MULLVADSOPERAN – Sånger ur Mullvadsoperan (MNW, 1978)

Swedish vocals
International relevance: *

Mullvaden ('the mole' - don't ask) was an apartment block of four buildings in Stockholm that the city council wanted to tear down already in the 60's. Due to a massive public opinion against the destruction, the houses survived yet another decade, when plans were renewed to knock them down. The tenants refused to move, and became squatters in their own homes in 1977. With the help from Alternativ Stad ('alternative city'), a group working for a more inhabitants friendly city, protests were organised to nationwide attention. Around 300 people took part of the protests and activities, including theatre group Jordcirkus which came together as an immediate result of the Mullvaden protests. Led by Chris Torch, previous with the American group Living Theatre, Jordcirkus performed their 'street opera' ”Mullvadsoperan” released by MNW in 1978, the same year the police eventually stormed the buildings and evicted the tenants/squatters. They lost the houses, but somehow won the moral battle, as the real estate company owning Mullvaden later changed their policies from knocking down old houses then build new (and more expensive) ones, to restoring old buildings in their possession.

A live recording (made at the Museum of Modern Art in Stockholm), ”Sånger ur Mullvadsoperan” sounds like a typical political album of the era, sloppily recorded with too many people singing at once with their fists waving in the air. Some songs could possible have been OK had they been more worked on, especially the first track ”Vintern är kall” which has a sweet waltzing melody that, like everything else here, is shouted to death by the many zealous voices.

Albums such as this always seem to end up a time capsule, a moment frozen in time, which only looks more naive and embarassing as the years go by. Although I can easily sympathize with the sqautters intentions (take care of the old buildings instead of raising new ones people can't afford to live in), it doesn't necessarily make for listenable music. The story surrounding the album is so much more interesting than what's on it.

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