“Great Divide” recognizes the pain caused by the “wicked things” people say to each other.
On “Heartbreaker,” the lead singer describes herself as a loser who uses sex to feel better. Elsewhere, she reinforces that low self-image by telling a partner, “I don’t care if you really care as long as you don’t go” (“Lovefool”), and by choosing to endure abuse rather than lose a man (“Step on Me”). While perhaps speaking figuratively, she admits to playing the role of “mistress” and “whore” to an old boyfriend (“Been It”). Drinking wine and “kinky” musings are among the highlights of a date on “Happy Meal II.” In addition to devaluing down-and-outers-and referring to a person’s soft spot for them as a weakness -“Losers” uses the f-word to make its point. The band has confessed to a preoccupation with “the dark sides of love.”
The Cardigans specialize in bouncy pop melodies (sung by Nina Persson) with stylistic throwbacks to the early ’70s. But that sonic perfume does little more than aromatize songs about relational dysfunction and misery.
