Tuesday, September 11, 2018

FOLK & RACKARE – Complete albums 1974-1981

In the wake of the anti-imperialistic forces in the late 60's and 70's, several bands turned to traditional Swedish music, taking a stand against the American influence on Swedish culture. Most of those bands and artists based their repertoire on instrumental tunes rather than songs, but Folk & Rackare delved deep into the old domestic narrative music. Softly adding a rock touch, they became the Swedish equivalent to particularly UK folk rockers Steeleye Span, with harmony vocals and a softer sound than for instance, Fairport Convention. Their first release was actually a duo album by front couple Carin Kjellman and Ulf Gruvberg, but when expanding their line-up, they soon turned into a very popular band, releasing several albums up until 1985.

Med rötter i medeltiden (Sonet, 1974)
as Carin Kjellman & Ulf Gruvberg
Swedish vocals, instrumental, a cappella
International relevance: ***

The duo debut with acoustic guitars, fiddles, flutes and bagpipes and also a couple of a capella songs. I used to be a huge fan of this, but my infatuation has slowly worn off with time. ”Liten Kersti stalledräng” and ”Maj är välkommen” are still nice enough tracks, but the general mellowness of the album strikes me too rosy-cheeked these days. The album is simply too pretty and cozy for me to pull out anymore. I actually find it a bit hard to listen to now. 

Folk Och Rackare (YTF, 1976)
Swedish vocals, instrumental, a cappella
International relevance: ***

First album released as Folk Och Rackare, still largely acoustic but with more musicians participating to make it more o a band effort including the ocassional electric bass and drums. First Folk Och Rackare appearance from Jørn Jensen of Norway's #1 folk rock band Folque. Another album I used to play to death that doesn't quite do it for me anymore.


Rackarspel (YTF, 1978)
Swedish vocals, instrumental, a cappella
International relevance: ***

Fiddler Trond Villa did what Jørn Jensen already had done, he left Folque for an increasingly rock oriented Folk & Rackare. ”Rackarspel” is a fuller sounding album than any of their previous outings, more self-assured and with richer and punchier performances making for a smoother mix of band tracks and a capella numbers. Their best album. (An acoustic and inferior live version of ”Äggavisan” from ”Rackarspel” can be heard on the 1978 various artist album ”Ångbåtsmusik – Live ombord på S/S Blidösund” on the Roslagen label.)

Anno 1979 (Sonet, 1979)
Swedish vocals, instrumental, a cappella
International relevance: ***
 
After two albums for the YTF label, Folk & Rackare returned to Sonet who released ”Med rötterna i medeltiden” back in 1974, this time offering the band higher production values, resulting in their glossiest sounding 70's album. The use of reverb rounds off the sharper edges too much and that weakens the impact the album otherwise might have had. Too smooth for its own good.

Stjärnhästen (Sonet, 1981)
Swedish vocals, instrumental, a cappella
International relevance: ***
 
A Christmas album with songs exclusively dealing with the Staffan Stalledräng character of Swedish and Norweigan folklore. Christmas records are a scary concept but this is, after all, better than most (for what it's worth). But just like ”Anno 1979” it suffers from too much production sheen, plus much too much of those apple-cheeked vocals that have pushed me such a long way from even Folk & Rackare's early albums. 

Folk & Rackare returned in 1985 with "Rackbag" that has a couple of good songs and features a cameo performance from UK guitar slinger Richard Thompson, but suffers from a typical mid-80s production with compressors and aural sheen. Carin Kjellman released a horrendous solo album the same year, while Ulf Gruvberg became a host for Swedish Radio folk show Trender & Traditioner, presenting new and old folk sounds from around the world on a weekly basis.

Folk & Rackare appears with a 1976/77 radio concert (date uncertain) in ”Progglådan”. Those who so wish can also look around for other, unreleased radio sessions – there are plenty.

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