ANDERS KARLÉN – Way Out (Mistlur, 1981)

 
Instrumental
International relevance: **

Jazz guitarist Anders Karlén had previously been in Birka with saxophonist Nisse Sandström; Birka were awarded with the 1978 installment in Caprice Records' ”Jazz i Sverige” series. He also appeared as a session musician on albums by a number of rock acts, but managed to release only two albums under his own name, ”Way Out” in 1981 and ”Nuance Stances” in 1985.

”Way Out” is not an enjoyable experience. I'm not a fan of jazz guitar in general (jazz guitarists can get so bloody smug and self-important), but if you also add synth and fretless bass to it, you can be sure you'll get a particularly antiseptic fusion jazz album. And trying to drown in it that much reverb is a very bad idea. . While there are the occasional moment here when it sounds as if there are, in fact, traces of life somewhere deep inside, the reverb makes it diffuse it's very hard to enjoy. Producer (and Mistlur label co-founder) Stefan Glaumann was experienced enough when he made this album, and I've never thought of his work as especially ill-advised (actually, I've never thought of it at all which is about the greatest compliment you can give to a producer), so who knows what was slipped into his drink when he did this.

If there in fact is a good album deep inside ”Way Out”, I can't tell. Probably not, but if somebody found it, let me know.

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FIENDENS MUSIK – Complete singles 1978-1981

Fiendens Musik were one of the finest groups to bridge progg and punk in a time when genres blurred. Centered around singer Mats Zetterberg, they released two albums but also several singles with non-album tracks/takes.

 

En spark rätt i skallen / Du går aldrig säker (för Fiendens Musik) (Bellatrix, 1978)

Swedish vocals

International relevance: ***

”En spark rätt i skallen” appeared as one of the key tracks on the ”Fiendens Musik” LP in 1979, but this is an earlier, rawer take. It's more desperate than the album version which suits the song's lyrics against senseless street violence perfectly. A great song in its best version! The B side is a Swedish version of Iggy Pop's ”The Passenger”, not as great as the A side but amusing and charmingly semi-chaotic.

 

Pappa har alltid haft rätt... / Tredje tåget (Bellatrix, 1979)

Swedish vocals

International relevance: **

Recorded late 1978 and released early 1979. ”Pappa har alltid haft rätt” is co-written by Zetterberg and Lars ”Ferne” Fernebring (Risken Finns), and an early example of Zetterberg's knack for engaged storytelling (this time about the generation gap) with suitably pissed-off vocals and a great use of Mats Bäcker's sax -- always crucial to Fiendens Musik's trademark sound. ”Tredje tåget” is a straightforward rock track in a Stonesy pub rock vein with rough edges. The title was later recycled for Mats Zetterberg's record label Tredje Tåget.

 

A Boot Right In The Face / Goalgetter (Slyngel, 2014; rec. 1979)

English vocals

International relevance: **

English language versions of two tracks otherwise found on the debut album. ”A Boot Right In The Face” doesn't work quite as good as ”En spark rätt i skallen”, while ”Goalgetter” is actually better than the Swedish equivalent ”Kulan i luften”. Originally intended for a British release, the single got stuck in the archives until 2014 when finally released on Slyngel Rekords, a Swedish label specializing in 45s with unreleased material by domestic punk bands.

 

Moderata brudar / Slutna sällskap / Arabisk bonus (Bellatrix, 1979)

Swedish vocals
International relevance: **

A slightly more polished outing from Fiendens Musik compared to their earlier singles, with two pretty catchy tracks ”Moderata brudar” and ”Slutna sällskap” as the main attraction. The most interesting track though is the third one, the semi-instrumental ”Arabisk bonus”, an oddly jouncing number with loads of echoed sax. An atypical Fiendens track but an odd favourite of mine.
 

 

Musik mot gryningen / Stadsbo (Tredje Tåget, 1981)
Swedish vocals
International relevance: ***

”Musik mot gryningen” is probably the most sophisticated track by Fiendens Musik with a slightly snaky melody and an unsettling mood underscored by Bäcker's nervy sax. A great one and a pity it was their swansong (not counting reunions). B side ”Stadsbo” is a humorous upbeat track, more of a throwaway compared to the brilliant A side.

En spark rätt i skallen full single playlist 
Pappa har alltid haft rätt full single playlist 
A Boot Right In The Fave full single
Moderata brudar full single
Musik mot gryningen full single  

LOOPING – Sänd mej en ängel (Musiklaget, 1980)

Swedish vocals
International relevance: -

This is pretty much a ”progg by association” album, more than an actual progg album. It features Christer Nahrendorff of Solen Skiner as singer and main songwriter, keyboardist Pierre Swärd of Soffgruppen, fusion band Life, and Mikael Ramel's Harru Lust to name a few, and session guitarist Thommie Fransson. It was also released by Musiklaget, home to Bättre Lyss, The Underground Failure, Bröderna Lönn and several other progg albums from the early 70s and on. Unfortunately the album itself is typical early 80s pop rock with some funky touches. Plus a whole lot of glitzy treble and a fair bit of synth polish. In short, it sounds just like the album cover looks.

The best track is also the longest, the more than eight minute album closer ”Sanning” which might sound like progg if you squint hard with your ears.

There's also a 1979 Looping 7”, ”Den underjordiska rymden”, with two non-album tracks.

No links found 

FILARFOLKET – Utan tvekan (Amalthea, 1982)

Instrumental, Swedish vocals
International relevance: **

The second album from Filarfolket is an overall better effort than their debut ”Birfilarmusik från Malmö”. The format is largely the same: folk music with an open-eared approach, but they had become a stabilized unit by this time, and as a result, they had earned a greater self confidence which in turn made Filarfolket's vision clearer. It's emotionally more compound, with a few darker accent colours that makes ”Utan tvekan” a fuller experience. The high point is the vocal ”Magdalena” which would have fitted nicely on any Folk & Rackare album of your choice, in an arrangement featuring the deep, scary sound of Dan ”Gisen” Malmquist's contrabass clarinet.

If you choose between this one and the debut, the answer is hands down ”Utan tvekan”.

Gryningspolska 
Bosse Buses marsch  
Solpolska 

SPRING QUINTETT – Spring Quintett (Polar, 1981)

Instrumental
International relevance: **

Mixing members from Sweden, Denmark and Norway, ”Spring Quintett” was released in Sweden on Polar in 1981. An unusual release for a label best known for ABBA, as this is a relatively imaginative fusion album, centered around EGBA member Bjarne Roupé's guitar and Mats Lundvall's piano. The songs were mainly written by saxophonist Stefan Grahn, and they don't take the easy way out; the songs have quitks and angles not too typical to early 80s standard fusion. Spring Quintett had a broad scope of jazz styles merging into something rather original and underappreciated. You can hear traces of performers as diverse as Pharoah Sanders, Terje Rypdal, Harald Svensson, and late 70s free jazz, with dashes of Albert Ayler's and Ornette Coleman's melodicity. While not an absolute top shelf release, it does have a quite a few interesting touches and moments. I would have liked to hear more from this outfit, but this was unfortunately their only album. The streaming version has one bonus track though.

Full album playlist (with bonus track)

KG 22 BAND – KG 22 Band (Sjöbo Påpp, 1980)

 
Swedish vocals, English vocals, instrumental
International relevance: -

Fundamentally a pop/rock band with some funk and disco moves, but mentioned here briefly because of a couple of jazz fusion tracks plus some mainstream progg touches. None of it is good though, and the fusion like stuff is incredibly stale. The track ”It Ain't Easy” was culled from the album for a single with an exclusive track on the flip, ”Twelve Bars From Mars”. That was later combined with a couple of unreleased tracks for a three-track streaming EP which, believe it or not, is even worse than their ghastly album.

Full album playlist   
Full single playlist

GRUS I DOJJAN – Friska grustag (Sonet, 1976) / Efter kaffet (Amalthea, 1981)

 
Swedish vocals, English vocals, a cappella, instrumental
International relevance: *

Grus I Dojjan were a band of surprising longevity. Formed in 1970, their album debut came the following year which kicked off a ten year long career on record. They existed much longer than that but didn't release another album until 2002. Also, they backed Thomas Wiehe on his 1980 album ”Fågeln i mej” under the moniker Hullimullan Band.

I've reviewed Grus I Dojjan's other albums before, and these two LPs are the last remaining to appear on Swedish Progg Blog (unless they release a 10 CD box set of previously unreleased private tapes...). There's nothing I can say about them I haven't already said before. It's goodtime music, a cheerful mix of old Swedish dance tunes, various country music styles including bluegrass, and Irish folk. All their albums are basically interchangeable; they remained true to their style over the years, and if you like it you like it, but I don't.

I can just add that ”Friska grustag” (with a nice looking sleeve) was recorded live which was the perfect setting possible for the band, and that ”Efter kaffet” was their last album from the original era. ”Efter kaffet” actually has the best track I've ever heard from them, ”Rakkniven”. It's a genuinely great track; dark, doomlaiden and paranoid – completely unexpected coming from Grus I Dojjan! Too bad it took them ten years to come up with something on that level.

No links found