STEN BERGMAN – Lyckohjulet (Gump, 1974)

Swedish vocals, instrumental

International relevance: ***

Sixth album released on Metronome's highly collectable subsidiarylabel Gump. Sten Bergman had been in Atlantic Ocean and Fläsket Brinner and features former band colleagues Per Bruun on bass, guitarist Bengan Dahlén, plus Archimedes Badkar's Christer Bjernelind also on guitar, and Thomas Mera Gartz of Träd, Gräs Och Stenar on drums and violin. ”Lyckohjulet”, however, is a much more straightforward than any of the aforementioned bands. It shows Bergman well acquinted with the American music of the day – think of a more relaxed version of early 70's Jefferson Airplane, the Crosby, Stills & Nash family, The Band and ”Basement Tapes” Dylan, and you've nailed the album pretty well.

Among the weaker tracks are the country tinged title track and ”St. John”, the piano ballad ”Vinterdröm”, and ”Kommer hem” which borrows a little too much from Dylan's ”Like a Rolling Stone” (did Bergman really think no-one would notice?). But the good tracks are really good – ”Människofiskare”, ”Med dej här bredvid”, ”För mycket av ingenting” (”too much of nothing” in English – spot the Dylan reference?), floaty album closer "Sorti" and, to top it off, the marvellous ”Vägen är lång”. In short: It's uneven but good, with one great track. 

Full album playlist

ELDA MED HÖNS – Elda Med Höns (MNW, 1975)

Swedish vocals

International relevance: **

Blå Tåget's Leif Nylén discovered this Falun band founded in 1970 and hooked them up with MNW who released their only album in 1975. Perhaps best remembered by some because of their controversial name (”heat the house with hens”, to use the translation given in ”The Encyclopedia of Swedish Progressive Music), but their sound is varied enough to hold the interest. They're sometimes similar to the better Gothenburg bands of the period (Ensamma Hjärtan and Huntington Band leap to mind briefly even if Elda Med Höns wasn't as heavy as they were), with several tracks enhanced by a horn section to add a tasty soul touch. The songwriting is solid, the playing is tight and good, and the vocals are adequate. A fine album.

Two sleeve versions exist, the second one is censored, with a white paper with the group name glued to the original cover, after Swedish Match (then Jönköpings Tändsticks Fabriker AB, the main supplier of matches in Sweden since 1915) objected to the band's use of the design for matchbox brand Three Stars. Uncensored covers were reputedly sold for only two weeks. The censored cover:

Öka farten

Ålderdomen

Höga klackar

RÖDA ROPET – Spänn bågen (Ungkommunisters Förlag, 1975)

Swedish vocals

International relevance **

One of Gothenburg's better communist affiliated bands, featuring future Sky High main man Clas Yngström (also of Soffgruppen) on guitar. Some songs were written by Dennis Huntington of Love Explosion and Huntington Band, in addition to a couple of translated versions of Muddy Waters and Chuck Berry songs, plus ”En yngling” written by singer/songwriter Dan Berglund. 

The alternately male and female vocals are a bit overenthusiastic at times but never quite fall into the trap of smug conceit too many others got chewed up in. Sure it has its fair share of proselytizing, but ”Spänn bågen” is a pretty rocking thing, highlighted by the raging ”Ge mig sanningen” and closing track ”Pedro”. It's an OK album, taken for what it is.

Nynnat och sjungit 

Dom e dom 

Spring Lasse spring 

En yngling

Lite borta ska man va

Ge mig sanningen

Pedro

AGÖ FYR – Agö Fyr (Forsaljud, 1977) / Mjölnarens måg (Forsaljud, 1978)

Swedish vocals, English vocal, instrumental

International relevance **/**

Agö Fyr was like an acoustic cousin to successful folk rock band Folk Och Rackare, but without the latter's sophistication and bit of Grus I Dojjan sprinkled on top. Agö Fyr mixed traditional songs from Sweden, USA and the British isles but lacking the technical effiency, they often came off a bit awkward, especially in the vocal department. Instrumentals such as ”Nashville Blues” and ”Knackpolska” from their first album work better than their vocal tracks that were sung in Agö Fyr's local Hudiksvall dialect, giving them a particular regional feel.

There are much better examples of Swedish folk both straight traditional and mixed with rock (not to mention folk music from abroad) than Agö Fyr, and while still cheap to get, none of their albums are recommended.

The band has reunited a couple of times in the 2000's.

from Agö Fyr

"Rye Whiskey"

Mjölnarens måg full album playlist

VARGEN – I original (YTF, 1975)

Swedish vocals

International relevance: *

Ex-Contact member Lorne de Wolfe struck gold in the late 70's and 80's with successful soft rock band Hansson de Wolfe United (their music was once appropriately described as ”office rock”). Vargen was their precursor – they were actually the same band, except that mastering technician Olle Ramm on bass and guitar, and MNW engineer Bo Anders Larsson of Scorpion on vocals completing the Vargen line-up were gone by the time Hansson de Wolfe United started out.

”I original” is lowly regarded by many, and it's understandable. Opening track ”Monte Bello” is decent compared to the rest of the album, and ”Vodka och whisky” sounds like Contact leftover, but the rest of the album is uninspiring (and uninspired).

Full album playlist

MARIE SELANDER – Från den svenska vildmarken (MNW, 1973)

Swedish vocals

International relevance: ***

Marie Selander is a prominent singer who participated in too many projects to mention in detail, but she turned to music after meeting John Lennon in a taxi in the 60's, then forming the band that would turn into Nursery Rhymes, the first all-female Swedish pop group.

”Från den svenska vildmarken” was Selander's first solo album featuring a brilliant group of backing musicians: Bengt Berger, Urban Yman, Nikke Ström, Palle Danielsson, Torkel Rasmusson and Kjell Westling. The songs were mostly written by Rasmusson, Westling, Leif Nylén and Selander herself, fusing folk, jazz and. Sometimes the album almost sounds like a coarse Pentangle with their brains on fire. It's a genuinely inspired (and inspiring) effort, with excellent playing (listen, for instance, to Bengt Berger letting it loose on opening track ”På lilla värtan”!) and Selander's gritty and wonderful vocals on top.

The lyrics are blatantly political but the highly spirited performances are so good it's easy to look beyond the propagandizing words. ”Från den svenska vildmarken” is one of those albums that somehow has bypassed the interest of collectors, possibly because of the nature of the lyrics, why it still can be found cheap. So there's no excuse for not getting this awesome album!

Full album playlist

CLAES EKENSTAM & SISTA BANDET – Sista tåget till Tasjkent (Sista Bussen, 1979)

Swedish vocals, spoken word

International relevance: **

A multifaceted album, ranging from Neil Young inspired rock (check out the guitar solo on ”Kicki!”), to singer/songwriter ballads, to folk, to reggae (the almost eerie ”Sista valsen”). Claes Ekenstam had his merits as a songwriter, but his overzealous and  histrionic bleating and the inclusion of several poem readings are distracting. Also, his lyrics are rather embarrasing from time to time verging on the pathetic which makes ”Sista tåget till Tasjkent” a frustrating listen.

The album was released on Sista Bussen, a Gothenburg label with both progg and punk connections. Back-up singer Håkan Forshult produced Blå Schäfer's 45 ”Sysselsättningen” for the same label. Per Giöbel played on several records over the years, including one by Motvind. Several of the players went on to make Hausswolff's album ”Bark & is” in 1980 – Carl Michael von Hausswolf himself became a well-known avantgarde artist and co-founded Radium 226.05, a hugely influential 80's label. Ekenstam himself appears to have left the music business after his sole album, but there's a noted psychotherapist by that name active in Borås not far from Gothenburg. Same guy?

Kicki! 

Sista tåget till Tasjkent

Varför dog du? 

Alienations-blues 

Sista valsen

Gungorna på Barnens dag

Som en smörkniv genom natten

Några randanmärkningar angående krisen under senkapitalismen 

Från periferin till centrum 

Replik till SAF et consortes 

Tidens leda

GUNDER HÄGG / BLÅ TÅGET – Albums 1969-1974

One of the most emblematic bands of the progg movement, and crucial to understanding the spirit of progg. Not only did they fully embody the 'everybody can play' ethos, they initiated it. They had a couple of professionals in the band, such as the always excellent Roland Keijser, but most of the members were musical novices. Mikael Wiehe once said that he thought Gunder Hägg sounded so horrendous that he felt compelled to start Hoola Bandoola Band. (In defense of Wiehe, it has to be said that he later admitted that Gunder Hägg/Blå Tåget in retrospect was way more musically progressive than ever Hoola Bandoola Band.)

The band emanated from the Stockholm arts, theatre and literature circuits, with band members Leif Nylén, Torkel Rasmusson and Mats G. Bengtsson already being published authors. Heavily inspired by American underground band The Fugs (although it could be argued they were closer in spirit to The Fugs' ESP-Disk' label mates The Godz), they decided to start a band combining performance art and music. They went by a couple of different names (Tjalles Horisont, Sound of Music) before deciding on Gunder Hägg, after the legendary Swedish athlete by the same name who objected to being related to the band, why they choose Blå Tåget instead in time for their fourth album.

GUNDER HÄGG – Tigerkaka (MNW, 1969)

Swedish vocals, English vocals

International relevance: **

It's easy to understand Mikael Wiehe's frustration with Gunder Hägg's ineptitude when hearing ”Tigerkaka”. The vocals are off, the English lyrics are demolished by bad pronounciation, the playing is clumsy, the songs are amateurish. Wiehe was right: ”Tigerkaka” really sounds terrible. But that's not the point. The mix of styles – trad jazz, singer/songwriter, semi-psych, cabaret etc – is daring to a band that seemingly didn't know the difference between a guitar and a hubcap, and ”Tigerkaka” is a statement of much greater importance than sheer capability: A proof that you can get something across even if you lack craftmanship. Instrumental insuffiency can make an album disastrous and unlistenable, but if the band chemistry's right, it can also make an album work in a way that professionalism not necessarily can (there are several examples of both). And ”Tigerkaka” works. Torkel Rasmusson's title track is wonderful, as is Mats G. Bengtsson's ”I hajars djupa vatten” – one of Blå Tåget's best songs ever. Not only is it a good album on its own terms, its symbolic value simply can't be overrated.

GUNDER HÄGG – Vargatider (MNW, 1970)

Swedish vocals

International relevance: **

Visual artist and film maker Carl Johan de Geer began showing up at Gunder Hägg's rehearsals. He brought his trombone with him, without really knowing how to use it, insisting on playing with the band. They weren't sure if it was a good idea (with their lack of musical comprehension, how could they tell anyway?) but de Geer kept coming back and was soon a self-appointed member. He didn't really elevate Gunder Hägg to a higher level of aptitude... That ”Vargatider” sounds a bit less disjointed than ”Tigerkaka” has probably more to do with the band having played together for a little longer. ”Vargavinter” is an overall more powerful album, highlighted by the two very Fugs inspired tracks ”Alienation” and ”Tio svarta pantrar”, the latter with some great sax from Roland Keijser.

GUNDER HÄGG – Glassfabriken (MNW, 1971)

Swedish vocals

International relevance: **

Their last album before the name change is their most professional sounding up until then, which of course is a relative thing when discussing Gunder Hägg/Blå Tåget. The Fugs' impact on their music was less notable, and instead the album makes extensive use of musical pastiches giving it a stronger cabaret feel that I'm personally not very fond of. The best song by far is the Rasmusson penned title track. A classic track, head and shoulders above the rest of the material here.

BLÅ TÅGET – Brustna hjärtans hotel (MNW, 1972)

Swedish vocals

International relevance: **

With four increasingly self-assured songwriters in the band, a double LP was destined to happen, and it coincided with Gunder Hägg's forced name change to Blå Tåget. Nylén, Bengtsson, Rasmusson and Tore Berger had all developed their own songwriter personalities, and that makes for a rich and varied album. There's still a couple of pastiches here, but they're fewer and blended in with other songs, and work better in this context than on ”Glassfabriken”. There are so many good songs here that it's no wonder ”Brustna hjärtans hotell” is considered a true progg classic. And ”Den ena handen vet vad den andra gör” is perhaps the ultimate progg anthem, and later perhaps the ultimate punk anthem as well when Ebba Grön retitled it ”Staten och kapitalet” and released as an equally classic 7” in 1980. That ought to settle the argument that progg and punk were two entirely different and separated phenomena – they weren't! Punk was simply progg's unruly offspring. I stand by that.

During the ”Brustna hjärtans hotell” recordings, Blå Tåget lost original member Roland Keijser. Keijser remembers:

- I play on a mere three tracks on the LP, all of them taken from the radio play ”Fallet Ramona” that we made in the autumn of '71. ”Winges vals” is the only one of the four ”Ramona” tracks actually recorded at the Swedish Radio, the others are new studio recordings made in early 1972. The original idea was to release them as a mini LP, but that never materialized. New songs were added, and when studio work resumed in May and the beginning of June – by then, yours truly was gone.

 

- You know that picture [by Carl Johan De Geer] where Blå Tåget sits at a table at Winbergs Café in Vaxholm? There's an empty chair up front to the right which I just had left... I'm pretty sure the picture was taken during the ”Ramona” recordings in early 1972.

BLÅ TÅGET – Slowfox (MNW, 1974)

Swedish vocals 

International relevance: **
 

After their double disc tour de force, it took Blå Tåget two years before making what would become their final original album. Sometimes considered a disappointment following ”Brustna hjärtans hotell”, and I guess it's fair to agree – but how could you follow up an album such as ”Brustna hjärtans hotell” maintaining the same quality level? ”Slowfox” is a decent enough album, but the spark isn't quite there anymore. Although it feels a bit dutiful, it does have a couple of fine songs, especially ”Under antaget namn” and ”Mannen på verandan”, the latter written by Torkel Rasmusson together with original and long standing Blå Tåget member Kjell Westling who took over all horn duties when Roland Keijser left the band. 

Blå Tåget disbanded in 1975 but they have reunited several times over the years, also releasing a couple of albums with newly recorded material (the first of those being the half-decent 1981 live album ”Blå Tåget på Fågel Blå”). A partial reunion came already in 1977 when Torkel Rasmusson, Tore Berger and Leif Nylén formed Stockholm Norra who released one underrated album in 1978.

Special thanks to Roland Keijser for shedding some light on his departure, and Carl Johan De Geer for letting me use his classic picture. 

Tigerkaka full album playlist

Vargatider full album playlist

Glassfabriken full album playlist
Brustna hjärtans hotell full album playlist

Slowfox full album playlist

ROCKVATTNÄ – Rockvattnä (Ljudbarrikaden, 1979)

Swedish lyrics, instrumental

International relevance: **

Dorotea is a small town in the far north of Sweden. Around 1980, population was a little less than 4,000. Today it's around 2,700. Still they had Rockvattnä, a dirty-handed blue collar rock band with political lyrics that are far more credible than anything Fria Proteatern ever did. Rockvattnä's gritty and hard-edged blues rock sound rich with aggresive guitar work and a reliable beat gives the lyrics even more oomph. Singer and flute player Jörgen Sundqvist has a slightly weathered voice that fits the overall sound well. Somehow this album has flown below the collectors' radar and can still be found fairly cheap, maybe because people are suspicious of the blues rock tag and the late release date. It's a bit uneven but still good enough to deserve a greater acknowledgement than it gets.

"Hamburgerfunk"

ELISABET HERMODSSON – Vad gör vi med sommaren, kamrater? (Proprius, 1973) / Disa Nilssons visor (Caprice, 1975) / Vakna med en sommarsjäl (Caprice, 1979)

Gothenburg born multitalent Elisabet Hermodsson was a rare ange bird on the scene. An author, journalist, painter, songwriter, singer, with an education in rhythmics, she was involved in the 70's feminist movement but the three albums she made during the decade was of a more reflective personal kind without exhausting in-your-face politics. She appeared in the stage performance ”Röster i ett mänskligt landskap” along with Lena Granhagen, released on album by Proprius in 1971.

Vad gör vi med sommaren, kamrater? (Proprius, 1973)

Swedish vocals, instrumental

International relevance: **

Hermodsson's first solo album showcases her style at its best, with an abundance of hushed songs, with delicate arrangements underlining the inherent melancholy. Recorded with Arne Domnérus, Georg Riedel and Rune Gustafsson to mention but three of the musicians, ”Vad gör vi med sommaren, kamrater?” has mild jazz strokes without ever becoming a jazz album. It's hard to pinpoint Hermodsson's style; she's too original to easily fit in with any defined genre. There's a particular kind of Swedish music called 'visa' (plural: 'visor'), somewhere between singer/songwriter and French chansons, and that would be the most appropriate classification for Elisabeth Hermodsson. Whichever way, ”Vad gör vi med sommaren, kamrater?” is a dimly lit and ultimately touching album.

Disa Nilsons visor (Caprice, 1975)

Swedish vocals

International relevance: *

Swapping the small back-up unit on her debut with a larger ensemble of new musicians diminished the emotional impact of Hermodsson's songs. The songs are still poetic and the arrangements are carefully crafted but lack the element of surprise that helped making ”Vad gör vi med sommaren, kamrater?” a captivating album.

 

Vakna med en sommarsjäl (Caprice, 1979)

Swedish vocals

International relevance: *

Despite being subtitled ”Disa Nilsons visor II”, ”Vakna med en sommarsjäl” is different to the first volume of the two centered around the fictious Disa Nilson character. The album again utilizes a new set of musicians, this time including the likes of Jan Schaffer, Björn J:son Lindh, Stefan Brolund and wind player Sven Berger. Also featured is classical string quartet Freskkvartetten. The mood is closer to ”Vad gör vi med sommaren, kamrater?”, often sombre and dusky, although not on par with the special intimacy of her debut. 

Both ”Disa Nilson” volumes were combined to one CD, unfortunately with the tracks from the two albums jumbled up to a new track sequence.

Elisabet Hermodsson spent most of her time living in Uppsala and her summer house on Fårö (a place familiar to director Ingmar Bergman fans). She died in 2017 at the age of 89.

Vad gör vi med sommaren, kamrater full album playlist

Disa Nilsons visor

Promenad till Hångers källa 

Jag vill va' diagonal 

Apollos visa 

Samtal på heden 

Vara ingenting 

Människans frigörelse 

Vackre Apollo 

Sång i dryckesnatt 

Sommargästens visa 

Dikt vid havet 

Vakna med en sommarsjäl

Natt på heden 

Signelse-visa 

Nakendans i Valleviken 

Bara för sommarens skull 

Vandring i ett gotländskt änge 

Om försjunkenhet i naturen

Vakna först i sommartid

Naturens sorg 

SALT – Salt (Signatur, 1977) / Opus II (Signatur, 1980)

International relevance: **

Swedish vocals, English vocals

Consider this a parenthetical entry, included only because it might have some appeal to funk fusion fans. Christian outfit Salt released several albums in the 80's following 1977 album ”Salt” and 1980 follow-up ”Opus II”. Competent playing in a horn rock style with jazz and Latin tinges (some disco moves on ”Opus II”), a couple of decent tracks considering the genre, but mostly preaching to the converted – literally and figuratively speaking.

Salt full album playlist

Opus II full album playlist

GÖRAN PERSSON – Blir jag sen spelkarl (MNW, 1972) / Hundliv (MNW, 1974)

Swedish vocals

International relevance: ** / **

Singer/songwriter Göran Persson made those two albums with a session backing band comprising members of Blå Tåget, Gläns Över Sjö Och Strand, Nationalteatern, Jason's Fleece, Arbete & Fritid and others. Such names make Persson's albums appear interesting at a first glance, but neither of them lives up to the expectations. The playing is fine enough, but Persson's voice makes me think of Bernt Staf, Jan Hammarlund and Blå Tåget's Torkel Rasmusson all at once. He sings in a constrained and piercing way that very soon gets hard to bear with and his odd phrasing, like a Dylan out of breath, makes the songs feel a bit out of shape. Which is a pity, because they're quite good if you can ignore the vocals. Which takes a lot to do, more than I have to offer.

”Blir jag sen spelkarl” is better than ”Hundliv” thanks to a looser feel, but I can't really recommend any of the albums.

Persson made another album in 1996, ”På Siljan”.

Blir jag sen spelkarl full album playlist

Hundliv full album playlist

FRIENDSHIP TIME – Friendship Time (Mellotronen, 2006; recorded 1975)

Instrumental, English vocals

International relevance: ***

1975 recordings unearthed by Trettioåriga Kriget drummer Dag Lundqvist and remastered and released by Mellotronen in 2006. Originally intended for release on Virgin but eventually shelved when Friendship Time fell apart. The album displays influences from Yes and similar bands but the prodiction is less flashy, more akin to UK underground legends Dark, with an intrusive drum sound. The steroid perkiness running through the entire album makes it one of the sillier examples of prog and symph. The only reason for releasing this nonsense 30 years after the fact is to satisfy genre collectors who have a pathological need to own every time signature change in recorded history. 

Full album

BLUES ANNIKA – Blues Annika (Nacksving, 1980)

Swedish vocals
International relevance: **

After Annika Dahlqvist's 1974-1977 stint with Albins Bluesband she was already an experienced singer when she recorded her first and only album, with all original material bar a Swedish language cover of blues classic ”Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out”. The album made quite some rumble upon its release in 1980, and Blues Annika soon became nationally known for her honest lyrics where she managed to transfer the original blues vocabulary into a functioning Swedish counterpart. The blues was more than a pose and a nickname – she had led a hard life in Gothenburg's netherworld of drug addicts but is said to have kicked her habits when she recorded her album with The Freelancers, a backing band featuring familiar Gothenburg progg characters including Hannes Råstam and Bengan Blomgren.

The songs deal with classic blues topics – men, booze, drugs, the police, money shortage – and Blues Annika's delivery is convincing and the band performances are spirited. In other words, this is an unusual Nacksving album being both inspired and with a genuinely dedicated production. Blues Annika doesn't possess a huge voice but that actually works in her favour – it would have been a lot easier to dismiss her album had she been a Janis Joplin wannabe. What she may lack in vocal power (after all, she's no Memphis Minnie or Bessie Smith), she makes up for with 100% credibility.

However, foreign listeners may still find the album bit standard sounding without understanding the lyrics that, after all, is a crucial part of the album's appeal.

Blues Annika is also featured with one track on Nacksving compilation ”Från flykt till kamp”.

It's not exactly known what Blues Annika does today, but she seems to live in a sheltered housing in her native Gothenburg, sadly suggesting that she might have fallen back into alcohol addiction after the album was released.

Amazingly enough, live tapes of Albins Bluesband have survived and is up on Youtube for all to hear: (1) (2) (3) (4) (5)

Full album playlist

ULF BEJERSTRAND – Ett spel i röven (Grisbäck, 1978)

Swedish vocals, instrumental

International relevance: **

Even before the dissoluton of Kalmar band Kung Tung in 1979, bassist Ulf Bejerstrand released solo albums – this is his second. ”Ett spel i röven” sometimes sound like a proper album but too often Bejerstrand gives in to his sense of anal humour making him sound like a five-year-old with access to record equipment. A lot of ”Ett spel i röven” (the title may be translated to ”a freak-out in your ass”) sounds impertinent for the sake of impertinence only. Some people probably get off on burps and farts – Bejerstrand obviously do – but my humour isn't quite that infantile. But he payed for the release and if he enjoyed wasting his money on nonsense, that's up to him. (He used to toss his albums into the audience after 60 second guerilla gigs when he hijacked the stage after the headliners had left, so at least not to many people had to pay for his albums.)

The album isn't very good even if you don't understand his puerilities, but at least it has two good tracks, both instrumental. But it should be said that ”Min låt” and ”Mjäll i tårtan” aren't good only because Bejerstrand is kind enough to keep his mouth shut on those tracks.

Min låt
Ett spel i röven

CONTACT – Complete albums 1969-1972

One of the most popular of all progg acts, known for their successful song ”Hon kom över mon” which ironically enough wasn't released as a single 'A' side, but on the flipside of to ”Jag är lite lessen ikväll” from 1970.

The seeds to Contact were sown in the early 60's when Ted Ström and some friends formed Ruperts in Lidingö outside of Stockholm. As Ström later attended art school Konstfack, he met drummer Leif Reinholds and they started cover band Hårbandet which became the first rock combo to perform at the Konstfack parties where jazz had been the preferred music up until then. They changed their name to Yellow & Blues (playing in a John Mayall influenced style) and Grand Canyon (backing a young and then still unknown Peps Persson, and The Scaffold featuring Paul McCartney's brother Mike McGear) before settling for Contact in 1968. Their line-up changed a few times during their original 70's period.

A Fairy Tale / Convul'sions (7”, MNW, 1969)

International relevance: ***

English vocals

Contact's first release was this much likeable 45 on MNW. They hadn't yet developed the folk rock sound they're known for, but ”A Fairy Tale” does have a faint folk touch to it. The real knockout however is the 'B' side. ”Convul'sions” is a hard and primitive track reminiscent of Scorpion (with Contact collaborator Bo Anders Larsson) and the heavier side of The Troggs, with a persistent caveman beat and featuring an unexpected saxophone solo courtesy of Björn Holmsten. Bassist Thomas Larsson was replaced by Lorne de Wolfe after this release. 

Nobody Wants to Be Sixteen (MNW, 1970)

International relevance: ***

English vocals

Produced by American svengali Kim Fowley, Contact's album debut was intended for an international launch that never happened. It's clearly the work of a band looking for an identity, restlessly searching among 60's pop, psychedelia and folk pop – probably due to Fowley's well documented flair for interferring with the artists's material. (”He changed basically every one of our songs and arrangements,” Ted Ström reveals when asked about the collaboration.) Thus, it's unfair to compare it to Contact's later albums as it sounds like a completely different band (or rather Kim Fowley), but it's actually my favourite album bearing Contact's name. The songs are really good, with Ted Ström's ”Wounds”, Fowley's ”How Was Your Summer”, and ”Conquest of a Red Rose” by the band's other songwriter Ted Steerling on top. (An observation: Steerling's ”Visions of Apple” almost sounds like a Big Star ballad before Big Star even existed.) I like the trying and sort of underproduced feel of the entire album. It's a delightful but underappreciated little record, which was brought out of its relative obscurity when reissued on Record Store Day vinyl in 2016 – including the rare pre-album 45 as a separate bonus 7”.

The ”Sixteen” sessions also produced an entire Kim Fowley album with Contact backing him up, released by MNW in 1970, entitled ”The Day the Earth Stood Still”. The sound is similar but Fowley's album is more in his typical exploitation rock style.

Hon kom över mon (MNW, 1971)

International relevance: ***

Swedish vocals

There's a bit of chronological confusion as regards the Contact discography. The 45 ”Jag är lite ledsen ikväll” was actually recorded three months before ”Nobody Wants to Be Sixteen”, with the famous ”Hon kom över mon” on the flipside, a year before the album of the same name was released. Recorded with traditional folk group Skäggmanslaget, ”Hon kom över mon” instigated the latter day notion of Contact as an out and out folk rock outfit. Which they weren't and which becomes evident once you listen to an entire album by them. ”Hon kom över mon” was indeed written to emulate a traditional song, and there are other tracks on the album with a folk ambience, but some of the selections are much closer to rock, such as ”Fisken”, ”Nattens drottning”, ”Vargarnas natt” (that almost sounds like a Nynningen track). 

The album is a bit uneven and it would have been nice to have had the fine ”Jag är lite ledsen ikväll” instead of, for example, ”Samma vindar, samma dofter” which despite being a classic Contact song would have fitted Blå Tåget a lot better with its fake jazz touch provided by violin and clarinet. But make no mistake, this is a good album that was awarded with a Swedish Grammy for best group effort of the year, in competition with NJA-gruppen and Fläsket Brinner.

Utmarker (Polydor, 1972)

International relevance: ***

Swedish vocals

Contact left MNW and signed with Polydor for what came to be the band's last album, something that caused an outrage within the music movement, not unlike what happened to Turid when she left MNW to join Metronome. Ted Ström remembers:

- I tell you, it caused one heck of an outcry. For instance, we were put on trial before a 'public court' with people from Silence and some others too... 'Public court' was irony. Silence might have been out fishing for us when we left MNW. But the meeting was probably more about some obscure principles...

”Utmarker” kicks off with one of the greatest progg tracks ever, ”Fyrvaktarns dotter”, again in a folk inspired vein but even better than the famous ”Hon kom över mon”. The track was also released as a single with the brilliant non-album track ”Fly mig en sommar” on the 'B' side. With a major label budget to back them up, they made a bigger sounding album without losing their integrity. ”Utmarker” is a better album overall than ”Hon kom över mon”, with more distinctive songwriting from Ström, Steerling and de Wolfe alike.

Compilation ”Samma vindar, samma dofter” is a 'best of' CD that picks most of the best tracks from Contact's last two albums, adding ”Jag är lite lessen ikväll” and ”Fly mig en sommar”, unfortunately not in chronological order. It also features a 2004 track by the reformed Contact. They have reunited several times over the years, and is performing again in 2018 with a line-up including two of Ted Ström's sons. A couple of 1970/71 Contact radio recordings can be heard in ”Progglådan”.

After Contact, Ted Ström went on to play with Norrbottens Järn before embarking on a solo career. He's also a highly skilled watercolour painter. Lorne de Wolfe formed Vargen that later developed into successful band Hansson de Wolfe United.

Special thanks to Ted Ström.

Nobody Wants to Be Sixteen full album playlist

Hon kom över mon full album playlist

Utmarker full album playlist

"Fly mig en sommar"

ÄNGLABARN – Änglabarn (Plump Productions, 1973)

Swedish vocals, spoken word

International relevance: **

 

Surprisingly sought after (i.e. expensive) album by Malmö duo Änglabarn consisting of Sven Ingmar Ohlsson and Dan Tillberg. Tillberg later founded the Bellatrix label, recorded two cover albums of The Rolling Stones and Bob Dylan translations, and appeared in the Swedish Eurovision Song Contest in 1985 and 1986.

At first I thought this album was rather good, but the more I've heard it, the more irritating it's become. The pompous vocals have an incredibly annoying Xian vibe even if the album isn't religious. But the lyrics are bad enough, hippy clichés dressed up as haughty 'poetry', some of them written by Tillberg's grandmother. The spoken ”Dikt och vers” certainly doesn't help either, and the large choir and the string section used on several tracks give the album a crypto-symphonic character, as if it wanted to be a symph album but doesn't have the guts to see it through. Last track ”Ur drömmen” explains everything: It's a cover of The Moody Blues' ”Nights in White Satin”, but most of the album sounds just like that, a Moody Blues warmed over in a microwave oven for the fourth time.

Änglabarn also released a single in 1973, with two less overblown non-album tracks and while one thinks the toned down arrangements would help the duo's cause, they're even worse than anything on the album, with the dreadful hippy dippy schmippy drivel even more to the fore.

Full album playlist with bonus tracks (Bandcamp)

TOMAS FORSSELL – Nya tider (Avanti, 1980)

Swedish vocals

International relevance: **

 

Tomas Forssell's second album kicks off with the excellent ”Snålblåst” – a 'listen up!” after his so-so debut album ”Ingenting står stilla”. ”Nya tider” can't quite live up to its initial promise but it's a better album than the previous one, with better songs and more vital performances. It almost sounds like a lost Nynningen album, only less dogmatic. No wonder – Forssell was a member of said band, as were Bernt Andersson, Nikke Ström and Torsten ”Totta” Näslund, all present on ”Nya tider”.

The album was recorded in 1979, except ”Snart ska en morgon gry” that was recorded in April 1977 – probably an outtake from ”Ingenting står stilla”.

Full album playlist

ZAMLA MAMMAZ MANNA – Familjesprickor (Silence, 1980)

Instrumental, Swedish vocals

International relevance: ***

After the tour for Samla Mammas Manna's Greg FitzPatrick composed ”Snorungarnas symfoni” released in 1976, the band took a break which led to guitarist Coste Apetrea leaving the band. As influential as he was to Samla's style, it was inevitable that their sound would change with him out of the group. Eino Haapala filled the void, and as the band took on a more improvisational approach, they also changed the spelling of their name to Zamla Mammaz Manna. The first album released as such was the confused double set ”Schlagerns mystik/För äldre nybegynnare”, and it wasn't until 1980's ”Familjesprickor” that the new line-up had matured. By then, drummer Hans Bruniusson had left as well – he appears only briefly on ”Familjesprickor”, with Vilgot Hansson now mainly handling the drum sticks.

Zamla Mammaz Manna soon became a vital part of the Henry Cow initiated Rock in Opposition movement, and ”Familjesprickor” shares some features with for example Belgian RIO outfit Univers Zéro. While their music still had some of the energetic playfulness that made the earlier Samla Mammas Manna favourites among some, the album revealed new and darker undercurrents. The music sounds threatening even in its most cheerful moments, as if it leans towards the listener slightly from above, mouth half open as about to tell you something unsettling or simply chew you up.

If you ignore the fact that ”Familjesprickor” pretty much is a different band and count Samla, Zamla and later Von Zamla as one, the album comes in as second best after their brilliant eponymous 1971 debut album.

Full album playlist

BERITS HALSBAND – Berits Halsband (Forsaljud, 1975)

Instrumental

International relevance: ***

 

First ever release on the eclectic Forsaljud label who released both folk rock and punk. This however is a fusion album with a basement feel and a certain level of non-detracting amateurishness that sets it apart from the typical genre efforts and makes it a lot more interesting than most of them. The whole album is strangely 'off' with a fair share of semi-psychedelic guitar improvising and krautish flute work. All four tracks are interesting in their own way, never boring, and the album is an unusually refreshing example of an often emotionally numb genre.

Full album

PYRAMID – First Stone (Sfinx, 1978)

Swedish vocals, English vocals

International relevance: ***

A hard rock band from Gothenburg with a horn section atypical to the genre which makes ”First Stone” fairly original despite the unimaginative songs. The lyrics concerns environmental issues, such as ”Sista chansen” that deals with consumerism and is also the album highlight. ”You and Me” is another OK track.

I understand why ”First Stone” comes with a pretty hefty price tag when offered for sale. After all, it's well performed and eloquent, especially for private release, but the music never quite sparks my enthusiasm.

Surprisingly enough, I find no evidence of any of the players having embarked on a career in music after this album except trombonist Ove Larsson who appears on several albums beyond ”First Stone”, and singer Christer Mentzer who showed up on a couple of heavy metal albums in the 80's.

Full album

MÅNS MOSSA – Måns Mossa (Great Music Production, 1979)

Swedish vocals, instrumental

International relevance: *

Very bad album of mainly mainstream rock. It also has a couple of disco touches, as expected from an album of the period. The reason why some people try to trick you into believing this is progg related or even progg is the last track ”Autron” but the closest it gets to progg is being instrumental. You can get much better albums of Swedish late 70's pop rock for a lot less than what some crooks want you to pay for this crap. Avoid!

Full album playlist

ARCHIMEDES BADKAR & AFRO 70 – Bado Kidogo (MNW, 1978)

Instrumental, other languages

International relevance: **

Considering Archimedes Badkar's serious interest in African music, it was a logical step to work with Tanzanian band Afro 70 for their final outing in 1978. Afro 70 was centered around singer and guitarist Patrick Balisidya, and the band's popularity in and around Tanzania grew from regular touring and a number of 45's released in the early 70's.

Archimedes Badkar trumpeter Tommy Adolfsson sheds some light on how the two bands got in touch with each other:

– It was me who met Patrick Balisidaya in Dar es Salaam in 1978. I was a student at Tomelilla Folkhögskola [Tomelilla is a small town in Skåne in the south of Sweden] then. Krister Malm at Rikskonserter [Concerts Sweden] gave me the names of [Tanzanian] musicians, including Afro 70. I met Patrick and played him Archimedes Badkar's ”Tre” that was brand new at the time and he got all excited by what he heard. It was in February 1978, and Patrick told me he was invited to Sweden by Krister Malm, and that he would come over. I told him he had to get in touch with Archimedes. Upon my return to Stockholm, they had already recorded most of the Archimedes Badkar/Afro 70 album. I overdubbed some trumpet parts, got in touch with Sweden/Tanzania Friendship Association who granted us money, and then we went on a fun tour around Sweden!

The two bands blend well, although it's somewhat more of an Afro 70 album thanks to Patrick Balisidiya's vocals (plus backing vocals from Dick Unga and Sophie Nzuki-Balisidiya) – hardly a problem.

”Kila Mtu” makes for a strong opening but the very best moment is the album's final 12+ minutes of Ghanaian funeral music, ”Darafo/Darkpen” with saxophonists Jörgen Adolfsson and Christer Bothén blowing hard and free before the rest of the band works up an irrestistable groove around Bengt Berger's xylophone and Per Tjernberg's percussion.

”Bado Kidogo” isn't as stylistically sprawling as Archimedes Badkar's previous efforts, but it's a very fine effort rounding off their all too short discography in a most honorable way.

Although being outside the time span of this blog, I'd really like to mention two Archimedes Badkar related albums. The first of them i ”Trancedance” (Organic Music/Urspår) by Christer Bothén featuring Bolon Bata, released in 1984, with a massive line-up of former Archimedes Badkar members such as Bengt Berger, Jörgen Adolfsson and Tommy Adolfsson and numerous other progg illuminaries. A fantastic, hard swinging, afro inspired feast of an album. The second album was released in 1987 by Bengt Berger lead Bitter Funeral Beer Band's ”Praise Drumming” (Dragon) and features several of the people who made ”Trancedance”, and follows along the same lines albeit broadening the stylistic range even more. Another must for Archimedes Badkar fans.

Special thanks to Tommy Adolfsson for kindly taking the time to straighten some things out!

 

Full album playlist

EGBA – The 1970's albums

Sweden's leading fusion band of the 70's, founded in 1971 and active through the 80's, with one stray album released in 2004. Their name stands for Electronic Groove & Beat Academy but they're exclusively refered to by the acronym EGBA. The band was centered around trumpeter Ulf Adåker and had a changing line-up over the years, at one point or another including guitarist Jan Tolf, Göran Lagerberg, Amadu Jarr, pianist Harald Svensson (Resa, Häxmjölk), drummer Åke Eriksson (Wasa Express) and Per Tjernberg (Archimedes Badkar). A reformed EGBA is still performing.

EGBA (Grammofonverket, 1974)
Instrumental, other languages 

International relevance: ***

 

Their first album presented all of the band's characteristics, jazz fusion inspired by the likes of Miles Davis and Chick Corea, with funky grooves providing the foundation on the heavier tracks, with a distinct African influence to boot, most notably on”Gbinti”. ”Capsiloni”, written by drummer Claes Wang, veers towards Archimedes Badkar. ”Egba” is one of the finer examples of Swedish fusion thanks to its diversity and inspired playing. Great cover too.

Jungle-Jam (Sonet, 1976)

Instrumental, other languages

International relevance: ***

Egba's second album adds a bit of Latin music to the mix, and takes the funk one step further. The album unfortunately lacks a lot of the charm that makes their debut enjoyable. This is pretty much a standard funk fusion album with the urge to explore and discover largely substituted with technical precision.

Live at Montmartre (Sonet, 1977)

Instrumental, other languages

International relevance: ***

Better than ”Jungle-Jam”, probably because it was recorded live, with Egba feeding off the audience at the Montmartre jazz club in Copenhagen. Here they expanded their palette of styles to include reggae on ”Satobe”. Still not on par with their debut however.

Amigos Latinos (Sonet, 1978)
Instrumental, other languages 

International relevance: ***

 

Just like the title suggests this is an album with a stronger emphasis on Latin influences. It's also an excruciatingly dull album, with fusion meaning a mathematically precise show-off. I find it extremely hard to sit through without a steadily increasing level of irritation.

Bryter upp! (MNW, 1979)

Instrumental
International relevance: ***

A literal translation of the album title would be ”breaking up”, and while not exactly true, it saw Egba change to a smaller line-up and also a new label. The title also suggests the band was taking off in a new direction which is partly true as ”Bryter upp!” is less hysterical than ”Amigos Latinos”, a little more reflective. It still fails to satisfy unless you have a high tolerance for their kind of music.

”Progglådan” features two Egba tracks recorded for the Swedish Radio in 1972, and three more from a 1978 session.

I can see why they're highly regarded by fusion fans for their passion and skills making them much better than many of their peers, even if they're not to my liking.

Egba full album playlist
Jungle Jam full album playlist
Live at Montmartre full album playlist
Amigos Latinos full album playlist