OLLE WIDESTRAND – Jesus Christ Morningstar (Prim, 1972)

 
Swedish vocals
International relevance: **

This is not an album for the casual progg fan. It's a rock (well, sort of) musical that begins where Andrew Lloyd Webber's and Tim Rice's "Jesus Christ Superstar" ends. Olle Widestrand wrote the whole thing in only three days and three nights, and it draw quite some attention upon its stage premiere in 1972. It was released on the Prim label owned by the Swedish Pentecostal Movement. Prim was one of the major Christian labels, and like Hemmets Härold and Signatur operating outside the regular pop world, with a well developed distribution network established long before someone even said MNW.

”Jesus Christ Morningstar” wasn't composer Olle Widestrand first foray into the music world, but it was the one that laid the foundations of him as a legend on the Christian scene. It's an ambitious work, involving the voluminous youth choir of the Immanuel Church in Jönköping, smack dab in the middle of the Swedish bible belt. Add to that four solo singers and eight players providing the musical backdrop. 

What makes this album oddly appealing is the overall mood. It has that early 70s sound common to Swedish Jesus music albums from the late 60s/early 70s, with evocative organs and an almost garage-y sound. Some melodies have a folkish feel. ”Jesu begravning” (=”the funeral of Jesus”) has a slightly awkward lyrical meter but is nevertheless rather captivating with a wonderful piano not dissimilar to Jan Johansson's jazz renditions of old Swedish folk songs. The next track, ”Marias upptäckt” (=”Maria's discovery”) is a slow track with that incense-like organ and a lilting rhythm -- it wouldn't have been out of place on ”Frälst! - A Selection of Swedish Christian grooves 1969-1979”.

”Jesus Christ Morningstar” may not be everybody's great everyday spin, but it definitely has qualities that ought to appeal to fans of ”Frälst!”. If anything, it shows how important mood and atmosphere is to an album. Not every song has to be great, but if there's an atmosphere that creeps up on you and draws you in into a world of its own, much is accomplished. Those infatuated with the still underexplored world of Swedish Christian pop, rock and psych from the turn of the decade, will want to hear this if they haven't already.

Han lever

MONICA NIELSEN & TOMMY KÖRBERG – ...med hjärtat fyllt av trots: Arbetarrörelsens kampsånger (A Disc, 1977)

Swedish vocals
International relevance: *

Monica Nielsen was mainly a busy movie and television actor but as a singer, she was the perpetual co-artist. She only ever released one album of her own and that was back in 1966, with her other vocal participations including merely the odd single, appearances on various artists and duo albums with high profile performers. ”Med hjärtat fyllt av trots” is one of those, focused on Labours movement songs and recorded with Tommy Körberg. Now an internationally widely celebrated singer, but back in the day best known domestically for his early pop albums, Solar Plexus, and the reformed Made In Sweden.

Körberg isn't the only renowned musician here. On the contrary, the credits are littered with names like Janne Schaffer, Ulf Adåker, Egil Johansen, Björn J:son Lindh, Pekka Pohjola and Rune Gustafsson, and the arrangements were written by much beloved bassist, composer and former Jan Johansson cohort Georg Riedel. While this all points to a thoroughly executed project, we have to remember that the album was released by A Disc, the Social Democrats' imprint known to dampen any kind of artistic enthusiasm. Thus the album title meaning ”with a heart full of defiance” seems like impossible wishful thinking, and it is. It's all very well played, well sung and well arranged – in short, technically and musically impeccable – but if you're looking for any inspiration to defiantly fight the powers that be, this is not the place to go. Unless authorities can be fought with sleep, but I for one have never heard of any revolutionary naps. It ought to be wellknown to all by now that I don't ask for any fistwaving loudmouths, but a little more oomph hadn't hurt...

Motsträvigt och med hjärtat fyllt av trots / Arbetsmannen / Oss alla unga / Kom med oss kamrat / Vårt vapen heter solidaritet / Ingen rubbar oss / Arbetets söner / Signalen / Ett enat folk / Det unga gardet / Solidaritetssång / Internationalen

JIMMY NIELSEN & KARMEL – Complete recordings 1980-1982

 

Försök förstå vad livet är... / Är du beredd??? (no label, 7" 1980)
released as Jimmy Nielsen

Swedish vocals

International relevance: **

Jimmy Nielsen came from Norrahammar, a part of Jönköping, the capital of the Swedish bible belt. It's no surprise then that Nielsen is a Christian singer, but his music is often heavier than your typical Jesus pop fare, possibly inspired by the commercial success of Christian hard rock band Jerusalem. Nielsen's debut came with this self-released 7” in 1980. The 'A' side isn't that heavy though, it's just a terrible perky pop tune. The flip's ”Är du beredd???” is better, although it's too light to fully work as the boogie rock Nielsen and backing band Karmel attempted.

Varför är din blick så negativ? (Karmel Musikproduktion, 1981)
Swedish vocals, instrumental
International relevance: **

After the weak debut 45, Nielsen and his band now renamed Karmel -81 went for a full length album. With a better production they come closer to what they aim for. The sound is better and the band is tighter, but the songs still aren't very good. The pedestrian blues rock and boogie stomp is diluted with some absolutely dreadful funk moves including the then fashionable slap bass technique that those who use it certainly won't get into heaven for. Neither will drummers wasting space with drum solos à la the two and a half minute ”Smurd” on side 2. Best track is ”Fort fort springer du”, a surprisingly garage-y track that was recycled for the band's final 7” in 1982 along with another album track, ”Heroin där fick du tji”.

This turned out to be Nielsen's and Karmel's only album, but it had a second pressing as Jimmy Nielsen Band with a different artwork, so I guess it was fairly successful among their Christian peers.

 

 

Maxi-EP (no label, 12" 1982)
Swedish vocals, instrumental
International relevance: **

This four-track 12” is probably the best thing Nielsen released, even though it rehashes the disgusting slap bass jazz funk instrumental ”Funk My Soul” from the LP. But apart from that, he had the good taste of dropping the constipated boogie blues for a more singer/songwriter oriented material which suits him better. Not that any of it is particularly imaginative, but I think the last track ”Misslyckad” is at least passable.

Full 1980 single playlist
Varför är din blick så negativ? full album playlist
Maxi-EP full 12" playlist

CALCUTTA TRANSFER – Inte bara elände (Mistlur, 1980) / 2 (Mistlur, 1982)

 
Swedish vocals
International relevance: **

Calcutta Transfer were essentially Dag Vag's little brothers. Their rock reggae style is so similar I would easily forget just who I'm listening to hadn't it been for the authentic Dag Vag being tighter, heavier and with better songs. Which is not to say that Calcutta Transfer didn't have their bright moments too because they had, as on ”Bara spärrar (00.30)” on ”Inte bara elände” and ”Jag ville, jag vore” on the second album – both good songs. It's just that Calcutta Transfer were so irritatingly epigonic that even their finer tracks are somehow lost to redundancy. Still, they had their fans and even toured with their idols Dag Vag. (However, I happily give them bonus points for the cover art of "Calcutta Transfer 2", paraphrasing Captain Beefheart's "Trout Mask Replica".) 

The band made a couple of singles in addition to their albums. Their third full-length disc ”Easy Loving” appeared in 1986, and while it's outside the blog scope and also suffers from a more typical 80s sound, it's their most mature work.

The Transfer's main man Tom Hofwander later re-appeared as producer Internal Dread working in his self-built Rub A Dub studio in Stockholm. From the mid 80s and on, it became an often used recording location for all sorts of bands. Hofwander sadly died in a car crash in 2012.

from "Inte bara elände"
Hålet / Det kliar / 00.30 / CBI / Ganges  
from "Calcutta Transfer 2"
Liemannen 

And as a bonus, here's their 1981 Tonkraft show. 

ROLAND KEIJSER KVARTETT – Öppet Tre (Caprice, 2025; rec. 1968-69)

 

Instrumental
International relevance: ***

This third volume of Caprice Records' vinyl only "Öppet" series is a highly interesting outing with late 60s recordings by Roland Keijer's quartet. (Volume 1 is reviewed here with some background info on the series.) This is the seed that would soon grow into Arbete & Fritid, with Torsten Eckerman on trumpet and piano, Bosse Skoglund on drums, and fleshing out the line-up, the meritorious bassist Staffan Sjöholm. The four tracks were all recorded in Stockholm at different spots and dates in 1968 and 1969. The sound characteristics differ a bit between the tracks, but the quality is good to very good throughout.

Three of the tracks are long, from 10 to almost 20 minutes with only ”Sommarromans” being around the three minute mark. The recordings are a testament to Keijser's jazz origins and also reflect his love for both Albert Ayler and Ornette Coleman, rich with a cheeky, melodic playfulness. Childlike melodies and phrases reccuringly lighten up the crosspollination of free jazz and post-bop. Here and there you can sense ideas and snippets of what would come with Arbete & Fritid, most obviously in ”The Big Bad Wolf Of Baba-Louie” which exists in an Arbete & Fritid recording on the V/A compilation ”Jazz från det svenska 70-talet”. The version here however sounds a bit tentative and meek in comparison.

The value of ”Öppet tre” doesn't rely on historical importance alone. It's a very good album in itself and a beautiful example of late 60s Swedish jazz when the genre was slowly opening up to a plethora of influences and the rich structures of the 70s in which Roland Keijser had a crucial role. It may not knock me over like the previous Nisse Sandström volume does, but it's nevertheless a mandatory installment in this series. I only wish someone will step forward and release more early Keijser material. 

Full album playlist 

OCEAN – Andra vågen (SoundPort, 2003; rec. 70s-80s)

  
English vocals, Swedish vocals
International relevance: *

Ocean started out as Spänn Fläsket, then changed their name to Brandlarm before settling for Ocean in time for their self-released debut 45 ”See Everybody” c/w ”Bad Things” in 1978. A second also privately released followed in 1980, the Swedish language ”Drömmar om silver” with ”Dialog på Kungsgatan” on the flip. Collectors will probably know them best from their sole full length album, ”The But” which also proved to be their final original outing in 1981.

Although a reasonably sought after LP, it's still a bit surprising that a collection of rare stuff and unreleased recordings would surface in the early 00's. But so it did. Entitled ”Andra vågen”, the CD compiles both their singles, some album cuts and live selections. Thus you get a fair overview of what the band was like. It's not top stuff -- Ocean sound a lot like any fairly well rehearsed band between semipunk, not-quite-hard-rock and beer drinking rock'n'roll found in just about any city and village in Sweden around this time. It's OK, it even grows a bit with the listens, but I doubt it will knock anyone over. Worth noting is their cover choice, Pugh Rogefeldt's early classic ”Jag är en liten pojk”.

One of their heavier tracks is unfortunately missing from here, "Endstation" which was previously included on the 3LP 1981 V/A comp "Rockslaget" with local bands from Karlshamn. Odd, especially as the other track on that album, "Backstage", is included.

Full album playlist
"Endstation" from "Rockslaget" 

EMIGRANTORKESTERN – Nylonrock och mollskinn (Folksång, 1982)

 
Swedish vocals
International relevance: -

Emigrantorkestern's first album had some documentary value, but it's hard to find any value at all in their second one. Way too heavy on the humour, ”Nylonrock och mollskinn” sounds like a free-for-all between Skäggmanslaget, Grus I Dojjan and Aston Reymers Rivaler. Best track is the melancholy ”Gengångare”, but that is completely overshadowed by an idiotic rock'n'roll pastiche, fake cajun and plastic bluegrass. And oh, it was released on Fria Proteatern's label Folksång. That surely didn't help their cause.

Two album tracks were also released as a single, and Emigrantorkestern made one further album, "Rårivet" in 1983.

Full A side  
Full B side