KRAMP – Kramp (Subliminal Sounds, 2026; rec. 1978)

 
Instrumental
International relevance: ***

Unknown and previously unreleased recordings from a three-piece with members from Hallstahammar and Västerås in the middle of Sweden. Kramp were founded in 1975 and kept going until the mid 80s without releasing a single note, leaving only rehearsal tapes behind finally unearthed and released as a digital album by Subliminal Sounds. All longhaired, instrumental power trio jamming, they sound like a heavier and darker Rävjunk at their very jammiest. It's definitely wanky with a clear influence from Hendrix during his Band Of Gypsys days, but it's also incredibly energetic with a pronounced basement feel in over the top distortion fidelity. Melody takes the back seat with the massive chunks of Erik Åström's lead guitar being Kramp's sole raison d'être. Fucking annoying or an indispensable fire spitting take no prisoners blow-out depending on your mood. If you think Terry Brooks & Strange are too held back and Id's 1976 underground six string wanker classic ”Where Are We Going?” is too mawkish, this will blow your mind to smithereens. Especially the first track (simply entitled ”Jam 2”) which is so intense it will sever your limbs if you can withstand its full 23+ minutes running time.

Full album playlist (Bandcamp)

LEVITICUS – STÅ OCH TITTA PÅ (Stanley & Andrew Music, 12”, 1982)

 

Swedish vocals
International relevance: *

Although Leviticus never acheived the same general success like Jerusalem did, they were one of the major Christian hard rock bands back in the day. Leviticus were closer to heavy metal (where Jerusalem were steeped in the older hard rock tradition), and most of what they did is both too late and too metal for this blog. This debut 12” makes it by the skin of its teeth thanks to the final track of the four. The first three aren't something to waste any words on, but ”Min mästare” is more symph than heavy metal. And with its seven minutes, it becomes rather epic in scope with synths and extended solo guitar. Had it only been better mixed (drums and vocals too low, synths too loud) it could have made more impact though. ”Stå och titta på” is a bit valuable in its original vinyl incarnation and was reissued as a CD EP in the early 00's by a U.S. label, but it's not really worth seeking out. ”Min mästare” is indeed the best track in this set, but still not good enough to motivate a purchase in any format.

Full EP playlist

BJÖRN EHRLING – Utan gräns (YTF, 1976)

  
Swedish vocals, a cappella
International relevance: *

Visa singer Björn Ehrling is previously represented here with his second and final album ”Frihetens fantomer” from 1978. ”Utan gräns” is highly political as shown by Swedish versions of the anti-fascist ”Los Gallos” and the oft-recorded ”Venceremos”. The album has a Spanish and Chilean slant, but there are also songs of Soviet, East German and Swedish origins. The best song however is ”Till Allende” written by Troels Trier from Danish agitprop band Røde Mor.

”Utan gräns” is mostly a singer/songwriter (or visa) album but it has a few proggish features thanks to Björn J:son Lindh's and session drummer Claes Wang's presence. Final track ”Uppmuntran” even has some spacey electric piano effects. It's a tolerable album overall, especially coming from the overtly political side, but it's a long, long way from essential.

Full album playlist 

VARIOUS ARTISTS – JAZZ- OCH ROCKSTIPENDIATER 1976 (Caprice, 1976)

 

Featured artists: Text & Musik / Krokus / Sonant Space
Instrumental, Swedish vocals, other languages
International relevance: **

These three bands were all awarded a Swedish Concert Institute grant that included a nationwide live tour, sessions for the Tonkraft live radio series; and an LP release split between the bands. The concert institute's own label Caprice Records were responsible for the album release.

Krokus were improvisation jazz, Sonant Space fusion, and Gothenburgers Text & Musik had rock leanings. Of the three grant holders, only Text & Musik went on to a recording career, including two albums for the Nacksving imprint. Krokus however had a trombone player that later became very famous in both the national and international fields of soul, pop, funk and jazz, namely Nils Landgren. Krokus appear with one long track that moves from spiritual jazz to 'organized free jazz' before ending in an almost folkish, lyrical fashion slightly reminiscent of Arbete & Fritid. Their portion is the best on the disc.

Sonant Space (later known as just Sonant) played a complex mix of prog rock and funk, and clearly ambitious, they were a bit too ambitious. Their two tracks are unnecessary complicated, and Sonant Space sounds like a young band (which they were) that really wants to prove something. Obviously technically skilled but like too many bands in that ilk, they go so hard at it the results become messy and unfocused. Some sections are just fine, but with so much nervously going on, their contributions sound more like exercises in high level mathematics than focused music. (A third track from the same Tonkraft session as these selections is available on Youtube.)

The three songs by Text & Musik are very different to each other. ”Ibo-Le-Le” is a Haitian voodoo song, ”Ljusen har slocknat i Shanghai” (co-written by Andreas Aarflot) is like a mini-play featuring spoken bits, fusion jazz and Latin infused cocktail jazz, while ”Det måste gå” features lyrics by poet Göran Sonnevi. They're not very smooth to sing. But while the lyrics are too unweildy for vocals, the track features some nice, fluent guitar work from Thomas Carlsson. All three tracks were recycled for the band's debut album "Jaguaren".

With two otherwise undocumented bands, ”Jazz- och rockstipendiater 1976” is all in all more interesting from an academic perspective than a musical one.

Sonant Space
Nogleckt (from bassist Tommy Riboe's website)
Tapto (from bassist Tommy Riboe's website) 

HJÄRNSTORM – Hjärnstorm (Slick, 12”, 1980)

  
Swedish vocals
International relevance: **

A Stockholm band rooted in punk band Skabb and with ties to Psynkopat, Boojwah Kids and Elegi and others. Hjärnstorm fit well into that lot, with arty progg in their DNA but fully aware of the then burgeoning experimental post punk scene.

This 12” technically features only two songs, but the 'A' side ”En ensam man” (=”a lonely man”) plays like two different ones itself. It begins with an uneasy section of catatonic vocals set to a cold sweat organ drone before bursting into a dance-punk like beat and guitars not entirely dissimilar to Carlos Alomar's on Iggy Pop's ”The Idiot”. Chilly industrial synth effects emphasize the steel-and-concrete paranoia.

The 'B' side is entitled ”Min skugga” (=”my shadow”) and starts with a simple but wonderful almost folksy guitar melody. Halfway through, the song changes to something that reminds me of Dom Smutsiga Hundarna before returning to the original theme's sweet melancholy. ”Min skugga” is oddly haunting, and even better than ”En ensam man”.

It's hard to pinpoint Hjärnstorm's style, because they hint at very different things without ever feeling disjointed. They were quite original, and it's such a shame they didn't stay together long enough for a few more releases. They did back singer/actor Johan Lindell on one 7” track in 1981, but that was a disappointing effort. And when Hjärnstorm emerged into the more typical sounding post punk band Stadion der Jugend, much of their original tension was lost.

Hjärnstorm's 12” was released in four different colours (blue, green, red and black for those who keep track of such things), but none of them seems very rare or sought-after, suggesting this remains something of a lost gem on the brink of genres.

Min skugga

ÅKE "KRÅKAN" NILSSON - Måste man va' poet (CBS, 1979)

  
Swedish vocals
International relevance: **

There was quite some buzz around Åke ”Kråkan” Nilsson when he appeared in the spotlight in the late 70s. He earned his nickname Kråkan (=”the crow”) from his rough, gruff voice. Clearly inspired by early Ulf Lundell, Kråkan's lyrics were less romantic and dealt with the darker side of life. Speaking from his personal experience, Kråkan often sang about alcohol abuse and depression in a convincing manner, sometimes making me think of Kenta and Kaj R. Hansson (minus the criminal references). He was clearly a better singer than both of them with a strong powerful voice, somewhere between a smoother Rolf Wikström and a less foghornish Roger Chapman. Kråkan's full throttle approach to singing could surely have used some dynamics here and there, but his vocal urgency works in his favour now and then.

While his love for hard blues and stomping rock is perfectly obvious, he slows it down on a couple of tracks. ”Jag har spelat många roller” is a slow blues that captures the mood of the concrete city's murkier sides really well (a bit like Ulf Lundell's song ”Bente” does but from a different persepctive). ”Jag hoppas det inte är försent” (=”I hope it's not too late”) is another slow one, overflowing with remorse and contrition over what he's done to his friends and family when drowning in alcohol. While the music isn't straight up progg, the lyrics are – for those who can understand them – sincere and gripping on a personal level. Fans of the aforementioned Kenta and Kaj R. Hansson should listen up.

Kråkan made three more albums up to 1983 but they got gradually more commercial sounding, and it's really only this debut album that has enough no-frills proggish production to be of fringe interest to this blog. He's still active on a smaller scale level and is content with making his more recent efforts available on his website. It also has all his albums for streaming and download.

10 år sen sist / Jag vet hur du mår / Blunda och be / Jag har spelat många roller / Whisky och valium / Prestigeladdad kyla / 30-strecket / Jag hoppas det inte är försent / Rädd som fan

PER CUSSION – Per Cussion (MNW, 1981)

 

Instrumental, other languages

International relevance: **

Per Cussion's real name is Per Tjernberg who used to be the percussionist in Archimedes Badkar and several other rhythm happy bands. This was his first solo album, and he brought along several friends from Peps Blodsband, Egba and of course Archimedes, such as Bosse Skoglund, Bengt Berger, Babatunde Tony Ellis, Ulf Adåker, and even Peps himself. It's a kindhearted, friendly album bringing together all Tjernberg's influences from Jamaica, Trinidad, Cuba and various African countries. It's pleasant and joyous, a festive get-together of friends easy on the ear, but it doesn't have the oomph to really grab you.

Full album playlist