The Sugarcubes' Second Album... or When Impulse Buys Go Wrong
I am a sucker for affordable used cds. Just show me an album cover, a cheeky song title, or simply a vaguely familiar band name and I consider purchasing the record. Sometimes it works, as I've inadvertently gotten into Archers of Loaf, the Afghan Whigs and Tugboat Annie through these means. However, quite often it's typical dreck that is best left unheard (and piled somewhere in the corner of my room). I suppose everyone has their thing that makes one effortlessly part with money without thinking all that much. Cheap music is mine, and this past weekend at In Your Ear! in Harvard Square I was on a roll. I had just hit up Planet Records for a few discs that looked appealing and figured I might as well just head around the corner to In Your Ear for a poke around...
I noticed they had a few lengthy $5.99 used cd bins of the typical 90s schlock that made me wince out of memory. I mean c'mon, Smash Mouth's "Fush You Mang" for six bucks? Eeeyarrgh. But yeah, that kind of stuff. However, once I squished towards the back of the store I found a more agreeable bin that held the Who's "My Generation", Tom Petty's grinning debut record, and oh look, the Sugarcubes' "Here Today, Tomorrow Next Week!". Hmm, I'd heard of them... knew that Bjork was in the band before she went solo at least. I also knew they were well liked but broke up pretty early on (due to, ahem, Bjork). I figured well, I liked Bjork, their rep seemed good enough, and the album design looked pretty fun. See?
So it was on my maybe list until woah, what's this, a three cds for $15 deal?! SOLD! I figured $5 was a worthy gamble on a credible band that I imagined would be good for a few spins here and there until I filed the record away for a later date.
Awful. Awful decision. If I could return this album and a get a dollar back I would but wow, this record s.u.c.k.s. Bjork does sing nicely on the record when she's given some room and the band does sound like it's having a great time producing poppy, catchy music out of Iceland. However, there's this GUY. The damn keyboardist, of all people, mucked up the whole damn record. Einar Mellax was given license to hoarsely yell over most of the album with what I can only deem as weak attempts at goofy repartee with Bjork. A song starts, he yells some stuff, Bjork sings prettily for a little awhile and then it's him again. Every song. Perhaps the group thought he was hilarious and that everyone else in the world would laugh along at this guy's screeching. No. You were wrong, Sugarcubes, and you cost me five dollars.
I thought it was nearly a sure thing with the evidence I had built up in a minute's time looking at the cd rummaged out of its used bin depths but man, I whiffed on this one. In the future I think I'll just have to use some will power or stick to the proper allowance on impulse cd buys (a buck or two per disc), but in the meantime I am going to stick this asstastic disc underneath a few other misfires, never to be seen again. The Sugarcubes need to send me a refund.
