The Cardigans

From a distance, the Cardigans fit all the adjectives usually heaped upon Swedish pop groups: Bubbly. Perky. Winsome. Cute. But this lounge-pop fivesome's world isn't all sweetness and light. Frontwoman Nina Persson's breathy, girlish voice may seem carefree, but the words she sings often carry a uniquely Scandinavian gloom, shadowing the corners of an otherwise sunny vista.

Graced with delectable retro production by Tore Johansson and packed with clever arrangements featuring such nonrock instruments as bassoon and vibraphone, Emmerdale hits its peak on a glori-ously bizarre disco reinterpretation of Black Sabbath's "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath." Lyrics like "Symptoms are so deep/Something here's so wrong/Nothing is complete/Nowhere to belong" ("Sick & Tired") are worthy of grunge's sulkiest angst merchants but somehow never break the prevailing chipper mood.

Even more musically upbeat, Life improves on Emmerdale by showing off the tightness of the Cardigans' playing. More than just catchy tunes, "Hey! Get Out of My Way," "Fine," and the Motown-influenced "Tomorrow" are great grooves too. Twee? Sure. But "light" pop has rarely sounded this excited, or exciting. Consumer note: The U.S. versions of Life and Emmerdale share six tracks, including "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath."

First Band on the Moon contains the Cardigans' biggest hit, "Lovefool," which, typically, disguises the desperate plea of a jilted lover as a lively neo-Blondie dance number. Elsewhere, the music takes on a harder edge. The macho riffs on "Been It" and "Losers" betray the group's fondness for metal without diminishing the delicacy of the melodies. And there's another goofy Sabbath cover --"Iron Man" this time.

Up to this point, the dark patches in the Cardigans' songs could be written off as fashionable ennui. But on Gran Turismo, the going gets well and truly somber. Replacing the vivacious beat-combo sound of old with icy layers of electronics, it's the least fun record in the band's catalogue, and that's not a good thing.

Regrouping after a lengthy hiatus for Long Gone Before Daylight, the Cardigans seemed to have completely forgotten what had once made them so special. The synthscapes are gone and the impeccable group playing is back, but the lugubrious, down-tempo songs just don't hold up. With a couple of lyrical tweaks, the opening cut, "Communication," could fit comfortably on a Faith Hill album --and that's really not a good thing. (MAC RANDALL)

From 2004's The New Rolling Stone Album Guide