Thursday, July 5, 2018

MIXED MEDIA – Mixed Media (Bellatrix, 1978) / Levande (Bellatrix, 1979)

Swedish vocals, English vocals
International relevance: **/*

In retrospect, Mixed Media's biggest claim to fame is probably having Lena Olin in the line-up before she became a world famous actress with movies like ”The Unbearable Lightness of Being”, ”Chocolat” and ”The Ninth Gate” under her belt. But Mixed Media deserve better than being reduced to a Hollywood anecdote at best, at least as far as their debut album goes.

Unlike a couple of other all-female outfits of the era – most notably Röda Bönor – Mixed Media never took a confrontational feminist stance although they touched on themes like prostitution on their 1978 eponymous debut LP. Their lyrics are usually mildly poetic everyday observations accentuated by their multi-part West Coast infused harmonies and melodies that at times are reminiscent of Turid and at times are decidedly folk inspired, such as the beautiful and melancholy ”Önskan” (a poem by Swedish poet Karin Boye set to music by band member Ingagill Persson) off their debut album (further enhanced by sensitive flute playing).

Notable contributors to ”Mixed Media's” delicate sound include multi-instrumentalists Gisen Malmqvist and omnipresent folk musician Ale Möller. Also featured is blues and reggae icon Peps Persson, adding harmonica to ”Uppbrott”.

Mixed Media's second and final album was recorded in concert in Gothenburg 1979 and appropriately entitled ”Levande” (”Alive”). Sorry to say, the delicacy that made Mixed Media's first effort as pleasing as it is is pretty much lost on stage. The version of the Billie Holiday chestnut ”Good Morning Heartache” is pointless, but the biggest problem with ”Levande” is that the band relies too much on almost showlike numbers with a 'humourous' twist that probably worked better in the original live setting than the earlier softspoken songs would have done. The jauntiness is the main reason why ”Levande” is such a disappointing album.

from Mixed Media
Önskan
Levande no links found

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