________ ◼️ ◼️ ◼️ ◼️ 👨‍🦱🧔🏻👩‍🎤👱🏼‍♂️🧔 ◼️ ◼️ ◼️ ◼️ ✴ The Cardigans ✴ ◼️ ◼️ ◼️ ◼️ For the crime of butchering ◼️ ◼️ the song "Iron Man" ◼️ ◼️ ♢ ◼️ ◼️ Last seen on VH1s ◼️ ◼️ One-Hit Wonder show ◼️ ◼️ ◼️ ◼️ REWARD: 2 Gold Bullions ◼️ ◼️ 🧈 🧈 ◼️ ◼️ ◼️ ◼️◼️◼️◼️◼️◼️◼️◼️◼️◼️◼️◼️◼️

J’ai ete surpris de cette album j’ai bien aime comme album paisible en preparant le souper. Pas de plainte non donc sa rentrait dans les cordes. Un chanson que j’avais deja entendu remonte un peu la note. One it wonder ?? 3.85

I like the vocal. The acoustic music feels ordinary.

With exception to Lovefool, the album was a bit too slow and 'same' sounding for my liking. Next!

I must be missing something, but couldn't work out why this album was on the list! Middling pop with not much to commend it. 'Lovefool' is OK, but given it was played to death in-period, that feeling still carries over to now.

A near-perfect confection, but tartier and spikier than the surface sweetness and light suggests. “Lovefool” is nearly the Platonic ideal of a pop song, but the “Ironman” cover puts this over the top. Great record, masquerading as a trifle.

Inconsistant, some lovely little dark songs littered inbetween the pop. A good lyracist for sure, music ok.

Pleasant enough pop

Pleasant pop

I may have not been paying attention to the whole album as got distracted by Nina Persson's seductively sweet vocals, yes please, don't stop.

Good but always the same

ok

Didn't care for it. Her voice was nice.

Only familiar with Lovefool, which doesn't really have the same feel as the rest of the album. Her voice is lovely and cute. I like that there is a very slight mismatch between her soft pleasant voice and the 90s rock behind it.

Love the Cardigans. the band sounds great, and the lead vocals are delightful.

Love this. The Iron Man cover seals the deal for a 5

Pretty damn fun, and with one of the best radio singles of my youth no less.

Jopa yllättävän kiva. Miksiköhän en ole aiemmin kuunnellut, vaikka Lovefool on ikisuosikki. Osa biiseistä enemmän yhdentekeviä, mutta fiilis pysyy.

Hakee melodisuutensa iskelmäisyydestä, joten ei minulle. Lovefool? Ottakaa toinen tähti.

There's a lot of subtly interesting things going on in most of these songs musically but most of it doesn't really come together for me. "Been It" and "Lovefool" are great but the rest of it just hovers a little above "good". Also every song seems to have basically the same theme (masochistic relationships) and that gets old fast. 3.5 stars

Une preuve que le classement a été fait peu de temps après parce qu'il n'y a pas grand chose de vraiment mémorable la dedans. Loveful, Been it, Never recover sont sympa.

Thought I'd be more into this. Singer could be awesome doing some trip hop

I think these guys are underrated as musicians

Who doesn't love Lovefool? The Cardigans actually have a pretty interesting history. They formed in Sweden and didn't really think they were going to be successul, from what I read. And like a lot of Swedish musicians who write pop music, the instrumentalists were death metal fans. Also, DEFINITELY not a one-hit wonder. Standouts: Your New Cuckoo, Been It, Never Recover, Step On Me, Lovefool, Choke

First time I've listened to this full album. I like all of the Black Sabbath nods; intro to Heartbreaker using the opening riff from Black Sabbath was a cool surprise. The album is super pop-y, but luckily it's not all as disco inspired as Lovefool. I like that song, but I really enjoyed the variety of styles across the album.

This was passable, but I'm sure I wouldn't find myself listening to this ever again. Iron Man cover was kinda fun though. 3/5

Basically everything I know about The Cardigans comes from Todd in the Shadow’s brilliant video about them, primarily their big hit “Lovefool” down to their history of dreampop-inspired Sabbath covers. So this is my first time listening to one of their albums, particularly the one with said big hit, and I loved it. A good mix between low and hi fi, they sound quite groovy and charming. I kind of hope their next album is also featured, since I believe that’s a bit of a 180. B

eh it's alright

Like #1 Your New Cuckoo, #7 Lovefool

Raw, 90s, ‘I don’t even know what it is’-indie. Good groove. Nice voice. Lovefool is a pop banger. Bit more than a ‘pop’ album on a full listen. Not a brilliant end. 3.5

Boppy Bouncy Upbeat Lovefool is a great tune and seemingly timeless - the rest of the album coasts along pleasantly. I really liked the Iron Man cover too. I wouldn’t say it’s a classic album. I’m really not sure why it’s on this list, but The Cardigans are cute enough to keep you warm on a grim and grisly Tuesday.

This is a fun album. I love Nina Persson's voice and Magnus Sveningsson's bass playing. I'm only familar with the Cardigan tunes played on the radio. Even though I wasn't familiar with most of these tunes, I felt connected. "Lovefool" was actually the only song I recall having heard before. Well... except for "Ironman" which I knew all the words. I love when someone covers an iconic tune from a different genre and pulls it off. This one falls in between 4 and 5 but I'm going to remain conservative since this was my first listen to the entire album. I will add this to the basslines I should learn and revisit this album again.

Lovefool is a fantastic pop song. The rest of the album was easy to listen to. I enjoyed Iron Man, as it was a bit different than the other songs. Definitely not a ‘must hear’ album.

At first blush, and as the first song unfolded, I was pretty certain I'd have a difficult time getting through this one. It reeked of gimmicky "we're indie and edgy 'cause we're just so innocuous with our elevator music vibe." And while I wasn't 100% knocked out by the lyric in the second song, I was intrigued and ready to hear more. By the time "Lovefool" came on, a song I vaguely recognized, I had to admit that the songs were pretty darned clever in arrangement. I was enjoying the album. Then "Losers" hit and I was thinking this album might have even climbed to a 4-star rating. Alas, the ironic(?) genre-twist of "Iron Man" almost lost me completely. I'm a fan of unpredictable cover songs revealing something hidden in a song as performed by the original artist. This one fell so flat, it brought me back to thought #1: this is way too gimmicky. But the strength of the album's closers turned things around. So a really solid album I didn't expect to like when the first track was unfolding. But then, how to rate it? Better than a 3. Not really a 4. I'm flipping a coin. Couldn't find a coin, so I flipped a thumb drive. Heads it's a 3. Tails it's a 4.

I have a hard time rating this one. There are several awesome songs on here (even more on their previous album, Life). But enough of them miss the mark somehow, and her sex-kitten vocals wear on me after a while. But damn, Love Fool is such a perfect pop song. Also love Happy Meal II and Step On Me. I prefer their cover of Sabbath Bloody Sabbath on Life to Iron Man, but it's all in good fun. I saw them on this tour and they were great.

For years I thought this band was British. Those Swedes sure know how to export pop. But this ain’t no ABBA situation. They left me feeling a little underwhelmed. Happy Meal II and Never Recover got me rocking more than Lovefool.

Lovefool stands out like a totem. Head and shoulders better than anything else But the rest was good if a little samey

C'est dans ces moments-là qu'on aime le générateur. Le genre d'album qu'on lance sans grand intérêt et qui, à l'arrivée du tube, nous fait hurler un "Ça c'est mon Robert ça !!". Super.

Je me suis bien emmerdé devant cet album des Cardigans. Ces derniers font pâle figure dans le monde de la pullover pop, bien loin de leurs concurrents de The Cols Cheminés ou encore des The Turtle Neck

I wasn't really enjoying this when it started. Was wondering why it was even in this list. But t got a lot more interesting from Heartbreaker onwards. There's still of core of sappy indie songsmithing in there, and am not a huge fan of the vocalist (although the vocals do fit with the band rather well in places), but some of the instrumentation is lovely and really not what I was expecting after the first two tracks (& that single). I really like the kosmische feel of some of the backing (although it does get a little prog in places). Not consistent enough for me to give it any more stars, but as I say, was pleasantly surprised overall. And an extra star for the cover of Iron Man. Although given the heavy metal influence in the band, this makes total sense.

This was little too happy clappy for my liking. Plus it's not personal; but I had problems with the voice. Too sugary when I wanted a little more anger. I listened to the album whilst carrying out various online admin tasks. It completely passed me by from start to finish with nothing memorable. Inoffensive, but then so is marmalade.

I genuinely have no idea why this album is on this list. It's fine, but it's also pretty generic 90s alt rock with a female lead singer. I'm not sure that we would be talking about this album still if Lovefool hadn't been on the Romeo and Juliet soundtrack. 3/5 It's an okay album, but not special in any way that I can discern

There were some good songs and I like the cardigans

It’s an okay pop/alternative album. Lovefool is their most known song on this and I enjoy it. Their cover of Iron Man was different and thought it was done decently well. Overall it was a decent genre bending album that had a pop sound mainly due to the upbeat female vocals but also the alternative style of the songs made it a little cooler than most pop albums. 6.1/10

I knew this group had more in them than Lovefool but there are some real bangers on this one.

ok

Deceptively bubblegum with a punk center, the Cardigans bring an edge to their work that sets it apart from similar American groups. Lovefool will forever remain their signature tune, but songs such as Been It, Choke and their spaced-out take on Iron Man are just as fulfilling to listen to.

Super unique and interesting for it's time, some great songwriting, excellent production. Was really surprised by this album so it gets a slightly higher rating

A couple of these songs sound like watered-down versions of Stereolab. That's not a bad thing, but just an observation. "Been It" was the track that stuck out to me the most. "Lovefool" I have heard without knowing who sang it. It was meh. This was like IKEA meatballs: pretty good, but nothing that I'm every going to crave.

The Cardigans funkar alltid. Detta är ett bra album, men inte deras bästa.

Liked this a lot. Understated, cool indie-pop

Only ever heard the cardigans hits, ie love fool from this album. This album is really good great 90s pop rock, deserves it’s place on the list. And personal enjoyment levels earns it 4 stars.

I enjoyed this, particularly Lovefool. Not outstanding just a solid 3*

No didn't like this one. Too warbly...

This was great, will definitely listen again, although I might give iron man a skip, bit odd

Great Album, lots of fun to listen to. Sounds like a lot of fun to make too!

Relaxing, with a few bangers.

very good. Superconocida la de "Romeo & Julieta" "love me, love me, pretend..."

Dromerige folk-pop-rock. De 'iron man' cover heeft me wel verrast

Clean, a bit catchy, I liked it

A really fun album I should've have ignored for years.

Whimsical Scandi pop, somewhat arch and knowing but able to hold your interest and find a groove or a hook. Clearly ruled the world with Lovefool for a while which is a near perfect pop record and deals with a subject the best pop records do - unrequited love.

Me gusta mucho. Very fun.

Not as good as carnival but very well constructed pop with some very tasty licks

2.9

Enjoyed this more than I expected, considering I only knew "Lovefool" going into it. Really nice chilled vibes the whole way through it, but some surprising dark lyrics too. Musically it's really well put together, although very "of its time" in some ways (I'm picking up some Stereolab and Air vibes). Favorite songs were Lovefool, Loser, Your New Cuckoo, Happy Meal II, Step On It, and the weird but great cover of I-ron Man.

Genuinely shocked at how much I enjoyed this, some great 90s rock here.

Va haver un període a mitjans dels '90 en què els suecs semblava que s'havien de menjar el món. Els seus singles eren a tot arreu, i la seva imatge i actitud eren molt atraients. El problema és que els seus discos mai van estar a l'alçada dels seus singles. L'excepció és curiosament el seu tardà 'Long Before Daylight', un disc enorme de començament a final. 'First Band on the Moon' troba la banda en el seu millor moment comercial, després del molt venut 'Life'. 'Lovefool' va ser una carta de presentació magnífica, que va continuar fent moure la roda. La versió d''Iron Man' és tan divertida com curiosa. Però la resta de temes són més genérics. Bon disc en general, amb una producció top i un treball excel.lent per part de la banda, però res que perduri més enllà del seu moment i la nostàlgia que provoca escoltar ara els seus temes

Nice. Easy to listen. I like the bass parts! Kudos for the little guitar riffs throughout the album that makes it interesting. Simple, but effective.

Decent album, it doesn’t offend but it doesn’t excite either.

Pretty decent album

This was okay, but some songs were kinda annoying after a few listens

Pleasant surprise. Kept me interested throughout most of the album for a couple of listens :)

Favourite song : Choke Vocals very poppy but instrumental wise quite jazzy I thought the iron man cover was hilarious Not really my style Overall 7/10

Man, I love this album. Only Cardigans album I know, but it stays in pretty heavy rotation for me.

63/100: I've never heard an album that was so clearly well-produced and touched by talented hands but also so incredibly horrendous and difficult to listen to. I think it clearly took a very talented artist to create the song "Lovefool," but it's such a shame that it's such an obnoxious song. It's honestly on the order of "What's New Pussycat" in terms of difficulty to listen to. Most songs on this album fall into this category. This album really made my 3am drive to the airport even worse than it already was, which is really rough because I was really hoping for a great album to boost my mood.

Nice melodic quirky indie pop. Still sounding surprisingly fresh.

Great

9/10 there is some really good rock here but I had no idea this album had THAT song and it hit me like a ton of bricks when that chorus came in outside of that song, this is a great album

Quirky and catchy but lacking in enough substance to keep me interested. The vocalist started off seeming sexy and breathy but after the third song it began to sound cartoonish and over the top. Lovefool was a hit for a reason but too much of a good thing and all that. Hard no from me.

Very enjoyable listen. Nice low key and happy music. Especially enjoyed Lovefool. Will definitely listen to this album again.

Nothing special

3.5 stars, pleasantly surprised. More than just "Lovefool" this Swedish pop-rock album is catchy and the clean production doesn't drown out some fun alt rock guitar and basslines. Other standouts are "Step On Me" and "Your New Cuckoo"

I like it

cool album with a unique sound

Ok. Nice. A bit bland.

This album is shitu

Descoñecidisimo para min e un descubrimento xenial.

Blije jaren negentig easy soft meuk of hoe noem je dat. Toch wel geinig tijdsbeeld.

Is er ook een instrumentale versie van dit album?

Toch wel knap dat ze die valse zang van de zangeres zo laten klinken alsof het erbij hoort. Ongelooflijke Ven muziek :-P

So ‘90s but sadly a one song album. That song though is one of the best pop hits of that decade and an ear worm forever. They deserve credit for at least that.

Highlight: Heartbreaker 3,5/5

I knew the Cardigans as a 90's one-hit-wonder (at least in North America). I was expecting poppy songs about relationships from a sweet-voiced singer. I wasn't expecting the retro touches, occasional swear word, or Black Sabbath cover. I personally wouldn't listen to this album again, but 3 stars for effort.

not for me

Thought this album was dope! One big hit, but all the others were good and it worked well as a complete album and love her voice.

I really like this 4/5

pretty cute but lovefool is the only notable song

This has some weird little things going but rips

I'm sure this album will appeal to someone, somewhere. In fact, I can understand why this album did, and still will, appeal to someone, somewhere. Just that I'm not that person. There's a point where wistfulness crosses over into whimsy, the charming into the contrived ... actually, this is ad hominem. I didn't like this, and I'm only writing this because I have to give the wretched thing a ranking before I move on.

I'm not really a fan of her vocal style and it kind of washed over me but pleasant enough.

I enjoyed this album 3+/5

Listening to this record made me sad, because I thought it was going to be a lot better than it actually was. Maybe I was expecting an album full of Lovefools? I feel like this could be a grower if I listen to it more, but for a first impression it doesn't really make a strong one - at least besides Been It, Step On Me & Lovefool. Nina has a strong but soothing voice, which the rest of the music doesn't really give justice to. Well, at least they know how to pick singles. Even Erase/Rewind and My Favorite Game from their next album are solid tracks.

6/10 Lovefool (a hit), Happy Meal II were highlights of the album

Listenable. Enjoyable. Not sure if I'd ever revisit. I like the vibe. 3.5.

Pop tranquilo y sosegado, con voz íntima y con buenos acompañamientos. Agradable de escuchar

Not exactly my cup of tea, but I could clearly hear the influence it would have had on future artists due to the dance-pop grooves.

Þessi plata fór fram hjá mér á sínum tíma, ólíkt Life og Gran Turismo, en ég hef blessunarlega heyrt hana oft í seinni tíð. Á spilunarlistanum drottnar Lovefool yfir restinni, en þetta er heildstæð og mjög flott plata. Eiginlega alveg frábær. Meiri Cardigans, takk.

I love the song Lovefool, after covering it in a band. It turns out the rest of this album is much more eclectic than that pop gem might suggest. Apparently the guitarist and bassist previously played heavy metal, and it shows in some "post metal" explorations here, as well as some specific Black Sabbath allusions. But there are many other influences evident, reflected in widely diverse arrangements from super-sparse to lush. And then there's the cover of Iron Man, one of those great covers that sounds nothing at all like the original but is delightful in its own way. I didn't have long with this album - skipped through some of the tracks after getting the gist - but this time I do think I'll be back for more.