Customer Reviews

The Eye

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is not conventional music, not even conventional punk, and it can't be compared to any of Björk's solo albums, but if you already heard some of the Sugarcubes music, you might have an idea of what KUKL is about. If I have to name two Sugarcubes songs as a point of reference to this album I would say "Dragon" and "Take some petrol darling" because both songs have a mysterious and almost gothic style that makes them really special. The record is not very long though, only 28 minutes, but hey! Forget about minutes and enjoy the music.

The first time i listened to this, i was so sleepy from just coming back from Iceland (where I bought it) on an aeroplane, that it shocked my braindead nerves and i felt like i was in some weird dream-state. It felt like some wacko-nightmare...yet interesting.
And the more times i listened to it, the more i couldn't deny it...and the more it gets into my psyche...in short...i can't Wait to hear their second album!
Buy this one! :>>
(and yes, Björk ROX!!:)

I really love Kukl. People were telling me this album wasn't as good as Holidays in Europe, but I didn't listen to them, and I'm glad I didn't! If you've heard "Holidays in Europe" and like it, I see no reason why you wouldn't like "The Eye". This was Kukl's first album and there's some really great tunes here. Please note, the track list listed above is not the order of this cd.

(track 1) ASSASIN--
Starts out with the scattered chords of electric guitar and Bjork singing far off in the background, then Einar joins in with his off-kilter voice singing and screaming.:-) The lyrics are quite different than what's on the cd sleeve.
I'm dead.
on the floor.

I'm dead.
Listening

I'm dead.
Kicking.

I'm dead.
I'm dead.
I'm dead.
I'm dead.

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!I'm dead, until I stand up.
I'm standing up.
And bring this to an end.

ANNA (track 2) really is quite beautiful, it includes woodwinds in the intro (which Bjork plays!) And the metalic sound of the Harmonium (a small organ with metal reeds) in the background-

DISMEMBERED (track 5) (one of my favorites from the album) It features ringing bells in the background. There's really more to it than the lyrics suggest, it's all sung in English.Bjork-
Dismembered.
Hugging shadows.
Dismembered.
Play me with.
Dismembered.
No one sees me.
Dismembered.
Enjoy and caress.

(repeat)

EInar:
I'll be back,
but I'm a terrible hurry!
I'll be back.

Bjork:
Dismembered.
Hugging shadows.
Dismembered.
Play me with.
Dismembered.
No one sees me.
Dismembered.
Enjoy and caress.

Einar:
Leave me alone, leave me, leave me!
I'll be back.
I'll be back.

Bjork: (repeat)

Einar:
Stop accusing.
I'm in a hurry.
I'll be back.
Shut up! Leave me alone!

Bjork: (repeat)

Einar:
I'll be back, of course.
I'll be back one day.
I have to go.
I'm a very busy man.
Leave me alone. leave me.

Bjork:
(repeat)

Einar:
I'll be back.
I promise.
I'll be back.
I'm in a hurry
I'm a very busy man!
Leave me alone now!

SEAGULL: (track 6) It's sung in Icelandic but the lyrics on the sleeve are in English. It features lots of bass and Einar's trumpet playing :-) The lyrics go:
Walking, attacked by a seagull.
Attack continues
Reflection, once killed a seagull
can the animals revenge
Seagull, our souls flying free
Abuse another, then just abusing myself.
I wonder flying down the stairs,
sucked out the door
Crawling up the pillar onto a line
I want to
Glide birds onto a line
She's coming
tries to bite
Flying down the stairs sucked out the door
Open the window and let the soul fly free

THE SPIRE- (track 7) both Bjork and Einar really whoop it up here, Einar sometimes literally!
It's really noisy, the music sounds disjointed and abstract, but it's got a steady beat. It's great.

HANDA TJOLLA: (track 8) is an intrumental, a frenzy of drums, but not snare. They sound like clay drums or some kind of hand drum, and other sounds, like thunder and rattles. No voices or guitars.

Bjork and Einar before the Sugarcubes, KUKL (it means witchcraft) with other musicians, soon to become the members of The Sugarcubes.

"Dismembered" is a standout track and is one of my favorite Bjork song. The rest of the album is insidiously weird and environmental at times but always interesting and raw. Don't expect a Bjork or The Sugarcubes album though. This is their Crass days of noise, confusion, experimental collage of sounds, and very little of the melodic stuff we all know to be associated with Bjork and The Sugarcubes, with the exception of couple of the tunes.

If you are a Bjork or The Sugarcubes fan, you must own this album, as well as the other, "Holiday In Europe", if just to listen to the couple of these songs, Dismembered and Outward Flight/France (2nd album) tracks.

I can describe the vibe of these 2 albums being very hectic, insane, and beautifully moody at times. I think the musicians were really hungry back then and their creativity, although not so focused at this time of their developing style (or perhaps perfect for their Crass days), was raw and full of feeling and showing glimmer of what Bjork was to become, a superstar and frontier-woman of incredible talent and vision.

If you thought that Einar Oln was out of place in The Sugarcubes, then you can see Einar Oln at home here where chaos flourishes and his random blurps and horn angst are effective and how his role in The Sugarcubes was a necessary evil for Bjork to endure, and that, Einar Oln didn't just get dropped off at The Sugarcubes' recording studio but was a essential, effective part of Bjork's earlier band, soon to be outgrown like Bjork's Tappi Tikarrass days of being cute and squeeky.

Better than that ambient techno blah blah bjork releases these days. KUKL has all the energy the sugarcubes lacked during "Stick Around For Joy." A great crazy mess! The liner notes don't do well though, and it lacks a track listing, but who cares! KUKL mixes punk, free jazz, new wave etc. for an exciting new mess! Thank you.

Nothing like early 80's icelandic experimental punk, eh? Well, others like myself have probably all but knocked themselves out trying to find this rare CD featuring a pre-Sugarcubes punk Björk and all that. However, this was a really poor release from Kukl, especially in comparison to the fascinating "Holidays in Europe". It is NOT essential if you're into collecting things along this thread.