In the music of bands from Sweden, listeners traditionally look for motives and echoes of the work of the famous ABBA band. But The Cardigans have been diligently dispelling these stereotypes since their appearance on the pop scene.
They were so original and extraordinary, so bold in their experiments that the viewer accepted them and fell in love.
Meeting of like-minded people and further association
Anyone who has ever tried to assemble a team (musical, theatrical, labor) knows how important the support of like-minded people is.
Therefore, the meeting of two metal-rock musicians (guitarist Peter Svensson and bassist Magnus Sveningsson), who instantly came to an understanding, can be considered a great success. It was she who became the starting point and the beginning of the creative path of The Cardigans.
A new group, mastering new genres, striving for new horizons and opportunities, appeared in October 1992 in Jönköping.
Soon, a wonderful vocalist, the owner of a delightful vocal, Nina Persson, took the place at the microphone, the rhythm section was replenished with drummer Bengt Lagerberg, and the keyboard parts of Lars-Olof Johansson added sound density and originality to the arrangements.
In order to save up money for a professional studio recording, the musicians settled in a small rented apartment, saved as much as they could, replenishing the general cash register.
And in 1993 they achieved their goal! The demo they created was listened to by producer Thor Johansson.
The originality of the sound and the expressiveness of the presentation interested him, and he immediately, realizing the prospects of the project, invited The Cardigans to cooperate. The team got the opportunity to work at a studio in Malmö.
Debut of The Cardigans
Already in 1994, the team released their debut album Emmerdale, presented in Stockholm. The audience was delighted with him with his melody and incendiary, dance rhythms.
A Slitz magazine poll showed that the Swedes consider this album the best among the new records that appeared in 1994.
Its popularity was also facilitated by the radio rotation of the single Rise & Shine. In addition, the record was very popular in Japan and was released there as well.
The talent and performing skills of the musicians, the original repertoire and competent management are the components of the success of The Cardigans.
The group quickly acquired a significant number of fans, which soon allowed her to go on tour in Europe. In parallel, the artists worked on recording a new album, Life, which was presented in 1995.
The specific design of the cover and the progressiveness of the arrangements with the use of non-standard sound effects struck the imagination of the listeners, multiplying the army of the band's "fans" many times over.
The Carnival single became a hit, and the disc went platinum in Japan. International recognition and fame "spilled like a golden rain" on the artists.
The creative path of the group
In 1996, the team signed a cooperation agreement with the record company Mercury Records, which is one of the largest American labels.
A year later, the result of this collaboration - the album First Bandon the Moon, containing the most popular composition Lovefool, became a new cultural event.
The song Lovefool became the gem of the Romeo and Juliet soundtrack, and the disc sold out at a tremendous speed in all corners of the world, earning platinum status in Japan and the United States within three weeks.
Further work of the group showed that the musicians were more and more interested in rock music. The sound became more and more aggressive, there is melancholy and depressiveness in the lyrics and music, but this did not repel the fans. On the contrary, it attracted new listeners into their ranks.
The lyrical album Gran Turismo (1998) with the amazing rock ballad My Favorite Game, the video for which was not shown in the original format on television due to ethical reasons, elevated The Cardigans to the heights of popularity.
The group went on a world tour. True, without one of its founders (bassist Magnus Sveningsson), who was forced to temporarily leave the band.
Breakup of The Cardigans
Then some calm followed. The musicians took up solo projects: Nina Presson recorded a CD with A Camp, Peter Svensson played with Paus, and Magnus Sveningsson performed with a new stage image and the name Righteous Boy.
Fans were waiting for the return of the team. Australia and Japan published collections of songs that were never hugely popular.
The return of the group
The Cardigans returned to the stage in 2003. Their record Long Gone Before Day Light, which sounded closer to acoustic sound, became very popular.
A few years later, the group returned to the traditionally assertive sound and, under the guidance of their producer, who renewed the contract with the band, released the Super Extra Gravity album, which occupied a leading position in the charts.
Tours and publication of collections of the best songs, and then again a lull and solo work of musicians. And only in 2012, the artists resumed joint performances, but now with Oscar Humblebo, who took the place of Peter Svensson.
Currently, the group continues to perform, maintains its own website, and is engaged in sound recording. Maybe the best times for them have passed, but their music is not forgotten.
