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The Cardigans

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The Cardigans is a Swedish band formed in the town of Jönköping in 1992. The band's musical style has varied greatly from album to album and encompasses their early indie leanings passing through 60s-inspired pop and more band-based rock.

File:CardigansPromo.jpg
From left: Lars-Olof Johansson, Peter Svensson, Bengt Lagerberg, Nina Persson, Magnus Sveningsson

Each one of their records has opened a new market and attracted the attention of new audiences. Their debut album "Emmerdale" (1994) gave them a solid base in their home country and raised some flags abroad, especially in Japan. But it wasn't until their breakthrough second album "Life" (1995) that international audiences and critics responded. The band is perhaps best known for their international hit single "Lovefool", from the album "First Band on the Moon" (1996). Its inclusion in the soundtrack of Baz Luhrmann's Romeo + Juliet secured their popularity and although some might consider them a one-hit wonder the band has had international success after that with the singles "My Favourite Game" and "Erase/Rewind", both from the album "Gran Turismo".

The Cardigans are:

  • Peter Svensson, lead guitar.
  • Magnus Sveningsson, bass.
  • Bengt Lagerberg, drums.
  • Lars-Olof "Lasse" Johansson, keyboards and guitar.
  • Nina Persson, vocals.


History

Peter Svensson and Magnus Sveningsson, both heavy metal musicians, formed the group in October of 1992 in Jönköping, Sweden, with drummer Bengt Lagerberg, keyboardist Lars-Olof Johansson and lead singer Nina Persson. Living together in a small apartment, The Cardigans recorded a demo tape which record producer Tore Johansson heard, leading to an invitation to record at a studio in Malmö. In 1994 they released their debut album, Emmerdale in Sweden and Japan (it was re-released internationally in 1997). The album includes the Swedish radio hit "Rise & Shine" and was later voted the best of 1994 in a poll in Slitz magazine.

The rest of 1994 was spent touring Europe and recording Life, which was released worldwide 1995. Life became an international success, selling more than a million copies and achieving platinum status in Japan. In 1996 Life was released under the label Minty Fresh in the U.S, but this release was essentially a compilation of tracks from Emmerdale and Life. Life was perhaps a satirical riposte to the first album, and saw the band move in a more avant-garde direction in terms of arrangements and artwork.

After their success with Life, The Cardigans were signed to Mercury Records under which they released First Band on the Moon worldwide in 1996. With this album, the band had developed into a more complex, darker animal, the songs included themes of heartbreak, infidelity and despair. Lovefool was a hit across the globe, especially in the United States and again in Japan, where the album reached platinum in only three weeks. However, it was unrepresentative of the album as a whole and although it helped it achieve gold sales status in America many critics branded them saccharine soft-pop on the basis of Lovefool.

1998's Gran Turismo was darker and more moody, and was followed by a long hiatus during which the band members pursued solo side projects. The same year they also released a compilation of rare B-sides called The Other Side of the Moon as a Japan-only release which makes this album somewhat rare outside Japan.

During the break that followed, Nina Persson released an album as A Camp and the Cardigans recorded a duet cover of Talking Heads' "Burning Down the House" with Tom Jones on his album Reload, Peter Svensson worked on the project Paus with help from Joakim Berg from Kent, and Magnus Sveningsson recorded as Righteous Boy. The Cardigans returned in 2003 with the quieter, more introspective Long Gone Before Daylight.

Recently, the band has followed a more country music style. The band finished recording their 6th album, Super Extra Gravity, in May 2005.

Discography

Albums

Other full-length records

  • "The Other Side of the Moon" (1997) - B-side and rarities compilation released only in Japan and Australia.

Singles

  • "Rise & Shine" (1994) - Sweden only
  • "Black Letter Day" (1994) - Sweden and Japan only
  • "Sick & Tired" (1994) (#34 UK)
  • "Carnival" (1995) (#35 UK)
  • "Hey! Get Out of My Way" (1995) - Europe and Japan only
  • "Rise & Shine" (1995) - Re-recorded and reissued for Sweden, Japan and UK. (#29 UK)
  • "Rise & Shine" (1996) - Re-recorded and reissued for Europe.
  • "Lovefool" (1996) - First issue (#21 UK)
  • "Been It" (1996) - Europe and Australia (1997) - USA (#56 UK)
  • "Your New Cuckoo" (1996) - Japan (1997) - Europe
  • "Lovefool" (1997) - Reissued internationally, including USA (#2 UK)
  • "Your New Cuckoo" (1997) - Reissued in Europe and Australia (#35 UK)
  • "My Favourite Game" (1998) (#14 UK)
  • "Erase/Rewind" (1999) (#7 UK)
  • "Hanging Around" (1999) (#17 UK)
  • "Junk Of The Hearts" (1999)
  • "For What It's Worth" (2003) (#31 UK)
  • "You're The Storm" (2003) (#74 UK)
  • "Live and Learn" (2003)
  • "I Need Some Fine Wine And You, You Need To Be Nicer" (2005) (#3 Sweden, #59 UK)
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