The Cardigans Album: “First Band on the Moon”

This album is a shining example of the Cardigans' mastery of the retro yet fresh sound they had been churning out since the beginning of their gifted career.

Though known mostly for the hit song "Lovefool", this is no banally sugary collection of candied schlock that so many would assume.

The songs are delightfully subversive with immediately catchy melodies, ingenious arrangements...and despite this, are mostly centered around stories of a woman willingly accepting abuse from a partner who obviously couldn't care less. Tales of the unfortunate, made amusing by the obvious self-depracating quirks of the main character. These songs do include Lovefool, but also the aptly titled "Step on Me", and the song "Heartbreaker" in which a self-proclaimed loser speaks of her willing self-debasement with random men.

Elsewhere, are clever and tounge-in-cheek descriptions of people's feelings about the nature of love, giddy preparations for a "kinky" meeting between new lovers, and a tale of a wary and bitter attitude of hearing a previous lover use the same words on another naïve target.

There isn't one song on here that I couldn't listen to again and again.

With all this plus an amusing yet spot-on cover of Black Sabbath's Iron Man, you can't miss this piece of 90s delight.

I'll start off by telling you this: Beware, all those of you who want to buy this album just for "Lovefool". It is the only glossy, disco-type song on the whole CD. Not to say that they aren't vaguely of the same content, but believe me, Lovefool is the exception, and not even the best song on the album.

This album is where the dark side of the Swedish quintet begins to creep through, as lead singer Nina Persson leaves behind a trail of songs that document betrayal, abandonment, abuse, neglect, desperation, death, and a heart-rending breakup with dreamy, light, and innocent vocals.

Also, for those who had bought Life and expected the same poppy ambience as that album may spit their cocktails right out of their mouth as Nina says the F-word in "Losers" or covers Black Sabbath's "Iron Man."

Overall, this album shows some excellent songwriting and performance. Bassist Magnus Sveniggsson keeps the songs moving with a sort of ecclectic strum that gives the album quite a bit of personality.

It is definitely worth your time and money.

It would be easy to lump the Cardigans into the mid-90s one-hit wonder category, and perhaps this is justifiable from a certain perspective. Their signature song "Lovefool" was distinctive and catchy, and with contemporaries like Smashmouth, Sugar Ray, and Fastball, whose full albums were radically different from their singles, the music consumer should have been wary. However, I don't think that "Lovefool" is necessarily the best song on "First Band on the Moon." I think that it stands out because, as a single, it received a great deal of production attention. However, it is not in a radically different style than the rest of the album, and I think that several other songs are just as hooky and clever. Suspending the bloated expectations presented by "Lovefool" reveals a pretty solid and enjoyable album.

The Cardigans' sound is pastiched and nostalgic, but at least the styles that they reference are clear. Overall, there is a strong 70s disco aesthetic, complete with strings, to the proceedings, but with a healthy dose of tounge-in-cheek lounge (i.e. the silly "Iron Man" cover). While the presence of a vibraphone probably appealed to my 90's Twin Peaks fanboy side, infectious songs propel "First Band on the Moon" more readily than the specific instruments used. As an example, check out "Been It," which offers chunky riffs and quiet staccato guitar chords, in contrast to "Great Divide," as it dreamily shimmers with mallets and fender-rhodes. If I were to point to a weak tune, it would probably be "Loser," which comes off as two songs that did not quite mesh convincingly into one.

THE LOWDOWN: Even today, people may ask if they "had any other songs." The answer is yes. Purchasing "First Band on the Moon" is not buying a "Lovefool" single with a bunch of B-sides. Instead, it is an album that stands on its own as a consistent and unique example of melodic mid-90s power pop.

I bought this CD only because I heard lovefool on the radio and liked it but I'm glad I did. Songs like your new cuckoo and been it have the same upbeat and dance around your room feel. The remake or ironman is better than the original! I could also identify with some of the songs which was a nice plus.

How can one CD completely turn you inside out in so many ways? I, like 75% of all American purchasers, bought this for Lovefool. I listened to that one song for the next three days, and I still loved it, so I said "There may be other great songs on this CD." $10,328 worth of Psychiatric sessions later, I realized two things. One is that the effects were permanent, and the other was that the effects were worth the CD. Does she speak english? Can someone actually make happy-pop that depresses you? Put in the CD and find out for yourself, for I can't answer. Only one other band (Pedro the Lion) can rip out my heart and present it to me. I can't describe how I feel after listening to this. Borrow or buy it. You won't be the same.