ORIENTAL WIND – Chila-Chila (Sonet, 1979)

Instrumental

International relevance: ***

The second Sonet album credited to Oriental Wind with great Turkish drummer Okay Temiz at the helm. Those familiar with his other albums including those by the majestic Sevda know what to expect from ”Chila-Chila”, a fine blend of Turkish modes and Swedish jazz.

Those thrilled by Oriental Wind's eponymous 1977 debut but disappointed by the too fusion-y ”Bazaar” from 1981 should certainly lend an ear to this effort. Lots of Eastern flavours and a constant motion forward thanks to Temiz himself, Bobo Stensson's piano excursions and Lennart Åberg's forceful and often transcendent sax playing.

Only ”Julu Kara Nayni” feels a bit bland in the company of the more adventurous tracks dominating the album, such as ”Chila-Chila”, ”Estergon Kalesi”, and most of all the aboslutely marvellous ”Karasar Zeibegi” with its haunting, melancholy melody soaring in the heights of Arbete & Fritid passing Fläsket Brinner's ”Gånglåten” on the way.

A lovely album!

Full album playlist

ROLAND KEIJSER & ANDERS ROSÉN – Forsens låt (Hurv, 1975)

Instrumental

International relevance: **

One of the true masterworks to come out of the Swedish folk music scene of the 70's, and a pioneering work too when it came out in 1975 as the first release on the Hurv label: ”Forsens låt” was the first time ever than the soprano sax was used on a record with Swedish folk music. Handled by Arbete & Fritid illuminary Roland Keijser, it beautifully supports, chases and embraces Anders Rosén's fiddle in a number of traditional tunes augmented by a slew of carefully crafted Rosén originals. The music moves in a space of its own, familiar yet different. Explained Rosén in an interview I did with him and Keijser in 2014:

”'Forsens låt' is an obvious attempt at creating a 'fantasy dialect' within folk music. It sounds like a clearly defined style, but you can't really place it in time or geography.”

”We were careful not to sentimentalize the old folk music,” Keijser elaborated, ”and we didn't want to jazzify it or dress it up in nifty chord progressions or adapt it to God-knows-what. We just wanted to play the songs straight without any hidden intentions, only adding a new timbre through the soprano sax.”

The results are stunning, thick with rich textures of the intertwined timbres of the fiddle and the sax, and melodies dense with equal parts of pertinence and alluring ancient lore. It's Swedish blues without any stylistic evidence of American blues as we know it.

I realize that Swedish fiddle music isn't everyone's cup of tea, but if there's one album I'd like to recommend to listeners to the uninitiated, this is it. It's a masterpiece.

Springlek

ANDERS ROSÉN & OVE KARLSSON – Låtar med Anders Rosén och Ove Karlsson (Hurv, 1979)

Instrumental
International relevance: **

A rarely seen album with a tight Arbete & Fritid connection. Ove Karlsson was of course one of the most prominent members of Arbete & Fritid, while folk fiddler Anders Rosén joined them for their 1977 double album ”...sen dansar vi ut”, like this album released on Rosén's Hurv label. Here Karlsson provides cello, zither and guitar, while his compadre sticks to a fiddle with sympathetic strings. The combination of fiddle and cello in particular adds baroque sounding characteristics to these original Rosén pieces which is very pleasing to listen to. And both participants are of course class 'A' musicians with good ears for complementing interplay.

While not a surefire recommendation to people not used to music deeply rooted in traditional tunes and folk fiddling, the album has a fine atmosphere with plenty of droning qualities that might appeal to fans of ”...sen dansar vi ut”.

The front cover drawing is by Anders Rosén's daughter.

No links found.

ORIENTAL WIND – Live In Der Balver Höhle (JG-Records, 1978)

Instrumental

International relevance: ***

A document of Oriental Wind's powerful performance at the fifth annual jazz festival held at the Balver Höhle in Balve, Germany in June 1978. The impact is only lessened by a somewhat muddy sound, but if you can listen beyond the aural fidelity, you're in for a fine treat. All material is based on Turkish traditional music arranged by band leader Okay Temiz, but the quintet (also comprising Oriental Wind regulars Lennart Åberg on saxes and Bobo Stensson on piano) have a go at it with an explosive Coltrane-like fervour. The ensemble playing is on top level, with the five performers working up a transcendental frenzy, culminating at the end of ”Dere Geliyor Dere”. Haci Tekbilek's baglama (a Turkish lute of the saz family) is an excellent addition, adding a U.S. Kaleidoscope touch to parts of ”Fidayda”. That all tracks were originally released on their brilliant studio debut doesn't make "Live at the Balver Höhle" redundant at all. The live versions are a very good complement to the studio incarnations, although they would have benefitted from a better recording.
 

Full album

BJÖRN FAMNE – Björn Famne (Rasp, EP 1975)

English vocals, instrumental

International relevance: **

Despite being only a five-track 7” EP, Björn Famne's lone solo outing is a split personality work musically speaking. It features a semi-spacey take on classic trad tune ”Visa från Utanmyra” with soft wah wah, vibraphone and acoustic guitar clearly nspirated by UK folk guitars such as Bert Jansch, John Renbourn and Davey Graham. The acoustic twin guitar work of Renbourn and Jansch is also evident on ”Bach Goes to Town”, while ”Mañha De Carneval” is soft late night bossa nova. ”Njudungssjåttis” is a bluesy rock'n'roll track of little merit.

The track here that really stands out here is the EP's only non-instrumental and also Famne's most famous one, ”Vampire”. Full of wild, screaming electric guitars over a persistent heavy groove it wouldn't have been out of place on Scorpion's ”I Am The Scorpion”. It would also have been the best track on that album. Instead this example of excellent half sloppy hard rock was resurrected for the third volume of the comp series ”Who Will Buy These Wonderful Evils" which turned into a fullblown classic.

Björn Famne is still active and has played with several bands in different genres over the years. His recorded output is relatively meagre though. Apart from this very rare EP (made a bit more obtainable by the Woah Dad! Record Store Day 12" reissue in 2016), there are a couple of tracks by Famne led band Famntag on the local ”Aktiv Ungdom: Alsterett” V/A comp. He also made an album and a couple of singles with Örebro band Lix in the early/mid 80's, and appeared on an EP by Christian youth choir Ingarps Ungdomskör, ”Jag vill leva nära dig” (release date unknown).

Full album playlist

NAILBAND – The Most Remarkable Nailband (Columbia, 1972)

English vocals

International relevance: *

Stylistically speaking, this is a somewhat parenthetical inclusion, but seven of the songs on "The Most Remarkable Nailband" were written by Lasse Tennander, either on his own or together with Nailband main man Peter Lundblad. (Lundblad also appears on Tennander's 1972 debut album ”Lars Vegas”.) The album – the only one released under the Nailband banner – is far from as remarkable as the title suggest, but it's an OK effort if you're into early 70's West Coast stuff and singer/songwriter pop. Parts of it are somewhat similar to the very first few and unjustly and pettily slagged albums by Tomas Ledin. Two songs in particular are fine, album opener ”Lady of Lore” with a not too overt strain of turn-of-the-decade Moody Blues, and ”Dreamer” that wears its David Crosby influence on its sleeve and features some nice dreamy guitar. (Not a far-fetched reference as the album also includes a cover of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young's "Ohio", however not particularly memorable.)

As a sidenote, the rumour (supported by a Discogs entry) that there's a monochrome variation of the album cover seems entirely erroneous, originating from a cover scan posted on the Swedish Musikon/Progg.se website that had the bad habit of publishing brown & white pictures of record covers. 

Full album

B.L. MAGNELL – Idyllen (Jerome, 1976)

Swedish vocals, English vocals

International relevance: **

After a long time hesitating over if this semi-rare but never expensive album should be included or not, I decided to give it the benefit of doubt and give this relatively obscure album some attention. I realize of course that this album isn't for every reader of this blog as it's not a straigh-laced progg album, but then again it's not that far removed from singer/songwriters generally rewarded with the progg approval either. Also, it's a quite good album with underpinnings of mid 70's West Coast sounds, Southern country funk, folk and narrative country music. ”Idyllen” has an appealing sound that's both mature and slightly low budget at the same time that gives it a slight outsider feel. And – dare I say it? – progg touch.

Bo Lennart Magnell – not related to Ola – recorded ”Idyllen” backed by unknown Landskrona four-piece Änglamat in 1976, and released it on the Jerome imprint later the same year, a label mostly (un)known for releasing several albums of Swedish dance bands around the same time as ”Idyllen” Magnell sings with a slightly nasal voice that sometimes makes him sound like a cross between higher-pitched and less troubled John Holm and a weaker-voiced version of Straight Records artist Tim Dawe. But he sings with a certain urgency that catches my interest even if the (sometimes vaguely political) lyrics in English and Swedish are a bit on the cheesy side.

Not all songs are good but some of them are just fine. ”Ondskans tid” may seem a bit overworked with its semi-funky arrangement defined by Tommy Öhlund's busy bass playing, but it has a great melody. The same can be said of ”Ett sagoland”, a decidedly folksy tune – add to that an almost krautish flute hovering in the background towards the end. You could blame the title track for being mawkish but damn it if you don't find yourself humming along to it before it's over! The highlight however is ”Lögnarens kost” in which the folk influences really comes to the fore in an irresistably bumpy and contageous little track. 

B.L. Magnell was also a member of dance band in the 70's called Lenne Magnells (terrifying). Between 1994 and 2007, he was a member of country outfit Highway 40 (which makes perfect sense as the country strain is obvious already on ”Idyllen”). Highway 40 had at least one album out with both covers and self-penned songs.

Unfortunately, several of the best tracks aren't on Youtube so the links below might give you the wrong impression of the album.

Linda Lee

Ondskans tid 

I Believe I'm There

Ett sagoland 

JEMERTON JÖNSSONS – Kaffesump och kärlek (Musiklaget, 1975)

Swedish vocals

International relevance: *

Jemerton Jönssons apparently have some 'cult following', at least in the Skåne region which could be explained by the fact they came from Lund. The band featured two future music journalists, best known for their Swedish Radio work, Kalle Oldby and Stefan Wermelin. Wermelin was also one of the guys behind the Musiklaget label that released ”Kaffesump och kärlek” in 1975, as is one of his Musiklaget cohorts, album cover designer Lasse Ermalm. One Agneta Klingspor also appears, and with such an usual name, it's a safe bet that she's the same person that later became an author and an art/literary critic.

Jemerton Jönssons released this album only, sometimes compared to Anna Koka Fem Ägg Jag Är Värd I Huset and even Philemon Arthur & The Dung. While indeed a whacky acoustic album, the comparisons may lead you to believe that ”Kaffesump och kärlek” is a much better effort than it is. Don't fall for it. If there are any good songs here, I certainly haven't found them beneath the thick layers of contrived quirkiness and the outdated and simpleminded attempts at humour. The album is very bad, plain and simple.

Full album playlist

MERSMAK – Liten groda i stor damm (Frog, 1978)

Swedish vocals

International relevance: **

An unexciting predominantly mellow folk rock Kalmar outfit with a slight British vibe. Several singers, with the female vocals reminding me The Incredible String Band's Licorice McKechnie and Rose Simpson, That is not meant as praise.

But at least the soft folk rock of limited suffiency is easier to accept than Mersmak's very annoying habit of tossing rock pastiches and mock blues into the mix, sometimes in the middle of a song of a completely different nature. That's when I want to throw my hifi system out of the window. A pity, because ”Liten groda i stor damm” does have some pleasant features such as the occasional use of cello and a sometimes promising atmosphere. But promises are worth zilch unless they're fulfilled, and Mersmak repeteadly fails to fulfill them.

They also had a non-album 1978 single out on their private Frog label. Guitarist Dan Jonsson joined Ragnarök in the 80's and has appeared in different constellations since.

Full album

GRAPES OF WRATH – Deserter U.S.A. (HB Artist, EP 1969)

English vocals, instrumental
International relevance: ***

A very rare EP featuring Janne Schaffer and Jojje Wadenius on guitars, and Ola Brunkert on drums, consisting of four tracks taken from the movie ”Deserter U.S.A.”. The movie is a documentary about that exactly, Americans that fled to Sweden to escape the Vietnam draft.

There's a dash of horn rock on the first song ”Tell Me the Reason”, which despite not being very good is the best of the lot. The remainder of the EP consists of instrumental jazz rock that might sounded fresh then but unimaginative now. Sometimes Grapes of Wrath sound like a lightweight version of Made in Sweden which after all isn't that surprising given Wadenius involvement.

The EP's certainly not worth the money asked for it; it's reputation is solely built on scarcity and the musicians' names, and not on musical merits.

Schaffer and Brunkert went on to form the equally shortlived Opus III soon after.

Pi + Tell Me the Reason

JOHN-ERIK AXELSSON – Barn (G-Produktion, 1971)

Swedish vocals

International relevance: *

”Spår”, the second album from this singer/songwriter, is a numbing act of inprofiency where Axelsson stumbles around in his catastrophes disguised as 'songs' like a drunken elk trying to avoid an electric fence. Surprisingly enough, this – his debut – is better (although I'm uncomfortable using the word 'good' in any form when talking about Axelsson). At least it sounds as if the backing musicians have some notion of what's happening. They even manage to get some groove going on ”Jag vill” (that curiously enough sounds a bit like the old soul nugget ”The Snake”, brought to perfection by Al Wilson in 1969).

But, then there's Axelsson himself. His lyrics are unbelievably lousy and sung with too much self-esteem. The effect is tragicomic as often the case when incompetent performers overrate themselves to the point of megalomania. Because no matter if the backing musicians are within the spectrum of adequacy, they can't conceal that John-Erik Axelsson is so lost in overestimating his own abilities.

While ”Barn” isn't quite as cringeworthy as ”Spår”, it's still a genuinely terrible album where you constantly sit anticipating in horror the next lyric like ”I went to a party last Wednesday and I met a woman with fat fingers” (from ”Kvinnor”, ”Women”) will jump out of the speakers to smack you straight in the face like a Mach 3 rotten plum bizzarely appearing out of nowhere.
 

"Barn"
"I badet"

NEON ROSE - Complete albums 1974-1975

Although a hard rock band rather than a progg band, I still think it's fair to include them here – if Rhapsody fits, so does Neon Rose. But they didn't fit in with the righteous music movement of the 70's. Too 'commercial' in sound, style, language and label choice, they were obviously never on good terms with the 'right' crowd. That, of course, let Neon Rose play whatever they felt like playing. If they wanted to support bands like Nazareth and Dr. Hook on their visits to Sweden, they did. (Scary, I know.)

A Dream of Glory and Pride (Vertigo, 1974)
English vocals
International relevance: ***

Neon Rose formed in Stockholm in 1969 as Spider. In 1973 they changed their name to Neon Rose, releasing their debut album the following year after signing with the Swedish division of Vertigo Records. ”A Dream of Glory and Pride” consists of seven tracks of competent heavy rock, including the ten minute title track that ends the album and that definitely has its share of progressive moves. Several of the songs are allowed to stretch out, with only ”Sensation” and ”Love Rock” being less than five minutes long. In many ways, ”A Dream of Glory and Pride” sounds more like a British effort of the day, and is a decent genre effort.

The album was later reissued on CD, expanded with four bonus tracks including a terrible cover of Eddie Cochran chestnut ”C'mon Everybody” originally released as a B side, two live songs and a previously unreleased studio track.

Two (Vertigo, 1974)

International relevance: ***

English vocals

Some time before Neon Rose's second album (released only months after their debut), Gunnar Hallin was handed the guitar duties by Roger Holegård who from now on wanted to focus on his vocals. Hallin plays a prominent role on ”Two”, a more typically riffing hard rock effort than the previous one, with the most progish track again being the longest one, the ten minute ”Bloody Wellfare” [sic!]. But there's still room for a couple of softer moments, most notably the ballads ”My Lady” and ”Thoughts”, the latter somewhat akin to David Bowie around the time of ”The Man Who Sold the World” and ”Hunky Dory”. The sound of ”Two” is denser than that of ”A Dream of Glory and Pride” and should have enough of appeal to genre fans, but it's a much duller album on the whole.

Reload (Vertigo, 1975)

International relevance: **

English vocals

Productive they were, you have to give them that. Two albums in 1974, with a third following already in 1975, featuring new drummer Thomas Wiklund (formerly of Uppåt Väggarna who released one fine 45 on Efel Records in 1971, ”Jag hatar politik” b/w ”Jag färdas”). But by the time ”Reload” was recorded, everything vaguely appealing on ”A Dream of Glory and Pride” was long gone. In its place, all standard hard rock moves inflated by a tiresome production. The track ”A Man's Not a Man” has a surprising power pop chorus reminiscent of Cheap Trick – no wonder it was chosen for a 45 release. (The single mix is included on the CD reissue as a bonus track.)

The most interesting thing to me is that the cover art is by Anders F. Rönnblom, a graphic designer and an excellent artist in his own right.

 

Roger Holegård joined Wasa Express following the demise of Neon Rose in 1975. Two years later, guitarist Piero Mengarelli opted for a Neon Rose reunion with him as the only previous member of the band. An unsuccessful venture – they disbanded after only recording a couple of demos. A further attempt at reviving the band (this time with Piero Mengarelli and his brother and bass player Benno) only got as far as to an unreleased single for the Rosa Honung imprint in 1981. In 2015, Piero Mengarello again tried to bring Neon Rose back to life, and again with him as the only original member. This version of the band, known as Neon Rose Chapter III, quit in 2017. Time to give up trying perhaps?

 

A Dream Of Glory And Pride full album playlist with bonus tracks
Two full album playlist with bonus tracks
Reload full album playlist

THOMAS AHLSÉN BAND – Fåtölj... (Knäpp, 1979)

Swedish vocals

International relevance: **

With Borås situated only a couple of miles outside Gothenburg, it might not come as a surprise that Borås locals Thomas Ahlsén Band reveal some traces of Ensamma Hjärtan and Huntington Band. But there's more to the curiously entitled ”Fåtölj...” (”armchair”) than that. Thomas Ahlsén himself sometimes sings with a Stig Vig (of Dag Vag) inspired drawl, and the album is rather diverse, spanning from the melancholy opening track and album highlight ”Fåtöljen” with it's biting guitar work, to the vaguely reggae influenced ”Gud bevare kungen”, ”Jag har inte hört nå't” that draws heavily on Samla Mammas Manna, and the moody afterhours semi jazz of album closer ”Vägarna leder dig tillbaks” that moves somewhere in the region of later Blå Tåget and Stockholm Norra. Actually, the album has a peculiar overall nightly underground feel, even on the loudest track ”Bly” which borrows more than a little from The Velvet Underground's ”Sweet Jane”.

”Fåtölj...” isn't an essential album but it has a few things going for it. It's pleasant, and it definitely is more interesting than most of what Gothenburg had to offer in 1979.

Ahlsén originally worked as a nurse and was a relatively unexperienced singer when he recorded ”Fåtölj...”. Guitarist/sax player Stefan Sandberg on the other hand had previously been in Modern Music Band, while drummer Rikard Olson used to be in Combo 8, Skrotbandet and, along with keyboard player Örjan Hill, in Lars Aldman & Haffsorkestern.
 

Full album playlist

ZTHÜREHZ – Zthürehz (Sill Y, 1981)

Instrumental, English vocals, Swedish vocals

International relevance: **

A very rare half symphonic, half new wave private pressing released in 500 copies locally in the band's hometown Vimmerby. Very rare yes and in the multi-hundreds region pricewise, but – you know where I'm going with this – incredibly bad. Even the band name is stupid. Not that 'Zthürehz' means anything in Swedish, it isn't a proper word, but it sounds completely moronic anyway.

It's all cheesy synths galore, crappy vocals, stupid lyrics, and twee songs on one hand pretending to be Kaipa 'ambitious', on the other some kind of punk/new wave. Well, OK, ”I'm Rich” could possibly have been a decent power pop number in the hands of anyone except these wannabe nobodies.

But the worst track by far and further still is ”I träsket”, a reggae attempt so horrendous I wouldn't blame Jamaica if they want to declare war on Sweden.

I suppose Zthürehz were pretty young when they recorded this album, and you could say that ought to work for the benefit of their questionable honour but the album still sucks mammoth genitalia. At best it sounds like a very embarassing school project some untalented kids force their poor parents to sit through in pain and boredom.

They named their label Sill Y and well, at least they got that right. Silly it is.

Nice album cover though, if you scratch out the band's name.

They (I can't make myself spell out their name again) also released a 7” in 1984. I haven't heard it, and I have no wish whatsoever to do so either.

Full album

VARIOUS ARTISTS – Alternative Instrumental Music (Caprice, 1980; rec. 1970-1978)

Featured artists: Kebnekaise / Arbete & Fritid / Bo Hansson / Fläsket Brinner / Tillsammans / Samla Mammas Manna / Spjärnsvallet / Iskra / Archimedes Badkar / Anita Livstrand / Ramlösa Kvällar

Instrumental 

International relevance: ***

An excellent if redundant compilation in Caprice Records' ”Music In Sweden” series. This is volume 7 and just like the title says, focusing on instrumental progg. All tracks are taken from previously released albums so there's nothing exclusive here. But, as a cream-of-the-crop overview, it's carefully selected and sequenced, with great numbers from the likes of Kebnekaise (from their second, invincible album and before their changed their spelling to Kebnekajse), Arbete & Fritid, Fläsket Brinner, Archimedes Badkar, Anita Livstrand, Spjärnsvallet and Bo Hansson. Pretty much the go-to album for a progg newbie interested in the non-vocal side of Swedish progg, as well as a thoroughly enjoyable disc to the ears of the already converted.

An LP sized multilingual booklet with short pieces on the participating groups as well as a introduction to the Swedish progg scene is included.

Kebnekajse - Barkbrödslåten
Arbete & Fritid - Två grekiska låtar
Bo Hansson - De svarta ryttarna/Flykten till vadstället
Fläsket Brinner - Gunnars dilemma
Samla Mammas Manna - Oförutsedd förlossning
Spjärnsvallet - Pojkarna
Archimedes Badkar - Darkpen
Anita Livstrand - Didjeridoo/Kulning
Ramlösa Kvällar - Maskulina mystiken 

TEDDYBJÖRN BAND – Teddybjörn Band (Piglet, 1980)

Instrumental, Swedish vocals

International relevance: **

A late-coming wannabe progg band based in Uppsala with a stupid name to boot ('Teddybear Band'). Teddybjörn Band released their sole folk shaded progressive styled album on the baffingly inconsistent and diverse Piglet label, home to Jonas Palm and others.

Opening track ”Toradans” is half decent as a lead-foot Samla Mammas Manna rip-off, but marred by stiff drumming and a synth sounding as if it was nicked from ABBA. The drumming is in fact a problem to the entire album, which is perplexing once you realize there are three different drummers playing here; Hasse Bruniusson (Samla Mammas Manna), Ingemar Bergman (Kaipa), and Per Gulbrandsen (Sub-gruppen, Störningen). It's not easy to tell them apart as all of them offer up such stiff performances they make a pile driver sound like a James Brown 45.

The vocals are mostly overwrought and overbearing and the worst singer of them all is Ann Chabaan who appeares on a couple of tracks. She takes the lead on ”Du har gett upp”, sounding like a bad dream to ruin even vibrato wobbler Jan Hammarlund's sleep.

To top it off, the production is clinical, almost sounding like a Nacksving album.

Teddybjörn Band tries contortionally to come up with something worthwhile but constantly lose themselves in a morass of clichéd pretentiousness.

One of the singers in the band, Frans Mossberg, did the cover painting and released 1982 solo album "Tystnader", also on Piglet.

Full album

JONAS PALM – Ze Wörmnest (Piglet, 1980) / De-compositions (Djuring Phonogram, 2011; recorded 1981)

Ze Wörmnest (Piglet, 1980)

Instrumental
International relevance: ***

Usually considered a synth/minimal artist, but there's really no reason why Jonas Palm shouldn't be included here. His main influences came from kraut bands, obviously early Tangerine Dream and less obviously Can, plus 70's ambient and 20th century composers like György Ligeti. He began exploring the possibilities of the synthesizer in 1975 but his only album release at the time was ”Ze Wörmnest”. It's close to Anna Själv Tredje's "Tussilago Fanfara", only with darker undercurrents. If Anna Själv Tredje is the sound of nature right before dawn, then Jonas Palm is the sound of nature by late dusk. Or perhaps the place where the city ends and a no man's land of the mind begins. A compelling album.

De-compositions (Son of Ze Wörmnest) 

(Djuring Phonogram, 2011; recorded 1981)
Instrumental

International relevance: ***

Palm's second album went unreleased for a full thirty years before industrial/darkwave/avant synth label Börft unearthed it and released it through their Djuring Phonogram subsidiary. The album is subtitled ”Son of Ze Wörmnest” and it is pretty much an extension of Palm's original album. It begins with ”Ängen är grön, ängen är giftig” (”the meadow is green, the meadow is poisonous”) with ”Zeit” era Tangerine Dream-like soundscapes illuminated by cold lights of unknown origins before slowly evolving into something even more sinister.

Sometimes ”De-compositions” sound like what I imagine Anna Själv Tredje spin-off Cosmic Overdose would sound like if they were all instrumental and had an even sparser sound. But when push comes to shove, neither of Jonas Palm's albums need any comparisons. They both stand tall in their own right.

Ze Wörmnest full album

"La Città Futura"

VARIOUS ARTISTS – Musikfest Örnsköldsvik 80 (Musikhuset, 1980)

Featured artists: Murena / Lars & Per-Erik / Staffans / Horny Band / Kylans Rockorkester / Het Örn / Blue Notes
Swedish vocals, instrumental

International relevance: *

One of many regional pressings providing a peep into a specific local scene, this time the Northern town Örnsköldsvik and the music forum Musikhuset. The album comprises seven acts from various genres – anti-bacterial jazz, folk pop, test tube funk fusion, straight ahead rock, B grade reggae – and while ”Musikfest Örnsköldsvik 80” obviously was made possible by the progg ethos on the way out in 1980, few of the bands have any real progg sensibilities to speak of. The best known band here is Kylans Rockorkester whose ”Min borgerlige bror” is typically pedestrian boogie rock with political lyrics. That fusion outfit Staffans' take on Dave Brubeck's ”Take Five” in a washed out Made In Sweden style is the album highlight says it all.

Murena - Flotta Sture 

Lars & Per-Erik - Johnny 

Staffans - Take Five 

Lars & Per-Erik - Tåget 

Horny Band - Solen står lågt 

Kylans Rockorkester - Min borgerlige bror 

Het Örn - Rasta din hund

Lars & Per-Erik - Historiens hjul 

Blue Notes - Rastlös 

Murena - Från oss alla 

VARIOUS ARTISTS – Bygg ett eget musikforum (Upsala Musikforum, 1973) / 018/Tio grupper (Svenska Love Records, 1980)

The music forums were the backbone of the 70's progg movement, not only providing places to play for nationally established acts but for local bands executing their talents (or lack thereof) as well. Many of the music forums (well, some at least) were rather well organized units with plenty of people involved in booking, budget issues etc, all on a non-profit basis where the money earned went back into the independent operations that apart from music in several cases also included other social activities. The two best known and as far as I know also longest running music forums were the one in Uppsala and Gothenburg's Sprängkullen. Uppsala Musikforum was the archetype, the blueprint for other music forums to come. In 1973, Uppsala Musikforum recorded several bands associated with them, and self-released the double album ”Bygg ditt eget musikforum”. 

 Bygg ett eget musikforum (Upsala Musikforum, 1973)

Featured artists: Samla Mammas Manna & Uppsala Kammarorkester / Rio Brazzaville / Simon Simonsson, Kristina Ståhl & Bengt Cedervall / Lön För Mödan / Tom Thomason / King Kinos / Hederskompaniet / Björnligan / Music Inn Big Band

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

Most of the featured acts on ”Bygg ett eget musikforum” remain unknown outside a small circuit of local friends, and it's no wonder as most of them are mediocre at best. The style varies from the Mikael Ramel inspired prog rock of Rio Brazzaville (it sounds a lot better than it actually is); traditional fiddlers Simon Simonsson, Kristina Ståhl and Bengt Cedervall, and Lön För Mödan's political folk pop horribly similar to Fria Proteatern, to the decent but unspectacular acoustic blues of Tom Thomason and the urban sounding electric run-of-the-mill variant of King Kinos, the guitar-driven snooze jazz of Björnligan and Music Inn Big Band that sounds just like you expect from a combo of that name. Hederskompaniet's two tracks would have been OK had they kept their music instrumental, not spoiling it with an incredibly grating singer with a Jesus freak vibe.

That leaves us with the sole track of any real interest. Followers of this blog know I'm not a Samla Mammas Manna fan, but this ten minute version of ”Den återupplivade låten” (its standard incarnation can be found on ”Måltid”) is by far the best selection in this overlong exposé of Uppsala's music scene in the early 70's. Recorded with Uppsala Chamber Orchestra, it's a singular piece in Samla's ouvre with interesting timbres not found elsewhere in their discography. Furthermore, the track has never been reissued why ”Bygg ett eget musikforum” is essential to Samla die-hards – but hardly to anyone else.

 018/Tio grupper (Svenska Love Records, 1980)

Featured artists: The Stain / N-Liners / Rune Strutz / Automania / Rävjunk / Caiza / Olle Morgon / Lepra / Allan Ball / Original Rummies / Lars Garage

Swedish vocals, English vocals
International relevance: *

As progg waned at the tail end of the decade and punk took over, the surviving music forums changed accordingly. In Gothenburg, punk legends cum blue collar rock band Göteborg Sound became a crucial force to Sprängkullen, while Rävjunk (with one foot in stoned out progg jams and one foot in punk and new wave) played an important part in Uppsala. ”018/Tio grupper” was recorded in its entirety at Rävjunk's head quarters (referred to as ”studio” on the album cover; the quotation marks suggest it's really the band's rehearsal space). It was released by Svenska Love Records in collaboration with Uppsala Musikforum.

The Rävjunk connection is the only thing that make this release vaguely interesting to progg aficionados. It should be mentioned that their only contribution to this album, ”Slå tillbaka”, is along the lines of the punk/new wave dominating ”018/Tio grupper”, i.e. more akin to Rävjunk's 45's and the straight-forward 1-2-3-4! tracks on the ”Uppsala Stadshotell brinner” album. It's only two minutes long, so that should give a hint what it sounds like as well.

A couple of tracks move away from the traditional punk format, most notably Caiza's synth punk number ”Ångestskri” and Dag Vag clones Olle Morgon's ”Se mig”, but obviously none of these do anything to elevate the album's minimal progg credentials. Its value as a punk document cannot be questioned though.

And in case you wonder: The 018 of the album title is the Uppsala area code.

A documentary on Uppsala Musikforum was in the making in the 70's but abandoned. Thanks to one of the forum's driving forces, Anders Folke, the surviving footage is now up on Youtube. Taken for what it's worth – i.e. a time capsule and not a finished piece – it's worth a watch, especially to progg interested Swedes.

Bygg ett eget musikforum no links found
018/Tio grupper full album playlist

FEM ÄLGAR I ETT BADKAR – Bastuträsk (EP, Great Music Production, 1980)

Swedish vocals, English vocals

International relevance: *

The curiously named Fem Älgar I Ett Badkar (”five elks in a bathtub”) originally released this four track 7" EP only. The style is similar to a couple of other Skellefteå bands, Måns Mossa and Njutånger – guitarist Arne Jonasson was actually in both Njutånger and Fem Älgar I Ett Badkar. Not only is it a bizarre and silly name, it's also code for 'a yawn and a snore and of very little progg interest'.

A previously unreleased song is featured on the CD that came free with the 2002 book ”Hela hjärtat mitt – ögonblick ur Skellefteås pophistoria”, and further archival material is also up on Youtube.

Full EP

SAMLA MAMMAS MANNA – Ur sync (Slask, MC 1988; recorded 1976)

Instrumental
International relevance: ***

The rarest ever Samla Mammas Manna release, a cassette-only edition of 100 copies. Although it should be said it's Samla Mammas Manna as a three-piece before they changed their name to Zamla Mammaz Manna, with Eino Haapala on guitar, Hans Bruniusson on drums and Per Nordin on keyboards. That's right, no Lars Hollmer.

The tape is a one-sided release (side 'B' is blank) with the 25 minute jam ”Den ovala metern” in rehearsal room audio. It's better than the live portion of ”Schlagerns mystik/För äldre nybegynnare”, but only just. The trio builds up a certain tension during the first 5-6 minutes, but then it just drags on forever until dissolving into nothing at around 15 minutes. Rare yes, but no loss. 

Full tape

KNÄCKEBRÖDERNA – Lyckosparken (MNW, 1976)

Swedish vocals
International relevance: **

I can't decide whether this is supposed to be a parody of or a tribute to Swedish rock singer/songwriter Ulf Lundell with the occasional stylistic dig at Anders F. Rönnblom or not. Not that it matters – it doesn't get any better any which way I look at it. I guess you could say it sounds like an uninspired version of Blå Tåget – as it happens, Mats G. Bengtsson plays keyboards on the album. Some bizarre touches such as 'psychedelic' mouth harp on ”Till monarkomanin” and the sped up vocals on best track ”Janson & von Hanzon”. Unless you consider Lennart Holving's off-key vocals bizarre that is. I think they're just bad like the album itself.

Precis som pärlemor

BLUESBLOCKET – Bluesblocket (Tredje Tåget, 1981)

Swedish vocals

International relevance: **

A blues band founded in Lund in 1980 by Mats Zetterberg, previously of progg/punk outfit Fiendens Musik. Bluesbocket's repertoire originally consisted of several John Mayall numbers translated into Swedish by Zetterberg. The band used two different guitar players, Mårten ”Micro” Tegnestam and Jan Gerfast who played on one side each on ”Bluesblocket”. A plethora of musicians has appeared with the band over the years, including Peps Persson.

Bluesblocket's only album hitherto came in 1981 with appealing tracks like ”Sovit så dåligt”, ”Vad är det för ett liv” and ”Du skriver och frågar”, but it's not in the same league as for instance Slim's Blues Gang and certainly not Peps Persson.

A rare blue vinyl edition of the album also exists.

The projected follow up 1985 album remains unreleased as a whole. A new album was however released in 2019, "Svart blues är ett vitt begrepp".

No links found

MONICA TÖRNELL – Jag är som jag är... (Philips, 1978) / Ingica Mångrind (Philips, 1979)

Jag är som jag är... (Philips, 1978)
Swedish vocals
International relevance: **

After two English language albums, Monica Törnell returned to Swedish with ”Jag är som jag är...”, produced by Björn J:son Lindh and featuring Okay Temiz on percussion on ”Lotus och Casanova”. Some samba, some jazz, some fusion, some folk, some blues, all with the typical session musician sound of the day, clean and perfect and ultimately very dull.

”Progglådan” features a live show from around the time of ”Jag är som jag är”.

Ingica Mångrind (Philips, 1979)

Swedish vocals
International relevance: *

Törnell's last album of the decade is even worse than ”Jag är som jag är...” with too much production sheen and hopelessly lifeless perfomances. Worst of all is the Swedish Dylan cover of ”Like a Rolling Stone”, and the disastrous take on The Beatles' ”Drive My Car”. 

Jag är som jag är full album playlist

"Vita om hösten" from "Ingica Mångrind"

"Nationernas visdom" from "Ingica Mångrind"
Tonkraft 1978 from "Progglådan"

ORIENTAL WIND – Bazaar (Sonet, 1981)

Instrumental

International relevance: ***

This album is a bit different to Okay Temiz's excellent ”Oriental Wind”. Recorded four years later, this is a somewhat more fusion influenced with a greater emphasis on instrumental technique (hint: Janne Schaffer appears). Some parts are veering towards free jazz, and while that's nice and while ”Bazaar” is a pretty good album, it's a bit too flashy for my taste and doesn't grab me as much as ”Oriental Wind”. 

Full album

KEBNEKAJSE – Ljus från Afrika (Silence, 1976) / Elefanten (Silence, 1977)

Ljus från Afrika (Silence, 1976)

Instrumental, other languages

International relevance: **

The later Kebnekajse albums are largely ignored (the Kenny-less dung pile ”Vi drar vidare” should be ignored, with a vengeance). By the time of ”Ljus från Afrika”, they had moved away from the Swedish folk rock that brought them love and attention, and towards Africa as the title of this 1976 album declare, ”light from Africa”. I don't have a problem with that per se, but most of ”Ljus från Afrika” is too close to West African highlife music for me. However, it does have ”Tigerdans/Wind”, a Kenny Håkansson driven spaced-out track firmly rooted in the darker side of afro funk, and heavy rocking closing track ”Brudarnas parti” that is too good to be lost to oblivion. 

Elefanten (Silence, 1977)
Instrumental
International relevance: ***

Kebnekajse's last original album with Kenny Håkansson on guitar (and new drummer Åke Eriksson taking Pelle Ekman's place) is much closer to prog rock than what ”Ljus från Afrika” is. The African influence is kept to a minimum, but unfortunately, it has two horrible Mats Glenngård tracks pointing towards the style of ”Vi drar vidare”, ”Saab Mustang” and ”Grabbarnas afton”, totalling 18 painful minutes. Also, Håkansson must have caught the fusion virus on ”Elefantens strävan mot Nirvana”. Last track ”Halling från Ekshärad”, a traditional tune, is a throwback to Kebnekajse's folk rock years and is, after all, ”Elefanten's” high point.

”Elefanten” is the work of a band who wants to take their music further but without quite knowing where to go. The album does have its moments, but it would be a filthy lie to call it a Kebnekajse classic. It's a billion times better then ”Vi drar vidare” though...

A sleeve variation exist, with the 'J' in the band name being larger on some copies. 

Ljus från Afrika full album playlist

Elefanten full album playlist

VON ZAMLA – Zamlaranamma (Urspår, 1982)

Instrumental

International relevance: ***

Samla Mammas Manna's first 'Z incarnation' Zamla Mammaz Manna disbanded following the marvellous ”Familjesprickor” in 1980. The year after, Lars Hollmer and Eino Haapala formed the second 'Z incarnation', Von Zamla, and recorded this album in the autumn of 1981. Von Zamla continued up until 1984, and put out two albums before disbanding, this one and ”No Make Up!” (1983).

Like ”Familjesprickor”, the much more synthesizer heavy ”Zamlaranamma” sits firmly in the RIO category but lacks the powerful tension and brilliance. Most of this album sounds like Lars Hollmer's solo music but with a more serious approach. A lot of it sounds like a bit too intrusive background music to a TV series you're not sure if you like.The album's OK but a far cry from "Familjesprickor".

An album of previously unreleased 1983 Von Zamla live recordings, simply called "1983", was eventually released in 1999 on Cuneiform.

Full album

ÄLGARNAS TRÄDGÅRD – Delayed (Silence, recorded 1973-1974, released 2001)

Instrumental, Swedish vocals

International relevance: ***

The history's full of albums that have become legendary in their absence. The fewer that have heard an unreleased album, the better it gets in the imagination of those who haven't. Only rarely, albums like that can live up to the expectations.

Recorded in 1973 and 1974, the recordings subsequently released as ”Delayed” was meant for a follow up to Älgarnas Trädgård's highly regarded debut ”Framtiden är ett svävande skepp förankrat i forntiden” from 1972. During the mixing sessions for the album, cracks began to show within the band which led to them disbanding before the work was done, leaving the recordings unfinished until 2001 when Silence finally released it on CD with its appropriate album title.

If ”Framtiden är ett svävande skepp” was spacey, ”Delayed” is much less abstract with only ”My Childhood Trees” reminiscent of the debut. ”Delayed” is heavier in a more typical contemporary prog rock fashion. Unfortunately, when members Dan Söderqvist and Jan Ternald mixed it for the posthumous release, they added tons of reverb which make the album sound more anachronistic than I believe it would have if released as originally projected. I don't think the music is particularly good to begin with, but it would have been better if given a drier mix. Now it's still something of a lost album.

Full album playlist

BENGT BERGER & KJELL WESTLING – Spelar (Ett Minne För Livet, 1977)

Instrumental

International relevance: ***

Ett Minne För Livet was a label founded by a musicians' collective of Archimedes Badkar, Vargavinter, Spjärnsvallet and Iskra. They released only a handful of albums including this duo live recording by the great Bengt Berger and Kjell Westling. The album is an OK free jazz effort but it would have benefitted from shorter performances, maybe two improvisations on each LP side instead of just one. While they manage to keep the momentum going, it's hard even for them to come up with fresh perspectives on ideas when they're stretched out to around eighteen minutes. ”Till hafs” is better than "Ad Libido" in that regard, more dynamic, but the entire album suffers a bit from being repetitious.

The album has been rereleased with a new cover on Berger's excellent Country & Eastern label as "Live in Stockholm 77".

Full album playlist

SLIM'S BLUES GANG – The Blues Ain't Strange (Sonet, 1971)

English vocals

International relevance: **

Pianist Per 'Slim' Notini was an early flag-bearer of Swedish blues. He was greatly influenced by piano legends Memphis Slim and Fats Domino, and in 1967 he travelled to Chicago to play with Magic Sam on his classic ”West Side Soul” album. He was one of Peps Persson's earliest musical cohorts, and years later, in 1975, they made the album ”Blues på svenska” together. He also appeared with blues guitarist Rolf Wikström. He also co-founded Swedish world renowned reissue label Route 66 with Jonas Bernholm and Bengt Weine in 1976, championing rhythm & blues from the 40's and 50's, thereby bringing new and extremely well deserved attention to a largely forgotten kind of music.

Although founded already in 1962, Slim's Blues Gang didn't make their debut album ”The Blues Ain't Strange” until 1971 which, as it happens, is the gang's only album. Notini may not be a first rate blues vocalist, but he gets the job done. The album is a very credible effort with a tight and solid backing from Rolf Wikström on guitar, Ola Brunkert on drums, Åke Dahlberg on bass, and Christer Eklund and Olle Frankzén on saxes. The reworking of Elmore James's ”Stranger Blues” (”I'm a Stranger Here) has some really fine guitar work from Wikström, ”Break It on Down” moves its hips in a suggestive way, ”Gone Father Blues” rolls and tumbles along nicely, and the devil-may-care ”Tow Away Zone” is a hint at Notini's stint with Magic Sam. Very good!

Slim Notini later left the devil's music behind, became a Born Again Christian and turned to gospel music full time in the 90's.

Full album playlist

ROCKAMÖLLAN – Var ska du ta vägen? (Sonet, 1979) / Tron om varann (Marilla, 1980)

Rockamöllan was a reggae band from the small town of Eslöv in the deep south of Skåne, initially fronted by charismatic singer Ronny Carlsson.

 Var ska du ta vägen? (Sonet, 1979)

Swedish vocals, English vocals

International relevance: *

The first album by Rockamöllan recorded in late 1978, and the first album to showcase the talent of the troubled and raspy voiced singer Ronny Carlsson, with his lyrics dealing with social issues and the hard side of life (see the album's front cover picture). Reggae demands good playing, especially from the drummer, but Rockamöllan was credible enough. ”Var ska du ta vägen?” indeed has some fine songs, closer to the UK brand of reggae than the original Jamaican one. It's certainly not on Peps Persson's level, but it's OK.

Tron om varann (Marilla, 1980)

Swedish vocals, English vocals
International relevance: *

Carlsson left Rockamöllan before their second album to form Onna Taas Band, leaving the songwriting duties to the other Ronny of the band, Jönsson. Unfortunately, that meant weaker songs and not as good vocals. ”Tron om varann” tries hard to convince but fails too often.

Vart ska du ta vägen full album playlist

Tron om varann full album playlist