With “Love Fool,” the Cardigans catapulted from a cult favorite to an international phenomenon. Instead of being happy with their success, they fretted about their artistic credibility, concerned that they were seen as merely a light pop band instead of an ironic pop band. This usually results in a self-conscious departure from form — and that is exactly what Gran Turismo, the follow-up to First Band on the Moon, is. There are still elements of the Cardigans’ melodic style, but they have trimmed away their sense of humor and style, adding vague electronica experiments and mildly distorted guitars in their wake. – Stephen Thomas Erlewine