PHILEMON ARTHUR AND THE DUNG – Skisser över 1914 års badmössor (Silence, MC 1987; rec. 1967-72) / Får jag spy i ditt paraply? (Silence, 2002; rec. 1967-72)

 

Skisser över 1914 års bandmössor (Silence, MC, 1987; rec. 1967-72)

Får jag spy i ditt paraply?: The Pest Of Philemon Arthur And The Dung (Silence, 2002; rec. 1967-72)

Swedish vocals

International relevance: **

Philemon Arthur And The Dung's 1972 album is a stone cold classic of absurdist, nonsensical, anti-fi craziness that killed the Swedish Grammy Awards for 15 years. Ironically but probably perfectly planned, once they revived the Awards in 1987, the first new Philemon Arthur release appeared as a riposte. ”Skisser över 1914 års badmössor” (= ”sketches of 1914 swimming caps” -- don't ask!) was a cassette-only release that came in a sardine can. To play the tape, you had to open it. A great fuck you to mint condition collectors! (Although some probably bought two, one to play and to keep for posterity. Or they bought one and never played it. You know how collectors are.)

The tape contained 24 previously unreleased nuggets from the secret archives of the equally secret group, recorded around the same time as their LP. (Yes, the true identities of the Philemon Arthur And The Dung members is still unknown to all but a handful people.) It simply was more of the same meaning two brothers (or were they friends?) strumming a guitar sometimes tuned, banging away on pots and pans, and hollering out lyrics about flyswatters, braces, dromedaries and soup bowls. Nothing strange about that.

Thing is, you can never get too much of the same. This world always needs more Philemon Arthur And The Dung. Which is why “Får jag spy i ditt paraply” (=”may I puke in your umbrella?”), subtitled “The Pest Of Philemon Arthur And The Dung” was just as welcome as the archival collection before it. But here the discography a wee bit complicated.

“Får jag spy i ditt paraply?” was actually a complementary CD release to “Musikens historia del 1 & 2” (=”the history of music, parts 1 & 2) released ten years earlier, in 1992. “Musikens historia” in turn was a re-release of the original album with selections from the cassette added as bonus tracks. Due to popular demand, “Får jag spy i ditt paraply?” gathered the remaining tracks from the tape plus 19 more previously unreleased tracks from the original golden days. To uncomplicate things a bit: if you get “Musikens historia del 1 & 2” and “Får jag spy i ditt paraply?” you'll have a complete collection of all Philemon Arthur's released material in two convenient CDs. And believe me, you need it. At least if you're anything like me. It helps understanding the strange lyrics, but the unhinged zaniness of Philemon Arthur's music comes through loud and clear (or unclear) no matter what.

Actually, there is one more Philemon Arthur track out there, found a bonus 12" that came with the 2023 vinyl reissue of the original album. The single has Swedish art punk band Bob Hund doing a Philemon song on one side and Philemon Arthur doing a Bob Hund song on the other. But that is an afterthought, a curious modern day postscript that doesn't count.

Instead of messing about with the tracklists trying to re-create the running order of the original cassette, the links below are the two CD's as they come.

Musikens historia del 1 & 2 full album playlist
Får jag spy i ditt paraply full album playlist

COMMUNICATION – Communication (Grammofonverket, 1974)

 Instrumental, English vocals, wordless vocals
International relevance: *

Featured in the also-rans list in Tobias Peterson's Swedish progg encyclopedia, but really too un-progg to conveniently fit here. Bassist Red Mitchell is at the helm of this constellation, and he rarely went for very adventurous sounds. Communication briefly touches on soul jazz in ”Cirrus” and give a nod to Coltrane in ”Pamukkale”, but apart from that, this is mainly standard jazz. Well executed but not very interesting.

The album was reissued on CD in 2015 as a Red Mitchell album with a new cover art.

Full album playlist (Spotify)

GÖSTA LINDERHOLM – In kommer Gösta (Metronome, 1973) / Göstas skiva (Metronome, 1975)

Anyone familiar with Gösta Linderholm (and that includes just about every Swede of a certain age or inclination) surely wonders if I've lost it completely by including him here. He's something of a laughing stock found in every charity shop bin across the nation. I doubt many people take him seriously, and he actually has himself to blame after the dreadful mega hit ”Rulla in en boll och låt den rulla”, a 1978 faux cajun song that plagued the airwaves here for an eternity. And me, I never once thought he'd be something I'd offer any progg blog space. Until I took a closer look at his first two albums, that is.

In kommer Gösta (Metronome, 1973)
Swedish vocals
International relevance: *

After an early career with trad jazz band Sveriges Jazzband (best known for their 1970 song ”Brittas restaurang”), Gösta Linderholm made his solo debut with an album taking its title from a Philemon Arthur & The Dung song. He immediately established himself as a happy-go-lucky troubadour with a warbly voice. But, hang on – is that tablas in opening track, the droning ”Herr Fantasi”? It is indeed, played by Jan Bandel. And there's Björn J:son Lindh in his best ”Ramadan” mode. ”Påtalåten”? Yes, an Ola Magnell cover recorded the same year as Magnell's own 45 version. And that bassist Stefan Brolund, wasn't he in Pop Workshop and later EGBA and Oriental Wind? He was.

”In kommer Gösta” isn't a great album and rather typical Metronome label singer/songwriter fare along the lines of the aforementioned Ola Magnell and, for better or for worse, Marie Bergman.
But it nevertheless shows that there was a wee bit more to Gösta Linderholm than he gets cred for. 

Göstas skiva (Metronome, 1975)
Swedish vocals
International relevance: *

Not surprisingly, both Magnell and Bergman pop up on Linderholm's second album along with Thommie Fransson and, again, Björn J:son Lindh. The style is similar to the debut but with a few better songs and slightly darker shades, as on ”I natten” and the Magnell/Linderholm co-composition ”Kom liv”. I remember "Herr Fantasi” from my radio listening childhood days, so I have a certain nostalgic relation to that particular track. But the best track here is the album's most unexpected inclusion.

Guitarist Finn Sjöberg appears prominently on the album and that might explain Kvartetten Som Sprängde cover ”Gånglåt från Valhallavägen”. Originally an instrumental track but here with added Linderholm lyrics, and I can promise there's nothing else in his ouvre to prepare you for this. It's a bleak, actually apocalyptic depiction of a winter's day in Stockholm, soaked in alienation, internal turmoil and impending chaos. Junkies are dying in the streets and a hysterical Lady Luck screams out in agony. This track is truly a lost progg gem hidden in plain sight.

Linderholm made many albums after these two, some of them with credible musicians helping him out such as Kebnekajse's Mats Glenngård on ”Blå ballader & gröna demoner” from 1977. Some of them even have a half OK track or two, but there's really no point in getting into them in detail. A thumb rule is that the later it gets, the more Linderholm lived up to his own caricature.

In kommer Gösta full album playlist
Göstas skiva full album playlist

THE DEEJAYS – Haze (Hep House, 1967)

  
English vocals
International relevance: *

Mentioned in the postscript of ”The Encyclopedia Of Swedish Progressive Music”, which is the only reason why I feature them here. But unless you're a die-hard fan of mid 60s beat music, you could pass on this album – if it wasn't for the final track. ”Striped Dreams Checked Fear” is marvellous slice of top level Euro psych. A better way to check it out however is through volume one of the ”Who Will Buy These Wonderful Evils” series.

The Deejays were in fact a British band active in Sweden, and they had another album out the year before, plus numerous singles between 1964 and 1968. They had a few more decent tracks, but none can compete with ”Striped Dreams Checked Fear”.

Full album
or go straight to "Striped Dreams Checked Fear".
There's also an extended version of it. 

VARIOUS ARTISTS – Festplatsen 1974 (Happy Cop & Hiphop Bee, 2024; rec. 1974)

 Featured artists: Monica Törnell / Risken Finns / Nynningen / Mikael Ramel / Peps Blodsband / Cornelis Vreeswijk
Swedish vocals
International relevance: ***

”Festplatsen 1974” follows obscure label Happy Cop & Hiphop Bee's overwhelmingly brilliant ”Hälsa på som förr” by Mikael Ramel & Unga Hjärtan, and what it is is best explained by the liner notes: ”Festplatsen (='the festival grounds') was an entertainment show made for both radio and TV and recorded live at small festival grounds in July and August 1973, The music and the talk should, as much as possible, reflect the locality by mixing local talents and invited national and sometimes international personalities.” The show was aired in five episodes and was hosted by Mikael Ramel and Bengan Dalén of Fläsket Brinner and at the time also member of Ramel's band. Satirical duo Risken Finns were musical regulars on the show.

This album has selections from three of the five episodes, and apart from the obvious inclusions of Risken Finns and Ramel himself, there are appearences from Monica Törnell, Peps Blodsband, and Sweden's prime troubadour Cornelis Vreeswijk. There's also an unusual example of Nynningen backing Risken Finns in a wonderfully raucous version of Risken's chestnut ”Du känner väl mig”. If Nynningen's own albums would have been that unhinged they'd have been way better! Risken's two other contributions are good too although more in their usual acoustic vein.

Mikael Ramel's songs with Dalén are more low-key than those on ”Hälsa på som förr” but still absolutely great. These four tracks are an essential addition to his regular albums and the splendid live album mentioned earlier.

I'm a bit disappointed with Peps Persson and his Blodsband though. This was around the time when Peps switched from blues to reggae, and here they occasionally sound as if they're not sure which to choose. Both ”Falsk matematik” and ”Djupt i mitt hjärta” sound confused, especially with the addition of accordeon which seems to have a hard time finding its place in the mix. The Swedish cover of ”Little Red Rooster” – ”Liden rö tocke” – fares better by being a straight-ahead blues, but all four Peps tracks seem a bit off.

The sound quality is excellent mono all through and the album was released in a minimal edition of only 100 copies on vinyl, no CD.

The full fifth episode of ”Festplatsen” is available for streaming on Mikael Ramel's website and has a couple of Kebnekaise tracks not on this album. 

 No links found

CORNELIS VREESWIJK – Poem, ballader och lite blues (Metronome, 1970)

 Swedish vocals, spoken word
International relevance: **

Cornelis Vreeswijk came to Sweden from The Netherlands as a 12 year old, well in time to learn Swedish to the point he mastered the Swedish language better than many native Swedes. His debut album ”Ballader och oförskämdheter” hit like a bomb upon its release in 1964 and more or less kickstarted the wave of new Swedish troubadours and visa singers. No-one could touch his excellence though, and up to his untimely death in 1987, he had released dozens of albums of sharp-witted observations, great acoustic guitar playing and brilliant songwriting. Not a lot of it is within the progg realm however, but he did have some friends in high progg places as proven by his albums around the turn of the decade 1969/71. Looking closely at the musician credits from these years, you'll find names like Kenny Håkansson, Lasse Wellander and Slim Borgudd. Borgudd is also on ”Poem, ballader och lite blues” along with Jojje Wadenius and Bosse Häggström meaning the entire Made In Sweden is present here. Add to that Björn J:son Lindh and Sten Bergman, and you have an album with progg credentials enough.

The title is self-explanatory. It translates to ”poems, ballads and a bit of blues”, and that's exactly what you get. The poetry recitals may be short but they're nevertheless distracting and interrupts the flow but the strictly musical parts are, for the most part, simply brilliant. You could argue that it would have been an even better album if the double album had been trimmed down to a single disc omitting a few out-of-place numbers, but that's essentially hairsplitting. Not only does it feature some of Vreeswijk's best songs of all time, the musicianship is absolutely great on tracks like ”Rosenblad, rosenblad”, ”Cool Water – på den Gyldene Freden” and the really heavy blues ”Ett gammalt bergtroll”. Eveyrhing adds up to Cornelis's best album and thus, one of the great Swedish albums.

Full album playlist

FINN ZETTERHOLM – Joe Hill på svenska (Intersound, 1969)

 Swedish vocals
International relevance: *

Joe Hill's real name was Joel Hägglund but he changed his name after emigrating to America in 1902. There he became an early Woody Guthrie kind of figure, a union activist writing songs that became anthems for the American labourers movement. Sometimes he wrote new words to old revival hymns, much like Guthrie did with traditional material. Needless to say, Hill's songs were also popular among the progg alumni, and a few albums of Joe Hill songs were released in Sweden including one by Mora Träsk (who, like Joe Hill himself, originated from the city of Gävle).

Troubadour and provocateur Finn Zetterholm might seem well equipped for interpreting Joe Hill's outspoken songs, but the result isn't very good. ”Joe Hill på svenska” (later reissued as ”Finn Zetterholm sjunger Joe Hill”) is annoyingly perky and some tracks border on dixieland jazz. And to be honest, Joe Hill's songs simply aren't on the level of Woody Guthrie's. This is just another album existing for political reasons more than musical ones.

Hill's fate was more interesting albeit a gruesome one. He was accused for murdering a police officer but wouldn't defend himself having been in bed with another man's woman. It was his alibi but not wanting to reveal the true circumstances, Hill was sentenced to death. He had an option: being hanged or shot. He chose the latter and was executed 1 October, 1915 in Salt Lake City. As a side note, country singer Lefty Frizzell's murder ballad ”Long Black Veil”, written by Marijohn Wilkin and Danny Dill and later covered by numerous artists, is very similar to the story of Joe Hill's death.

Full album playlist

KANGAS SPELMÄN – Kaustinen (Silence, 1977)

 

Instrumental, other languages

International relevance: *

Folk band known as Kankaan Pelimannit in their native Finland; sort of a Finnish equivalent to Skäggmanslaget or Norrlåtar. A short tune played on Finnish national instrument kantele (seen on the album cover) is rather evocative, as is the vocal track ”På Harjumäen Backe”. The album is included here as it was recorded in Sweden by Anders Lind, head of Silence Records and released on his label. A later Kangas Spelmän LP was released in a rare joint venture between Silence and MNW. They made several albums between 1972 and 1982, but most of them have no Swedish connection.

Full album playlist

KATTEGATT – Alla barnen går en sväng! (Selma Rec, 1981)

 Swedish vocals, instrumental
International relevance: **

A Gothenburg band that's not widely known today although they commissioned music for Ungdomsradion (=”the youth radio”) for the Swedish national broadcasting company in the late 70s. The songs commented on current topics with blatant political lyrics.

The members were only around 15 years old when Kattegatt began in 1976/77, all self-taught and making up their songs collectively during endless rehearsal sessions in the Gårda part of Gothenburg. Their 'modest' ambition was to make a kind of music no-one had ever heard before... but being inspired by the likes of Genesis, Frank Zappa and Samla Mammas Manna, it was clear they ended up with something well adjusted to progressive rock. But teenagers sometimes grow apart as the years go by, and once it was time for their lone, self-released album, they had all developed divergent interests. So the curiously titled ”Alla barnen går en sväng!” (=”all children go for a stroll!”) was really the beginning of the end and not the start of a continious recording career..

The many hours spent in their rehearsal room must have payed off quite well because the LP is a pretty accomplished work roughly in a fusion style. You can clearly tell the influence from 70s era Zappa from the sudden time shifts here and there, and there are indeed dashes of skewed Samla Mammas Manna humour.

Not everything here is successful. I could have done without the Caribbean moves on the first two selections, and the vocal tracks on side 2 drag a bit. But Kattegatt's joy of playing shines through on most tracks which makes this curious LP one of the more entertaining examples of Swedish fusion. They're certainly not choking on their own self-importance simply because they don't take themselves too seriously. There, an anachronistic lesson to be learnt here by many other fusionists so full of themselves that they forgot how to smile the very second they picked up their instruments.

Not a brilliant album, but one fun enough to pull out every fourth year or so.

Drummer and percussionist Mårten Tisselius actually joined Samla Mammas Manna's Von Zamla incarnation later on before joining Lars Hollmer in his Looping Home Orchestra together with Kattegatt keyboardist Sven Jansson. Singer/guitarist Staffan Ahlbom had a couple of solo singles out in the mid 80s on Transmission (the reformed version of Nacksving) before turning to studio production along with Sven Jansson recording some rather well-known Swedish bands in the 90s and 00s. They also had the Helikopter label connected to the studio and released quite a few albums in the early/mid 90s.

All previous members have stayed in touch and they still meet for some unpretentious jamming at their old rehearsal space. A full-time Kattegatt reunion is ruled out according to themselves, but a compilation of thirteen tracks called ”The Gårda Tapes” was released digitally in 2023. Still quirky, but nowhere near as charming as their original LP.

Full album playlist

HARDDA KU HARDDA GEIT – Je får aller dans me' stårsom (Jämtängen Musik Produktion, 1981)

Swedish vocals
International relevance: -

A band centered around ex-Hemkört member H.P. Burman. Based in Uppsala but with Jämtland themes, Jämtland being a Northern Swedish region. Their name is in the Jämtland dialect meaning ”half cow, half goat”. Everything on their privately released debut album ”Je får aller dans me' stårsom” sounds like they're just fooling around and faking it. They're definitely more of a comedy act than a proper band. Their rock'n'roll pastiches are particularly irritating, with Swedish versions of ”Route 66” and ”Stand By Me” plus an insulting take on Graham Parker's ”New York Shuffle”. They must presume I'm a complete idiot to think this is fun.

Hardda Ku Hardda Geit made two more albums in the 80s. H.P. Burman also released a couple of solo albums.

Full album playlist

BOB, BJÖRN & DAVE – Extraknäckt (Plump Productions, 1973)

 English vocals
International relevance: ***

The Spotnicks were a long running instro band in the style of The Shadows, renowned for their thin, heavy gauge strings guitar sound. Their gimmick was dressing up in space suits. In 1972 Spotnicks bassist Björn Thelin and guitarist/singer Bob Lander (real name: Bo Starander) teamed up with Englishman and great singer Dave Kirby for a very different kind of record.

Released in 1973 (then reissued three years later), ”Extraknäckt” shows clear traces of late 60s rural UK psychedelia. It sometimes makes me think of Traffic, while the track ”Help Me” wouldn't have been out of place on legends July's only album. In rare cases they touch on a laidback, loungy style which is rather stylish. Although a bit late to the game, ”Extraknäckt” sits nicely between Atlantic Ocean and Jason's Fleece. I think fans of those bands would appreciate ”Extraknäckt” a fair bit, as I do. It has a nice, relaxed vibe and the songwriting's good. Overlooked as it may be, it's a very appealing album overall.

Label Plump Productions was absurdly diverse with no clear release agenda. Apart from Bob, Björn & Dave's one-off album, their only claim to progg fame is Änglabarn's LP, also from 1973.

Help Me
Guess You Know
There Will Be A Day

BLOMMAN – COMPLETE ALBUMS 1977-1982

Små knepiga låtar (Mercury, 1977)
Om jag lira munspel i Winnipeg Jets (Mercury, 1978)
Jag har fått en elefant (Mercury, 1979)
Blommans epistlar (Planet, 1981)
Stockholm mitt i (Apollo, 1982)
Swedish vocals
International relevance: -

Mentioned in ”The Encyclopedia Of Swedish Progressive Music” in the section for suggested further listening which is the absolutely only reason why I include Blomman's output here. None of his albums is worth approaching in detail as they're all low on proper progg content, so consider this post dutiful and strictly parenthetical. 

Bosse ”Blomman” Blombergh got off to a rough start in life with an extensively troubled childhood. Being unable to properly deal with it, he took to drugs and alcohol with a life of crime following. That includes pimping and wife abuse for which he spent six months in jail. After being released he had a massive tax debt following his successful years as a musician when he managed to release a total of five albums 1977-1982. His albums were generally met with some acclaim, and he even had a couple of decent hits including ”Dom borde tjacka spikskor” off his debut album ”Små knepiga låtar”. His forte was the lyrics, and he had in fact published a book as early as in 1972. Songwriting wasn't his thing however, so he often wrote Swedish lyrics for songs by the likes of Dire Straits, Graham Parker, Randy Newman and J.J. Cale – ”Små knepiga låtar” actually has a full seven Cale compositions!

He may have been a certified arsehole but he wasn't entirely bereft of talent. Many of his translations are rather witty, acidic observations of his time, with wry pokes at the authorities and general stupidity. But if they worked well in his era, some of them feel pretty dated today, and with his earliest albums in particular consisting of non-original material, there's really no need to bother.

"Blommans epistlar" has liner notes by Sweden's most excellent singer/songwriter Cornelis Vreeswijk. One track on "Stockholm mitt i" is co-written with Thommie Fransson who also plays on the album.

Blomman died in 2008, 64 years old.

Små knepiga låtar full album playlist
Om lag lira munspel i Winnipeg Jets full album playlist
Jag har fått en elefant full album playlist

From Blommans epistlar:
Lämna mig inte ensam
From Stockholm mitt i:
Holmen
Rakt in i dimman
Gör nånting
Dan före dan
non-album 'B' side
Lilla Marie

ELVÄRKET – Het vinter (Slick, MLP 1981)

Swedish vocals
International relevance: **

Released on the Slick imprint, home to Elegi and Mögel, this was the final outing from Elvärket following two seven-inches in 1979 and 1980. ”Het vinter” isn't a full-length album either, but a six track 45 rpm mini album. Like many a Slick disc, ”Het vinter” moves somewhere between new wave and late era progg. Had they been a Gothenburg band instead of a Stockholm one, they would certainly have been part of the Nacksving roster alongside Huntington Band and Dom Smutsiga Hundarna.

Nothing here is particularly striking although the title track is rather appealing. Then again, there's nothing here that makes me want to turn it off in frustrated anger either. It is what it is, a rather unpretentious but not unambitious blend of the aforementioned styles. Some talent is certainly involved but not so much to make ”Het vinter” essential.

Several members went on to form soul band Mr. Soul And His Marshmallows after Elvärket broke up not too long after the release of ”Het vinter”, by way of long forgotten band D.O.R. who only had two songs out on cassette-only Slick compilation ”Mun-mot-mun-metoden” in 1982.

Maskin/Jag vill leva

THORES TRIO – Thores Trio (Kulturföreningen Källan, 1981)

  
Swedish vocals, other languages, instrumental, a cappella
International relevance: -

Vastly ignorable late era album on obscure label Kulturföreningen Källan which as far as I know only had one 7” in their catalogue outside of this Tomas Forssell produced LP. Thores Trio weren't particularly prolific on record either – they're featured on two various artists EP's on Manifest. Which is not to say they didn't have a long history because they did. As a matter of fact, they're most likely the longest running band ever to be featured on this blog.

Starting out in the tiny Northern town of Båtskärsnäs in 1933 (!) as Thor-Allans Trio, they changed their name to Thores Trio in 1936. Originally specializing in foxtrot, tango and various Swedish dance types, they stayed true to their style until the very end in 1996 when original member and accordeonist and fiddler Tore Allan Nilsson passed away at the age of 82. Singer Nanna Helin and her husband bass player Erik continued playing as a duo afterwards.

They might seem like an unlikely band to be embraced by the progressive movement, but as self-confessed communists, their politically charged lyrics with a strong local connection fell in well with the progg alumni. The Swedish version of Hanns Eisler's ”Einheitsfrontlied” speaks volumes, less so the puzzling inclusion of German schlager "Bei Mir Bist Du Schön". 

This album's probably charming to the immediate family, a limited number of the remaining 200 inhabitants of Båtskärsnäs, or Tomas Forssell completists, but assumably of very little interest to anyone else. 

"Thores Trio" was re-released with a slightly altered cover in 2021.

Full album playlist

JAMES HOLLINGWORTH & KARIN LIUNGMAN – Complete albums 1974-1976... plus

James Hollingworth – a Swede by birth despite his British sounding name – made several singles already in the mid-60s. The first one featured one song each by Phil Ochs and Bob Dylan and he pretty much continued in this vein covering American folk- and country-based artists in the following years.

Vem, var och när / Persson är lös (CBS, 1969)
released as James
Swedish vocals
International relevance: ***

The first single of interest here is this one, released simply as James. It's a Swedish version of a then brand new Cliff Richard song released as Cliff & Hank (with Hank being Marvin of The Shadows and also the song's author). That surely doesn't raise much interest, but truth is that it's a really good even bettered by James. The original, ”Throw Down A Line”, suffers from a rather cowardly performance, but James instills a certain restless drama into it. He also makes better use of the string arrangement which further elevates the song. The B side is a Hollingworth original not quite on the level of the A side but still good. It's noteworthy for having Blond as backing band giving the track a spirited performance with spacey sound effects and great guitar playing.

Medvind (CBS, 1974)
released as Hollingworth/Liungman
Swedish vocals
International relevance: **

Let's make a jump to 1974 and Hollingworth's first full length album. Recorded in 1973/74 and released with partner Karin Liungman, it's a real duo work with songwriting and vocal duties shared between the two. It's a pretty varied effort ranging from Liungman's lovely folkish ”Det borde varit vildros” to funky workouts such as ”Elden är lös”. Some lyrics touch on environmental concerns, a recurring theme on their following albums. It's an OK album overall but I generally prefer Liungman's tracks delivered in her very appealing veiled voice.

Barnlåtar (CBS, 1974)
released as James & Karin
Swedish vocals, spoken word
International relevance: **

The duo began recording their next album only a couple of months after their first one was finished, and it's a rather different kind of album. The title means ”children's songs” in English and that's exactly what it is. Not a massive hit upon release, its reputation grew steadily. Today it's heralded as one of the finest children's album ever released in Sweden. Their idea was to make an album both pedagogical and entertaining to children but also possible for grown-ups to enjoy, and they certainly succeeded. An album such as Jojje Wadenius's ”Goda' goda'” immediately leaps to mind. As on the previous album, some songs are inspired by the couple's travels in Morocco. Disguised in the easy-going, crazy fun songs are again environmental concerns, as in the still wildly popular and evocative ”Älgarna demonstrerar”, about a gang of elks' protest meeting against pollution and deforestation. Similar sentiments can be sensed in the excellent ”Har du grävt någon grop idag?”. There are also moments of sheer whackiness, most notably the totally bonkers ”Jag vill ha vitaminer” that sounds almost like Philemon Arthur impersonating Donald Duck.

What really contitues ”Barnlåtar” is James & Karin's care for songwriting and attention to arrangements. It truly is an album that can be enjoyed by children and grown-ups alike. You could take several songs from the album and only tweak the lyrical subjects, and no-one would notice it's a children's record – just like ”Goda', goda'”.

Djurens brevlåda (CBS, 1976)
released as James & Karin
Swedish vocals, spoken word
International relevance: **

Released two years later, ”Djurens brevlåda” is essentially ”Barnlåtar Vol. 2”. The songs were originally written for a radio series of 18 episodes. It features Hollingworth's best known song of all, ”Hur ska jag göra för att komma över vägen?” which subject-wise follows in the footsteps of ”Älgarna demonstrerar”, not to mention ”Älgarna säger” which is a direct reference back to ”Älgarna demonstrerar”. A personal favourite in this collection is ”När vintern är över” which is as baroque pop a children's song will ever get. But there are so many good songs here to choose from.

The main difference between this album and ”Barnlåtar” is that the songs here are shorter, most of them around the one minute mark, some even shorter than that. But it's actually not that distracting, and everything I said about the previous album can also be said about this. If you have one album, you'll want the other one as well. They belong together.

One more great track appeared under the James & Karin banner before they parted ways. ”Den sista vargen” (backed with ”Rödluvan ljug”) appeared in 1977 through the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation. The A side was later included on Hollingworth 1979 solo album named after the song.

Ärliga blå ögon / Morgon på Kungsholmen (CBS, 1977)
released as James Hollingworth 
Swedish vocals
International relevance: ***

James first post-Karin outing was this soundtrack 45 from a very popular heist drama series for Swedish Television in 1977. The song might very well be Berndt Egerbladh's crowning achievement as a songwriter, and I'm not kidding you if I say it's one of the best Swedish songs ever. Curiously enough it's the same song as Doris's ”You Never Come Closer” from 1970 with the Swedish lyrics written by director Leif Krantz to fit the series's plot. Annoyingly enough, it was never included on any of Hollingworth's albums, and the single is quite rare these days. If that Record Store Day nonsense was of any proper use to mankind, that would be something to re-release. Suggested reissue flipside: Doris's original version.

The B side is a track from ”Medvind”.

Karin Liungman released a couple of albums under her own name following the separation from James Hollingworth while he had a more prolific career. As of June 2025, he's 77 years old and still active as a performer although his last album to date came in 2006, most fittingly a children's album with Jojje Wadenius.

James 7":
Vem var och när
Persson är lös

Medvind full album playlist
Barnlåtar full album playlist
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James Hollingworth 7"
Ärliga blå ögon

A SEVEN INCH SPECIAL, VOL. 2: Blues

 LIBERTY BLUES – Road Scrambler / Right Way Blues (Marilla, 1971)
English vocals
International relevance: **

All Liberty Blues managed to release during their five year existence was this single. Very much a throwback to the kind of rhythm & blues that was in vogue in the 60s. ”Road Scrambler” is brimming with fuzzed out energy, fighting to get out of the murky cellar in which it was recorded. At least it sounds like that. Being released on Hans Edler's Marilla imprint, maybe a few cents were put into the recording after all. The B side is a slow rolling blues but it still has a similar underground vibe including that overheated fuzz solo. Plenty of youthful charm and if you're into the style at all it's rather enjoyable.

OHLSSONS GROVA – One Scotch One Bourbon One Beer / One More Mile (NCS, 1971)
English vocals
International relevance: **

Legendary Kalmar outfit who had two singles out in 1971. This was their first, notable for some mean guitar playing courtesy of Bo Wilson. Wilson much later formed his own group, and the band also has loose ties to another Kalmar band, Kung Tung. It's plain blues, but it's very solid and that guitar elevates the single to a new level. The flipside of their second single was included on ”Swedish Meatballs, Vol. 2”. Both their singles are very rare and expensive.

VIGGO – Sings His Own Mississippi River And Blues In Stockholm (Intersound, 1971)
English vocals
International relevance: *

Norweigan born Viggo Paulsen moved to Stockholm in 1969 and there he recorded his only single. Both songs are just Viggo, his acoustic guitar, harmonica and somewhat tortured vocals. It's not so much blues as a 60s styled folk singer/songwriter. Not very good and certainly not worth the ridiculous asking prices on the collectors market. 

COOL HAMBONE – I'm So Tired Of It / Supervisor Blues (Tibet -46, 1972)
English vocals
International relevance: **

Rolf Wikström's debut was this 33 1/3 rpm single with two songs both around the 6 minute mark. There's not much that differs this from Wikström's better known later efforts except the English vocals. His raspy voice is already there, as is his penchant for overbearing guitar soloing. Without a doubt a desirable item for Wikström freaks but very little on offer to those who are not.

FRIENDS – To Bad / Burning Love (SMF, 1980)
English vocals
International relevance: **

Not to be confused with any other Friends, this is the lost chapter of the Blueset saga, with two original Blueset members, singer/guitarist Kenth Loong and bass player Ingemar Linder. The A side is a Loong original with misspelt title ”To Bad”, a slice of autobiographical blues based rock that isn't very exciting. The flip side is a stiff cover version of Dennis Linde's ”Burnin' Love” made famous by Elvis. Those who expect more of Blueset's shabby, stoned psych blues will be sorely disappointed. Two versions exist, a standard black vinyl issue and a red one.

Liberty Blues full single playlist
Cool Hambone full single playlist

Ohlssons Grova:
One Scotch One Bourbon One Beer
One More Mile
Viggo:
Mississippi River
Blues In Stockholm
Friends no links found

VARIOUS ARTISTS – Lajv på Kulan (Kulan Records, 1981)

Featured artists: Big Pats / Enola Gay / Palmons / Rendevu / Ekovox / Hönsgården / Crab Boys / V.B.U (Vem Bryr Sig) / Cauze / Hagiwara / Phaze III / Backbeat / Attention / Ståndaktiga Tennsoldaterna
 Swedish vocals, instrumental
International relevance: *

Recorded live at youth center Kulan in posh Stockholm suburb Lidingö. Mostly punk bands but with three tracks having some progg bearings. Big Pats are the best of the lot with their half heavy rock progg track ”Varför”, Hönsgården are slightly under-rehearsed jazz funk, and Hagiwara are just dull jazz fusion.

Full album

STEN ASGER-JENSEN – Clown (CBS, 1973)

 Swedish vocals
International relevance: **

Little known singer/songwriter (information is scarce), but he was assumably of Danish descendance judging by his name. He released only one album in 1973 plus one single the following year. Only Janne Schaffer and Jojje Wadenius get musicians credit on the cover but it must be Björn J:son Lindh on flute.

Asger-Jensen was a rather talented songwriter with a clear inspiration from folk rock as evident on ”Färden” and the title track. He supposedly had a couple of Jethro Tull albums in his record collection too as some tracks have tastefully proggy touches. More generally speaking, ”Clown” falls roughly between ”Lagt kort ligger” John Holm and B.L. Magnell meaning this is actually quite good. Whoever plays on it, they all seem to have enjoyed their session work too because the backing sounds genuinely inspired. Try for instance ”Den femte visionen” which keeps building until it gets rather heavy with Schaffer (presumably) going stringbending crazy towards the end. 

Not a too common find but apparently rather cheap and well worth picking up if you find it. I do like it quite a bit.

LIFE – Life (Coop, 1982)

Instrumental
International relevance: **

Before you gasp in anticipation: this has nothing to do with Anders Nordh's Life. It's a jazz funk album released on the Coop label best known to proggsters for one LP each by Pondus and Sabu Martinez. Speaking of Martinez: Life drummer Conny Lundström can be heard on his legendary ”Afro Temple” as well as Mellotronen's archival Sabu disc ”The Dalecarlia Recordings”. Keyboardist Pierre Swärd is probably the best known member of the gang though, with a curriculum vitae covering Mikael Ramel, Acke and Soffgruppen and plenty beyond that.

But make no mistake: The Life album is a truly futile effort of stiff furniture store fusion devoid of soul, spirit and driving force. Hadn't it been for the band name, this album would show no traces of life whatsoever. It's so empty that I can't even be angry at it – it's just nothing. Zero, zilch, nada and nought. Even the album cover excels in utter voidness.

Albums like this always make me wonder why they even exist. Why did anyone bother to record this? Who bothers to listen to it? Does anybody actually like it? Isn't there a road somewhere that needs filling?

Sheesh.

Full album

FRANS MOSSBERG – Tystnader (Piglet, 1982)

  
Swedish vocals
International relevance: *

Singer and guitarist Frans Mossberg was part of the Uppsala scene centered around Sub-gruppen and Störningen in the mid/late 70s, but it wasn't until 1982 his lone solo album appeared on the mysterious Piglet label. ”Tystnader” is a bad album made even worse by the digital reissue's appalling brickwall mastering. What was previously just an album of subpar singer/songwriter stuff has now become a bloody chore to sit through thanks to the ravaged sound. There's a certain place in hell for people doing this to music, be it bad or good.

Full album playlist for self-harmers

AMERINDIOS – Ditt skrik är min sång – Tu grito es mi canto (Amalthea, 1978)

Other languages
International relevance: *

Amerindios was a Chilean duo consisting of Julio Numhauser and Mario Salazar, the former a founding member of Quilapayún who also had a number of Swedish releases. ”Ditt skrik är min sång” was originally released in Chile in 1973 with full title ”Tu Sueño Es Mi Sueño, Tu Grito Es Mi Canto”. It is in the Nueva Cancion style -- protest songs with light dashes of sort-of-but-not-really folk rock. Often backed by acoustic guitar and a singer or two sounding both seriously pissed off (for good reasons) and at the same time curiously happy. 

Original Chilean cover

But there are moments of surprise here, such as the short organ-laced instrumental ”Valparaiso 4 A.M.” with a slightly hazy pseudo-psychedelic vibe, and the stinging fuzz guitar in ”Cueca Beat” like straight out of a primitive garage rock single from Nowhereburg, USA 1966. I didn't see that one coming! And whatever that bizarre instrument in ”La Cervecita” is I don't know, but it sounds like a zither recorded while the producer changed the speed of the tape while recording, making that cosmic zither go WHOOOP and WHEEESH. 

All in all, a pretty good album in its style.

Full album playlist

PANTA REI – The Naked Truth (Mellotronen, 2012; rec. 1973)

English vocals, instrumental

International relevance: ***

The live session included in ”Progglådan” was a welcome addition to Panta Rei's uneven yet worthwhile album – the only thing they released – and their small output was further expanded when Mellotronen put out ”The Naked Truth” in 2012. Four tracks recorded in concert in Kummelnäs near Stockholm 1972 , with another '72 excerpt from a show in Panta Rei's hometown Uppsala. The Kummelnäs tape shows Panta Rei at their vivid best and has songs not on their album (including one Chick Corea composition), but the sound quality is questionable. I'm not too sensitive when it comes to the fidelity of archival releases, but the mono sound here is flat, and the lack of dynamics doesn't really do Panta Rei's intricate music justice. The Uppsala track is in even lesser fidelity, with a rather intrusive distortion on especially the vocals.

Mellotronen's original idea was to reissue the original album, but Portuguese label Golden Pavillion beat them to it, so ”The Naked Truth” is a kind of 'plan B' solution. I'm not sure if there even exists any better sounding tapes of the original Panta Rei, maybe this is the best there is, but it would benefit from a cleaned up reissue. With the modern AI technology, it could surely be remixed in stereo and better dynamics be extracted from the source tape. It's also a bit disappointing they re-used the cover art for the original album. One of progg's most stunning sleeves, it feels a bit lazy not bothering to come up with something more imaginative.

Full album playlist

SJÖN SUGER – Complete albums 1974-1978

I kustbandet (Polydor, 1974)

Sjön Suger (Strike Of Sweden, 1976)

Värre än vanligt (Strike Of Sweden, 1977)

Fina fisken (Marianne, 1978)

Swedish vocals, English vocals, instrumental

International relevance: -

Mentioned in the "100 other artists to listen to" in ”The Encyclopedia Of Swedish Progressive Music”. Similar in style to Grus I Dojjan but better playing. Cheerful roots music, tongue-in-cheek trad jazz and interwar period goodtime songs with ”humourous” lyrics. There's no need to distinguish the albums, they all sound the same and they're all bad.

I kustbandet no links found
Sjön Suger full album playlist
Värre än vanligt full album playlist
Fina fisken full album playlist

ÅKE SANDIN – Förlorad i toner (Subliminal Sounds, 2002; rec. 1965-70)

 Swedish vocals
International relevance: -

I don't have many rules for this blog, but one unwritten law is to include all artists mentioned in Tobias Peterson's ”The Encyclopedia Of Swedish Progressive Music”. That includes the 100 artists mentioned as ”suggested further listening”. Some inclusions in the book, especially among the extra 100, are puzzling. Sometimes I wonder what Peterson's selection criteria was.

That certainly goes for Åke Sandin. True he was a solitary original, recording his weird songs with idiosyncratic vocals and strange lyrics and releasing them himself. But the musical style was a remnant from the popular songs of the second world war and after. His songs, including those from his sole album ”Rariteter i kokäkta konvolut” with an album cover made of cloth and released in 1968, fit the Incredibly Strange Music tag. I can appreciate such myself as it's often so weird and off that you sort of have to learn to listen anew. And yes, I'm somehow fascinated by Sandin, but progg it is not. Not even with my otherwise generous definition of progg. So this post is merely to fulfill my own blog law.

Subliminal Sounds released "Förlorad i toner" in 2002 which collects everything Sandin recorded between 1965 and 1970.

Full album playlist

KALLE ALMLÖF – Kalle Almlöf (Amigo, 1980)

Instrumental
International relevance: *

Kalle Almlöf's claim to blog inclusion stems from his co-operation with Arbete & Fritid/Roland Keijser associate Anders Rosén; Almlöf's first album was ”Västerdalton” which prominently featured Rosén's fiddle, and so did 1975's ”Stamp, tramp och långkut”. The eponymous 1980 album at hand marks the third time they united on disc, and it also features some further noted fiddlers, namely Pers Hans Olsson, Jonny Soling and Björn Ståbi. 

As expected, it's Swedish folk fiddling through and through with an emphasis on polskas (a particular type of dance tunes highly popular among Swedish folk musicians). The perfoming duties are split in solos and duos, and while there's nothing wrong with any of it (the skills displayed here are impeccable, needless to say), it's a collection of tunes clearly aimed at the folk music audience and not at all recorded with any progg listeners in mind. The best tracks are the most melancholic ones, particularly the two that round off the first side, ”Bakmes” (a variation on well-known Swedish folk song ”Vårvindar friska”) with Anders Rosén, and Almlöf's solo execution in ”Polska från Älvdalen”. The high point of side B is the Kalle Almlöf original ”Åreskutan”, a tribute to a Swedish mountain by the same name.

No links found.

ELISABET HERMODSSON, LENA GRANHAGEN et al – Till Camilo Torres och revolutionen i Latinamerika. Röster i mänskligt landscape. (Proprius, 1971)

Swedish vocals, spokem word
International relevance: -

Camilo Torres was a catholic priest and a member of the Colombian geurilla movement. He urged for co-operation between marxists and Christians but was eventually executed by government troops in 1966 and was refused a Christian funeral, His burial place is still undisclosed.

This album with the very long title meaning ”to Camilo Torres and the Latin American revolution with the two sides named ”voices in a human landscape part 1 & 2” are as pretentious as the music within. It's a memorial mass composed by Alfred Jansson with spoken recitals by Elisabet Hermodsson, Lena Granhagen and Håkan Strängberg set a backdrop performed by the chamber choir of Gothenburg and a classical orchestra. The work's smugness is completely overbearing and I find it impossible to sit through the entire thing without breathing in a bag.

Full album playlist

THE OUTSIDERS – Inside Outsiders (Mellotronen, 2024; rec. 1965-69)

  
English vocals, instrumental
International relevance: **

The Outsiders only had three 45s released in 1967 and 1968, all an different labels, but they were enough to cement their lasting reputation of being one of Sweden's loudest and rowdiest mod/garage/freakbeat bands. True they were, at their best, a combo that would give most other outfits a run for their money, and that includes Namelosers and Lea Riders Group. No wonder The Outsiders became one of Jimi Hendrix's favourite bands.

Given their slim output, it wasn't obvious they'd be honoured with a a full length compilation, but the guys at Mellotronen managed to dig up a number of previously unreleased recordings for the 2024 limited edition archival collection ”Inside Outsiders”. It is short though, not even a full 30 minutes, and only about half of it is relevant to this blog. I've decided to present it in its entirety anyway.

The core of the album is obviously the three singles ”Don't Fight It/From Four Until Late”, ”So You're My Sister's Boyfriend/Kinda Dead” and ”On My Magic Carpet/Inside Of Me”. ”Don't Fight It” is an OK mod groover with nods to The Small Faces and their peers, while ”From Four Until Late” sounds more like a silly leftover from the beat era and definitely old hat in 1967, even by Swedish standards. ”So You're My Sister's Boyfriend” follows along those lines, a real ”meh!” in The Outsiders' minimal catalogue. However, this stupid vaguely music hall inspired dud is balanced against their first true victory on disc, the flipside ”Kinda Dead”. It shows that Hendrix's love for the band was mutual – ”Kinda Dead” falls somewhere between ”Hey Joe”, ”Foxy Lady” and ”The Wind Cries Mary”. It's in moderate tempo with a distinct bass line, backing vocals hovering like ghosts in the background, and a confidently sneering guitar solo.

But it's the third and final 45 that is the prime proof of The Outsiders' potential. Both ”On My Magic Carpet” and ”Inside Of Me” rank with the best UK freakbeat singles of the era. Two true classics that showed such great promise for the future. Had The Outsiders only kept going instead of calling it quits in 1969, they'd easily had beaten Mecki Mark Men in their own game.

A trip to London meant gigs at The Marquee and The Speakeasy, but a promised contract with Mercury Records that would have led to a Brazilian tour fell through when bassist Sten ”Plutten” Larsson didn't want to go. When lead vocalist Thomas Hermelin then left the band, British singer Roye Albrighton joined instead, and with some further line-up changes, the band kept going for a little while before eventually breaking up entirely in 1969. (Albrighton later joined fellow exile Brits in German band Nektar.)

”Son Of A Gun”, recorded live in early 1969, opens ”Inside Outsiders” and shows just how far the band had gotten from their humble beginnings in 1965. A heavy, guitar driven progressive blues track clocking in on almost five and a half minutes, it's very different to the three home recordings from 1965 also featured here, presenting The Outsiders as a rather shaky instrumental surf rock combo. ”The Cruel Sea”, ”Pipeline” and ”Foot Tapper” are interesting to hear as a comparison, but they certainly drag the album down. Together with the short total playing time, they suggest that maybe there wasn't too much in the vaults to choose from.

The remaining two 1966 studio recordings are closer to the 'real' Outsiders. ”Dancing In The Streets” is a passable Motown tribute, while ”Milk Cow Blues” is a youthfully revved-up cover of The Kinks' cover of said song. Not great but still more convincing than what many other Swedish beat bands produced around the same time.

As you can tell, ”Inside Outsiders” doesn't work as a cohesive album. (The closing interview snippet with Noel Redding/Jimi Hendrix may be only 11 seconds long, but is still an unnessary addition only adding to the scattered feel.) It's an overview of a band in constant search of a style they found only shortly before they gave up. The real shame is they never got a proper album together in 1968/69, but chances are almost zero there are any more studio recordings left unreleased after Mellotronen's trawl through the surviving tapes. Unless a miracle happens, like someone finding a good or at least decent quality tape of a full late period gig, this is what we have and this is what we'll get. And given the shocking collectors prices for the original singles, it's also the only way to get the three really good Outsiders tracks to an affordable sum.

Full album playlist