The SugarCubes: C/D?

Message Bookmarked

Bookmark Removed

Your opinions please. I'm sick of feeling like the only person in the world who likes them.

― Anna (Anna), Wednesday, 11 December 2002 13:56 (twenty-three years ago)

Anna-they are/were GREAT, and due a revival. Of some kind. You're not alone!

― Nordicskillz (Nordicskillz), Wednesday, 11 December 2002 13:57 (twenty-three years ago)

"Birthday" alone guarantees Classic status

― H (Heruy), Wednesday, 11 December 2002 13:59 (twenty-three years ago)

Or just the bit in Regina where Einar pops up and says "I don't even like lobster."

Or Hit which is the most romantic song about commitment phobia ever. ("God damn you, I didn't want to like you, but now I will ie on my bed and dream about you.")

― Anna (Anna), Wednesday, 11 December 2002 14:01 (twenty-three years ago)

For all of the innovation in beats that Bjork has presented in her "solo" records, i personly find the sonic variety in the Sugar Cubes' albums to have a more enduring quality.

I must say that i too miss theose spastic yelps that Einar Orn threw in.

...I do say nicely, i do mean that, naturally... ¥

― christoff (christoff), Wednesday, 11 December 2002 14:08 (twenty-three years ago)

For whatever reason, Bjork's solo stuff never appealed to me, but I loved her with the 'cubes. I liked the '80s metallic gloss with a slightly jagged, Cure-like edge. And Einar was a good Fred Schneider to Bjork's Kate and Cindy. She could use an Einar now, to keep her from taking herself too seriously.

― Jody Beth Rosen (Jody Beth Rosen), Wednesday, 11 December 2002 14:16 (twenty-three years ago)

The Sugarcubes were wonderful; my only regret is that I never got to see them in person (their SNL appearance was LIFE-CHANGING).

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Wednesday, 11 December 2002 14:19 (twenty-three years ago)

Life's Too Good is classic, although it suffers from a dated production style (drums could sound A LOT better).

The other two I'm not so big on.

― hstencil, Wednesday, 11 December 2002 14:21 (twenty-three years ago)

Yeah, they were fantastic. If only for drawing a great streak of silliness and absurdity over the morosely po-faced indie scene of the time.

"Regina" is a great single: cruelly undervalued. I could never fathom why the press treated them as a joke from the time of the second album on.

― Venga, Wednesday, 11 December 2002 14:35 (twenty-three years ago)

"F***ing in Rhythm and Sorrow" has brought me back from the brink many times. Bjork and Sinead had it pretty locked up for "freaky art-babe" status back then, didn't they? And Einar was Bjork's Flavor Flav; all he needed was a cuckoo clock around his neck.

Of course Life's Too Good is classic-k, and of course the second album is unfairly slept upon, and of course I never heard the third one. Time to hit the used shop, where I'm sure I can find it for $7.98.

― Matt C., Wednesday, 11 December 2002 15:01 (twenty-three years ago)

Their second album was GORGEOUS through and through. Anything with "Pump" and "Water" on it is ESSENTIAL. Oh God, now I have to find my copy of it...

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Wednesday, 11 December 2002 15:15 (twenty-three years ago)

apparently Anna has never seen any of my posts.

― Chris V. (Chris V), Wednesday, 11 December 2002 16:05 (twenty-three years ago)

I have, but never Sugar Cubes related. Anyway, I was listening to them today and felt like talking about them.

― Anna (Anna), Wednesday, 11 December 2002 16:08 (twenty-three years ago)

First album was great. Second album was truly dire. Third album had "Hit," which was great, but was crap otherwise.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 11 December 2002 16:24 (twenty-three years ago)

The second album was better than the first.

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Wednesday, 11 December 2002 16:31 (twenty-three years ago)

You're high, Dan.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 11 December 2002 16:34 (twenty-three years ago)

Fave Sugarcubes moment is the strings on "Planet". I also love the Jesus and Mary Chain 'remixes' of "Birthday". I love the second album almost as much as the first.

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Wednesday, 11 December 2002 18:40 (twenty-three years ago)

I agree with most everyone but particularly with Dan: (a) Here Today... has been my favorite of theirs for quite a while now, and (b) that SNL appearance sort of blew my head up. Right now I'm imagining Einar on Bjork records:

Bjork: "It's oh so quiet..."
Einar: "SO QUIET TO FEED ME PETROL!"

― nabisco (nabisco), Wednesday, 11 December 2002 18:47 (twenty-three years ago)

Is Mike Hanle y Einar in disguise?

― RickyT (RickyT), Wednesday, 11 December 2002 18:53 (twenty-three years ago)

nabisco, if I was drinking milk, it'd be out my nose right about now.

(also, I just downloaded a ton of stuff from your soulseek files, your avg d/l speed is like 124k or something - unbelieveable!).

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Wednesday, 11 December 2002 20:05 (twenty-three years ago)

Classic! One of the first live shows I ever saw. Also, was it a bad dream or did they open for U2 or was it The Cure??

― kephm, Wednesday, 11 December 2002 20:53 (twenty-three years ago)

Keep it on the downlow, Spencer, I'd get paranoid if my work computer were being swamped with users.

― nabisco (nabisco), Wednesday, 11 December 2002 21:13 (twenty-three years ago)

Sorry I don't have better stuff, anyway.

― nabisco (nabisco), Wednesday, 11 December 2002 21:16 (twenty-three years ago)

I saw them open for New Order and PIL!

and nabisco, your secret's safe with me (except for the previous blurt - sorry about that).

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Wednesday, 11 December 2002 21:18 (twenty-three years ago)

Only have the greatest hits but it's fabulous. I'm going to look into why I never thought of getting the regular albums.

― Vinnie (vprabhu), Wednesday, 11 December 2002 21:30 (twenty-three years ago)

Bjork: "It's oh so quiet..."
Einar: "SO QUIET TO FEED ME PETROL!"

Seconds until an Einar/solo Bjork mashup? 10...9...

― Chris Ott (Chris Ott), Thursday, 12 December 2002 21:09 (twenty-three years ago)

I saw 'em headline a show in 1992 with El Vez coming in to sing on "Blue Eyed Pop" at the end. Now that was great. And yes, that SNL appearance = a classic of WTF moments.

Einar was great, like a gooned out Mark E. Smith with a shaky sense of rhythm. Perfect!

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 12 December 2002 21:18 (twenty-three years ago)

Also check out the punk band bjork was in prior to sugarcubes, I had a tape of it years ago and remember some of it was way cool.

Can't remeber the name though? anyone?

google: Tappi Tikarrass

― Savin All My Love 4 u (Savin 4ll my (heart) 4u), Friday, 13 December 2002 00:21 (twenty-three years ago)

six months pass...

Would anyone be so awesome as to describe the Sugarcubes' SNL performance for me? I wanna know more! Juicy details ASAP plz.

― Francis Watlington, Monday, 16 June 2003 03:32 (twenty-two years ago)

Einar was great, like a gooned out Mark E. Smith with a shaky sense of rhythm.

This implies that Mark E. Smith is NOT already gooned out and DOES NOT have a shaky sense of rhythm. I laughed and laughed until my wife hit me on the head with a chair.

― Neudonym, Monday, 16 June 2003 03:45 (twenty-two years ago)

Francis: they did "Birthday" and "Motorcrash" if i remember correctly. and Einar was wearing black leather pants. and i'm fairly certain bjork was wearing a clock!!

― ryan (ryan), Monday, 16 June 2003 03:50 (twenty-two years ago)

matthew broderick was the host

― ryan (ryan), Monday, 16 June 2003 03:52 (twenty-two years ago)

Anna wrote:

Or just the bit in Regina where Einar pops up and says "I don't even like lobster."

Anna, it was at the precise moment I heard that when I thought: 'That guy has got to go'. Little did I know how painful Bjork solo would be.

― colin s barrow (colin s barrow), Monday, 16 June 2003 03:53 (twenty-two years ago)

...and i'm fairly certain bjork was wearing a clock!!

I would have never ever remembered seeing this if you hadn't mentioned the clock. Who was the guest host on that episode? I'm going to keep an eye out for it. Since they air repeats on Comedy Central about 12 times a day, it should come on before too long.

― Andrew Frye (paul cox), Monday, 16 June 2003 04:06 (twenty-two years ago)

I'll probably never get to see it. :(

― Francis Watlington, Monday, 16 June 2003 04:20 (twenty-two years ago)

four months pass...

no Bjork C/D thread so I'm posting this here:

CD80 'portable' Bjork (solo) go!

Human Behavior
Venus As A Boy
There's More to Life Than This
Like Someone In Love
Big Time Sensuality (album vers.)
Army Of Me
Isobel
It's Oh So Quiet
Hyper-Ballad
Possibly Maybe
I Miss You
Joga
Bachelorette
Hunter
All Is Full Of Love (radio/video mix)
Hidden Place
Pagan Poetry

(78:42, chronological AFAIK)

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Thursday, 13 November 2003 19:56 (twenty-two years ago)

Replace "Army Of Me" with "Enjoy" or "Alarm Call" and this is seriously one of the best compilations ever assembled. (I take it from your listing that single release date trumps album running order.)

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Thursday, 13 November 2003 21:21 (twenty-two years ago)

I think so. I used the official online discography for single dates.

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Thursday, 13 November 2003 21:39 (twenty-two years ago)

and I'd like to have included "Cocoon" too.

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Thursday, 13 November 2003 21:40 (twenty-two years ago)

two years pass...

"Nearly 20 years ago The Sugarcubes put out on their own label Smekkleysa SM, their first single Birthday. This release was the start to the splendid career of The Sugarcubes, and impressive releases of Icelandic artists in Iceland and abroad alike. These first steps made by The Sugarcubes have made and everlasting impact and influence on the Icelandic export of music.

It is therefor with unbound joy we announce the 20th anniversary concert of Birthday and The Sugarcubes in Reykjavik on the 17th of November. The Sugarcubes will take to the stage for the first time in 14 years.

All profit from the concert goes back into Smekkleysa SM who will continue to work on a non-profit basis for the future betterment of Icelandic music and artists.

World domination or death! yes thank you!"

http://www.bjork.com/db/images/sugarcubes_smile.jpg

Regular ticket sale will be announce very soon we are told.

Do you want to go? Check icelandair.net to book your ticket!

― chaki (chaki), Monday, 18 September 2006 23:55 (nineteen years ago)

i don't really like lobster

― electric sound of jim [and why not] (electricsound), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 00:05 (nineteen years ago)

you must! you really must like lobster!

FUCK! YES YES I WANT TO GO!

― jed_ (jed), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 00:08 (nineteen years ago)

ilx... great. I'll never get a ticket now >:(

― ten kebabs maaaaate (fandango), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 00:15 (nineteen years ago)

CLASSIQUE

BIZARRE AND ASEXUAL

― RoxyMuzak© (roxymuzak), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 00:15 (nineteen years ago)

I LOVE Tidal Wave

― and PappaWheelie, author of Have You Ever Been Poxy Fuled? (PappaWheelie 2), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 00:37 (nineteen years ago)

They were such cute kids, weren't they?

Yes, now I must plan a trip to Iceland for mid-November...

― Myke. (Myke Weiskopf), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 00:45 (nineteen years ago)

Also: Rather amazed (nay, astonished) that Sugarcubes performance isn't on YouTube.

― Myke. (Myke Weiskopf), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 00:50 (nineteen years ago)

Doesn't NBC make them take down any SNL stuff?

― Marmot (marmotwolof), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 00:54 (nineteen years ago)

That'd explain it.

― Myke. (Myke Weiskopf), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 01:09 (nineteen years ago)

PS: young Bjork still cutest person of all time.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhT_HihW30s

― Marmot (marmotwolof), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 01:12 (nineteen years ago)

Also "boomboxderby" has uploaded pretty much an entire 1989 Alabama concert that was shown on 120 Minutes. Here's Motorcrash, the rest should be linked from it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5Jdm9kBsX0

― Marmot (marmotwolof), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 03:23 (nineteen years ago)

wtf - I am seriously considering going to Reykjavik for this..

― Baaderonixx: the lost ILX years (baaderonixx), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 06:57 (nineteen years ago)

Einar Örn is insufferable, and Björk sounds a lot better with another backing than the indie guitar one.

Dud.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 08:15 (nineteen years ago)

Einar rules ok.

― Marmot (marmotwolof), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 08:17 (nineteen years ago)

first album was an absolute classic (the icelandic versions were even more mysterious and otherworldly), and now i must try to go and visit iceland at least!

― joan vich (joan vich), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 08:24 (nineteen years ago)

Old story retold:

I was playing the "Here today, tomorrow etc" Lp one time while watching "Betrayal" the film on low volume, and just as "Regina" was fading out Michael Gambon turned to his dinner partner and said "Are you sure you don't want any Lobster?"

It was so made for shouting "I REALLY DON'T LIKE LOBSTER!!" in the cinema.

― mark grout (mark grout), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 08:29 (nineteen years ago)

SAY HELLO TO Einar Örn

― Marmot (marmotwolof), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 08:40 (nineteen years ago)

Heh! Legged it after Spiderman and Pretty Horseys.

― mark grout (mark grout), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 08:43 (nineteen years ago)

HAHAHA:
http://ilx.wh3rd.net/thread.php?msgid=5552729

I can just hear Einar on "Hyperballad"

BEFORE YOU WAKE UP
THE ALARM CLOCK
MAKES YOU HAPPY
IN YOUR SLEEPING
IT IS THE HAPPY
OF CLIFFS AND BOTTLES
AND CAR PARTS
I DON'T REALLY LIKE CAR PARTS

-- rentboy (rentboyd...), March 7th, 2005 1:54 PM. (rentboy) (link)

― Marmot (marmotwolof), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 08:44 (nineteen years ago)

try link again

wouldn't einar make bjork's solo career better?

― Marmot (marmotwolof), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 08:46 (nineteen years ago)

Einar Orn is the Original Noize Dude

― Baaderonixx: the lost ILX years (baaderonixx), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 09:38 (nineteen years ago)

bjork has a monobrow in the regina video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PznnQ9nhWFU

― jed_ (jed), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 11:30 (nineteen years ago)

remember seeing the original birthday video on The Chart Show one saturday morning. was just bjork stood in front of a window singing in icelandic. mother hated it, i went out and bought it the week after. can't find it on youtube.

― Koogy Yonderboy (koogs), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 11:59 (nineteen years ago)

i first saw it on the chart show too, koogs, and i did exactly the same. i think i had to save up to buy it.

― jed_ (jed), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 12:02 (nineteen years ago)

"Birthday" is one of the greatest songs ever written.

― Young Fresh Danny D (Dan Perry), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 12:24 (nineteen years ago)

lol @ Pitchfork "We heard rumors all week long"

COURSE YOU DID.

― ten kebabs maaaaate (fandango), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 14:21 (nineteen years ago)

Einar Orn is the Original Noize Dude

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 19 September 2006 14:23 (nineteen years ago)

one month passes...

So, the reunion is tonight! Please report, Icelandic ILM massive.

― StanM (StanM), Friday, 17 November 2006 13:05 (nineteen years ago)

http://youtube.com/watch?v=XEhjFVcseHA

― Colin Meeder (Mert), Friday, 17 November 2006 14:02 (nineteen years ago)

http://www.gotouring.com/razzledazzle/images/wave.gif

wtf - I am seriously considering going to Reykjavik for this..

-- Baaderonixx: the lost ILX years (baaderonix...), September 19th, 2006 9:57 AM. (baaderonixx) (link)

So, what's the weather like over there?

― StanM (StanM), Friday, 17 November 2006 14:03 (nineteen years ago)

oh well , Belgium is pretty nice this time of the year anyway...

― is anyone anticipating the new Baaderonixx? (baaderonixx), Friday, 17 November 2006 14:29 (nineteen years ago)

Yeah, it is...

xpost:
Thanks for that, Colin, great!

― StanM (StanM), Friday, 17 November 2006 14:35 (nineteen years ago)

A friend of a friend was there: Múm weren't too great, he says (they had fun on stage, but they sounded out of tune and boring), but the Sugarcubes were amazing: they played 22 songs and haven't lost any of their energy and enthusiasm (and then a couple of pics, with Björk looking *sigh* lovely in a silver dress).

― StanM (StanM), Sunday, 19 November 2006 17:06 (nineteen years ago)

Pictures at Pitchfork.

― StanM (StanM), Sunday, 19 November 2006 18:24 (nineteen years ago)

They didn't play Birthday?

Setlist:
01 Traitor (Icelandic [I])
02 Leash Called Love
03 Deus (I)
04 Water (I)
05 Bee (I)
06 Planet
07 Shoot Him (I)
08 Walkabout
09 Mama
10 Pump (I)
11 Regina (I)
12 A Day Called Zero
13 Ammæli
14 Coldsweat
15 Blue Eyed Pop
16 Motorcrash
17 Delicious Demon
Encores:
18 Hit
19 F*cking in Rhythm & Sorrow
20 Luftgitar**

**With Johnny Triumph and various band members' children

(The event was recorded)

― StanM (StanM), Monday, 20 November 2006 11:26 (nineteen years ago)

Duh. Ammæli = Birthday

― StanM (StanM), Monday, 20 November 2006 11:32 (nineteen years ago)

one year passes...

What happened to this?

― baaderonixx, Wednesday, 4 June 2008 16:24 (eighteen years ago)

Nothing, just like Björk's Union Chapel shows - recorded for future DVD releases too, but she doesn't need the money just yet, or something.

There is a singles box set on the way but that's just One Little Indian squeezing everything out of their catalog ownership (I don't know the exact situation, just guessing here)

― StanM, Wednesday, 4 June 2008 16:42 (eighteen years ago)

twelve years pass...

"Mama" is one of the best songs ever recorded

― Hello Nice FBI Lady (DJP), Thursday, 14 January 2021 21:10 (five years ago)

having hated this lot for years (for no rational reason at all),

i have recently realised that i actually love this one a LOT :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHs1OEghumU

― mark e, Thursday, 14 January 2021 21:37 (five years ago)

a friend recorded a cassette for me and in the free remaining space added a few sugarcubes songs, water being one of them.
i hated it immediately and for the longest time wouldn’t listen to any of their stuff at all, until this came out.
loved the remix, listened to the album and it completely changed my mind, got the rest after and loved it.
still don’t like the original version of water though.

― scanner darkly, Friday, 15 January 2021 04:13 (five years ago)

.. what?! there was a limited issue double CD of it’s it?!

― scanner darkly, Friday, 15 January 2021 04:14 (five years ago)

one year passes...

God, where have the sugarcubes been all my life

― ncxkd, Sunday, 6 February 2022 23:17 (four years ago)

search: Deus (remix)

― bad milk blood robot (sleeve), Sunday, 6 February 2022 23:33 (four years ago)

This performance of Deus is something

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TlViAids4_g

― ncxkd, Monday, 7 February 2022 00:53 (four years ago)

one month passes...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmGX6jtHGpU

― Maresn3st, Thursday, 31 March 2022 09:51 (four years ago)

three weeks pass...

search: "Leash Called Love"

also, "Chihuahua" sounds like it could be a remix of "Been Caught Stealing"

― j.o.h.n. in evanston (john. a resident of chicago.), Friday, 22 April 2022 23:17 (four years ago)

https://www.dailymotion.com/video/xkkg5u

― fpsa, Saturday, 23 April 2022 00:36 (four years ago)

and

https://vimeo.com/210010156

― fpsa, Saturday, 23 April 2022 00:37 (four years ago)

one year passes...

I’ve never been too into this group (beyond the big well-known songs from their 1st & 3rd albums… who doesn’t like those?), but maybe I just hadn’t heard the right LP for me, i.e. their second one. I’m almost thru listening to it now, and it hits!

I had to stop what I was doing when "Dream TV" was playing, and look at, like… what is this song??

― morrisp.fandom.com (morrisp), Tuesday, 25 April 2023 19:13 (three years ago)

Somehow all the musical elements that don’t really work for me (or even actively irritate) on the other two albums are really “doing it” for me on this one…

― morrisp.fandom.com (morrisp), Tuesday, 25 April 2023 19:16 (three years ago)

You must be logged in to post. Please either login here, or if you are not registered, you may register here.