FLÄSKET BRINNER – Fläsket (Ljudspår, 1972)

Instrumental, Swedish vocals, English vocals

International relevance: ***

Fläsket Brinner's second album ”Fläsket” has everything going for it. It's a double LP with one disc recorded in the studio and the other disc live, it has several Fläsket classics (”Jätten Feeling” immediately leaps to mind), it features both Bo Hansson and Mikael Ramel, there's a whole lot of excellent playing (of course). Still, something is lacking, at least on the first album in the set. But I can't put my finger on what. I mean, it is good but something's just not there. It doesn't sound as sparkling as their immaculate debut.

The live portion is much better. More spirited, more exploratory. More adventurous. Dangerous even. The rendition of ”Bosses låt” is simply unbelievable, like a monster growing right in front of you, five feet away. That's the Fläsket Brinner I love. Disc one is more like an approximation of the band. But with the live disc being half of the album, it's still a whole lot.

Please note that CD reissues lack two songs on the original LP, ”Pukolle I Valparaiso” and ”Wild Thing”. Not that you need their version of ”Wild Thing”...

Full album playlist (CD version)