release date: Sep. 1989
format: vinyl (gatefold) / cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,63]
producer: The Sugarcubes, Derek Birkett
label: One Little Indian - nationality: Iceland
Tracklist: 1. "Tidal Wave" - 2. "Regina" (4 / 5) - 3. "Speed Is the Key" - 4. "Dream TV" - 5. "Nail" - 6. "Pump" (3 / 5) - 7. "Eat the Menu" - 8. "Bee" - 9. "Dear Plastic" - 10. "Shoot Him" - 11. "Water" - 12. "A Day Called Zero" - 13. "Planet"
2nd studio album by The Sugarcubes was a highly expected follow-up to a very interesting debut, but moreover, they were so overly hyped at the time after the debut that they could only fail to fulfill the expectations, and therefore they did. I was extremely disappointed and didn't even buy the album at the time. My initial ratings were probably 2 out of 5 stars as I only thought it had one great song, and one so-so. About ten years after I was so tired of Björk's singing voice that I still couldn't listen to this, so it's actually not until after 2005 that I have come to appreciate this album more. Still, I think it contains one great song, and it's still "Regina", which I think nearly pars "Birthday", but the remaining songs appear much better - today, I think. "Tidal Wave" is a fine track, and a few others shine thanks to varied, complex and good songwriting, BUT it's also music a bit away from the daring simple indie pop, which brought them fame in the first place. The song "Pump" sounds like Björk solo, maybe like a track from Debut (1993) or Post (1995)? I don't think this is their very best but in retrospect, I don't think The Sugarcubes ever released anything poor and this album still contains a few good singles.
