Customer Reviews

Life's Too Good

5 star:		(32)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

"I'll... I'll teach them to play the harmonica!" pleads trumpet player and vocalist Einar Orn at the beginning of the first track, `Traitor'. Barely audible, said harmonica starts to play, and at this point you instinctively reach to turn up the volume - but then the drums start, and the insanity begins.

The music is on the edge by itself, but with lead vocalist Björk Gudmundsdottir trading frenzied lines with Orn, the result is something that's completely and utterly over the edge. Every song is filled with a frenetic energy, and Björk's voice is so unpredictable that in some tracks she will quite literally be whispering in one moment and screaming the next. Einar Orn, meanwhile, alternates between a simple lunatic to something akin to a raging werewolf on some tracks. It really is amazing - and this was the Cubes' debut album! Need a charge? Forget that fork in the toaster - go pick up Life's Too Good.

Some people might think of this band as being "irritating", but it is part of their art. Listening to this album is like watching an improvised theatre performance.

The sound of this band is both 'crazy', and 'uplifting'. It is almost impossible to put these two words together to describe something, yet it is!

The album starts very low, forcing you to pump up the volume (to hear whats going on). All of a sudden, "BOOM" the drums enter! This effect might give someone a heart attack!

Other things that might kill you are Einar's howls and Bjork's "Cut-throat" voice. Her voice is very untamed, unlike that in her solo work these days. It goes everywhere and morphs a lot. She might be a little innocent girl one second, then the next a fierce monster that wants to eat you alive! Another thing about Bjork in this band, is that she seems to be having a lot more fun than in her new stuff.

This album is not only for Bjork fans (in fact, some people prefer this to her solo stuff), but for music enthusiasts. It is a revolution in Pop music. A cult classic!

There really are no words to describe how truly perfect this record is. The Sugarcubes are strange, wondrous and innovative on this, their first and finest album. I could compare it to any of the all-time greatest albums (and it is one itself) and "Life's Too Good" would still hold up. But it's so odd that any comparisons would be almost vapid. Bjork has done some obviously amazing work since, both with the 'Cubes and especially as the most brilliant solo artist of our time. But this is her very greatest work to date, and the rest of the band are more than able to match her. It's funny, innovative, quirky, moody, sexy...you name it. And, it's haunting as well. I cannot recommend this cd enough. A true classic and, in my opinion, the finest album of the entire post-punk era (with the possible--and I say possible--exception of Public Image Ltd.'s "Second Edition"/"Metal Box").

This is the debut album from "that band Bjork was in". I got this the year it came out with Siouxsie's "Peep Show", and have enjoyed it ever since. "Life's Too Good" has a wonderful energy, is both wild and pretty, and is one of the great alternative releases of the late 80's. "Birthday" may be the only thing close to a hit here, but "Motorcrash", "Mama", "Delicious Demon", and "Dues" are all excellent too. Truth be known, I really like every track here, and the remixes are decent as well. I would recommend this album to anyone, but especially to major fans of Bjork of course. Being a fan of hers and not knowing The Sugarcubes, is like being a fan of Sting, and not knowing about The Police. They do have a collection out also.

what more could you ask for from a pop album? intensity, humor, rage, love, and passion are some proper words to describe this band from iceland. they came onto the music scene in the late eighties with a brand of pop music completely foreign to american ears. bordering perfection and complete disaster, these songs challenge listeners who may think they are sure of what is good and what is not in pop music. there is an amount of uncertainty in the compositions that gives this record a combination of youthful fun and anarchist rage that only a band from as remote a place as iceland could come from. The most beautiful song is also the most talked about. "Birthday" demonstrated to the world, the brilliance and uniqueness of Bjork's voice. It also allowed the Sugarcubes to go on and release two more records internationally, before splitting up shortly thereafter. The latter two were much less warmly recieved than "Life", but that's to be expected, as the sugarcubes' attitudes towards recognition has been one of displeasure...hence the two records without big radio hits or as much pop sensibility as Birthday. But this particular record means so much to so many people for reasons as varied as the music. Yes, it introduced the world to bjork, but it also introduced us to a much different take on pop music. I don't need to explain why the eigthies was such a tumultuous time for popular music, but I do think that this record snapped some people out of the mindset the eighties produced. Lacking any pretense and materialism, the sugarcubes came out of the arctic with a attitude all their own. Their sound and attitude is where I believe 'alternative' music was born. If you look at our tattered history of pop music, the sugarcubes, and particularly this album, should hold a high position in the ranks of musical credibility and artistic integrity.

I bought this cd for the song "Birthday" and ended up loving every song on this cd. They display a rare and appealing sound of music. Bjork's voice is so stricking and pure. Einar Orn has a voice that is both sweet and sour. Together Bjork and Einar are truly amazing. "Don't act like there's no tomorrow, you should use some pain and sorrow, to fill you up with power, life's both sweet and sour" from the song "rythm and sorrow", best modern rock band.

I saw The Sugarcubes when I was a freshman in college in 1989. They rocked then and this cd is a great old stand by...I've had to replace it many times since it came out because friends that I would introduce Bjork and the boys to would steal it from me. I never cared about replacing it because I was able to share some good music with my good friends. No matter what new comes out, this cd stays in my rotation. What are you waiting for?!?!?!? MILK AND BISCUITS??? Seriously, this is much more entertaining than the music that Bjork records today. When she fronted The Sugarcubes, Bjork was one cool chick from Iceland. These days she's just odd.

From the muted beginning where Einar is conspiring to teach angels blues harmonica where the band breaks in it's all over. This was a bunch of anarchistic minded art friends mind you and they were going to take the road less travelled. They took the world by storm with this record and it still sounds fresh and amazing. It mixes introspection, fun, sexual tension and release, feelings of isolation, questioning God...And then there's that voice...

My God, that voice! Here is unbridled Bjork. She wails, purrs, sounds like a dozen cathedral bells on Christmas morn'. What later became a more tempered instrument on her solo discs is here brand new and exciting. "Birthday" is a beautiful example of her going from whisper to grrrowl in one song. "Coldsweat" as well. On "Delicious Demon" she makes even "Cherry Coca-Cola" sound like illicit fun. This is in my estimation the Sugarcubes best album along with Stick Around for Joy. But even if you just want the Hits album this one is essential as well.

SugarCubes "Life's Too Good" was one of my favorite albums back in 1988 during my highscool days and still is today.I loved Bjorke's screatching voice along with Einar Orn's uniquely strange vocals.This is the alternative era I miss.Great alternative rock with cooky interesting lyrics.I wish SugaCubes had made more albums like this one.Bjork's solo stuff is pretty cool, but her voice with the SugarCubes was at it's best.Can you believe this stuff was played on the radio?Those were the days of real alternative radio.Wonderful album.Buy it.EINAR COME BACK!

I risk crucifixion for that comment but it's true. I can't fathom the Sugarcubes without him and his court-jester with Torequette's editorials or his barely musical trumpet playing. Einar's the best foil to Bjork and her killer voice. Besides, the Sugarcubes already are compared to the B-52's, why not have your own Fred Schneider? But I degress-- LIFE'S TOO GOOD is THE album to have. It's new wave, weirdo Euro-pop and, of course, chock full of Sugarcube-y humor of naked men, little girls kiddnapping accident victims and the EINAR WEIRDO VOICE in "Dragon". Who cares if some is in Icelandic, go buy it!!!