Going Out: Pop: The Cardigans

What is it with Sweden? In the Eurovision 1970s, they had Abba and we countered with Brotherhood of Man. Now, in the guitar pop of the late Nineties, they give us The Cardigans whilst the British press is obsessed with the inferior Catatonia. Whatever, it's unlikely that Nina Persson and her band (left) are grumbling. Their Gran Turismo album has camped out in, or

around, the Top Ten of the albums chart since it was released in October, and that album's rocky riffs have helped attained a huge American audience. The Cardigans in 1999 are a more noisy affair than their previous, more dreamy pop, but there are still tunes aplenty guaranteed.

Civic, Wolverhampton (01902 552 121) Mon; Royal Albert Hall, London SW7 (0171 589 8212) Thur.

Tim Perry