SALAMANDER – Live At Northsea Jazz Festival (Dragon, 1981)

Instrumental, Swedish vocals
International relevance: ***

Despite having Susanna Lindeborg on piano, Salamander isn't a Mwendo Dawa offshoot but very much an entity of its own she took part in, with its own strengths and merits. They made five albums during the first half of the 80's, but only their debut, recorded live at the Northsea Jazz Festival in The Hague in the summer of 1981, fits within with this blog's time frame.

The album is full of very good multifaceted music, ranging from wild free jazz outbursts sometimes reminiscent of Albert Ayler to gentle lyrical passages and further on to cheeky silliness and then back again. Honest music that never takes itself too seriously, never falls into over-cerebreal traps which makes it a very accessible and very entertaining piece of work.

The first side is my favourite, and consists of three compositions by saxophonist Cecilia Wennerström. Despite all being different in tone and style, the three tracks make a flowing but cohesive whole. Second side has two tracks ”Vaggsång för havet” by Katarina Karlsson and the charmingly jerky ”Ekorrhjulet” by drummer Vanja Holm. Both tracks feature Karlsson's vocal and may be an acquired taste, but they're so disarming (especially on ”Ekorrhjulet”) I don't mind them.

Seemingly overlooked, Salamander was a most convincing constellation with a personal tone and an endearing charm, always open to surprise both themselves and the listener with compositions that not necessarily followed the expected direction.

Full album playlist

BRÖDERNA LÖNN – Säg det i toner... (Musiklaget, 1980)

Swedish vocals
International relevance: *

Here's an album with a rather unusual back story. Swedish radio legend Kjell Alinge wanted an album of old Swedish evergreens from the 30's and 40's performed as rock music. A one album only studio project for which several progg illuminaries were recruited: from the Blå Tåget camp we have Mats G. Bengtsson; from International Harvester there's Thomas Tidholm; Ove Karlsson came from in Arbete & Fritid; Thomas Svensson (later Stålberg), Anders Åborg and Thomas Wiegert joined in from Kung Tung, and to round things off, there's the omnipresent Sigge Krantz. They chose the collective name of Bröderna Lönn (literally: The Maple Brothers, Lönn being a fairly common Swedish family name) to make it sound like an old-fashioned combo. The result is curious to say the least. Thomas Tidholm takes the lead vocals, and never one found on any lists of the best ever singers, it's odd to hear him struggle his way through interwar hits. His trying vocals work in some formats like Hot Boys, but here it just sounds bizarre, even touching on what's known as 'incredibly strange music'. Thing is, the backing musicians don't sound as they enjoy much of it either, providing a stiff and uninspired backdrop to Tidholm's roller coaster croon. The only track that has some life in it is the seven minute take on ”Regntunga skyar” which manages to sounds eager and oddly desperate.

The idea behind this album was eccentric to begin with, and the results are abnormal. It wouldn't surprise me if ”Säg det i toner” adds a blush to the faces of the involved. I certainly hope they at least got a decent paycheck for the embarassment, but I doubt that since no well endowed people appear to have been involved in this dud.

Full album playlist

HARALD ”BAGARN” ANDERSSON, ANNA-LISA GRÖNHOLM & SVEN TJUSLINGS TRIO – Stjärnsmällar och tjuvnyp (Proletärkultur, 1978)

Swedish vocals
International relevance: -

Another leftleftleftwing release from Proletärkultur to go along with compilations ”Stöd de strejkandehamnarbetarna”, ”Hör maskinernas sång”, and albums by Dan Berglund and Maria Hörnelius. The 'star' here must be Harald ”Bagarn” Andersson, a baker, actor and local character who shares the vocal duties with sometime actor Anna-Lisa Grönholm. Unless you count the political message, there's not much progg to expect here. The music is more towards 30's and 40's couplets with that overdone singing style verging on speech. It's otherwise well played and the sound is professional (recorded in Nacksving's state-of-the-art studio) but it's incredibly boring – definitely one of the weaker Proletärkultur outings. It's best left untouched in the cheapo bins where you're most likely to find it.

No links found

ISILDURS BANE – Lost Eggs (Svenska Unikum, 1994; rec. 1976-1993)

Swedish vocals, instrumental
International relevance: ***

Founded in 1976 and hailing from Halmstad (home of Per Gessle), Tolkien fans and symphonic rockers Isildurs Bane didn't make their album debut until 1984 with ”Sagan om den irländska älgen” ('the saga of the Irish elk'). They weren't entirely unknown then, having recorded a lengthy session for Swedish Radio's slot for live music Tonkraft in 1982. And they'd been recording prior that, as archival compilation ”Lost Eggs” reveals.

Seven of of the tracks herein fall outside the scope of this blog as they were recorded between 1984 and 1994, but the remainder was put to tape between 1976 and 1982. So let's concentrate on them.

I'm not a fan at all of the synthetic approximation of British prog rock somewhere between Jethro Tull and Gentle Giant as presented on ”Sagan om den irländska älgen”, but their sound was most deliberate as proven by these early tapes. Many of their elements were already in place, the mid 70's FM rock guitars, the dated synthesizers, the 'complex' time signatures, the twee vocals and the overall cheesiness. The only difference is that ”Lost Eggs” isn't as cohesive as their proper albums, but that's no surprise as it wasn't recorded as such.

Isildurs Bane nevertheless proved to be a long lasting and well liked unit. They've even released two collaborative albums with prog master Peter Hammill in 2019 and 2021 respectively.

Full album playlist (Bandcamp)

BERNDT EGERBLADH - Nybyggarland (Sonet, 1973) / Kristallen den fina (CBS, 1975) / African Suite (Sonet, 1976)

Swedes of certain generations probably remember Bernt Egerbladh hosting a couple of TV series in the 70's and 80's, in which he interviewed other people and remembered his own past. Perhaps it would surprise those that Egerbladh makes an appearance here on this blog.

He was a noted jazz pianist long before the TV series with a discography going back to the early 60's. His debut on record came in 1962 with ”Fanfar!”, an album split with Lasse Lystedt Quintet. Egerbladh favoured a lyrical tone in the Jan Johansson tradition, but he also harboured pronounced modernist leanings early on, as demonstrated on the 1965 title track from ”Schizo”, his first album of his own. His solo output is surprisingly slim, but he was a beloved session musicians, playing on records by and/or writing music for Doris, Gimmicks, Heta Linjen, Ann-Kristin Hedmark, Rune Andersson, James Hollingworth, and Lill Lindfors. Some of these names may not mean much to a non-Swede, but they present a wide span of musical styles and interests. One of his best known tracks is ”You Never Come Closer” on Doris's sole album, a magnificent slice of uneasy fringe psychedelia. Considering his variety as songwriter as well as performer, this progg blog feature may not be that surprising at all. Egerbladh – who died in 2004 – was a curious explorer happy to take part in projects way outside the jazz world that fostered him.

Nybyggarland (Sonet, 1973)
Instrumental
International relevance: **

With all the tracks adapted from folk tunes of Northern Sweden, it's easy to see ”Nybyggarland” as a modernization of sorts of Jan Johansson's massively successful ”Jazz på svenska” released almost ten years earlier. But ”Nybyggarland” has a wider sound palette with Ulf Andersson (EGBA, Feta Heta Linjen) and Ahmadu Jarr on congas. The album starts out cunningly straight, but by the third track ”Vaggvisa från Norrbotten”, things are getting slightly strange. A foreboding organ creeps into one channel, a cembalo sounding instrument searches tinkling for a home in the other. About halfway in, the piano goes off into unpredicted terrain, as if it breaks free from the melodic centre and breaks up into modal streams. 

The melody of the title track is more like a suggestion of what to come, and soon gives way for a bass riff that establishes a strange moving rhythm building up to a mysterious, almost Arbete & Fritid-like bounce. The albums really goes off the rails with the next track ”Ja, kom då!” where Ulf Andersson's flute leads the way into a gurgling, pulsating and flat out trippy haze deepened by Egerbladh's druggy organ competing with his almost Mwandishi-styled electric piano. The album sort of withdraws a bit after that, but it has one surprise left, ”Hjortronmyren”, with a simple and persistent horn riff fleshing out Ahmadu Jarr's conga beat.

There's nothing bad on this album, but had the entire disc been like those three tracks I've singled out, this would have been a full-on masterpiece. Now, it's a good, maybe even great, album with some truly out-of-the-ordinary moments.

Kristallen den fina (CBS, 1975)
Instrumental
International relevance: **

”Kristallen den fina” works as a sister volume to ”Nybyggarland” insofar it's built around Swedish traditional tunes; only two tracks are original compositions but they retain a very folky feel and thus slip seamlessly into the program. The title track will be familiar to some readers as both Harvester and Made In Sweden used the melodic theme to their own ends. This version features what may sound like Jojje Wadenius singing along with his guitar in his typical fashion, but the guitarists here are Jan Schaffer and Jan Tolf (Egba, Häxmjölk). ”Barkbrödlåten” in turn is one of the high points on Kebnekaise's second album, and it's a stand-out also in this collection, largely because of Schaffer's really freaky guitar work. (Or is it Tolf messing about? Hard to tell, but it sounds more like something Schaffer would do.) It's also the track in this collection most likely to appeal to the average progg listener. Apart from that track, this album isn't as bonkers as the best stuff on ”Nybyggarland”, but it's a highly enjoyable album with very fine solo and ensemble playing. The folk material is strong and typically melancholic, and well suited for the careful jazz treatment represented here.

African Suite (Sonet, 1976)
Instrumental
International relevance: ***

Anyone expecting more of that bittersweet wistfulness of the two previous albums will be sorely disappointed with ”African Suite”. As the title say, this time Egerbladh looked to Africa for inspiration. It's a far more rousing experience than any of the preceding albums, and it's also the one overall closest to progg if you by progg mean Archimedes Badkar, Bitter Funeral Beer Band and Spjärnsvallet. (Christer Bothén's 1983 ”Trancedance” album with Bolon Bata also leaps to mind.) This demanded a larger ensemble, so Egerbladh drummed up an all-star line-up including several progg celebrities such as Ahmadu Jarr (again), Stefan Brolund (Egba, Oriental Wind, Pop Workshop), Lennart Åberg (Rena Rama, Häxmjölk, Bengt-Arne Wallin), and Malando Gassama (Ablution/Baltik, Häxmjölk). ”African Suite” is, for some reason, more cohesive than the other two in this trio of albums, which isn't to say it's at all samey -- on the contrary, it's a varied collection of tracks. The two I like the most are also the two most jubilant ones, ”Welcome To The Gambia” and ”Fire Dance”. Well, maybe I should mention the forceful ”Worksong” too, with its compelling beat constantly pushing forward relentlessly. But there really aren't any weak moments here. It helps though if you already like the African leanings of the abovementioned bands. If you do, this will be a nice discovery if you haven't heard it already.

Nybyggarland full album playlist
Kristallen den fina full album playlist 
African Suite full album playlist

ANDERS CARINGER – Valfrid (Wisa, 1975) / Cellstoff (Wisa, 1977) / Du nya du fria (Wisa, 1981)

Swedish vocals, English vocals
International relevance: **

A rather extensive curriculum vitae he has, that Anders Caringer: author, music and drama teacher, educationalist, crossword maker, pastor and prison chaplain, not to mention having been a musician since the early 60's when playing with various bands unknown to most. And then, releasing a mere three albums between 1975 and 1981 before returning as a recording artist in the mid 00's with another two albums (one being a three-CD box set). He's still active.

He made his album debut in 1975 with ”Valfrid”, credited to Anders Caringer and Bland Andra (meaning 'and others'). It's one of those albums that sounds unexceptional at first but appear a bit skewed when you listen closer, like some Christian 70's albums can be - the songs aren't simplemindedly linear and have quite a few unexpected harmonic turns. The style is basically singer/songwriter folk with religious and political concerns, but none of it too much in your face. The sound is predominantly acoustic with congas and harmony vocals, but you can spot an electric wah-wah guitar here and there. ”Verklighet” even has a full band and an off-kilter rhythm that falls somewhere between undeveloped reggae, semi-gospel and misunderstood funk ending up like nothing of it. Perhaps the track that best captures the underground feel that permeates the entire album. The real standout track however is ”Glädje”, an oddly lilting number with a softly soaring melody that expands and contracts, following its own path to a hypnotic jazz waltz rhythm. Definitely one hidden gem of a track!

”Cellstoff” followed in 1977 and has a very different sound provided a number of musicians including studio bassist Backa Hans Eriksson and the guitar work of Tomas Ernvik on a little less than half of the LP. Ernvik is particularly evident on ”Degdag” where his bizarre chords and chopped-up guitar fills perfectly emphasize the ominous mood of the track. Another successful track is opening cut ”Identitet” that features a quirky, jazzy piano solo that seems chase the restless beat down the road and out of town. ”Cellstoff” isn't as consistent as ”Valfrid”, but these two tracks are unusual enough to demand a listen.

1981's ”Du nya du fria” has a long list of credits but it's the sparsest sounding disc in this lot. The sound is skeletal but despite a small ensemble of wind instruments here and there. The bare bones production pushes Caringer's voice and religious/social/philosophical reflections to the fore. The songs have fewer peculiar twists this time, and while most songs are well written enough they're generally more ordinary than on Caringer's previous outings. The best track is also the most subdued one; ”Simons sång” is a heartfelt but somehow brooding song to a newborn child.

I think Anders Caringer is one of the more interesting Swedish Christian singer/songwriters I've come across. Not all here is great, but there are indeed more than worthwhile moments, even flashes of brilliance. You could easily put together a very good, LP length compilation of the best moments from these three albums. With the current upsurge of interest in the Swedish Christian music scene of especially the 70's, I think the time is ripe for a general Caringer (re)discovery.

Valfrid full album playlist
Cellstoff full album playlist
Du nya du fria full album playlist

DIDDLERS – Is Good For You (Sonet, 1969)

English vocals, Swedish vocals, other languages
International relevance: *

An early incarnation of folk band Låt & Trall, and more interesting from a historical point of view than a musical one. Musicwise it's straight-laced folk music with a very strong Irish bent. This may be 1969, but these days you can go to any local fake 'Oyrish' pub and hear exactly the same thing you hear on this album, complete with a mock accent put on for 'authenticity'. It works best when the always genuine Marie Selander takes the lead, as on the best cut ”Go To Sea Once More”.

Selander is one of the participants who later got an artistically rewarding career. Add to that Urban Yman who went on to Blå Tåget and the various Träd, Gräs & Stenar incarnations. The ever present master musician Kjell Westling was also a member of Diddlers, as were Pyret Lindström and Slim Lidén who both joined Freedom Singers a few years later (along with Selander).

By the way, shouldn't it be "ARE" instead of "IS" in the title?

Full album playlist

JOHAN PETRÉN – Bevingade ord (Spegling, 1982)

Swedish vocals

International relevance: **

With too many people carelessly throwing the word 'pretentious' around for anything they don't understand, let's see what the Oxford Dictionary has to say about the word:

pretentious adjective
/prɪˈtenʃəs/
(disapproving)

trying to appear important, intelligent, etc. in order to impress other people; trying to be something that you are not, in order to impress

Johan Petrén is a Gothenburg local singer/songwriter who released two albums, ”Bevingade ord” in 1982, and ”Ut i det blå (Sånger från Scilla)” in 1995. He emphasizes his lyrics and this is where 'pretentious' comes in. He has literary ambitions, but many of his wordings come off as cringeworthy. Like many a self-aggrandizing writer, he has a way of making banalities sound VERY IMPORTANT when they're in fact not, further emphasized by his somewhat pompous way of singing.

But Petrén is in fact an otherwise good songwriter. Some songs here are simply great, such as album opener ”Du är alldeles unik” with an lilting drive and an irresistably melancholic melody laced with the windy wooden sound of Maria Apelmo's simple but very effective recorder. ”Och floden fortsätter flyta” is the second best track in this lot and another perfect slice of Petrén's melodic talent.

”Bevingade ord” is – to the best of my knowledge – one of only three LP's released by the Spegling label (the other two being a classical record and a choir album). Their ambition was to record music unaffected by excessive production; they strived for a natural sound. The sparse instrumentation – the acoustic guitar, the flutes, the electric and acoustic basses etc – sounds full and rich and very inviting.

I oftentimes say that a dimension is lost on listeners who don't know the Swedish language, but in this case, it's quite the contrary. The lyrics are indeed the weakest link in Petrén's songs, so I'd say you're much better off not understanding them. That makes the songs stand tall on strictly their musical terms. While Johan Petrén carves out a slightly personal niche, I believe fans of (a much less lyrically talented) Kjell Höglund and (a much less political) Dan Berglund very well might love this.

There are lots of unreleased songs on Johan Petrén's Youtube channel, some dating back to the early 70's.

Tåglåt från Hestra
Ödets tärning
Visa till min käraste
Utan nån skugga
Och floden fortsätter att flyta

BJÖRN ARAHB – Jag är en bekymrad socialist (YTF, 1974)

Swedish vocals
International relevance: *

Björn Arahb was a visa singer (to remind you, visa is a certain kind of Swedish singer/songwriter music) that made handful of albums in the 70's and early 80's. Most of them are too far removed in style to warrant inclusion here, but ”Jag är en bekymrad socialist” (”I'm a troubled socialist”) qualifies.

Released in 1974, it's made up by songs written and released by the #1 visa singer Cornelis Vreeswijk. Several jazz and prog alumnis back him up, including Wlodek Gulgowski, Sabu Martinez, Jan Bandel and Luis Agudo (Energy). Lorne de Wolfe of Contact designed the album cover. Together they work up a funky groove on some tracks – try for instance ”Telegram for Lucidor”, ”En visa till Ellen när hon hade flyttat hemifrån” or ”Ågren”. Thing is, you can get it too from Vreeswijk's own albums around 1969/70, and better. And as Arahb tries hard to mimick Vreeswijk's special way of phrasing, ”Jag är en bekymrad socialist” comes off as a redudant work of a lesser copycat. The album is of course meant as a tribute but it falls flat compared to the original.

Full album playlist

SUB-GRUPPEN – När dom talar om fred (Subverskivbolaget, 1975)

Swedish vocals
International relevance: **

Subverskivbolaget was a shortlived Uppsala label releasing local bands like Rävjunk, Hemkört and Mobben. Sub-gruppen was a temporary constellation with members of Mobben and Teddybjörn Band. Also included are one track each by Trotsålderns Barn and Svend-Urban & The Bronkettes although the latter is probably just Sub-gruppen under another name. It's not a good album at all, with political lyrics and cringy vocals. The only exception would be Trotsålderns Barn whose ”Ingen av oss” is a pretty memorable track with a couple of unexpected twists and some nice guitar work. It's the only track here that sounds like it was recorded by a real band simply because it was.

Ingen av oss (Trotsålderns Barn)
När dom talar om fred
Chile Chile 
Katalansk rock
Inte en dag, inte en natt (Svend-Urban & The Bronkettes)
Privatchaufför och allt

BITTER FUNERAL BEER BAND WITH DON CHERRY & K. SRIDHAR – Live In Frankfurt 82 (Country & Eastern, 2007)

Instrumental, other languages
International relevance: ***

Recorded the same year as Bengt Berger's ”Bitter Funeral Beer” with basically the same people: only Kjell Westling is missing while Björn Hellström on bass clarinet and flute, and sarod player K. Sridhar are added. It's an all-star line-up with too many names to mention, but the individual efforts aren't as important anyway as the pan-continental collective outcome.

This live recording made by Frankfurter radio at the annual jazz festival at the Alte Oper in 1982 is more ragged and unkempt than the studio album. More on the edge, if you will. The nervous energy runs through the entire set, and comes through even in the slow ”Bitter Funeral Beer” which is given a particularly bluesy, mournful rendition.

While I really like the studio album, this recording is a more vivid document of the band. Even if you know you're in the safe hands of masterful musicians, they conjure up a loose spirit that keeps the music uncertain to the right degree. You never quite know exactly what will happen at what moment. It's a generally thrilling perfomance that grows in strength until the 25 minute jubilant ending (not counting the short afterthought "Gahu") with ”Funeral Dance”.

 

The album was later reissued on vinyl (minus "Gahu") in Italy with a different cover (as seen above).

Full album playlist

Also check out the TV broadcast of the show here!

3 POLITICAL TAPES ON KULTURFÖRENINGEN SPARTACUS

If the LP's won't get me, the cassette tapes will. They might very well be the death of me.

Kulturföreningen Spartacus was an association run by Kommunistiska partiet i Göteborg ('the communist party of Gothenburg'), previously KPML(r) who ran the Proletärkultur label originally. I suppose Kulturföreningen Spartacus as a label was just Proletärkultur in disguise. What belonged to who and who belonged to what political branch of the comminist tree is a mess, and quite frankly, I'm to tired of it all to bother finding out the exact threads and links and affiliations. In the end, it's all the same anyway.

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS – Rädda varven! En temakväll i Göteborgs konserthus valborgsmässoafton 1978” (Kulturföreningen Spartacus, 1978, MC)
Harald ”Bagarn” Andersson / Dan Berglund / Warschawjanka / Spartacuskören / Spartacusrevyn / Takt & Ton / Gamlestan-Lundens Sånggrupp
Swedish vocals, spoken word
International relevance: -

This was the first cassette-only release on Kulturföreningen Spartacus. It was recorded at a charity concert for the workers in the Gothenburg shipyards in 1978. Two of the performing artists of the evening are known from the Proletärkultur roster, Harald ”Bagarn” Andersson and Dan Berglund.

VARIOUS ARTISTS – KPMLr:s Valrevy 1979 Botten Upp! Revy Ex-Huset Heden 24/8-9/9 (no label, 1979)
KMPLr / CO Evers / Birthe Stridbeck / Harald ”Bagarn” Andersson / Anders Lönnbro & Bodil Mårtensson / Sven Wollter / Niklas Falk
Swedish vocals, spoken word
International relevance: -

Although no label is given on the cassette card and the catalogue number differs slightly from their other tapes, there's no reason to not assume this is just another Spartacus release. ”Bagarn” Andersson is here again, as is actor Sven Wollter.

WARSCHAWJANKA FRÅN GÖTEBORG– Solidaritetssånger (Kulturföreningen Spartacus, 1979)
Swedish vocals
International relevance: -

The third tape in this lot is a single artist release by vocal group Warschawjanka and so a bit different to the various artists compilations above. I wouldn't say better because it's still flag-and-fist waving galore with several typical communist anthems. A bit more on the folky side similar to FNL-grupperna and Freedom Singers.

None of these tapes seem very easy to find, but they're only interesting to the most seasoned Marxist listener anyway. If you still want to get a taste of this stuff, just pick any easy-to-find album in the ilk, they all sound the same and they're all interchangable.

A third/fourth Spartacus release appeared in 1981, ”10 års kultur i partiets tjänst”.

ÄdSGbviou opu sudpoOOoonmsn posduu

(Sorry, that was my death rattles.)

Rädda varven full album
Botten upp! full album
Warschawjanka full album playlist

MUSIKGRUPPEN RAA – Briggen Salta Anna (Piglet, 1981)

Swedish vocals, spoken word
International relevance: *

Musikgruppen RAA began in 1973 and disbanded ten years later after a plentiful of shows in Sweden and abroad. They did reunite in the early 90's however and is still active. During their first lifetime, they also released two albums on the bizarre label Piglet, the epononymous album in 1980, and ”Briggen Salta Anna” in the following year.

”Briggen Salta Anna” is a story album about the brig of the album title, full of short songs, the shortest being only 22 seconds. It reveals two fundamental things about Musikgruppen RAA: their love for children's music their love for UK folk in general and The Incredible String Band in particular. (The reformed RAA released a full ISB tribute album in 2010.) What makes ”Briggen Salta Anna” a hard listen though are the many spoken bits that carry the story. It sounds more like a radio play for kids than an album to actually listen to. And the proper musical portions are nowhere as good as the British/Scottish counterparts that so greatly influenced them. The album is a curiousity at best, and adds to Piglet being one of the weirdest record labels.

Full album playlist

MONICA TÖRNELL – Don't Give A Damn (Philips, 1975) / Bush Lady (Mercury, 1977)

English vocals
International relevance: *

Monica Törnell's first two albums are sadly underappreciated examples of Swedish folk rock. Not one to adapt to expectations, she turned away from what was a perfect setting for her wonderfully raspy voice sounding much older and more mature than she actually was. Her third album came in 1975, a collection of hollow sounding studio funk with English lyrics. It's a sad change, and although Törnell tries hard to fit in with the music, she sounds lost and desorientated. An artistic decline has rarely come as fast between two albums like this. The only interesting (not good, interesting) track here is the pained and totally spaced-out album closer ”Hangover”.

Her next album was ”Bush Lady” appeared two years later and continues along the lines of its precursor. The sound is a bit fuller, but the music is still ill-fitting  for Törnell. Her Van Morrison cover ”Into The Mystic” might appear an inspired cover choice on paper, but unfortunately she ruins it with oversinging. There are other moments like that on the album; it's as if she suddenly thought she was some Betty Davis. Thing is, Davis expressed her personality, a sexually frustrated flamboyant funk freak of the highest order which Törnell was not. It sounds entirely misguided and overreaching, almost on the brink of self-depracation. It gets a tad better when she cools it a bit on ”Catastrophie” [sic!] and ”Snowcold Day”, but it's much too little much too late.

Monica Törnell claimed she didn't give a damn, fine, but maybe she should have. After the initial promise, these two albums are a huge letdown and a serious waste of talent. But maybe she eventually realized it too, as neither of the albums are available on her official streaming channels other than partly in re-recorded versions.

from 'Don't Give A Damn'
(People) Don't Give A Damn 
Time Will Bring Us Together
Long Long Weekend
Give It Back

from 'Bush Lady'
Into The Mystic

RAGNAR GRIPPE – Sand (Shandar, 1977)

Instrumental
International relevance: ***

Ragnar Grippe was originally a EAM composer who studied for musique concrète pioneer Pierre Schaeffer in Paris in the early 70's, and also recorded some works in Luc Ferrari's electronic music studio that was released on ”Electronic Compositions” on Swedish classical label BIS in 1977 along with other earlier works. It is however his other 1977 album that gained most recognition over the years (and the only one to fit this blog), ”Sand”, released on Shandar, a French imprint made legendary by a back catalogue including Gong affiliate Dashiell Hedayat, Pandit Pran Nath, Steve Reich, Karlheinz Stockhausen and several free jazz illuminaries such as Sun Ra, Cecil Taylor, Albert Ayler and François Tusques.

The reputation of ”Sand”, inspired by the abstract art of Indian artist Paris Viswanathan, has grown with time, and it's easy to see it's appeal to fans of the kosmisch side of krautrock à la the Roedelius/Moebius camp, Ralf & Florian, and Tangerine Dream circa ”Phaedra”. It certainly fits in with that lot yet never quite sounds like any of it. Heavily echoed electronic sounds hover above a simple and persistent rhythm before it evaporates into distant remnants thick with delay. Never dense but transparent almost simplistic, it holds a certain charm. Not on par with the German stuff, but if you aren't used to more ambitious electro-acoustic music that can be quite rough on the unaccustomed ear, this would still be an easy and inviting listen. It should be pointed out though, that both parts are a bit overlong at 25 minutes each. They could have been shortened a bit without losing essence.

"Sand" is the only Grippe album that fits here, and his later activities are pretty puzzling. After "Sand", he recorded a new wavish disco (!!!) album in 1980 entitled "Lost Secrets", showing no resemblance whatsoever to his previous work. What was his ambition? To become a Swedish low-calorie Giorgio Moroder? Even later, he turned to soundtrack composing, making music for plenty of Swedish movies including blockbuster movie "Jönssonligan".

Full album

OKAY TEMIZ – Drummer Of Two Worlds (WEA, 1980)

Instrumental
International relevance: ***

Temporarily stepping away from the Oriental Wind brand, Okay Temiz teamed up with an all-Turkish line-up for ”Drummer Of Two Worlds”, including the excellent woodwind blower living in Sweden, Ziya Aytekin (check out his solo albums!). Sometimes labelled a jazz fusion albums, it's not the typical sexless stuff such a term suggests. It's still basically Turkish content within a jazzy frame as his previous albums, but more experimental and slightly more modern sounding. It's a particularly percussion heavy release, as proven by the title track, the frantic ”Ocean Roller” and the surprisingly spaced-out ”Repercussions”. While some tracks are excellent, I get the feeling that the more pronounced experimentation sometimes gets in the way of the substance of the music. It remains a good album, but it's more an item to complete your Temiz collection than one to begin building it with.

Full album playlist

VARIOUS ARTISTS – Låtar från Knuff (MNW, 1973)

Kabikiklas / Kenneth Nyström, Lars Garpenfeldt, Kurt Skoog & Finn Sörensson / Eftertryck Förbjudes / Urban Nilsson & Per-Olov Åström / Finkelmans Lakejer / Risken Finns / Hem Igen Med Maritha / Thomas Fahlander & Mats Rendahl / Konjak Och Ljummet Vatten / Halv Sex / Kul 67-gänget / Bristande Vardag
Swedish vocals
International relevance: **

This early MNW release is most notable for featuring the vinyl debut of Risken Finns, predating their first LP. ”Knuff” was a TV series discussing ”sex, gender roles, unemployment, school, life in the big city, and what it is like being young, for example” as the liner notes read. The track ”På strövtåg genom björnens dungar” by Bristande Vardag had previously been featured in radio show Bandet går but wasn't included on the ”Blandat band” album. ”Låtar från Knuff” is like a cousin to ”Blandat band”, as most of the featured artists were non-professionals and never released anything beyond this volume. The three Risken Finns tracks aren't actually the best on the album – that award goes to the quartet of unknowns Kenneth Nyström, Lars Garpenfeldt, Kurt Skoog and Finn Sörensson whose ”Tacka mina vänner” is anti-capitalist storytelling at its musical best, while Hem Igen Med Maritha's ”Den stora maskeraden” is a feminist intervention, oddly catchy with its light groove – much better than what political pamphlets usually are. Eftertryck Förbjudet in turn delivers a slice of pretty heavy proto-punk on "Vi är ju endast produkter".

Obviously not a masterpiece, this is still a valuable peak into a bygone era (with some sentiments still valid). At least if you know Swedish. In the ear of a non-Swede, this will probably sound just like an occassionally bad, sometimes decent and in a few cases very good compilation of bands and artists mostly long lost to oblivion. Which it is.

Eftertryck Förbjudes - Vi är ju endast produkter
Hem Igen Med Maritha - Den stora maskeraden
Risken Finns - Sexualdebatten
Konjak Och Ljummet Vatten - Över-rock

LOLLO ASPLUND – Eldsjäl (MNW, 1981)

Swedish vocals
International relevance: *

Lars Olof ”Lollo” Asplund is a rather overlooked figure now although he was a versatile, well-known character back in the day. He debuted to a wider audience already on a TV show in the early 70s, worked with a choir on one of his albums, wrote music for a movie in the 90's, performed regularly to and with children and released an album of children's music in the 80's. He wrote about music for a local newspaper and hosted several literary nights in his native town Linköping. He even scored something of a radio hit with ”Råckenråll till frukost” from his debut album ”Eldsjäl” recorded in 1980 and released the following year.

Despite being issued by MNW, ”Eldsjäl” sounds more like a Metronome album, like something by Ola Magnell. Asplund's slightly warbly voice and the occassional Latin American influence also make me think of Jan Hammarlund in places. The album has a well-rounded production courtesy of Thomas Almqvist, and a cast of musicians well acquainted to studio work including Stefan Brolund (Monica Törnell, Bernt Staf, Björn J:son Lindh, millions more), Malte Sjöstrand (Solen Skiner, Robert Broberg, Rolf Wikström and others) Ale Möller, Turid and of course Thomas Almqvist himself. The songs are well-written and there's nothing really wrong with it, not hard to listen to but essentially unengaging..

Full album playlist

KIM FOWLEY – The Day The Earth Stood Still (MNW, 1970)

English vocals
International relevance: **

Genius, svengali, entrepeneur, exploiter, starmaker, talent predator... Many are the words you can use to describe Kim Fowley but not all of them are positive. And what descriptions are used probably depends on who you ask. People who got in the way of his exploitative behaviour will most definitely have a few pejoratives to share.

Born in California in 1939, he worked in the sex industry in the 50's before becoming a self-made music manager, producer and songwriter in the 60's. Notorious for having created The Runaways in the mid 70's, and all along releasing bubblegum garage rock albums that walk the thin line between absolute crap and cheapo excellence. Unfortunately, the darker side of his mind and genitals too often came to the fore, and he was accused of unwanted sexual advances and rape by several women who worked with him. Ask the girls in NQB, the Swedish band that Fowley tried to pull his Runaway trick on (without succeeding), I think they have some stories to tell.

Fowley moved to Finland in 1970, produced the album ”Tombstone Valentine” by Wigwam before leaving for Sweden. He teamed up with young band Contact and produced their debut album ”Noboby Wants To Be Sixteen”. According to one member of the band, much work was done against their will, and hand to heart, it might be more of a Fowley album than a Contact album. Consequentially, he used them as a straight-up backing band on his own album ”The Day The Earth Stood Still”. Probably much to Contact's chagrin, I think ”Sixteen” is their best album, and they sound excellent supporting Fowley's Lou Reed drawl complemented by occasional grunts and groans. You could easily mix the tracks from the two albums and they'd sound great together. Especially if you cut away nonsense like ”The Frail Ocean”, ”Prisoner Of War”, ”I Was A Communist For The FBI” and the eight minute studio jam ”Is America Dead?” from Fowley's album.

But the band sounds absolutely great on most of the tracks. I even like the cover of ”Cadillac” where they manage to sound like T. Rex with Lux Interior of The Cramps in the place of Marc Bolan. And the driving beat of ”Night Of The Hunter” and the self-satisfied autobiographical romp of ”The Man Without A Country” isn't something you'd ever hear from Contact again. Some songs are even downright pretty, like the title track (a distant relative to The Velvet Underground's ”Pale Blue Eyes” and ”I'll Be Your Mirror”) and ”Pray For Rain”.

Despite some duds, this is one of Fowley's most consistent albums, and you can thank Contact for that. Perhaps they hated their sessions with this American trashcan Spector (as outrageous as the more luxurious original counterpart), but maybe that's the very reason why they have such a spark to them. ”The Day The Earth Stood Still” is a hidden gem in Swedish progg history, even more overlooked than ”Nobody Wants To Be Sixteen”, and a curious but excellent complement to it.

Full album playlist

ABSOLUT – Absolut (Marilla, 1976)

Swedish vocals
International relevance: **

Only album from this religious band released on Hans Edler's curious Marilla label, and produced by Vatten main man Tomas Ernvik. That's probably the most interesting thing about ”Absolut”, because despite some decent westcoasty harmony vocals and background wah wah and soft fuzz, the songs are too undistinguished for the album to take off. Best track is ”Kurragömma”, but the album is generally typical mid 70's Christian rock, i.e. borrowing features from hipper genres but coming up flat and soulless. I'd rather recommend another, better Tomas Ernvik related album from the same year, Tillsammans.

Tomas Paulson, the brain behind Absolut, has plenty of solo albums since Absolut broke up, and he's also a fivefold Swedish champion of noughts and crosses (!). He's now known as Tomas Hagenfors, Hagenfors being his birth name.

Full album playlist

JAN HAMMARLUND – Järnvägsräls - Live (Silence, 1982)

Swedish vocals
International relevance: *

As always with Jan Hammarlund's albums, it's a lot more fun to see who appears on them than it is to listen to them. This time, Kenny Håkansson joins forces with Ye Olde Helium Warbler. A live document recorded on various locations in the early summer of 1982, it's a set of songs not appearing on any other Hammarlund albums up to that point. With mostly band accompaniment, it has a fuller sound than other albums of his, but as many of the musicians (Håkansson included) adopt an up-to-date early 80's sound, it still sounds slicker than a lot of his prior work, especially with Dane Niels Hofman on fretless bass (not a good thing).

The album is notable for featuring a first ”Jag vill leva i Europa” that became something of a signature song for Hammarlund, especially when re-recorded a couple of years before the Swedish EU referendum.

Full album playlist with bonus track

DYANI, TEMIZ, FEZA – Music For Xaba, Vol. 1 (Sonet, 1973) / Music For Xaba, Vol. 2 (Sonet, 1980) / Rejoice (Cadillac, 1988) (all recorded in 1972)

Instrumental, English vocals, other languages
International relevance: ***

Turkish born drummer Okay Temiz is a true legend to me, partly for his involvement with the amazing Maffy Falay-led Sevda, and partly for his own ensemble Oriental Wind which like Sevda took the Turkish musical traditions into jazzy territories with great grandeur. But he also collaborated with other musicians as these three albums prove.

The twin volumes of ”Music For Xaba” were recorded one evening in November 1972 at Theatre 9 in Stockholm, with South African pianist/bassist Johnny Dyani as leader. Mongezi Feza was also of South African descendance, and a trumpet player who made his mark on Swedish music with Bernt Rosengren among others.

I'm not too fond of the ”Xaba” releases. The trio uses a lot of force to drive the music forward but it's as if there's something keeping the musicians apart despite the best of intentions. The best moments occur on the second volume, in Feza composition ”Mad High” and Dyani's ”Witchdoctor's Son”. I've heard these albums a fair bit over the years, but they still don't make real sense to me.

”Rejoice” is recorded less than two weeks before ”Music For Xaba” at The Modern Museum of Art in Stockholm (and not released until 1988). The sound is a tad lesser here but it's a superior date, with the three musicians connecting much better, creating a flow and an intensity lacking from the other releases. ”Mad High” makes another appearance here, as do ”Makaya Makaya Makaya”, and even though the former was a high point on ”Xaba”, this one tops it.

”Rejoice” demonstrates what this trio was capable of, ”Music For Xaba” that these guys also had lesser nights.

Music For Xaba Vol. 1 full album playlist
Music For Xaba Vol. 2 full album playlist
Rejoice full album

VARIOUS ARTISTS – Blandat band (Tibet -46, 1974)

 

 Ragnar Borgedahl / Sanitetsgruppen / Leif Ljung & Lennart Andersson / Ralph Onegård, Rainer och Reino Santi & Dan Jedenfeldt / Jämmer & Elände / Sjön Suger / Per Lönngren, Roger Wannberg & Bernt Lööf / Bernt Lööf & Jan Eriksson / Jemerton Jönssons / En Liten Ters / Equador Trampe & EVRF / Jaj Magnusson, Tore Söder & Alice Eriksson
Swedish vocals
International relevance: **

”Bandet går” (”tape's rolling”) was a Swedish radio programme riding the airwaves throughout the 70's, starting in autumn 1971. True to the 'play your own song' ethos of the then burgeoning progg movement, it provided a public slot for unsigned DIY artists who sent their often crude home recordings made on reel-to-reel or cassette tapes, hoping to get their short time in the spotlight presented by well-known pop presenter Kersti Adams-Ray and long time music asset Stefan Wermelin. Many – most! – never got any further, but a few artists later rose to fame and even fortune. Among the contributors were Philemon Arthur & The Dung (the epitomic band of home recordings), Per Gessle (later to become a international mega star with Roxette), Ulf Lundell and Joakim Thåström of Swedish punk legends Ebba Grön and arena postpunkers Imperiet.

With Stefan Wermelin's involvement and never-tiring passion for off-pist music, selections from the radio show were released on the Tibet -46/Musiklaget label co-operated by him. Most participants never released anything outside of ”Blandat band” (”mixed tape”), but Ragnar Borgedahl had great success with the irresistably catchy ”Hum, hum från Humlegårn” when re-released on his debut LP. Sjön Suger managed to release a full four albums in the years to come, while Jemerton Jönssons had only one album in 1975.

But the best tracks both feature Bernt Lööf. One along with Per Lönngren and Roger Wärnberg whose ”Alla här på jorden” has a slight Christian vibe but is a really good full band track. The other track is with Jan Eriksson entitled ”Kan ljuset vända åter?”, a semi-psychedelic jewel that was rightfully brought to new life on the excellent ”Swedish Meatballs” heavy rock compilation. Two really good songs that have me hoping for a full archival release of these guys. They certainly deserve it.

The rest of the material is, as suggested above, much less impressive. Choose between misguided stabs at humour that probably wasn't funny even in 1974, C grade singer/songwriters with hardly any merit at all, and some sing-this-all-together crap typical of its time.

Ragnar Borgedahl - Hum hum från Humlegårn
Bernt Lööf & Jan Eriksson - Kan ljuset vända åter?