The most inspired moment on last night’s very inspired episode of The Office came when Jim and Andy worked their cute-as-a-button coworker Karen into a fit of annoyed rage by singing the bubbly 1996 pop hit "Lovefool" at a vocal pitch only your dog could love. "Love me/Love me/Sayyyy that you love me!" warbled a bemused Andy, who then turned to the camera and asked, "I wonder what ever happened to those guys?"
Dude! Glad ya asked! Contrary to popular belief, the Cardigans existed before "Lovefool" became a major US hit, and the Cardigans definitely exist ten years later. "Lovefool" may be the most recognizable — okay, the only recognizable — stateside hit from this inventive Swedish quintet, but it’s far from representative of their best work, most of which has been produced since it faded into memory right alongside one-hit wonders from Aqua, OMD, and Robyn. The Cardigans came to attention with their 1996 US debut album Life, a fizzy concoction that conjured up swanky cocktail parties and boozy mimosa brunches. They sealed the deal when "Lovefool" appeared on the Romeo + Juliet soundtrack and their strong second album, First Band on the Moon, another solid effort that also featured a beyond-genius cover of Black Sabbath’s "Iron Man."
But then… they disappeared. Rather, American radio lost its patience, which it’s wont to do when an artist doesn’t slavishly recreate the hit that broke them out. Which was bad news for their bottom line — since 1997, the Cardigans have basically retreated to Europe — but good news for fans who always knew they had some creative tricks up their sleeve. For my money, their best album remains 1998’s Gran Turismo, which flirts with crunchy trip-hop and melancholy melodies. Fans of everything from Morcheeba to Goldfrapp would be wise to check it out. Lead singer Nina Persson — wasn’t she kinda the original Uli, people? — used the band’s brief millennial break to record an underrated, twangy 2001 album of her own under the moniker A Camp, and if you think Cardigan plus country equals disaster, just listen to her cover of Restless Heart’s "The Bluest Eyes In Texas" and tell me it wouldn’t sound lovely pouring from a jukebox in some dusty backwater’s only local bar.
The Cardigans regrouped in 2004 for Long Gone Before Daylight,an unapologetically dour outing that polarized long-standing fans.Either you bought the moody new front ("And Then You Kissed Me"documents a physically abusive relationship) or you went runningstraight for their earlier CDs and tried to forget that Nina and thegang ever had a negative thought in their lives. This one remains atoss-up. And Andy? The Cardigans are still making music, right to thisvery day! Last month’s long-in-coming Super Extra Gravity findsa nice medium between their optimistic earlier tunes and astill-lingering gloominess — and it also features the best-titled trackof the new millennium (so far): "I Need Some Fine Wine and You, YouNeed to Be Nicer." How awesome is that?
So, there you have it: That silly little band with that silly littleblonde never stopped making music. In fact, I’d say that theirflash-in-the-pan moment here made them all the more inventive as theyproduced another decade’s worth of fantastic songcraft. If only I couldsay the same for the late, great Elastica…
What about you? Have you missed the Cardigans? Did you keep up with their career? Would you like to see them make a comeback?
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The Cardigans g=have a great song called “Deuce” on the “X Files” movie soundtrack. but for my money, their best song is “My Favourite Game,” which is playing on my iPod right now.
I see that I’m not the only one who actually still follows this band here in the US, which is nice. I’ve got all their stuff, including Super Extra Gravity (thank you Bit Torrent), and I was disappointed when they cancelled their show in NYC. Ah well, I will just enjoy their quality albums and continue to wonder why Nina dyed her hair black.
I love love love The Cardigans… and awesome mention of A Camp! I didn’t know about the A Camp CD until “The Bluest Eyes in Texas” was featured in Boys Don’t Cry. I don’t necessarily want them to have a big comeback, but if they keep releasing Stateside CD’s, that would be cool with me.
A retraction NEEDS to be written, Nicholas Fonseca: Robyn was NOT a one-hit wonder!
There was her debut hit “Do You Know”, followed up by her signature hit “Show Me Love”. Both songs peaked at number SEVEN on the pop charts. The third single “Do You Really Want Me” was a minor hit at radio.
I actually rediscovered the cardigans about a year ago thanks to a friends who went to europe for the winter. long gone before daylight is an amazing album. If you want to check out 2 great songs, please download “you’re the storm” and “communication”. they also have an amazing song on the Grey’s Anatomy soundtrack “Live and you Learn” check that one out as well.
I think Nina dyed her hair black for a movie part
To add to what James said… Robyn still has a big career overseas as well, just like The Cardigans.
I agree, “Gran Turismo” is probably their best album, and “My Favourite Game” never fails to make me want to turn it up. I have to say, though, that First Band on the Moon had some reallllly great songs that I wish the rest of the US population could’ve heard, deceptively sweet-sounding pop/rock that guises some eerily intense lyrics. One of the few albums I enjoyed through and through. I’m glad, though, that I’m not the only that has followed them and that doesn’t only think of them as that “Love me, love me” group.
From “Gran Turismo” (1998):
Try the sinister “Implode/Explode” or the slow-burning “Erase/Rewind”.
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Speaking of other great Swedish bands, anyone remember Standfast and their fabulous single “Carcrashes”? If you don’t, it’s the finest single the Cardigans themselves never recorded.
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Mr. Fonseca: Most excellent post today. As my favourite Internet gossip this side of Perez, Elaine Lui (laineygossip) says: “Thank you. Love you. Owe you.”
Everything they’ve done since they “disappeared” is solidly entrenched in my favorite music of all time. GT, LGBD, and SEG are FANTASTIC albums, and I listen to them way too often (I kinda drive the boyfriend nuts with ‘em, actually).
And I’m getting to see them, FINALLY, when they do a show for CMJ on Halloween! Sooooo excited.
Erase/Rewind is one of my favorite songs of all time! And the Cardigans are just another example that there is, despite what some here would like to believe, a whole other world of great music out there that the majority of our radio stations frustratingly ignore. And is it any wonder that the music industry is suffering so when all they care about is the next big hit and little emphasis on developing long term artists?
I have to wonder about an entertainment magazine that doesn’t even know what a one-hit-wonder is. First there was Whitney’s ignorant remarks on her otherwise great column on top ten singles of given weeks. Now Nicholas is proving that he doesn’t have a clue what he’s talking about.
Aqua’s “Barbie Girl” ranked #7 and “Lollipop (Candyman)” ranked #23 on Billboard’s Hot 100 charts (the industry standard). Robyn’s “Do You Know (What It Takes)” and “Show Me Love” both also ranked #7 on Billboard’s Hot 100 charts, and “Do You Really Want Me (Show Respect)” made it into the Top 40 on Billboard’s Airplay chart (a commercial single wasn’t released, so it wasn’t eligible to chart on the Hot 100 at that time).
No offense, but please don’t label singers as one-hit-wonders unless they actually are. It makes you look less than intelligent and it annoys the hello out of picky fans like me.
In my world the Cardigans only got better after “Lovefool” their last two albums, “Long Gone Before Daylight” and the recent “Super Extra Gravity” find them at their amazing best, I can only imagine they will continue to grow as a band. It’s too bad again, America is missing out on something good.
I have always loved the Cardigans. I admit, I was lured to them by “Lovefool” back in 1995, but, as a band, they have only improved and become so much more developed, focused, and directed.
Gran Turismo is an amazing record, all the songs work together to create an entire feel, the cover art is amazing, the typography excellent (God, the swedes have such good bone structure), and takes the listener on such an amazing, unique, ride through a very powerful, electric, sonic landscape. It’s the perfect record to walk San Francisco to.
You’re completely right that LGBD is something that split the fan community, but I respect it. If you listen to the interviews ( particularly Magnus ), you realize that that record was something that the band needed, personally, that they were brave enough to document and share that is a great tribute to their daring as artists.
I’ve written lovingly about The Cardigans for a while, here are some of my own posts:
http://stevengharms.com/?s=cardigans
I found Lovefool, Erase/Rewind, Deuce and My Favorite Game in a network folder at work years ago and kept them ever since, good stuff.
Thank you so much for writing this Nicholas. So why exactly don’t they let you guys write better music articles like this in the actual magazine??
I’ve got to say that Long Gone Before Dayligth is one of my favorite albums of this decade, by far my favorite of theirs. I still have to hear the last one though. If only they could get some airplay again, I’m sure they would do well once again.
thank you for the article! the cardigans continue to make the most amazing music i have ever heard.
super extra gravity is THE cd
and it deserves to be no. 1
Thanks for the article! Several of us “cardifans” haven’t forgotten the band as they continue to put out great music.
Check out their whole history in pictures at http://www.cardifans.com
The Cardigans music has gotten better with each album. They are easily the best current working band IMO. Why not write an article about them in the magazine? They deserve a second chance in America.
I’ve been keeping up with the Cardigans ever since I bought their First Band on the Moon album…to me, they’re much more than a one hit wonder in the U.S. ..and I got Super Extra Gravity on amazon.co.uk ages ago..check it out! A Camp rules too.
I love Sabbath’s “Iron Man” and I think the Cardigans’ rendition is brilliantly smooth. It’s a hidden pop music gem.
C’mon, people!Iron Man, sure. My Favorite Game, yeah. Erase/Rewind, uh-huh. But how about Happy Meal? Great song.
I’ve lost track of the Cardigans over the years, and have no real urge to hear country from them. But Nina Persson has done some nice duets with her husband, Nathan Larson (formerly of Shudder to Think), too.
I’ve continued to listen to the Cardigans after their big hit, ‘Lovefool.’ But like others have pointed out, Last Band On The Moon was not their greatest piece of work. They’ve had some excellent cds since then but with the popularity of ‘Lovefool’ they decided to stay away from all of the bubbly stuff. Fans of the song were turned off by what their music became afterwards. I did end up listening to Morcheeba, Goldfrapp, Letters to Cleo, Annie and even Jem.
A very inciteful article Nicholas and we Cardigan fans appreciate the attention, but as a long-time and very devoted “cardifan” I think you’re mistaken about LGBD as “polarizing many long-standing fans”. It’s not that there weren’t long-standing fans that didn’t care for it, but I believe the album that really caused the biggest parting of ways among fans was Gran Turismo (obviously, I liked it just fine).
It featured what was probably the most radical change in their sound and appearance. (Although, there are some fairly distinct differences between all of their albums.) I clearly remember some devoted followers actually becoming quite upset with that album.
Which leads me to one other quibble. This statement, “…running straight for their earlier CDs and tried to forget that Nina and the gang ever had a negative thought in their lives” is a bit misleading. Almost all of their songs are filled with “negative” or dark thoughts – it just hasn’t always been accompanied by “dark” sounding music. “Lovefool”, for example, is actually quite a sad and pathetic tale about a desperate person. Not exactly “positive”.
Anyway, very happy to see this article, but I felt that it might be important to point out those minor issues as long as we’re on the subject.
As for the writing: on occasion she gets mired in descriptive terrain but most times, she moves the narrative along at a brisk lyrical pace, drawing you into the vortex of the story. ,