VARIOUS ARTISTS – Grammofon-missionen: A Collection Of Swedish Jesus Music 1967-1982 (Subliminal Sounds, 2023)

Featured artists: John Three Sixteen / The Vergers / Heaven Liners / Beryllen / Höjeteamet / Glorymen / Carina / The Destination Of Life / Fågel Fenix / The Aaltos / Young Deacons / Mums / Ekot / Dolos / The Smusics / Music Males / Sven-Olof Nilsson / Size Boys
Swedish vocals, English vocals
International relevance: *

A digital-only release by Subliminal Sounds, this might at a first glance look like a follow up to Subliminal Sounds's excellent ”Frälst!” compilation of Swedish Christian music in the 70s. But those who expect a second volume of psych inclined religious grooves will likely be disappointed. ”Grammofon-missionen” is a musical addendum to the book ”Grammofon-missionen: Swedish Jesus Music Aesthetics 1960-1990” written by Carl-Henrik Olsson and Stefan Kéry, documenting the domestic Jesus music movement from three decades. Much of the music here is way more primitive (not in a good sense) than what's on ”Frälst!” and has a less accomplished feel. Bordering on outsider music, this takes a different listening approach, but even then, I don't find much, if anything, to match Subliminal Sounds's previous and successful attempt to document the Swedish Jesus music. Some of it is very influenced by bad Swedish commercial 60s pop but with substandard even terrible execution. I'm not against outsider music but it has to have at least something more going for it than bad playing to be interesting,

The striking exception here is Finnish band active in Sweden Aaltos, and also the only band here featured with two songs. The Aaltos has gained some reputation among record collectors and charity shop scavengers over the years, and both their tracks, ”Känner du en vän” and ”Pray”, explain why. They have a peculiar dissolved feel, especially on ”Pray” which steer right into the psychedelic domain with its unearthly harmony vocals and brooding, ominously breathing organ.

Still, I appreciate this compilation on an historic/academic level. Swedish Jesus music has long been neglected and categorically dismissed – so much of it is indeed painfully terrible, and it takes someone dedicated to find the exceptions. ”Grammofon-missionen” is an attempt at just that, so it gets an A for ambition but a facepalm for content.

Full album playlist