PROMILLE – Tonåring (UFS, 12", 1979)

  
Swedish vocals
International relevance: **

A small scale release with four tracks pressed onto twelve inches of vinyl. Promille had a melodic sense but also a rather heavy sound – last track ”Drömmen” for instance has a lot of AC/DC in its hereditary material. The 'political by proxy' lyrics deal with social issues of small town youth (”tonåring” means ”teenager”) and are quite well written. All songs are band originals and OK. The performances are convincing and it's clear that Promille had more talent than a lot of other obscure bands lacking the financial back-up from proper record companies. Unfortunately, they wasted it when they changed their name to Midnight releasing two dreadful AOR tracks on the Pang Records compilation ”Göteborgsrock/Ytterrock” in 1982. 

Full 12"  

KYLANS ROCKORKESTER – Complete singles 1979-1982

Rekyl's little brothers Kylans Rockorkester are previously represented here with their debut LP ”Välfärdsblues” from 1980, but they were a pretty active band with a back catalogue featuring one more full length album from 1983, a couple of V/A compilation appearences and several singles in both the 7” and 12” formats. These are the four singles they released during their original lifetime.

 

På din fela gul & blå / Ölrusig rock 'n' roll artist (Manifest, 1979)

Swedish vocals
International relevance: *

Their debut single predated their first album with about a year, but their blues based style were more or less carved out from the beginning, only a little less polished. None of the tracks are spectacular but the Creedence Clearwater Revival quoting ”Ölrusig rock 'n' roll artist” was later re-recorded for the debut album.

 

I Lycksele finns ingen hundpsykolog / Tip Top (Manifest, 1980)
Swedish vocals
International relevance: **

Released the same year as ”Välfärdsblues” but not featured on the album. B side ”Tip Top” is a country flavoured track of little distinction but ”I Lycksele finns ingen hundpsykolog” is a hard driving track that very well might be their best track of all.

 

Frihetsblues / Killarnas fantom (Tonpress, 1981)

Swedish vocals

International relevance: *

Two overtly bluesy tracks of little merit, curiously enough pressed and released in Poland.

 

I väntans tider / Egofil / För evigt fångad / Framtidsman (Manifest, 12". 1982)

Swedish vocals

International relevance: *

A twelve inch EP with a lot of production sheen pointing towards their final proper album ”Kylans snapshot” in 1983. These four tracks are closer to the more sophisticated last album by Swedish punk legends Ebba Grön than the early Kylans releases, making them even less interesting than their previous work.

På din fela gul & blå full single playlist
I Lycksele finns ingen hundpsykolog full single playlist 
I väntans tider full 12" playlist
Frihetsblues / Killarnas fantom

VARIOUS ARTISTS – Tvärsnitt (Caprice, 1978)

Featured artists: Hayena Band / Kattegatt / Claes Wettebrandts Trio / Vågspel / Puls / Boojwah Kids / Krubbits / Alter Ego / Marulk / Änglaspel
Instrumental, Swedish vocals
International relevance: **

The still active Caprice Records were very active pushing unknown bands to public attention, releasing a fair number of various artists compilations in the 70s apart from their regular output of folk music, jazz and contemporary composers. Albums such as ”Det nyjazzte från Göteborg”, ”Jazz och rockstipendiater 1976”, ”Jazz och rock”, and even ”Gatumusik från Stockholm sommaren 76” reveal their consideration of yet unsigned acts. Some remained unsigned, or were forced to release music on their own to make a mark outside of Caprice's release schedule, while others got a more or less prolific career such as Änglaspel, Boojwah Kids and Claes Wetterbrandts Trio. Kattegatt had an interesting album out on their private label, while the exceptional Hayena Band and symph rockers Alter Ego (later Alter Echo) had to wait decades before finally reaching out to the public with archival releases. Vågspel, Puls, Krubbits and Marulk were less fortunate and soon disappeared in obscurity.

”Tvärsnitt” is appropriately subtitled ”13 unga svenska jazz- och rockgrupper 1978” (=”13 young Swedish jazz and rock groups 1978”), so expect some diversity in style here, ranging from prog rock to average piano jazz. But the general competence level is high – some too competent for their own good, emphasizing skill over emotional content, but some of it is in fact quite good. I've already singled out Hayena Band as way above average, and Kattegatt were indeed interesting. The track from Puls starts out as pedestrian jazz fusion but suddenly bursts with heavy Miles Davis energy circa '71-'72. Boojwah Kids are what they are, but if you're into them, their ”Gul sak som känns” is a welcome addition to their small output.

If you don't expect absolute consistency, then ”Tvärsnitt” is a fairly worthwhile compilation with the odd surprise hidden away in the tracklist. 

Hayena Band - Puerto Tune  
Alter Ego - Innan strax före  

HOROSCOPE – Det är inte vårat fel att brännvin är populärt (TPL, 2025; rec. 1979-1980)

 

Swedish vocals, English vocals
International relevance: **

The album title means ”it's not our fault that licquor is popular”, but having heard their only original release ”Come To Me” b/w ”Gryning” (recorded in '79, released in '80), I objected emphatically to that assertion as the only way to get through that dreck is to be properly pissed. The A side is particularly bad, with a conspicuous lack of understanding of what makes a good song good. ”Gryningen” at least has a decent riff that reminds me of Midsommar's first album, but the song is spoilt by the vocals. So when I learnt that a full album compiling the self-financed single plus two previously unreleased 1980 studio sessions... well, let's say I was skeptical.

But I'm happy to admit that while the songwriting is still a bit shaky here and there, Horoscope made some progress in only a year. Singer, guitarist and songwriter Andrija Veljaca occasionally came up with a few tight riffs and got a better grasp of his songwriting in general. His vocals are still a bit of a stumbling block, but at least they're mostly OK on the 1980 tracks. Far from being an 'A' grade hard rock band (with a couple of nods to punk), Horoscope still had their moments as proven by this album.

The sound quality is mostly good, but as the liner notes warn you of, there's some tape drag on especially ”Nytt land” that will make you nauseous if you suffer from motion sickness. The final tracks also have a more muffled sound than the previous ones. Also note that at least some copies have a manufacturing error with all 11 tracks playing as one long.

Horoscope fell apart in 1981 when Veljaca left for Karlshamn band Turbo (who morphed into long running hard rock band Mercy). He died before his time from a brain hemorrhage in 2005. Second guitarist Tommy Wirén joined Ocean after Horoscope's ultimate demise. 

Full album playlist 

ISTID – Istid (Urspår, 1980)

 
Swedish vocals
International relevance: **

I don't know what put the misconception in my head that this was an album on the heavier side of things as it's clearly not. Istid's only album, released on the electic Urspår label (home to Kräldjursanstalten, Lars Hollmer, Von Zamla, Rena Rama, Lokomotiv Konkret and several others), is a rather spacious sounding effort in a folk influenced singer/songwriter vein. Two of the members were in other bands: singer/guitarist Lennart Lundgren used to be in Mendoza who cut one memorable CBS album in 1972, while bassist Christer Höglund made his presence known in two other low profile bands, Musikgruppen ACP that released one rare privately pressed single-sided LP, and the blues inflected Frontalrock and their self-released 7” ”Nattens Barn”.

Istid's capacious sound pretty much comes from them substituting regular drums with hand drums including tablas on a couple of tracks. Acoustic instruments are predominant, although best track ”Havet” adds a fuzz guitar solo to good effect. The rest of the material here is quite mediocre. 

Also, I don't like the vocals that often sound like a testosteronic Lasse Tennander. The songs are what they are, but ”Istid” would be more appealing had they skipped the vocal mannerisms. The album does have some nice characteristics but they are overshadowed by less attractive features. 

Väggen 

VARIOUS ARTISTS – Spanien 75: Solidaritet mot fascismen (YTF, 1976)

 
Featured artists: Malin Ek / Jeja Sundström / Eva-Lisa Lennartsson / Narren / Jan Malmsjö / Stefan Demert / Björn Ehrling / 27 Septembergruppen / José Barba / Monica Nielsen / Lasse Johansson / Stog Järrel / Kristina Adolphson, Grynet Molvig & Lis Nilheim
Swedish vocals, other languages, spoken word
International relevance: -

A charity album for Swedish Spanish Volunteers' Companions' Association Solidarity Fund (say that fast ten times) recorded live at an anti-fascist meeting against the Spanish Franco regime in 1975, the same year Franco died. The performers came from various genres. There's visa singers Jeja Sundström & Stefan Demert and Björn Ehrling, singing actors like Jan Malmsjö and Grynet Molvig, and a couple of acts closer to progg such as Monica Nielsen and Narren. Poetry recitals mix with Spanish and Swedish songs, and none of it is interesting to listen to fifty years on. As with basically every album such as this, it's a document frozen in time and it hasn't aged well at all. There's not one single track on this album worth hearing now. Once the proceeds from this album were transfered to the Swedish Spanish Volunteers' Companions' Association Solidarity Fund, ”Spanien 75” died just like artefacts of a purely temprary value die.

José Barba & 27 Septembergruppen - Julián Grimau 

PEDS POL – Blueskatarr (GoodWill, 1982)

 

Swedish vocals, English vocals

International relevance: **

A blues based band featuring musicians that would later go to other bands such as neo-garage rockers The Maryland Cookies and a reformed Solen Skiner. Peds Pol's only album was engineered by ex-Tempelrock guitarist Sten Tempelman.

I say ”blues based”, because Peds Pol wasn't an all out blues band. Judging by opening track ”Hungry Boogie”, they did count John Mayall among their influences, but there's a bit of straightforward pop rock here, as well as indistinct heartland rock. The most progg tinged tracks are ”Dimman” with a sort of Grateful Dead inspired ending, the ballad ”Kvinna i svart” and the jam soaked title track that ends the album. Overlong at 15 minutes, but still the best moment with some pseudo-psychedelic moves that would have livened up the entire album had they dared to show them more often. 

Dimman 
Kvinna i svart
Blueskatarr