The 17 Series: The Sugarcubes

 

The 17 Series: The Sugarcubes (Nick)

The period of The Sugarcubes brief existence, a bit before 88 up until 92, coincided nicely with my discovery and early appreciation for weed and LSD. My music listening habit is typically to obsess deeply over one band at a time, and for those years it was The Sugarcubes. They were the band that I couldn’t wait until the next album came out - and when it did, that album would be on repeat for weeks. I only got to enjoy 2 of those “next albums” - they only have 3 - but damn, what albums they are! When I got to see them live, it was one of the most exciting concerts I have ever seen.

A huge part of the band's appeal, of course, is Bjork. I won't bore you with how much I loved her, but she blew my mind when this band came out. I didn't initially follow Bjork into her solo career. I suppose I was miffed, and the music was different. Of course she gets the spotlight in The Sugarcubes, but her vocal partner Einar Orn is no slouch. He's actually hilarious. And he served as a member of the Reykjavík City Council between 2010 and 2014! Part of my work is to telecast the Saint Paul City Council. I wish he was a member. That would be fun!

I did included a few songs from a remix album that came out soon after they wrapped up. Those songs bear little resemblance to the originals, but are fun. 1992 was probably the peak of the remix era. The DJs were very creative at that time and we all weren’t tired of the genre yet.

The Sugarcubes are a high energy band. It actually takes work to listen to them! They are not for long, contemplative walks in the rain… but on hot day, driving around with all the windows open, when you’ve had WAY too much caffeine - fuckin’ turn it up!

Comments

  1. NickFebruary 21, 2021 at 6:30 PM

    Question:
    The Sugarcubes are one of my favorite bands to sing along with. Mostly because the lyrics are so silly and creative - but also because Bjork and Einar have rather unconventional singing styles. I also enjoy belting out the similarly silly lyrics of Soul Coughing and Stump, among others.
    What are some of the bands you sing along with loudly, in the privacy of your car or where ever???

    ReplyDelete
  2. chrisFebruary 23, 2021 at 1:13 PM

    I only listen to the radio in the car, and the song I sing along to most often is Todd Rundgren's "I Saw the Light", which is my favorite song. I listen to old school r&b in the car half of the time, and I like to sing to Peaches & Herb's "Reunited", though I don't hear it too often.

    ReplyDelete
  3. chrisMarch 13, 2021 at 7:39 PM

    I saw Bjork in real life once hanging out a park in downtown San Francisco. Her then-husband had an exhibit at the SF MOMA across the street. She was wearing what looked to be a thrift store pink dress. My friend Ricky literally bumped into her earlier that morning.. he came into the office and said "either I am crazy, or I just bumped into Bjork a minute ago." Seeing her in the park at lunch confirmed it.

    ReplyDelete

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