Wednesday, September 12, 2018

WERUP-SJÖSTRÖMGRUPPEN / STORM – Complete albums 1973-1977

Centered around poet and former jazz musician Jacques Werup, the group Storm was preceded by his collaboration with saxophonist Frans Sjöström, Werup-Sjöströmgruppen. They made their vinyl debut with as Werup-Sjöströmkvartetten on ”Club Jazz 1”. a split album with Nils Lindberg in 1970. Werner-Sjöströmgruppen's first and only album came three years later with ”Makten och härligheten”, disbanded soon after, with Jacques Werup forming the progressive Storm.

Makten och härligheten (Sonet, 1973)
Werup-Sjöströmgruppen
Swedish vocals
International relevance: **

Jacques Werup is involved as a songwriter in seven of the thirteen tracks on ”Makten och härligheten”, providing lyrics to five of them. The jazz is still there of course, but the arrangements are varied, some of them utilizing a string quartet and some revealing a cabaret influence. Unfortunately, the histrionic and pretentious vocals (sometimes with a squeak not unlike Swedish 80's pop star Tomas Di Leva) ruin what could possibly have been a better album without them. Artwork by painter Ola Billgren.

Stormvarning (Harvest, 1974)
Swedish vocals, other languages
International relevance: ***

Storm was very different to Werup-Sjöströmgruppen, with their music taking cues from prog, jazz, experimental and Moody Blues' soft symph. ”Stormvarning” occasionally reminds me of Samla Mammas Manna in approach bit not sound. The album is full of ideas presented in an imaginative way that's hard to describe. Not a great album but interesting enough to hear at least once.

Storm at the Top (Harvest, 1975)
English vocals
International relevance: ***

After their quirky debut, Storm suddenly went for a more 60's inspired sound, with English lyrics and pop melodies filtered through perhaps The Sensational Alex Harvey Band, Cockney Rebel, and early David Bowie? It's a much weaker outing than ”Stormvarning”, and although Storm tries to put a personal spin to it, it sounds derivative and fake.

Casanova in Mjölby (Harvest, 1977)
Swedish vocals
International relevance: ***

For their third album, Storm changed their style again with a new rhythm section inherited from Lotus. ”Casanova in Mjölby” is a concept album (in short, the story tells the story of seducer Casanova turning up in small Swedish town Mjölby – phew...). The music is like a mix of their first two albums, melodic but progressive. It's better than the inferior ”Storm at the Top” but sillier than than ”Stormvarning”. Great cover art though.

Storm was obviously a band full of ideas but not all of them were very good. The initial appeal of some of what they did wears off after a few listens. ”Stormvarning” is their best, but while not very expensive, I advise you to listen before you buy. Several former Storm members continued making music in various contexts; Werup released several albums under his own name and kept writing books up until his death in 2016.

Stormvarning full album playlist

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