JOHN HOLM – The 1970's albums

The music of John Holm is very dear to my heart. Writing about him is more than anything something private. His darkness touch on a personal darkness I don't necessarily want to be reminded of. But that's also his strength. He sees when I do not dare to see for myself. But for the same reason, his music is also a consolation, a spell to cast at the unconsolable. How do you measure something like that? How do you turn that into a simple post to a blog? How do you put that to word without bargaining with your integrity?

I, for one, don't. I, for one, can't. But maybe it doesn't matter.

Sordin (Metronome, 1972)

Swedish vocals
International relevance: **

After releasing an album with The Underground Failure and two marvellous solo singles for small label Tibet -46, John Holm scored a contract with Metronome thanks to producer Anders Burman's reliable ear for unique talent and original voices. John Holm had both. David Bowie's description of Bob Dylan's voice, ”like sand and glue” fits John Holm even better. His voice isn't exactly nasal, but peculiarly thin and raspy deep at the same time. It's a voice of experience, the voice of the incurable soul. It adds an imperative truth to the dark and riveting lyrics, may they be of longing spurred by loss, or the icy loneliness of someone dying in a hospital bed.

”Sordin” is dimly lit, like a single candle in a room caught by the night. You're allowed to pass through, like a hardly visible ghost. Perhaps you'll find yourself trapped there.

Lagt kort ligger (Metronome, 1974)

Swedish vocals
International relevance: **

Ranked #7 on the blog's Top 25

”Sordin” is softer around the edges whereas ”Lagt kort ligger” is heavier. More desperate. The lyrics are even bleaker than before, cutting through the heart like a surgical knife. ”To pity the child with the entire life ahead” (my translation) to mention just one line, from ”Min mening”. Then there's the five minute rebuke of the Christ John Holm doesn't believe in, ”Frågor bland många”. Holm asks questions, knowing there are no answers, just more or less fruitless attempts at enduring.

Most people seem to prefer his debut album to ”Lagt kort ligger” but the latter is the John Holm album that I have no way whatsoever to defend myself against, even if I wanted to. ”Sordin” grabs me by the heart, but ”Lagt kort ligger” grabs me by the heart and throat.

Veckans affärer (Metronome, 1976)

International relevance: **

Swedish vocals

John Holm is said to have been infuriatingly hard to work with, always seeking impossible perfection. He had several fallouts with Anders Burman over sound and arrangements – Holm was so much of a nitpicker that he even impressed Frank Zappa with his live sound when he supported Zappa in the 70's.

Somehow this excessive attention to details got the best of Holm on ”Veckans affärer”. Everything here is so perfect, every sound so impeccable that it makes the album cold. I'm sorry to admit it, but ”Veckans affärer” fails to touch me, fails to move me. I want to love it, but Holm doesn't leave anything for me to be part of. ”Veckans affär” exists without really caring if I'm there or not.

A cancelled tour made John Holm put off music until 1988 when he made comeback album ”Verklighetens afton”, a very bad album so caught up in a seriously terrible 80's production that it's simply unlistenable. Then it took him another eleven years before releasing the country inspired ”Vägen till Californien”, a much better album than its predecessor, but nowhere near the albums of Holm's heyday in the 70's. Box set ”Främmande natt” includes all his original albums up until ”Verklighetens afton” plus a number of rarities and previously unreleased recordings. A great concert for Tonkraft is featured in ”Progglådan”. In 2017, 2CD set ”Kuriosa” was released with previously unreleased demos, live tapes and early mixes from 1971 to 1999.

"Sordin" full album playlist

Lagt kort ligger full album playlist 

Veckans affärer full album playlist

Tonkraft 1975 full album playlist (tracks 8-12) 

45's:

Svarte kungen/Nalen blås (1971)

Ett enskilt rum på Sabbatsberg (1972)

THE UNDERGROUND FAILURE – The Underground Failure (Black Light, 1971)

English vocals

International relevance: ***

The Underground Failure album is best known for showing the unusual talent of John Holm for the first time. Only a year later, he released the classic ”Sordin” which properly launched his irregular and often intriguing solo career. Other members also became well known although not as musicians. Lasse Ermalm became a record cover designer on many a label's payrolls, and Stefan Wermelin later on became one of Sweden's most prominent radio producers.

The Underground Failure started out in the late 60's, and as John Holm's first solo single was released in 1971, it's a safe bet that they disbanded the very same year. Their sole album was recorded in Wermelin's apartment between 1968 and 1971, and most notably features Holm's mellow and reflective songs. Many, if not most, people consider ”The Underground Failure” a weak effort (even Tobias Petterson, author of ”The Encyclopedia of Swedish Progressive Music” dismissed the album in an interview), but I disagree. Although not on par with Holm's later achievements as a solo artist, it certainly has an original feel that is strangely addictive. The primitive recording circumstances makes for a certain otherworldly atmosphere. Compared to Malaria which served as the main inspiration for The Underground Failure to release their own album, this is a stunning masterpiece. But then again, that doesn't say much.

Apart from Holm's slightly Dylanesque tracks, there's a slew of twisted country songs that have a charm of their own. It might be that selections such as ”Boil On My Mind”, ”All Night Looking Lonesome Blues” and the admittedly overwrought blues of ”Make Your Own Kind Of Music” disappoint the progg and folk psych diehards, earning the album its less than favourable reputation. The main part of the album however is an introspective and intimately recorded affair with John Holm's acoustic guitar at the core. A track like ”How Unpleasant To Meet Mr. Elliott” is nothing short of excellent and wouldn't have been out of place on some UK folk private of the highest order. ”The Weekend Masquerade” suggests the excellence to come in John Holm's near future, showing many of his melodic typicalities he's recognized for. ”Spring” sounds like a Fugs track in the vein of ”Morning, Morning” and ”Ah, Sunflower Weary of Time”, i.e. mysteriously serene and lysergically romantic.

The biggest problem with the album isn't the material but the decision to sing in English. Quite honestly, it's one of those examples of Swedes trying to speak English ending up sounding like complete fools. The pronunciation is a thorough disapproval of the Swedish schools' English language education back in the day.

The album was released in an original edition of 150 copies, never sold in shops, but a further 70 were pressed in 1974. The paste on cover showed a bunch of Russian musicians; the picture came from a postcard. There was also a bootleg reissue in the 80's, but it didn't do much for the album's availability. It's an extremely rare album today, as it was upon its release, but thankfully it can be heard on a limited edition CD nowadays.

Contrary to the general opion, ”The Underground Failure” is an appealing, and sometimes excellent, example of early underground singer/songwriter folk from the time when psychedelia was folding and progg was yet to properly flourish.

Outtakes from the album were released on the John Holm retrospective box set "Främmande natt" in 1997, along with a couple of solo demos in the same vein.

Full album playlist

ONNA TAAS BAND – Allo' (Bellatrix, 1980)

Swedish vocals, English vocals
International relevance: **

Ronny Carlsson was a well-kept secret to most but hailed as a hero and a legend by many having heard his music. He first made his mark with the band Rockamöllan in the late 70s, and after their demise, he started Onna Taas Band before launching a long solo career. He was in possession of one of the gruffest voices ever heard on a Swedish album, strangely warbly and grainy like a gravel road. Singing in his native Southern dialect (similar to Peps Persson's) only added to the air of world-weariness. He sounded as if he had seen it all, been burnt by it all and finally rejected it all. In his own words from the track ”I ett rum någonstans på stan”, translated here for international understanding: ”It's not hard to break a lonely man”. His voice was of the kind that comes back to haunt you when you switch off the light at night.

Needless to say, a voice like that will dominate any album it appears on. If you take the music on Onna Taas Band's debut album, it's not that dark. There are hints at reggae, cajun music, pretty straigh-ahead rock, John Holm influenced balladry, blues, even faint dashes of post punk (it was, after all, 1980)... But once Carlsson's voice enters the mix, the mood changes in an instant and everything becomes something else, something more, and something decidedly darker. There's so much pain at work here it's impossible to turn away from it. At its best, this is every bit as gripping as John Holm's depictions of a reality cracking slowly but irreversibly. And the thing is, even if you don't understand Carlsson's poetic words, you still sense their exact meaning. Ronny Carlsson didn't just sing, he WAS his lyrics, they're inseperable and it's impossible to not understand.

Despite the stylistic diversity, nothing here seems out of place. Even the highly Ronny Åström inspired ”Säporerad cirkus” slips in nicely between the mild Dylan funk of ”Ord som blev över” and the brooding folk of ”Den välkände soldaten”. On any other album, ”Säporerad cirkus” would be the track to skip, but not here. It has its place.

This is just a deeply human album. Like humans it might scare you with what it has to say or it might comfort you with its honesty and intimacy. (Like Swedish music journalist Bengt Eriksson said about Carlsson: he sang between pain and comfort.) But most of all, it's just a brilliant album.

Carlsson made several more albums under his own name up until 2013, the last one consisting of recordings made in the years before its release. One more was in the making, but he died in 2014 before it was finished, at the age of 62 and marked by a hard life. A life that came through unfiltered in his voice.

I ett rum någonstans på stan

VARIOUS ARTISTS - 3 x Tonkraft

Before there was ”Progglådan” and before there was a Mellotronen label raiding the Swedish Radio archives for other previously unreleased live tapes by notable bands, there was ”Tonkraft – Levande musik från Sverige”, three double LP volumes of Swedish bands recorded for the Tonkraft radio show that ran from 1971 to 1980. (It was preceded by another show, Midnight Hour.) All in excellent sound quality, the first volume covered 1972-74, the second 1975-76, and the third one 1977-78, all of them with a number of bands featured with one track each. Today the 'one band, one song' format is antiquated with the demand for preferably complete sessions, but the Tonkraft albums were long the only place to go if you wanted more progg than what was available on the artists' original albums and singles.

Despite that the 40CD ”Progglådan” box set contains many of the recordings from the original ”Tonkraft” albums, they aren't entirely redundant since they still feature recordings not available elsewhere. Also, there are a couple of bands here that never released any discs of their own, or bands that at least were underrepresented on vinyl back in the day, such as Plus Gäster, Kolossos Sandaler, Doggers Bankar, Kapten Krok, and Harem to mention a few. Also, some of the better known artists have tracks here not on any of their regular releases, among them Anna Själv Tredje, Mikael Ramel, Mount Everest, Berits Halsband, Elda Med Höns and Ensamma Hjärtan.

Taken together, the three 2LP's work as a quick (i.e. not sufficiently representative) 'here and now' (or now, rather a 'there and then') guide to what the music movement and progg had to offer.

Tonkraft – Levande musik från Sverige 1972-74 (Tonkraft, released 1980)

Featured artists: Peps Bluesband / Pugh & Nature / Hoola Bandoola Band / Trotsålderns Barn / Södra Bergens Balalaikor / Mikael Ramel & Unga Hjärtan / Kebnekajse / Solar Plexus / Plus Gäster / Blå Tåget / Samla Mammas Manna / Hörselmat / Mount Everest / Berits Halsband

International relevance: ***

Swedish vocals, instrumental

Several good ones here, most notably from Peps Bluesband, Pugh Rogefeldt with Nature, and Kebnekajse going berserk in a version of ”Comanche Spring”. Of the otherwise undocumented bands, the completely unknown Plus Gäster's ”I badkaret” is the best, like a blend of Kebnekajse and Fläsket Brinner.

Tonkraft – Levande musik från Sverige 1975-76 (Tonkraft, released 1981)

Featured artists: John Holm / Kolossos Sandaler / Norrbottens Järn / Doggers Bankar / Omlopp / Första Förband / Fläsket Brinner / Elda Med Höns / Östan Sol, Västan Måne / Eldkvarn / Kornet / Vargavinter / Kjell Höglund / Iskra / Guran / Trettioåriga Kriget / Kapten Krok / Resa

Swedish vocals, instrumental
International relevance: ***

With the ”Tonkraft” series following the chronological trends, the 1975-76 volume provides a fair bit of fusion and symphonic rock inspired music such as Kolossos Sandaler, Första Förband (with Thomas Wiehe), Östan Sol Västan Måne, Kornet, Trettioåriga Kriget and Resa. Some good stuff here though, especially John Holm (although now redundant as it has been released elsewhere since) and Fläsket Brinner's ”Barbarella” (later issued on their Swedish Radio sessions box set).

Tonkraft – Levande musik från Sverige 1977-78 (Tonkraft, released 1982)

Featured artists: Rolf Wikströms Hjärtslag / Moder Svea / Horizont / Dimmornas Bro / Norrlåtar / Ensamma Hjärtan / Folk Och Rackare / Harem / Solen Skiner / Rekyl / Little Big Horns / Mora Träsk / Alter Ego / Anna Själv Tredje / Hot Salsa / Contra / Ramlösa Kvällar / Tintomara

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

The weakest of the three ”Tonkraft” sets, with only a couple of interesting selections; Anna Själv Tredje's otherwise unavailable ”Snöfall och daggyra”, and Ramlösa Kvällar's ”Den maskulina mystiken”. Of the unknown bands, Harem is the best, coming off almost like a power version of UK renaissance folk rockers Gryphon. Apart from that, too much fusion, B grade symph and crappy blues rock. (Alter Ego is the same band that had an archival release on Musea as Alter Echo.)

As a sample of progg's stylistic development from 1972 to 1978, the ”Tonkraft” volumes are fine, but from a musical point of view, a 'best of' would be much more listenable.

RAGNAR BORGEDAHL – Hum, hum från Humlegårn (Musiklaget, 1974) / Sagan om verkligheten (1976)

Swedish vocals

International relevance: */**

Ragnar Borgedahl had a hit of sorts already before he had released a record. He sent a demo tape to radio show ”Bandet går” that on a regular basis played contributions from unsigned musicians, and his largely Dylan inspired song ”Hum, hum från Humlegårn” soon became a favourite song on the show. An album with highlights from the programme – including Borgedahl's track – was released on various artists compilation ”Blandat band” on Musiklaget (known for putting out Underground Failure featuring a young John Holm). The popularity of ”Hum, hum från Humlegårn” prompted the label to release a full Borgedahl album, aptly named after his signature song. The album became a smash hit.

Few can deny that ”Hum, hum from Humlegårn” is a catchy song (when Swedish pop artist Lars Winnerback revived it in 2003 it became a hit for the second time), but it's a fluke and the album's indisputable peak. ”Flugan” is a decent track, but the remainder of the LP is helplessly caught in a web of Dylanisms.

Borgedahl's second and final album arrived in 1976, and while Dylan still passes through the songs like a uneasy ghost, it's a bit different to Borgedahl's debut. ”Hum, hum från Humlegårn” was predominantly acoustic where ”Sagan om verkligheten” was recorded with a full band including studio guitarist Thommie Fransson who also worked with John Holm and Ola Magnell. Richer arrangements can't conceal the fact that Borgedahl was a mediocre songwriter at best and a below average singer.

Borgedahl had one less than inspiring 45 out in 1979, ”Mullvaden” c/w ”Fula kulor i pungen”, also on Musiklaget, before leaving the music business for good to run a video store in his native Stockholm. Borgedahl died in 2017 at the age of 67.

 

Hum hum från humlegårs full album playlist  

Sagan om verkligheten

"Sagan om verkligheten"

"Tids nog"

"Louice"

"Mariana"

"En udda bricka"

"Korten på bordet"

"Tango i lodenrock"

PÄR LINDBLOM – OFTA ÄR DET MÅNDAGMORGON SÄLLAN LÖRDAGKVÄLL (Four Leaf, 1975)

   
Swedish vocals
International relevance: **

The amazing album title meaning ”It's often Monday morning, rarely Saturday night” was given to Pär Lindblom's second (and last) album. The first one ”I grönsakslandet” is previously reviewed here, and there you can learn a bit more about his background and other activities, so I go straight to the music this time.

This second time around, the songs reveals a little more assertiveness. Janne Schaffer and Ola Brunkert are still along for the ride, but several of the players on ”I grönsakslandet” has changed. Exit Björn J:son Lindh and Stefan Brolund, enter Rutger Gunnarsson on bass, Kjell Öhman on piano and Alain Leroux (John Holm, Anders F. Rönnblom, Nature et al) on accordeon and organ.

”Ofta är det måndagmorgon” is similar to ”I grönsakslandet”, but the album is a bit less tinkling than its predecessor, leaving me with an 'old hat' feeling. What's most thrilling about the album are the two short instrumental tracks where Lindholm demonstrates what a fine acoustic guitar player he is! ”Springlåt från Valbo köpcenter” displays some really dexterous fingerpicking while the slide laced ”Mors lilla islandströja” sounds like it's straight out of the easier chapters of John Fahey's book of tricks (and that is meant as praise). And those longing for some charmingly cheesy funk with a crazy-ass clavinet should lend an ear to the bubbling ”Amsterdam blues”.

Nice infrared photo of Lindblom on the back cover!

No links found 

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 come 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 

ELEGI – Elegi (Slick, 1981)

Swedish vocals
International relevance **

Some things just take a long time. I'll be honest with you and admit that I couldn't stand Elegi for a long time. Their sole, self-titled album sounded contrived and hysterical to my ears. But the more reference points I earned over the years by a persistent-bordering-on-pathological listening, the more Elegi made sense.

Elegi was just about the perfect band for the Musiklaget Slick label, an imprint that grew out of Musiklaget (known for releasing Solen Skiner, Ragnar Borgedahl and others) that in turn started as Tibet -46 (with Rolf Wikström and John Holm on its tiny roster). Slick had a penchant for leftfield acts such as synth punk band Ståålfågel, semi-controversial punk outfit Bitch Boys, ska rockers Stormakt Gul and post-progg acts like Mögel. Elegi fit well into that lot, with their music successfully blending Rock In Opposition (RIO) characteristics with then current post punk experimentation and moods. They're a lot more consistent and solid than label-mates Mögel for instance, for the simple reason that Elegi knew what they wanted to achieve and also had the chops to pull it off successfully to the point.

There are two things that more than anything defines Elegi's sound, and it's Marie Samuelsson's vocals and Susanne Håkansson's saxophone (a rare feature in rock bands in those days, despite X-Ray Spex's prominent use of the instrument). The sax adds a very distinct texture to the music as it's not exclusively used for solos but a well integrated part of the arrangements, pretty much the way other bands use the guitar. The vocals are likely to be the biggest bone of contention, and it's the thing about Elegi that I still have some problems with. I suppose Samuelsson tried to match the nervy backing of ”Mat” (a stone-cold classic!), ”Moderna kvadrater” and ”Galen”, but they go off the deep end a little bit too often with neurotic yelps and hiccups. But you have to take the bad with the good and endure the wayward vocals as the album as a whole is well worth it. ”Elegi” stands out as one of the most original efforts of its time, a tour de force unafraid to prove that assumably conflictive styles are in fact very easy to combine if you only have the imagination, the will and the skills to do it. This is one of the Swedish progg punk's finest moments.

If you want to go further you can check out the two Elegi tracks found on the ”Mun mot mun metoden” cassette on Slick from 1982, and also check out their unreleased live recording for the Tonkraft radio show in 1980. None of them is quite as sharp as ”Elegi”, but they are still worthy of investigation if you like the album.

It's also worth mentioning that Marie Samuelsson had a thorough musical education and later became a noted modern composer. As late as of November 2023, she received the prestigious Christ Johanson award by the Swedish Royal Academy of Music.

Full album playlist

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. 

Full album playlist 

ULF LUNDELL – Vargmåne (Harvest, 1975) / Törst (Harvest, 1976) / Natten hade varit mild och öm (Harvest, 1977)

”Ulf Lundell's not progg!!!” I hear the outraged voices cry. But if John Holm and Ola Magnell should be here, then why not Lundell? Any objections to the inclusion fall in the Tomas Ledin category, i.e. only the prejudicial ear trying to dictate what's right and what's wrong.

Ulf Lundell sent his demo tapes to both MNW and Silence. They rejected him. And it's the same old story: he wasn't political enough. Again the overlords had spoken. So instead, he went to EMI who recognized Lundell's potential and offered him a deal with their progressive subsidiary Harvest. In early September 1975, seven months before his debut novel ”Jack” was published, ”Vargmåne” hit the shops.

Vargmåne (Harvest, 1975)

Swedish vocals

International relevance: **

Recorded in only four days with Finn Sjöberg (Kvartetten Som Sprängde) as an arranger and guitarist, and Mats Ronander of Nature on harmonica. Reputedly, Lundell was unhappy with the finished album, but it's a prime example of mid 70's Swedish rock, with classic tracks such as ”Stockholms City” and ”Sextisju, sextisju”. ”När duellen är över” should be as classic. But the best track is ”Bente”, a claustrophobic tale of a prostitute trapped in the big city netherworld. going down slowly but mercilessly on drugs. The song ends with a chilling question, made even more icy by Sjöberg's guitar, objective like steel, glass and concrete. His arrangement is perfect, and apart from being one of the best songs I know of written in the Swedish language, it's a billion times more thought-provoking than anything to ever come out on labels like Nacksving, Proletärkultur or, for that matter, MNW. But exactly that might the problem here – they didn't want any questions and independent thinking, they only wanted pre-fabricated answers.

With a song like ”Bente”, it doesn't matter that ”Sniglar och krut” and ”Jesse James möter kärleken” are pure crap.

Törst (Harvest, 1976)
Swedish vocals

International relevance: **

 

There's an equivalent to ”Bente” on Lundell's second album: ”Birgitta hon dansar”. It could almost be the sequel to ”Bente”, with the main character having lost her grip of reality and gotten locked up in a psychiatric ward. The claustrophobia is even denser here, like blinding smoke so thick you could touch it like bleeding fingertips rub against a raw surface. This isn't nice and kind music, it stares you straight in the face with reality's bloodshot eyes.

The ambivalent ”USA” deals with the nation of the song title in a credible 'can't live with it, can't live without it' way that's completely foreign to the militant anti-imperialist lot collecting double standards as if it was baseball cards.

The title track and ”Cobra Rax” in turn offer a peek into the same shady regions of the capital city as depicted in ”Stockholms City” off the first album.

”Jag vill ha ett lejon” might be too lightweight, but thankfully that and ”Och går en stund på jorden” provide some relief on an album that otherwise is as dark as the cover art is white. ”Törst” is often overlooked in Ulf Lundell's oeuvre but to me, it's his best and most gripping album.

Finn Sjöberg is still on board here, and Mats Glenngård appears on violin.

Natten hade varit mild och öm (Harvest, 1977)

as Ulf Lundell & Nature

Swedish vocals, English vocals

International relevance: **

This one usually gets general bashing, and I agreed before but I've come to re-evaluate a whole lot with time. It was recorded with blues band Nature (one of Pugh Rogefeldt's signings to the Gump label) on their mutual ramshackle tour of 1976-77. It mixes cover versions of rock standards – ”Route 66” and ”My Generation” sung by Mats Ronander – with chestnuts from Lundell's first two albums plus otherwise unreleased songs. ”Natten hade varit mild och öm” is to Lundell what ”Hard Rain” is to Dylan, i.e. a peculiar and sloppy live document with inferior sound and odd song choices. But that's what makes so intriguing and different to any other Lundell album out there. It's the sound of scruffy hobos thundering across the nation. "Progglådan" contains a Tonkraft show from the same period but while still OK (Lundell sounds nervous), it's a more polite document than this beautiful mess.

”Natten hade varit mild och öm” was reissued on CD in 2000 with five bonus tracks including ”USA” and ”Bente”.

Ulf Lundell went on to record numerous albums and write several books. He's one of the most well-known artists in Sweden.

Full album playlist with bonus tracks

Törst full album playlist with bonus tracks  

Natten hade varit mild och öm full album playlis with bonus tracks

Tonkraft 1976 full album playlist

 

THOMMIE FRANSSON – An Apache Enigma (Mercury, 1981)

Instrumental

International relevance: **

Thommie Fransson's most respectable contribution to progg is having played on John Holm's masterful ”Lagt kort ligger” from 1974, but he turns up on several other albums in the 70's. His lone solo LP appeared in 1981, and proves that studio musicians don't necessarily are suited for making their own albums. 

Fransson may look like a cheerful Frankie Miller on the cover, but ”An Apache Enigma” is all instrumental with guitar playing in a lightweight symphonic Mike Oldfield style on one hand, and tiresome heavy metal soloing to a synthetic backdrop on the other. The softer tracks sounds like background music to sundowns and dawns on TV. The only track of some merit is the pleasant ”Emilie” that was also released as the 'B' side to Fransson's only solo single ”Firefly Dance”, also culled from the album.

 

Firefly Dance

Emilie

ROLF WIKSTRÖM – The 70s albums

To many, Rolf Wikström is the blues king of Sweden. No matter what you think of him, you have to admit his staying power. He has released numerous albums over the years, the most recent one in 2011, and he's appeared on several more as a studio musician, from the disastrous (Löpande Bandet's ”Nån gång måste man landa”) to the brilliant (John Holm's ”Sordin”). His first solo release was a 45 on the Tibet -46 label as Cool Hambone in 1972. His lyrics are sometimes on the political side. 

Sjung svenska folk (Ljudspår, 1975)
Swedish vocals, instrumental
International relevance: ***

 Rolf Wikström's full length debut established his style which unfortunately also includes his vocals. While the music is OK blues in the Buddy Guy and Albert King vein, Wikström sings as if he had chewed up three pounds of chalk. His voice is so raspy it almost can't produce a sound other than a toneless screach. It's an exceedingly unpleasant experience listening to him. Would it have been better if was an instrumental album? Nope, because his guitar playing is too much as well.

Jävla måndag (MNW, 1978)

as Rolf Wikström's Hjärtslag

Swedish vocals
International relevance: ***

After an LP for the Alternativ label (home of Kjell Höglund with whom Wikström performed on ”Baskervilles hund”), Wikström switched to MNW for ”Jävla måndag”. It's a sometimes funky thing with powerful playing courtesy of his backing band Hjärtslag, and again reminiscent of Albert King. But, again, the album's seriously injured by Wikström's voice that is unbearable. Pity, because this could have been a rather decent album.

Den åttonde dagen (Metronome, 1979)

Swedish vocals

International relevance: **

What Wikström's voice doesn't ruin on ”Den åttonde dagen”, the limp funk/soul/disco moves do. Give it to someone you hate.

Sjung svenska folk full album playlist
Jävla måndag full album playlist

Den åttonde dagen full album playlist

MARIE BERGMAN – Complete albums 1974-1980

 

Marie Bergman is one of those artists too far from progg to belong here and too close not to do so. She's 'progg-by-association' but she's basically a singer/songwriter with the oft-hired Swedish studio mafia of the 70s backing her, granting her a couple of commercial successes in the second half of the decade. Her cover of Kate & Anna McGarrigle's ”Complainte Pour Ste-Catherine”, translated to Swedish by her good friend Ola Magnell as ”Ingen kommer undan politiken”, was a radio staple in and around 1977, and her version of Kjell Höglund's ”Lugnare vatten” was also on a rather heavy rotation a couple of years later. She appeared as a backing singer on all three of John Holm's 70s albums, as well as on discs by Ola Magnell, Rolf Wikström, Björn J:son Lindh, Pugh Rogefeldt and several others less progg related artists. In short, she was a stahlwart on the Metronome label led by producer Anders Burman's instincts and nose to sniff out off-kilter yet still commercially viable signings. Well, she was actually on Metronome already earlier as a member of the very successful vocal group Family Four which she joined in 1969.

Mitt ansikte (Metronome, 1974)
Swedish vocals
International relevance *

Her first album after leaving Family Four sounds a bit like a crossbreed of Ola Magnell and Joni Mitchell, the latter absolutely permeating the track ”Tiden”. The American West Coast sounds also come through in her cover of Neil Young's ”Helpless” (translated by Magnell). The title track and ”Villiga Ville” however are two funky tracks in sync with the times, while ”Sånger” is a loungy throwback to the Family Four style.

Närma mej (Metronome, 1977)
Swedish vocals
International relevance *

It took her three years to deliver her second solo album, but marked a breakthrough to a wider audience. It features ”Ingen kommer undan politiken” and her sensitive take on Ola Magnell's ”När vällingklockan ringde” from his ”Höstkänning” album released the very same year. ”Närma mej” is an album very much in the same style as her debut albeit with the funk substituted for novelty-of-sorts duds like ”Sången om den eviga lyckan (Johan)” and ”Mål eller miss” (the latter actually a cover of American folk singer and activist Odetta). The ”Blue” era Joni Mitchell influence is still evident though, especially on the piano based title track. Also included is a Swedish cover of Little Feat's ”Roll Um Easy” as ”Vänj mej varsamt”. Say what you will, she had good taste!

Iris (Metronome, 1979)
Swedish vocals
International relevance *

Third album and more of the same, only with a glossier production. This time the covers are by Swedish songwriters only, namely Björn Afzelius and his ”Balladen om K”, and the aforementioned Kjell Höglund's ”Lugnare vatten”. ”Lugnare vatten” is the best track on the album along with the surprisingly anguished (for Bergman) ”Lägg inga plåster på såren”. The most obvious ersatz Joni Mitchell this time is called ”Lekvisa”.

MARIE BERGMAN & LASSE ENGLUND

Jorden är platt (Metronome, 1980)
Swedish vocals
International relevance*

A joint venture between Bergman and much respected guitarist Lasse Englund; they also married the following year. It's a children's album and also the most interesting installment in Bergman's discography. Some songs are rather strange, and it seems that the idea of making music for kids pushed both Bergman and Englund out of their comfort zones. One track – ”Mammas stora säng” – even shows a faint resemblance to psych collector Hawaiian darlings These Trails. All in all, this is the Bergman album that comes closest to progg. But despite that, and despite being the most interesting album of hers, it's still not good enough to recommend. It's a bit of a curiousity, but not much more than that.

All these albums have their moments, but too few to recommend. From a progg perspective, they remain very minor footnotes. Bergman's recording career continued to 2013 when her, for now, last album was released. Her style hasn't changed much over the years and the sound of her albums have been very anxious to follow the production trends. When her early albums, her best ones, aren't very good you can imagine the rest.

Mitt ansikte full album playlist
Närma mej full album playlist
Iris full album playlist
Jorden är platt full album playlist

TOTTE WALLIN – Enköpingståge' (Metronome, 1978)

Swedish vocals
International relevance: *

This is Totte Wallin's third album, following ”När kulorna rullar” in 1975 and ”Grand Canyon” in 1977. None of them belongs here, and nothing he did after 1978 does either. His albums are mostly slick soft rock – music for people who don't really care about music – with lyrics supposed to be 'humourous' but without being funny. Still, he was signed to Metronome by Anders Burman who also discovered John Holm, Pugh Rogefeldt and Ola Magnell, and Wallin even toured with Magnell and Marie Bergman.

Only ”Enköpingståge'” has enough of a progg vibe, much thanks to Finn Sjöberg's production. Some tracks here are characterless as usual but there are a few decent moments. ”Pressveck” sounds a bit like Ola Magnell, ”Ett förslag” is OK, and ”Inte vet väl jorden” has an eerie late 70s vibe that I like. But the best song is also hands down the only really great song Totte Wallin wrote, namely ”Våren dör aldrig i Prag”. ”Enköpingståge'” isn't exactly good, but it's Wallin's best album.

Full album playlist 

CYMBELINE – 1965-1971 (Guerssen, 2017)

English vocals, Swedish vocals
International relevance: ***

It happens ever so often that a band who released a good – even great – single severaldecades later instigates archival releases by labels specializing in reissues and archival releases. Sometimes those releases are best left ignored, while others actually unearth something worthwhile. This album offers a bit of both.

Norrköping based duo (sometimes trio) Cymbeline had only one 45 out on MNW's subsidiary Green Light, with ”New York” backed with ”Sixth Image” in 1970. ”New York” is an excellent slice of melodic fuzz-laced proto power pop in English (back when it was still OK to sing in English!) whereas the 'B' side has a dreamier mood akin to transient UK folk/psych/prog of the era.

With Guerssen's overview of a career that never happened dating back to 1965, it's obvious it has some poppier and less successful mid-60's moments. ”Fifth Image” is overall pretty bad while ”Look at the Stars” is sweet enough. ”Imagination” is rather evocative despite being a bit underdeveloped. Cymbeline did have a promising melodic sense already early on although it never reached the heights of highly talented Swedish beat groups such as Tages and Mascots.

There are also a few other later tracks that burden the compilation, like the painfully wimpy ”Mary Anne” and the second version of ”Stolta vingar”, decidedly inferior to the first recording of the song. The Swedish version of Jimi Hendrix's ”The Wind Cries Mary”, ”Vinden viskar Mary”, is a bit on the embarassing side too.

But when it's good, it's really good, and that goes beyond the seven-inch tracks. ”Third Image” (spot a title pattern here?) is unpolished but crunchy freakbeat with an understated chugging beat and howling guitars. ”Motala Ström” comes off like a semi-funky crossbreed of Pugh Rogefeldt and Anders F. Rönnblom. ”Flicka” in turn sounds like something a more psychedelically inclined John Holm could have come up with (although the tucked on jazzy ending is as illogical as it is unnecessary).

”1965-1971” is obviously inconsistent, with said inconsistency further emphasized by the bewildering track order. Members Michael Journath and Anders Weyde might have dreamed of putting out an album for some 40 odd years, but had they been given the opportunity to do so before their breakup soon after their lone 45 was released, it would definitely have been a more cohesive record. But that said, and with the primitive nature of many of the recordings firmly in mind, this is an essential trophy of previously unrecognized talent. The good bits easily make up for the lesser moments here.

Full album playlist (Bandcamp)

CLAES AF GEIJERSTAM – Out of My Hair (Sonet, 1970)

English vocals

International relevance: **

Likely the most surprising inclusion in any forum dedicated to progg music, as Claes af Geijerstam generally speaking is as far away from all things progg as you can possibly imagine. In the 60's, af Geijerstam scored a line of hits as a core member of beat/pop/garage band Ola & The Janglers. Those who listened to Swedish radio in the 70's remembers him the best as the host of the extremely popular radio show Rakt över disc where he each week played the latest disco and pop singles, DJ-ing his way through the selections with a voice at manic speed, a style he had developed as a DJ as early as in the late 60's. Groundbreaking for sure, but completely unlistenable to anyone who couldn't stand his motor driven mouth or didn't share his taste in music. His commercial flair again came into the fore when he was a jury member during the earliest seasons of the Swedish Idol contest. All in all, his hit sensibilities have always overshadowed any possible progg approach. And yes, ”Out of My Hair” – his solo debut following soon after the breakup of Ola & The Janglers – is on the commercial side of things, too, but only a quick glance at the line-up reveals obvious progg connections.

Guitarist Björn Linder can be heard on albums by Sam Ellison, Ola Magnell, and Blues Annika to mention but a few. Björn Skifs is an allround entertainer who has had a remarkably lengthy career in his own right, but his involvement with Marsfolket, Slim Borgudd and hammond queen Merit Hemmingson is his most interesting collaboration from a progg angle. Göran Lagerberg needs no introduction to the progg aficionado, having played with everything and everyone from Bo Hansson to Egba, from Kebnekajse to Baltik. Jan Bandel's been on Atlantic Ocean's, Folk & Rackare's, Handgjort's, John Holm's and Hawkey Franzén's pay rolls, amongst others. Janne Schaffer is of course the well seasoned studio musician on numerous high profile albums, and has released plenty of solo albums. Mike Watson is similarly versatile and can be heard on the feminist various artists compilation ”Sånger om kvinnor” as well as on a couple of Björn J:son Lindh albums. Tommy Körberg is hailed for his vocal abilities (as in Solar Plexus and the comeback album by Made In Sweden), but handles the guitar on ”Out of My Hair”. So despite the overtly accessible nature of the album, it still has quite a few progg credentials.

Truth is it's a really nice album, with slight touches of David Bowie on the verge of glam rock, or Paul McCartney in his early Wings days, although neither Bowie or Wings had exploded yet in 1970. af Geijerstam is an adroit enough singer to deliver the tuneful and sometimes surprisingly jammy songs (as in the excellent extended ”St. Georgie's Road”). Those who deny any progg with a higher level of skillfulness than Träd, Gräs Och Stenar, Gudibrallan or Telefon Paisa/Sogmusobil will probably cringe at the album's ”slickness”, but you know, we all have our problems... ”Out of My Hair” isn't one of mine; I play it every once in a while and finds it to be a pleasant, loveable and sometimes even brilliant melodic album with post-psychedelic strains and proto-glam moves. 

The album had a French release with a different sleeve.

Full album playlist

BERNT STAF – Complete albums 1970-1981

One of the many discoveries made by Metronome producer Anders Burman who brought the likes of Pugh Rogefeldt, Ola Magnell and John Holm to public recognition. Burman had a penchant for original voices, and Bernt Staf indeed had one of those, oddly piercing and nasal. Uncommercial some would say, but he nevertheless scored a huge hit with his song ”Familjelycka”, culled from his 1970 debut album ”När dimman lättar” for a 45 the following year. Staf's lyrics have a political focus, often dealing with the depopulation of the non-urban regions of Sweden.

När dimman lättar (Metronome, 1970)

Swedish vocals

International relevance: **

”Familjelycka” is an incredibly annoying song, especially with Staf's terrible vocals perforating your eardrums (the Jan Hammarlund syndrome). Unfortunately, ”Familjelycka” sets the tone for ”När dimman lättar”. The album is full of twee singer/songwriter stuff marred by Staf's very unpleasant, infantile voice. Last track ”Uppståndelse” shows a somewhat more powerful perfomance, but the fake gospel sound still doesn't make Staf's polyp squeaks any more tolerable. The funky ”Hovmästarsoppa” was released as Staf's first single, and it's a pretty good track – hadn't it been for the vocals.

Live (Metronome, 1972)

Swedish vocals, English vocals

International relevance: *

I'm not very fond of live albums since I don't like the sound of a cheering audience, but in this case an audience screaming loud would have been beneficial. Perhaps it would have had drowned out Bernt Staf's vocal mannerisms. Having him drawling through ”What Shall We Do With the Drunken Sailor”, ”Havanagilah” and a Swedish version of ”Last Night I Had the Strangest Dream” is a fucking punishment. In the live setting, he turns into a third rate protest folk singer who talks too much between tracks. His speaking voice is every bit as maddening as his singing voice. And then he whistles...

Vingslag (Metronome, 1972)

Swedish vocals

International relevance: *

Full band backing provided by Sten Bergman, Ola Brunkert, Lasse Wellander, Göran Lagerberg and others. Which obviously gives Staf the occasional excuse to holler away like a Dylan with a stomach pain. No harmonica honks; instead Staf whistles... again...

Valhall (Metronome, 1973)

Swedish vocals

International relevance: **

This could possibly have been an OK Kvartetten Som Sprängde album – they're the backing band here (plus a cameo from Bo Hansson). Had it actually been an album of theirs, it would have been instrumental, and had it been instrumental, you wouldn't have to endure Staf's vocals.

Vår om du vill (YTF, 1976)

Swedish vocals

International relevance: *

Substituting Kvartetten Som Sprängde with a slick radio friendly lush laidback West Coast sound was Staf's worst idea since the day he decided to sing. And that smug grin on the album cover...

Hycklarnas paradis (Best, 1981)

International relevance: *

Swedish vocals

Mocking reggae on the title track (a pathetic Swedish cover of Bob Marley's ”Pimpers Paradise”) was Staf's worst idea since substituting Kvartetten Som Sprängde with a slick radio friendly lush laidback West Coast sound on ”Vår om du vill”. Not even having Kenny Håkansson among the session musicians can help this privately released mess. And oh, Staf whistles too...

Bernt Staf made one further album on his own Best label ('Worst' would have been a better name) in 1983, ”Hammenhög Airport”, and a comeback album in 1996, ”Klockor”. He also appears on several various artists compilation, including ”Progglådan” that features an early live recording for Swedish Radio show Midnight Hour.

När dimman lättar full album playlist

Live full album playlist

Vingslag full album playlist
Midnight Hour 1971 full album playlist

from Valhall

"Göteborgsposten"

"Arbetarblot"

"Zaïre" 

No links found for Hycklarnas paradis.