release date: Apr. 1988
format: vinyl (tplp5) / cd
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,78]
producer: D. Birkett, R. Shulman
label: One Little Indian - nationality: Iceland
Tracklist: A) 1. "Traitor" (2 / 5) - 2. "Motorcrash" - 3. "Birthday" (5 / 5) - 4. "Delicious Demon" (4 / 5) - 5. "Mama" - - B) 1. "Coldsweat" (2 / 5) - 2. "Blue Eyed Pop" - 3. "Deus" - 4. "Sick for Toys" - 5. "F***Ing in Rhythm & Sorrow"
Studio debut album by The Sugarcubes produced by Derek Birkett and Ray Schulman. I had really been looking forward to it, hoping for more great tracks like the marvelous "Birthday", so I was a bit disappointed by this after rushing out to buy it upon its release. The opening track is a bit dull and a bit uninspiring. "Motorcrash" is better but still not great. "Delicious Demon" is refreshingly funny and energetic, and a great track. "Mama" is... dull art pop and far from the sparkling energy on their best tracks. "Coldsweat" is like an alternate version of "Traitor", which isn't great. "Blue Eyed Pop" is like Talking Heads on speed, and that's quite enjoyable. "Deus" is again too much art pop but with fine vocals by Björk and Einar Örn. "Sick for Toys" is strange post-punk art punk and a rather weak track, and the closing track (on the original vinyl release) "F***Ing in Rhythm & Sorrow" is also strange, but in a funny crazy drunken blues rock kind of way. Overall, the debut is interesting with great tracks and it appears as highly original but also a bit uneven, and not on par with my expectations; however, it is enlisted in "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die" and is a recommended album.
