STEN BERGMAN – Lyckohjulet (Gump, 1974)

Swedish vocals, instrumental

International relevance: ***

Sixth album released on Metronome's highly collectable subsidiarylabel Gump. Sten Bergman had been in Atlantic Ocean and Fläsket Brinner and features former band colleagues Per Bruun on bass, guitarist Bengan Dahlén, plus Archimedes Badkar's Christer Bjernelind also on guitar, and Thomas Mera Gartz of Träd, Gräs Och Stenar on drums and violin. ”Lyckohjulet”, however, is a much more straightforward than any of the aforementioned bands. It shows Bergman well acquinted with the American music of the day – think of a more relaxed version of early 70's Jefferson Airplane, the Crosby, Stills & Nash family, The Band and ”Basement Tapes” Dylan, and you've nailed the album pretty well.

Among the weaker tracks are the country tinged title track and ”St. John”, the piano ballad ”Vinterdröm”, and ”Kommer hem” which borrows a little too much from Dylan's ”Like a Rolling Stone” (did Bergman really think no-one would notice?). But the good tracks are really good – ”Människofiskare”, ”Med dej här bredvid”, ”För mycket av ingenting” (”too much of nothing” in English – spot the Dylan reference?), floaty album closer "Sorti" and, to top it off, the marvellous ”Vägen är lång”. In short: It's uneven but good, with one great track. 

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