The Cardigans are a 5 piece Indie/Pop/Rock from Sweden, and ‘Gran Turismo is their fourth album which was released in 1998. I seem to recall this album actually being the first CD I ever bought, and while it’s not been played quite so much recently it’s still an album I like to listen to every ... Read review
the hugeness of the fluffy "Lovefool" merely served to remind The Cardigans of what they really loved; and soGran Turismois a triumphal home-coming to the Void. Still,Gran Turismojust can't help being an incredibly classy pop treat. Dear God, they know what to do with a chorus. Take "Erase And Rewind": played on an acoustic guitar it would sound pleasant, certainly, but not the kind of song that has you jamming your head in the speakers and yelping. But with a grossly distorted bass here; a processed vocal there; a judicious pause just before the chorus comes in--oh hot mamma! Play your pop manna to me! That key-shift in "Hanging Around"--it's cleverer than Heinz Wolff using Big Blue to prop open a door! And let's not forget how Iggy Pop would kill a car with his teeth for "My Favourite Game".--Caitlin Moran
A review by lisa2062 on Gran Turismo - Cardigans (The) June 4th, 2007
Author's product rating:
Originality
Average
Lyrics
Standard
Quality and consistency of tracks
A couple of weak links
How does it compare to the artist's other releases
Good
Value for Money
Excellent
Advantages:
Nina's angelic voice, and the perfect blend of instruments to get you on the move
Disadvantages:
A few weaker tracks that stop the album from standing out .
Recommend to potential buyers:
yes
Full review
The Cardigans are a 5 piece Indie/Pop/Rock from Sweden, and ‘Gran Turismo is their fourth album which was released in 1998. I seem to recall this album actually being the first CD I ever bought, and while it’s not been played quite so much recently it’s still an album I like to listen to every once in a while. I had heard of them before this as some of you may remember one of their earlier songs ‘Lovefool’, which appeared on the soundtrack to Baz Lurman’s Romeo + Juliet. When I saw this album in a shop I didn’t hesitate in buying it after just hearing that one song of theirs. While the album doesn't blow me away, I certainly don't regret my purchase.
The first track on the album is ‘Paralyzed’ which captures the essence of the song beautifully, as you’ll find yourself stopping your activities just losing yourself in its haunting sound and thought provoking lyrics. The song is very mellow with the drums and guitars in perfect harmony, allowing Nina Persson’s delicate voice to take over the song that will leave your breathless.
Up next is the toe tapping ‘Erase/Rewind’, while not a track you’ll be shaking your booty too you’ll find it an upbeat one compared to the previous track. The introductions of the acoustic guitar, mixed perfectly with a steady beat on the drums, and add to that Nina’s silky vocals and your left with a track that wouldn’t go a miss on your car stereo on a hot summer’s day.
Enchanting melodies is what this band does best, and this is clearly the case with the third track ‘Explode’. Nina’s angelic voice mixed with the heavenly sounds of an organ make this track perfect for helping you to wind down after a hard day at work. My one fault with ‘Explode’ albeit a small one is I felt the drums were unnecessary, while not ruining the track for me it wasn’t in keeping with the relaxing feel the rest of it had.
One of my favourite tracks off the album would have to be ‘Starter’, with its more edgy feel to it than the previous tracks. It starts off slowly with just the beat of a drum and Persson's childlike voice sweeping over it. This track however builds up and while not explosive, the electronic guitar mixed with the drums makes this a livelier track to get you moving and perfect for a long road trip.
To follow that little beauty up is another favourite of mine and that is ‘Hanging Around’. This track like the previous seems them break more into the pop/rock territory, where they seem just as comfortable as they do with their more laid back ones. With an array of instruments featuring electric guitar, drums and keyboard to name but a few, they all blend together to produce a track that fans of Garbage are used to hearing. It’s just one you’ll find unable to keep your feet still too, as towards the end it builds up into such a frenzy it’s seems world’s away from the first track off the album.
The saying goes what must go up, must come down and that it very explicable to the rather lack luster ‘Higher’. While I enjoy their slower more angelic tracks, this one just doesn’t do anything for me. It’s hard to put my finger on what it is that I don’t like about this one, as Nina’s voice is again faultless and the music is certainly relaxing to listen to. Listening to it now for the third time while writing this review I think that it’s because nothing stands out enough to make a lasting impression. It’s sleep inducing but in a bad way, and while other tracks on the album are similar they just seem to induce more life into them.
Take it or leave it is very apt for ‘Marvel Hill’, as while it certainly picks up in tone from the previous track, it just takes too long to get going. While listening to it I get the sense that nobody could decide on whether it should be a melody or a rock/pop track. Both genres without a doubt sound good on its own, but mixed up the track just ends up messy.
Things pick up again with a well known track of theirs ‘My Favourite Game’. This one has a very raw feel to it, it’s passionate, it’s edgy, it’s all the things that you want it to be when you want to feel invigorated. Nina’s voice is huskier this time around which works perfectly with the rousing guitars and clash of drums, making this one a huge hit with the public who were left unimpressed with some of their previous efforts.
Up next is a track that I was unsure of when I heard it for the first time, but have grown to quite like now. ‘Do You Believe’ is similar to ‘Marvel Hill’ as it features a mix of sounds, but while that one didn’t work for me this one has got the blend just about right. Its blend of harmonizing melodies mixed with the raw sound of guitars and the drums works surprisingly well, you’ll find yourself listening to this over and over again.
Sadly the penultimate track isn’t quite as memorable but is still worth a listen on a hot summer’s day. ‘ Junk Of The Hearts’ is another track that just takes too long to get going, which is a shame as at the heart of it is a lively pop song missing out on the potential of being anything more than average. The problem is while the rock/pop aspect of it is well produced and very moody sounding, the rest of it is just too laid back and doesn’t work in harmony with the other sounds.
To finish the album off we are left with something quite different, but quite remarkable at the same time. While only last for just over 2 minutes, ‘Nil’ is a beautiful instrumental track with a somewhat haunting sound to it. The piano is played in such a way that it won’t fail to send shivers down your spine. It’s beautiful because it’s so simple, no vocals, no loud drums or guitars, just the faint sound of a piano in the distance making it a very contemplating track.
So there you have it, my review on an album which one the whole I would wholeheartedly recommend albeit for a few weak tracks. It’s certainly not an album that stands out from others in its field such as Garbage, but just like that group they know how to produce some surprises. For fans of The Cardigans you may be interested to know that the band is currently producing their seventh album, which apparently has been postponed until 2008.
The Cardigans are: –
Peter Svensson – Lead Guitar Magnus Sveningsson – Bass Bengt Lagerberg – Drums Lars-Olof “Lasse” Johansson – Keyboards and Guitar Nina Persson –Vocals
The Cardigans “Gran Turismo” 1998 Available on Amazon for £4.98 and from £1.27 used.
Advantages: Unique and thought-provoking. Disadvantages: Slightly boring in places.
♥ Biography
The Cardigans are a 5 piece band hailing from Sweden. The band are made up like so:
Nina Persson - vocals
Peter Svensson - guitar
Bengt Lagerberg - drums
Magnus Sveningsson - bass
Lasse Johansson - keyboard, acoustic guitar
This album was produced in June 1998, when the group collaborated with long-time producer Tore Johansson at his personal studio, Country Hell, which is located in Malmo, Sweden and recorded this album, ... ...than 2.5 million sales worldwide.
The reason I still think this warrants a review so long after release is because it's a classic - and although it's not perfect, it's still better than most of the recently released stuff by other similar bands.
♥ Track listing and rating
I'm going to do a standard track by track rating on this one, seeing as that's what people seem to like (if you don't then please tell me, 'cos I don't really enjoy writing ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Advantages: Perfect mix of styles Disadvantages: -
...to buy the latest Album Gran Turismo by The Cardigans. *the band
The swedish band started with their career in the year 1992 in Jonkopping, Sweden. After the five members of the band Lars-Olof Johansson, Bengt Lagerberg, Magnus Sveningson, Peter Svensson and singer Nina Persson went to Malmö they get their first contract and produced the album Emmerdale. One of their most famous songs is the song Lovefool from the Album First Band of the moon – ... ...Band On The Moon
1998 Gran Turismo
I think that every Albums by the Cardigans should be recommended. But if you are not sure to buy one – buy this one: Gran Turismo. In my eyes it is the best Album the Cardigans ever made and the absolutely highlight of their career. The Cardigans developed their one style through the last years and sound now more perfect than ever.
Sum
If you like the voice of Nina Petterson and search for an Album with ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
...to The Cardigan's latest album, Gran Turismo, it becomes quite apparent that they've been listening to more than a few Massive Attack and Portishead cuts. Best known for their super catchy hit 'Lovefool', The Cardigans have followed up their earlier pop success with a darker record.
This pop, downbeat electronic work blasts off with 'Paralyzed'. Grinding feedback buzzes along as a programmed drum beat and countless synthesized effects drift across ... ...Gran Turismo.
Nina Persson, the group's lead singer, is the really highlight of the album. Her sparse lyrical arrangements are delivered flawlessly. The majority of the album may be suspiciously electronic, but Persson's voice, as always, manages to cut through each song with incredible warmth and emotion. This time, however the prevailing emotions aren't happiness and love. 'Do you really think / that love is gonna save the world / well, I don't ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Not too many music magazines that I read liked this album too much, which is sad. They were probably comparing it too much to previous Cardigans albums. They should realize that no Cardigans album is like the previous, which is why they're so great. "Emmerdale" is just basic raw pop. On "Life" they get more diverse and are at their 'poppiest.' Then they get pigeon-holed as an ABBA wannabe just because of the single 'Lovefool' from "First Band on ... ...'Lovefool.' It also had a cover of Black Sabbath's 'Iron Man' and dark songs (though it's hard to sound dark with Nina Persson's voice) like 'Losers' and 'Step on Me.' The Cardigans carry that dark theme into "Gran Turismo," although there are some sweet ballads such as 'Higher' and 'Explode.' Then there's one of the best songs to race to, 'My Favorite Game.' The theme of the album really kicks in with the songs 'Do You Believe' and 'Paralyzed.' ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Gran Turismo is an excellent album with a good mix of both fast paced and slow, melodic tracks.
The lyrics are always sublime from The Cardigans, and everyone knows "Favorite Game", made famous for its links with Gran Turismo the computer game on the PlayStation.
Erase and Unwind is another track on here that didn't do as well as you'd expect in the British charts, even though it is undoubtedly the best track on there.
If you haven't heard The ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Album Notes: The Cardigans: Nina Persson (vocals); Lasse Johansson (acoustic guitar, keyboards); Peter Svensson (guitar); Magnus Sveningsson (bass); Bengt Lagerberg (drums). Recorded at Country Hell Studios, Svaneholm, Sweden. In 1997, even as "Lovefool" climbed the Adult Contemporary radio-play charts and further sold mainstream America on the sound of "Swedish pop," something separated the Cardigans from sugary countrymates such as Roxette and Ace of Base. Yes, they placed their metallic guitars out-front while their colleagues hid behind layers of sequencers, making for a more "alternative" approach to "pop." More defining, though, was the sinister cloud that always hung around their songs, no matter how sunny the delivery and the setting. On GRAN TURISMO, the Cardigans follow this dark muse--which already beckoned them to cover Black Sabbath twice in two records--further incorporating a deeply affected melancholia into their Euro-pop ways. On a bed of lush, melodic keyboards, Nina Persson's light tenor brings an angelic disposition to nearly every word she coos, no matter how pessimistic, while trip-hop beats keep the heartbreak moving forward. More importantly, the dirty squalls and lo-fi drive of Moogs and guitars amidst the band's pristinely produced songs seem deeply infected with the sound of American indie-rock (think Blur aping Pavement). And when this newfound influence collides head-on with the Cardigans' inherent way with a tune, GRAN TURISMO approaches the sublime in ways their previous records didn't.
Album Reviews: Q (12/99, p.115) - 4 Stars (out of 5) - "...the sound is more claustrophobic and compressed although still lit with great tunes....Naiifs or smart-alec? Whatever, this is great, original stuff." Entertainment Weekly (11/6/98, p.88) - "Just when you thought it was safe to write off these Swedes as an Austin Powers-era novelty blip, they go all contemporary, shedding their tired '60s-isms in favor of blissfully kitschless trip-hop..." - Rating: B+
Titles on disc 1
1.: Paralyzed
2.: Erase/rewind
3.: Episode
4.: Starter
5.: Hangin' Around
6.: Higher
7.: Marvel Hill
8.: My Favourite Game
9.: Do You Believe
10.: Junk Of The Hearts
11.: Nil
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