Friday, August 24, 2018

VARIOUS ARTISTS - 3 FEMINIST ALBUMS

It's no wonder that the feminist movement gained momentum in the politically charged 70's. The fight for social equality between men and women connected well with the struggle for working class liberation. It paved way for #1 feminist band Röda Bönor, and later Andra Bullar, but prior to that, several feminist projects had already received attention.

SÅNGER OM KVINNOR (MNW, 1971)
International relevance: *
Swedish vocals

The first album entirely devoted to the topic of feminisim was ”Sånger om kvinnor” in 1971 with its origins in a stage play called ”Tjejsnack” written by Suzanne Osten and Margareta Garpe for Stockholms Stadsteater (Stockholm City Theatre). MNW wanted to release an album with the music used in the play, but as there wasn't enough material for a full LP, additional songs were written specifically for the release.

Much appreciated upon its release ”Sånger om kvinnor” was also questioned. While the lyrics were written by women, the music was composed by Gunnar Edander (formerly active in independent theatre group Fickteatern), and the backing musicians were an all male cast of Bengt Berger, Urban Yman, Kjell Westling, Roland Keijser, Tord Bengtsson, Leif Nylén and others. Ironically enough, it's the musical backing that impresses the most, with several fine efforts from the musicians involved. The album sports a massive lot of singers including the aforementioned Suzanne Osten and Margareta Garpe, but also Ulla Sjöblom, Lise-Lotte Nilsson, Lena Söderblom, Louise Waldén, author Sonja Åkesson and the excellent Marie Selander. Not all of them are as good singers as Selander. Also, the music is annoyingly silly and yippee jolly from time to time, but it has a couple of good moments – ”Innerst inne är du en riktig kvinna, Louise”, and Leif Nylén's excellent ”Törnrosa” (sung by Marie Selander). ”Vi måste höja våra röster” became an instant classic feminist anthem.

TJEJCLOWN - MED LIVMODER I STRÄNGARNA (MNW, 1974)
Swedish vocals, spoken word
International relevance: *
 
In response to ”Sånger om kvinnor”, ”Tjejclown” was made with only women writing and performing the songs, some of them spilling over from ”Sånger om kvinnor”, but also including such well-known names as Anita Livstrand, Turid, Hélène Bohman (of Stenblomma) and Lena Ekman. Obviously of greater symbolic value than ”Sånger om kvinnor”, but if you don't want to listen to political symbols just for the sake of it, it's a bad and largely amateurish album. There's not one track here of the same stature as ”Innerst inne är du en riktig kvinna, Louise” and ”Törnrosa”, but ”Flugsvampens visa” is passable.

JÖSSES FLICKOR - BEFRIELSEN ÄR NÄRA (YTF, 1975)
Swedish vocals
International relevance: *

”Jösses flickor – befrielsen är nära” was originally highly successful musical/play premiered at Stockholms Stadsteater in 1974, depicting the evolution of the women's liberation movement (three years before ”Tältprojektet” did a similar thing with the working rights movement). Again the music was written by Gunnar Edander, meaning it was a little more carved out than ”Tjejclown”. Unfortunately, he borrowed so much from the pamphlet progg style so fashionable among the communist crowd at the time that the best thing I can say about the album is that the songs at least are short...

To sum it up, all this is (mostly) bad music for a good cause. For more enduring, digestible and entertaining feminist progg, please turn to Röda Bönor.
 

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