The Cardigans - 'Super Extra Gravity'

[Note: Here's another in-school reference. I promise things will get broader when I start posting my non-school paper articles.]

For some bands, the last thing they need is a hit song. Sure, a chart topper brings exposure, but it can also pigeonhole a band and turn them into a one-hit wonder. Such a designation is damning. The ’90s, like any other decade, were filled with a whole slew of groups that were only known for one song. Nada Surf (“Popular”), Semisonic (“Closing Time”) and uh… Warrant (“Cherry Pie”), have all been condemned by their lone hits despite having a ton of other terrific tunes (well, okay, maybe not Warrant, but still…).

Another group to experience this is The Cardigans. The success brought on by the act’s “Lovefool,” which was featured in the 1996 film William Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet, was so huge that it has eclipsed everything else the band has done. The Cardigans have put out three albums since “Lovefool,” but that didn’t stop my fellow staffers from being surprised by the mention of the group’s name.

“They’re still around?” asked Sam Fran Scavuzzo. Yes, Sam, they’re still around, and their new album, Super Extra Gravity, is mighty fine.

Almost a year after its European release, Super Extra Gravity has finally come stateside, thankfully. The album continues the easy-going indie-pop that The Cardigans long ago mastered, while still being distinct from the group’s other releases. Where Emmerdale and First Band on the Moon are bright and peppy, Super Extra Gravity is mellowed out, perhaps showing the band members’ ages a bit.

The album begins slowly with “Losing a Friend.” A subdued ditty, the track instantly contrasts with any of the material from the last Cardigans release, Long Gone Before Daylight. “Godspell” picks up a bit with a dirty guitar riff. The song, along with “Drip Drop Teardrop,” has a pseudo-’60s rock feel to it. But as good as these first few tracks are, they’re merely that — good.

Super Extra Gravity doesn’t really break orbit until track five, “I Need Some Fine Wine and You, You Need To Be Nicer.” The Cardigans have maintained a tradition of putting one weird song on each album. Originally, this just meant covering Black Sabbath or dropping an instrumental/experimental track, but Long Gone Before Daylight introduced a new idea: write a pop song with bizarre lyrics. “And Then You Kissed Me” delivered with its catchy head-scratcher of a line, “Sweet love, tasty blood.” “I Need Some Fine Wine…” continues that trend with a tuneful comparison between flirting and dogs.

Things get even better on “Little Black Cloud.” Nina Persson enchants over a Smashing Pumpkins-y instrumental with, “The music wants me tonight/what time will you let me down? Little black cloud, I’m not done yet.” I’m not entirely sure what that means, but it’s so anthemic that I don’t care.

After passing through the delicious middle of Super Extra Gravity, things get extra mellow. Tracks like “In the Round” and “Good Morning Joan” still manage to tickle the ears, but it’s more of a soft caress than a thorough lobe rub.

Overall, Super Extra Gravity isn’t the best Cardigans album, but it’s still a solid collection of indie-pop tunes. It pulls the listener in for its duration and never gets dull. Fans of bands like Eisley and Nada Surf's last couple albums will enjoy this record.

Hey, Scavuzzo, I hope you check out what these one-hit wonders have been up to for the past decade. If you don’t like Super Extra Gravity after the first listen, I suggest you (wait for it) Play It Again, Sam.