KENNETH THORSTENSSON – Ack Värmland... (Oktober, 1976)

Swedish vocals
International relevance: *

Hyper-leftist label Oktober, home to Fria Proteatern and other similar nincompoops as well as being responsible for a number of unlistenable fistwaving various artists compilations, released Kenneth Thorstensson's only album. As a singer, his talents are limited – to put it politely. He sings in the Värmland dialect with an annoying vocal style that's oddly shouty with a monotonous kind of timbre. He's backed by musicans from Södra Bergens Balalaikor and Opponer which imemediately gives away that the music is in a sort of folky style. Some songs have a cabaret touch which doesn't help its case. Most songs are Thorstensson penned, either entirely or in collaboration with others, but he borrows a traditional song as well as defaming John Fogerty with ”Vi gir aldri åpp”, an embarrasing translation of Creedence Clearwater Revival's ”Have You Ever Seen the Rain?”. Hearing it, I'd rather ask ”Have You Ever Felt the Pain?” because this is seriously painful to endure. Hopefully you haven't.

When Thorstensson turns to yodeling on side 2, I just fall down dead with shame on his behalf.

Thorstensson later founded (the better) Arvika Gammeldansorkester.

A curious footnote: Robert Aschberg took some of the pictures used for the album cover. Aschberg later
became known as a provocative talk show host and is still known as an outspoken media personality. In the 70's, he was involved in the leftist circuits. Later he explained it was because they had the prettiest girls.

Full album playlist

ARVIKA GAMMELDANSORKESTER – Rackartyg (Oktober, 1978) / Musik från Helvete (Ack Warmeland, 1980)

Swedish vocals, instrumental

International relevance **/**

The band name (”Arvika old-time dance band”) is humourously misleading, as the Swedish word 'gammeldans' usually alludes to certain kinds of tunes often performed on accordion in a cheerful manner. The music is often dismissed as silly (rightly so, if you ask me), but had an upsurge in the 70's through radio and television, probably as a spin-off to the increasing interest in traditional Swedish folk music.

While Arvika Gammeldansorkester, commonly abbreviated AGO, based their music on traditional dance tunes, they wrote several songs themselves and added a pronunced folk rock feel to their arrangements, not entirely unlike Sweden's #1 Steeleye Span, Folk & Rockare. The lyrics are sung in the Värmland dialect and are often political – their 1978 debut ”Rackartyg” was released through the Oktober label run by SKP, (Sveriges Kommunistiska Parti, ”the Communist Party of Sweden”).

The ”Rackartyg” album cover is a spoof on Nationalteatern's classic ”Livet är en fest”, and the tongue-in-cheek atmosphere permeates to the music as well. If you buy into AGO's 'fun over perfection' approach, the album is OK. If you don't, it still has its stray moments, particularly ”Husförhör hos Västs på Havversbroten” which includes a section adapted from the old Icelandic tune ”Ridom ridom”.

The self-released ”Musik från Helvete” (”music from Hell”, with Hell in this case being a fictional place made up especially for the album) continues along the lines, mixing original songs and borrowed tunes. The frivolous nature of the first album is occasionally toned down to great effect on tracks like ”Kärleksvisa” and ”Pastoral”, making them stand-out tracks. ”Musik från Helvete” is better than ”Rackartyg” overall.

Prior to ”Rackartyg”, the band released the much neglectable two track 45 ”Arbetets frukter åt de som arbeta” on Oktober in 1977, and in 1976 AGO main man Kenneth Thorstensson released his solo album ”Ack Värmeland”. AGO members keep performing locally to this day, now as Södra Åkeriet.

Rackartyg full album playlist
Musik från Helvete full album playlist (Bandcamp)