Swedish vocals
International relevance: **/*
One of the better communist bands of
the era, affiliated with VPK, Sweden's biggest communist party at the
time (still in existence, today representing a softer socialism than
back in the day). Actually, Röda Kapellet was two bands, one
electric and one acoustic with the electric incarnation being the
better of the two, with for an album such as this unusually good musicianship and quite good
songs, somewhat similar to Röda Lacket. The acoustic part concentrated on translated versions of Latin American political songs Both line-ups appear on
”Röda Kapellet”, giving the album something of a split
personality. Best track is the heavy ”Gå med i KU stärk VPK”
despite the propaganda lyrics. If you're into straight-up political
progg, the album is well worth hearing for the good bits.
Röda Kapellet's second album is made
by the electric faction only, and thus it should be better overall.
But it's not. It has way too many musical pastiches in a silly humourous style that immediately wears thin. The album cover tells you everything you need to know about the album.
Gothenburgers Röda Kapellet also
released a not very good split EP with Röda Gardet from Stockholm,
on the Arbetarkultur imprint in 1973, and one in 1982, ”I mänsklighetens namn – fred” on Fredsång.
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