Customer Reviews

First Band on the Moon

5 star:		(35)
4 star:		(17)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Most might be surprised at a metal head like me listening and enjoying this CD, but I'm not ashamed! The Cardigans are a brilliant band. They combine happy-happy vintage pop music with extremely dark lyrics. The result? A very enjoyable and fulfilling listening experience.

At first listen, you might think "UGH this band is too happy!" But pay close attention to the lyrics - you'll see the dark underlying themes present in all the songs. Nina even cusses on one of the songs, but sings it with such a happy go lucky voice that you wouldn't notice it at first glance.

The entire CD is great and varied in sound . The dance-disco of "Lovefool" to the cold drumming of "Heartbreaker," and the beautiful and ominous violin on "Great Divide", it all sounds like a love story gone wrong. The guitar work is very well placed and the bass rythmically follows every song with grace. The added effects such as additional back-up singers and violins adds to the entire album. On top of all this, Nina Persson's soothing voice just lulls me to sleep and relaxation every time I listen to this. This is an album that should be listened to with headphones at night, that way you'll get the full experience.

If you enjoyed this CD and want to hear the Cardigans in a new direction, check out "Gran Turismo"

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 remember my introduction to the music of Swedish band, The Cardigans. I can tell you the time and place. I was a freshman in high school, and my class took a trip to the movie theater to see a screening of WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE'S ROMEO AND JULIET. Their hit song, "Lovefool" was blaring while Juliet (Claire Danes) is preparing to see her lover, Romeo (Leonardo Dicaprio) in secret. I thought the song's infectious melody and cute vocals, from their female lead singer was so catchy! Also, the lyrics were border-line masochistic. They alluded to the foolishness that some women knowingly buy into in relationships, just to keep their partners, regardless of what damage they are being subjected to. I had to buy the cassette and see if this song was really "the peak" for these Swedish rockers, or if they were merely one hit wonders.

I am happy to tell you that these Swedes definitely lived up to my hopes, and I found their music interchangably upbeat and unsettling. The Cardigans is best described as conflicted rock music. They deliver punchy lyrics, set to a combination of percussive, bouncy accompaniment and dark, more slow and (even) demented background music. In fact, some of their songs almost sound like outtakes from younger versions of the S&M inspired band, The Velvet Underground. "Your New Cuckoo," "Been It," and "Losers" are three examples of their unabashedly honest songs, along with "Lovefool." Though, I had limited exposure and knowledge of sado-masochistic relationships, I had enough knowledge to understand what they were alluding to. Dark as the subject matter was, I appreciated it and still do today.

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.

I first became a fan of The Cardigans because of the hit song "Lovefool" which used to be played very often on the radio. It never occured to me that the lyrics of the song were actually quite sad, and now that I've purchased "First Band On The Moon" I have realized it.

This CD has a beautiful melancholy, tragic feel to it...Lovely beats, instrumentals, and of course, Nina Persson's (lead singer) unique voice just fit in so perfectly with the lyrics. Each song is a whole tragic tale within itself. If you're one who doesn't enjoy sad songs, or you find them 'disturbing', I guess I wouldn't recommend for you to buy it. If you prefer more sugar-sweet, poppy, cheerful songs, you should definitely buy "Life", also by The Cardigans.

After buying this CD and listening to all the songs many times, I received "Life" in the mail, which I had ordered as well...The feeling of the songs in the two albums are like exact opposites! The only happy song on this album is "Happy Meal II", and its original version (Happy Meal) is on the album "Life".

Even if you don't think you'll enjoy the melancholy feeling, or you're not too sure because you've never really heard sad songs, give this CD a chance. It's simply awesome!

There are no songs on this CD that I skip through while listening to it...Yes, it's that great! Of course, some songs I enjoy more than others, but everyone has their favorites. My favorite songs from this CD are Heartbreaker, Your New Cuckoo, Iron Man, and Lovefool.

This CD made me fall in love with The Cardigans! Hopefully it'll have the same effect on you.

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.

Like so many others, I bought this CD just because it had the song Lovefool on it, a song that I loved at the time. This was the beginning of it all for me, and I was soon a huge fan. If you want some light, upbeat music, try their album Life, but if you want to go to the dark side of the moon with them, this album is for you.

With the exception of Your New Cuckoo and Lovefool, these songs are all depressing yet somehow invigorating. I especially like Never Recover, one of their fastest-paced songs.

So, why should you get this? There's something about this band, some sort of feeling, it's hard to explain, but it's a sort of nostalgia. I can't really phrase it any other way, except this CD makes you happy!

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.

Like many people, I heard "Lovefool" and instantly bought this CD. Unfortunately, my love of the song wore out and I stored it on the highest shelf... Eventually, I looked at the CD again, and listened to my once-beloved song. But after the track ended, I listened on. At first, "Loser" (the following song) seemed freakish and just plain bad, but I soon got used to the strange transition and enjoyed the song. "Iron Man" was a bit stranger, but still mysteriously addictive. Then came "Great Divide" arguably the best song in the album. It is wonderful and deeply touching. I even cried! Not to steer too much off the subject but the song reminded me so much of [the book] Girl Interrupted that it was eerie... Anyways, just as you are about to sob forever, the track stops and the more up-beat "Choke" starts. I have to apploud the band for making this the follow-up, as it is totally appropriate (you have to listen to it to understand!). Quickly, I returned to the start and heard "Your New Cuckoo" that, again, begins strangely but is really one of my favorites! Then, the exasperated "Been It". "Heartbreaker" is considerably lighter (the tone, not the song) but is surprisingly and dark. Another wonderful is "Happy meal II" which starts as funeral music (you know, organs, etc.) but transfers to a bleaker-mix. It is very interesting though, because of (maybe it's just me) the different beats throughout the song. It seems as she's preparing for the date, the music is more bored while as she's recounting her relationship the song becomes a tad happier. Anyways, the depressed tone ends as the fast-paced "Never Recover" begins. I'm sorry for this cliche but it feels like your on a rollercoaster or perhaps a highway as the song un-ravels. Next is "Step On Me" a fair song, with beautiful singing and a nice tune. after listening to all these I seriously put "Lovefool" at the bottom of the list as it is much glossier than the rest and not at all as good overall. Anyways, all these songs are delivered beautifully by lead-singer Nina Persson and magnificantly played by the rest of the group (Peter Svensson, Bengt Lagerberg, Magnus Sveningsson, and Lars-Olof Johansson, all Swedish). I have heard this CD is a bit different from their former works, which I have unfortunately not heard yet... This is perhaps the best CD ever concieved and I highly recomend you buy it as soon as possible! It is totally unique and different from the rest of the stuff out there! Also, pay close attention to the lyrics, which are a lot more like poetry! Thank you for reading this rather lengthy review and I hoped you enjoyed it!

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.