The Cardigans
Super Extra Gravity
Nettwerk
By Eavvon O'Neal
The calculation of gravity on earth can be consistently approximated to 9.8 meters per second squared. The impact of The Cardigans’ newest effort, Super Extra Gravity, seems to fall even quicker, with a more resounding thud. Albeit, a respectable distance away from illustrating Murphy's Law, it does show certain foibles that could prove to hinder their progress.
These musical Swedes, who hail from Jönköping, won the hearts of many alternative rock fans with the single “Lovefool” off of First Band on the Moon, but the unfortunate lack of parallel between the song and the rest of the album, left listeners with that vacant feeling we all know too well. The Cardigans, three mediocre albums later, have delivered an album that does little to regain the hearts of their fickle fan base, but does show some progress from their last, noticeably more somber project, Long Gone Before Daylight.
Super Extra Gravity is heavy, in the sense that it abates the excess of mournful tendencies from the album prior. It’s ironic, but the fact still remains that The Cardigans are still teetering betwixt the joyful pop of old and the dark imagery that may be to blame for their current rut. This disjointedness doesn't produce the depth of a multidimensional narrative, and only creates an emotional ping-pong sensation that leaves the listener in a solemn fray. Songs that scream inner turmoil prove to be some of the most blithesome on the album. “I Need Some Fine Wine...” bounces in its entirety, over resounding toms and deep bass cords, while Peter Stevenson drives the track with great guitar work. ”Little Black Clouds” produces the same effect, with a contemplative poppiness contrary to the feelings produced from the title. “In The Round”, although simple in structure, harps on the monotony of publicity. “And Then You Kissed Me II” exemplifies the excess of shadowy imagery from Long Gone Before Daylight, without adding any significance to the album.
The Cardigans do an excellent job of creating a sound that is memorable. Perhaps it is the warm embrace of Nina Person’s vocals, the rest of the melodic presence of the Cardigans, or perhaps it is the teeter-tottering of the lyrical vicinity of which the band tends to inhabit. Whichever is true, one thing remains constant, The Cardigans cannot yet seem to escape the girth of their last album, which seems to keep them firmly on the ground, with only astronomic aspirations.
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