Sound check

Sweet sounds

New CDs feature good combinations

The Cardigans
Best Of
Universal

With a career spanning more than 15 years and millions of album sales worldwide, The Cardigans remain one of Sweden�s biggest indie-pop bands. Now they�ve finally got around to releasing all of their hits on one album with the long-awaited Best Of collection.

If you�re not familiar with the Cardigans, this compilation is highly recommended. It covers the band�s output from 1994 to 2005, comprising 21 of their finest moments. All the hits from their six studio albums are here, including their breakthrough hit �Carnival,� while �Lovefool� and �Rise & Shine� still sound fresh as ever.

Catchy guitar riffs, jazzy chords and overall great musicianship combine with Nina Persson�s vocals to create a truly unique sound that�s won them many fans since their formation. Some of the more experimental material in the later albums can also be found here, such as �My Favourite Game� and �Erase/Rewind,� as well as more recent stuff like �I Need Some Fine Wine and You� and �You Need to be Nicer.�

One of the great things about this compilation is that it�s a two-CD set. The first disc contains the singles along with a few selected album tracks, while the second disc features rarities and B-sides � adding up to an extra 24 tracks of varying quality.

This is a good album to purchase for long-standing fans of the Cardigans. It�s also perfect for those who are just acquainting themselves with music from one of the most underrated bands of the last 15 years. � TB

Sweet Mullet
Light Heavyweight
Genie Records

Sweet Mullet seem to be developing from post-hardcore to modern rock, following the popular emo trend along the way. It�s an interesting development from their more underground days, and it may be a good way for them to pick up more fans in the future.

If you�ve been a fan of Sweet Mullet since their days as an underground band, then you may be a little disappointed with Light Heavyweight. The hard-rocking sound that the band had with their first EP, Panaphobia, is only featured in a few songs here.

Each song on Light Heavyweight stands as a good track in itself, but overall the mix of styles isn�t always smooth.

Some of the tracks feature their typical hard sound, while other tracks are very soft and sound completely different. As the title Light Heavyweight suggests, this album is a real mix of light and heavy sounds.

Sweet Mullet may have enough ability to develop this particular music path successfully. � VH

	long-awaited (adj): that people have been waiting for a long time breakthrough (n): an important development leading to success acquaint (v): to make yourself familiar with or aware of something underrated (adj): not recognised for how good or important it is disappointed (adj): upset because something did not live up to your expectations ability (n): a level of skill and intelligence path (n): a plan of action or a way of achieving something