HOOGANS MUSIKTEATER – Harry Hoogan behöver dig (Piglet, 1981)

  
Swedish vocals
International relevance: *

Another album on the puzzling, bewildering, stylistically inconsistent and utterly fascinating Piglet label. Stylistically inconsistent is also the best way to describe ”Harry Hoogan behöver dig”. Here you get funk, rock, reggae, show jazz, balladeering – all in one unkempt mess. The reason is that Hoogans Musikteater, originally named Komadawoloteatern, was a theatre group as much as a musical one, and the songs were taken from a stage play.

The problem with ”Harry Hoogan behöver dig” is the same as with many albums such as this – it doesn't work as an album. It's just a bunch of poor songs that seem out of place without the narrative framework of the play. Not all of Piglet's releases are great, and this is one of the weakest. 

The group also had ties to Låt & Leklaget who released a number of children's albums in the 80s.

No links found

MANTRACTION – Mantraction (Mill, 1982)

 
Swedish vocals, instrumental
International relevance: -

This is actually the second album by Mantra who released ”Take It!” in 1980. Changing the name didn't change the music, at least not for the better. It's still dull pop/jazz/funk fusion with disco touches, only with a sound updated to 1982 meaning more synthesizers. Without any redeeming qualities, I can't imagine anyone having the patience to sit through this album. Except for maybe the band members themselves although I suspect even they would fall asleep halfway through hearing it today.

Full album playlist

MYRBEIN – Radio Jämtland 1978 (no label, 2015: rec. 1978) / Live Tonkraft Sveriges Radio P3 1979 (no label, 2015; rec. 1979) / Live Borås 1981 (no label, 2015: rec. 1981)

Myrbein's only album ”Myrornas krig” is one of the worst albums I've heard on this blog. It's prog rock (with one 'g') at its most annoying, complex for the sake of complexity alone, but with a puerile lack of compositional logic that makes them sound like a kindergarten King Crimson on a bad day. It was released in 1981, shortly before Myrbein disbanded (with some members turning up in the un-proggy postpunk band Skallarna not long after). They formed in 1977, and a couple of early tapes were made available on the band's Soundcloud in 2015, plus one from their final year.

 

Radio Jämtland 1978 (no label, 2015; rec. 1978)
Instrumental, English vocals
International relevance: ***

The earliest tape is a three-song session made by local radio station Radio Jämtland (Jämtland being Myrbein's home county). If Myrbein were musically lost in their later years, they had absolutely no fucking clue what they were doing during the earliest days. Musically illiterate songwriting and blunderous playing but chock full of over-reaching ambition. With a playing time of only 16 minutes, this shouldn't be that hard to get through but it's really an endurance test. Last track ”Pucko vinner” is unbelievably terrible.

Live Tonkraft Sveriges Radio P3 1979 (no label, 2015; rec. 1979)
Swedish vocals, English vocals, instrumental
International relevance: ***

Recorded in their home town Östersund for the legendary Tonkraft series on Swedish national radio, and perhaps that fact made Myrbein nervous enough to shape up a bit. I'm not saying it's a good show, but it's not their worst effort. Despite some misguided attempts at Samla Mammas Manna styled musical humour, the track ”Hjälp släpp ut mig” is in fact almost listenable. Unfortunately, the tiny hope that track might inspire is quickly ruined by an embarrasing rock'n'roll pastiche called ”Ko”, and a disco parody named ”Disco Baby” that kicks in wide open doors. Wow, mocking disco in 1979! Did you really think that was a forefront thing to do? Come on, guys, please...

Live Borås 1981 (no label, 2015; rec. 1981)
Swedish vocals, instrumental
International relevance: ***

This reasonably good sounding audience recording opens with a cover of King Crimson's ”Larks' Tongues In Aspic, Part II”, showing they finally left their most of their Samla Mammas Manna/Gentle Giant hang-ups in favour of a Crimson hang-up. "Larks' Tongues" is fairly well performed, it suggests Myrbein could actually pull off a bit of garage level symph rock without making complete fools of themselves, and that their biggest problem perhaps was their insufficient understanding of composition. The rest of the gig features songs from their then recent album and some leftovers from their early repertoire including ”Ko”. Fans of ”Myrornas krig” will probably like this archival outpouring of theirs the best, but I still think it scores high on the international suckitude scale.

Radio Jämtland 1978 full EP playlist  
Live Tonkraft 1979 full album playlist 
Live Borås 1981 full album playlist

MONTEVIDEO – Montevideo (SweDisc, 1980; rec. 1978-1979)

 
Instrumental, other languages
International relevance: **

Emotionless muzak fusion (fuzak?) with Ulf Wakenius (Mwendo Dawa, Sundance, Hawk On Flight) on guitar. Also features drummer Michael Anderson and trumpet player Salomon Helperin from a later Mount Everest line-up. The album was only released in Japan meaning there's only a smaller risk you'll stumble upon it by malicious coincidence. The only remotely decent track is the Spanish sung ”El Travajo”, mainly for its half-interesting percussion work. The rest is provocatively antiseptic. Hadn't it been for Nexus and Life (on Coop), this would probably be the most nothinged-out jazz fusion album to ever be recorded in Sweden. And what an irkingly lousy sleeve!

Light Hour 

MWENDO DAWA – Basic Line (Sonet, 1979) / Free Lines (Dragon, 1981)

 

Basic Line (Sonet, 1979) 

Instrumental
International relevance: **

The first of many albums from these Gothenburg jazzers who carved out a fusion jazz niche of their own with Susanna Lindeborg's mini moog. However, it hadn't yet found its natural place in the music this early on, and it sounds a bit like it was added when the others had done their parts, like an afterthought. Mwendo Dawa was to a fair degree tenor saxophonist Ove Johansson's band, but it was Lindeborg's keyboards that gave them their special character. ”Basic Line” sounds as if they're still searching for their unique sound, like they still are getting to know each other musically. It took some time still before they got there. Recorded in 1978.

 

Free Lines (Dragon, 1981)

Instrumental, wordless vocals

International relevance: **

Two years and a couple of albums later, Mwendo Dawa had lost guitarist Ulf Wakenius which proved beneficial. ”Free Lines” is a much tighter work signified by a greater collective self-assurance. Ove Johansson plays with great ease here occasionally touching on free jazz, but the most striking leap forward comes from drummer David Sundby who's very powerful on ”Free Lines” giving the music a the much needed push that the debut lacked. Even the album's more lyrical moments are tenser and denser. And while Susanna Lindeborg may not have a leading role here, her keyboards slip much more smoothly into the music. 

from "Basic Line":
Important Level
Basic Line

from "Free Lines"
Maria

MÖRBYLIGAN – Järtecken (Mistlur, 1980) / No. 003 (Bastun, 1982)

Swedish vocals
International relevance: -

As I mentioned in my review of their first album, Mörbyligan appealed to both proggsters, punks and so called ordinary people. Later albums didn't quite match the popularity of early songs like ”Ensamma Sussie” though. Their debut album ”Mörbyligan” hasn't aged well at all and appears hopelessly cringeworthy today, but already second album ”Järtecken” is worse. It sounds like a third rate Nationalteatern and their wishy-washy social pathos sounds fake. Especially in hindsight as their songwriter Åke Bylund later turned to nationalist politics. Their appropriately titled third album ”No. 003” is along those same lines and is downright dreadful with Mörbyligan going for a radio friendly classic rock sound and even shoddier songs.

from "Järtecken":
Lilla Sussie är död / Patrasket / 1902 (Nygammal kampsång) / Vi tjejer / Johnny Rumpvick / Varje vår / En ny dag / Davy Crockett / ABC för gossebarn / Kojan / Svarta oceaner / Kalles jul / Östermalm 
from "No. 003":
Det är nu som vi måste leva / Japaner, japaner (Vilket drag...) / Du / Frihetsgudinnan Hagen (Det är dags att sova igen) / Hon kunde dansa över ängarna / Lilla Sophie / ID 19 (CV2)

MUSIKGRUPPEN RAA – Musikgruppen RAA (Piglet, 1980)

 Swedish vocals, instrumental
International relevance: **

Musikgruppen RAA had existed for seven years when they released their debut album why they had enough time to amass material enough for a double LP. It's better than the follow-up ”Briggen Salta Anna”, but their idolization of The Incredible String Band is simply too much in-your-face and gets very annoying very soon. If you want ISB epigones, try UK band Forest instead.

The second disc in the set is more interesting as it's not all Robin Williamson and Mike Heron but reveals inspiration from East European folk music although they lack the authority of say RamlösaKvällar. Their version of trad tune ”Horgalåten” (known from Kebnekajse's excellent version) is fairly interesting despite some silly theatrical vocals, and I like ”Annas sång”. But it's not enough, and as Musikgruppen RAA are constantly two steps behind on just about everything they do, they end up a curious footnote to much better bands.

”Musikgruppen RAA” is along with ”Briggen Salta Anna” featured on the 2CD compilation ”RAAriteter” released in 1992 and expanded with bonus material.

Träd / Solbild / Oulistaï / Jag lever / Månkarbo-Nisse / Den heliga staden / Kajsas vaggsång / Solbild / Jungfrun i blå skogen / Så går det bra / Svart Per-Ola / Uralen / Pavanne / Flytande holländaren / Spelkarlen / Annas resa / Kycklingskocken / Horga / Gärdet / Kläpp-Konrads schottis/Finska polskan / L'oud / San Juanito / In nomine Padre et Filio / Od Granka / Ungerska vinskördedanser / Den besvikna flickan / Tamzara / Finstämt möte i O'Stemt

MARSFOLKET – Marsfolket (Mellotronen, 2025; rec. 1971)

 English vocals, instrumental
International relevance: ***

Marsfolket was a supergroup of sorts even though the members of this six-piece wasn't necessarily 'superstars' as of yet. Björn Skifs had been in 60s band Slam Creepers, and Claes ”Clabbe” af Geijerstam used to be a teen idol in pop band Ola & The Janglers. But Bo Häggström (previously of Lea Riders Group and Made In Sweden, then replaced in Marsfolket by Mike Watson), Björn Linder (post-Tages outfit Blond), Janne Schaffer and Ola Brunkert (later ABBA's go to drummer) weren't quite household names in these days (and some of them probably aren't still). They only existed for a very bried period, from to March to April 1971 – hence their name Marsfolket (a pun meaning both ”the people of March” and "martians"). Their main purpose was touring, and for long, the only physical proof of their existence was a single and one track on Janne Schaffer's debut album, the massively funky ”Jordbruksmaskinen”. The single entitled ”Marsfolkets justa rattar” with the tracks ”Maria, Maria” and ”The Hunter” is somewhat rare, and for long I hoped there would be more recordings of theirs. Then out of the blue this full-length album of previously unreleased recordings in studio quality appeared!

Given the group's ephimeral nature, they relied a fair bit on cover versions of contemporary acts such as Grand Funk Railroad, J.J. Cale, Derek & The Dominoes and The Band. While that might not look too tasty on paper, the thing is that Marsfolket were a brilliant bunch who knew how to shake up even the most wooden material. A little less than half of their repertoire was nevertheless original songs and they are every bit as rocking, grooving, funky and musically abundant as their borrowed material.

Björn Skifs is best known internationally for ”Hooked On A Feeling” which took his band Blue Suede to the top of the Billboard charts years before ABBA claimed the same spot. One thing that ”Marsfolket” proves is what a great singer Björn Skifs indeed was. He's unfortunately one of those singers born with an excellent voice that he – much like Tommy Körberg – habitually has wasted on uninteresting or plain stupid material. When he doesn't hold back, he's a truly gifted blue eyed soul vocalist. Geijerstam isn't too shabby either although his voice isn't quite as strong as Skifs's, but alternating between the two work just fine in this setting and adds a little extra variation.

My guess why Marsfolket was such a vibrant band is because they didn't have anything to prove. Knowing their time was limited already from the start meant they could let loose and simply enjoy themselves in each other's company without having to deliver absolute perfection as session musicians or big stage entertainers. That's what makes this album so delightful. Yes, that's exactly what this is – a delight!

Full album playlist

MICHAEL, SALT & PEPPER – Live At Alexandra's (Blueberry, 1970) / THE BLOOM GREEN GROUP – Discoteque (Haparanda, 1971)

 English vocals, instrumental
International relevance: **

A largely insignificant group sounding a bit like a power horn rock version of Made In Sweden. Their first album was recorded live and is pretty vital if unnecessary consisting of all covers such as ”By The Time I Get To Phoenix”, ”Eleanor Rigby”, and a ”Hair” medley of ”Aquarius” and ”Let The Sunshine In”. I have to say though that their take on ”Try (Just A Little Bit Harder” is pretty powerful with some stinging solo guitar.

They re-emerged the following year under the moniker The Bloom Green Group, with some tracks from their debuted re-recorded in studio. The Made In Sweden vibe is stronger here, largely due to what might be Mats Westman from the first album – the album cover has no musicians listed. It does however have a massively cheap looking front that was changed for the digital reissue.

The group also had two 45s out and undertook a Mexican tour in 1971.

Live At Alexandra's full album playlist
Discoteque full album playlist

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

MYGLARNA – Du liv (A-Disc, 1977)

Swedish vocals
International relevance: *

The great looking album cover with its folk rock private pressings vibe led me to believe that this perhaps would be something as uncommon as a decent A-Disc release. Well, it is a bit folkish, mostly covers with mainly acoustic instruments, and it isn't one of A-Disc's very worst. But good it's certainly not.

Some tracks are potentially OK, especially a couple on the first side, but what could have been better in the hands of some more spirited combo is effectively asphyxiated by annoyingly twee harmony vocals. Myglarna seem to have taken their cues from commercial harmony groups of the 60s and early 70s such as Marie Bergman's Family Four, a style that was hard to endure to begin with and definitely outdated by the time ”Du liv” was released. Some typical Social Democrat marching music find its way into the yawny blend of styles but even they sound weary.

Drummer Johan Dielemans was previously in Folk Blues Inc. 

No links found.

MODERN SOUND QUINTET – OTINKU (Odeon, 1971)

Instrumental
International relevance: **

A real oddity, this. The music itself is rather straight ahead jazz funk but what sets it apart from other jazz funk albums is that the main instrument is steel pans! Pannist Rudy Smith left Trinidad for Sweden in the late 1960's and played with plenty of Swedish musicians including Bernt Rosengren, Ingemar Olsson and Ewert Ljusberg. His Modern Sound outfit went through several changes, from quartet to quintet before becoming Modern Sound Corporation in the late 70's. While steel pans produce a sound that's extremely annoying to me, Smith uses them more like a piano making them fit surprisingly well into the music. The pans work particularly well on the African flavoured title track, Joe Zawinul penned ”Mercy, Mercy, Mercy”, the modal ”Ursia” and their take on Herbie Mann's ”Memphis Underground”.

Internationally sounding as it is, the album had an international becoming as well. Recorded with musicians from Finland, Ghana, Triniad, Barbados and Surinam, it was recorded in Stockholm and produced by arranger, trumpeter etc Lasse Samulesson and released only in Finland! It will never be a favourite album of mine, but I must admit it's much better than I ever expected it to be, with some rather appealing moments.

A revamped band released one further album in 1978 (as Modern Sound Corporation) through the Swedish branch of low budget label K-Tel.

Full album playlist

MOTVIND – Hjärta av stål (Affection, 1981)

Swedish vocals
International relevance: *

Their second to last album (followed by ”Kamikaze” in 1983) not counting reunions. They were never a good band to begin with, but this is even worse. The radio friendly hard rock production makes them sound like a second rate Jerusalem, and singer/guitarist Juris Salmins machoisms are even more grating than before.

Full album playlist

SABU MARTINEZ – The Dalecarlia Recordings (Mellotronen, 2009; rec. 1971-72) / Burned Sugar (Mellotronen, 2008; rec. 1973-74) / Maldito Primitivo (Mellotronen, 2009; rec. 1977) / SABU MARTINEZ & SAHIB SHIHAB – Winds & Skins (Mellotronen, 2008; rec. 1967/1978)

Instrumental, other languages
International relevance: **

Sabu Martinez's 1971 album ”Afro Temple” is obviously some kind of classic, but I find most of it dull percussion excesses with some spoken word over and some dashes of Latin jazz. So I was less than thrilled approaching a full set of four albums released on Mellotronen, covering Martinez's Swedish years.

Martinez moved here in 1967, and the earliest disc in the Mellotronen lot features recordings from that year, with saxophonist/flautist Sahib Shihad and made for the Swedish Radio. One of '67 tracks is only a spoken word piece on 'the theme of good and bad service'. The other one is an OK but unspectacular five minute jazz piece with Palle Danielsson on bass. The 1978 session, also for the Swedish Radio is slightly better with the half-bizarre ”The Distorted Sioux Indian” being an at least interesting little piece next two boring percussion solos.

Stemming from four different sessions, "The Dalecarlia Recordings" opens with thirteen very long minutes of another percussion workout, "The Latin Percussion People", which isn't a good start, but it picks up the steam soon after that. A selection of tracks from the 1971 album "Aurora Borealis" with Björnbobandet works up a great groove, and although I'm not too keen on big band stuff, these tracks are quite good. My favourite track however is "Puertorican Beans And Rice". The sound is murky but it reeks with so much vitality not even the quesionable fidelity can take anything from the contagious vivacity of the moment.

”Burned Sugar” features another Swedish Radio session, this time fron 1973, with the CD being expanded with three tracks recorded in the Polyvox Studio in Stockholm the following year. Not only the best volume of these four, but also the best Martinez album I've heard! It's an incredibly lively document with sweaty, funky, organic tracks. Clearly moving in the fusion jazz direction, but this is fusion that's meaty, beaty, big and bouncy and pretty damn irresistable. The Polyvox takes detracts a bit (especially the "Education" track which is only a minute and a half of the band working out a beat) but I can live with that.

The title track from ”Maldito Primitivo” picks up where "Burned Sugar" left off and would have fit nicely on that collection, and is by far the best track on this disc.The remainder of the disc is jazzy salsa galore, and while it's pretty good, it isn't nearly on the same level as the tremendous "Burned Sugar". 

Taken together, these four volumes are a varied presentation of Sabu Martinez's musicianship. They have their ups and downs, depending on your personal preferences. All in all, they're much better than "Afro Temple", with "Burned Sugar" being my obvious pick of the bunch.

Winds & Skins full album playlist
The Dalecarlia Reordings 1971-72 full album playlist
Burned Sugar full album playlist
Maldito Primitivo full album playlist

MULLVADSOPERAN – Sånger ur Mullvadsoperan (MNW, 1978)

Swedish vocals
International relevance: *

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

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

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

Full album

MUSIKGRUPPEN RAA – Briggen Salta Anna (Piglet, 1981)

Swedish vocals, spoken word
International relevance: *

Musikgruppen RAA began in 1973 and disbanded ten years later after a plentiful of shows in Sweden and abroad. They did reunite in the early 90's however and is still active. During their first lifetime, they also released two albums on the bizarre label Piglet, the epononymous album in 1980, and ”Briggen Salta Anna” in the following year.

”Briggen Salta Anna” is a story album about the brig of the album title, full of short songs, the shortest being only 22 seconds. It reveals two fundamental things about Musikgruppen RAA: their love for children's music their love for UK folk in general and The Incredible String Band in particular. (The reformed RAA released a full ISB tribute album in 2010.) What makes ”Briggen Salta Anna” a hard listen though are the many spoken bits that carry the story. It sounds more like a radio play for kids than an album to actually listen to. And the proper musical portions are nowhere as good as the British/Scottish counterparts that so greatly influenced them. The album is a curiousity at best, and adds to Piglet being one of the weirdest record labels.

Full album playlist

MÖGEL – Mögel (Slick, MLP 1981)

Swedish vocals
International relevance **

Avid readers probably know that I'm quite fond of those bands that walk the thin line between progg and punk. A line much thinner than general consensus usually admits – I insist that the two genres have much more in common than they do separating them. This subgenre has no real name, sometimes it's simply referered to as 'prog punk', but somebody suggested 'pronk' but I pray that word won't ever catch on...

Mögel (not to be confused with any other band by that name) was one of the bands that crossed punk's energy with proggish ambitions. Beginning in 1978 in Stockholm suburb Farsta, they kept going for about five years (unless you count their recent reunion) and was a pioneering outfit with an all female line-up. Although I never felt the need to distinguish female bands from male bands – it's all music no matter what gender you are – it was still not that common in those male dominated years. They navigated the same area as the aforementioned Kräldjursanstalten and Boojwah Kids, taking cues from Captain Beefheart's angularity as much as they did from the then current punk and burgeoning post punk scenes. Imagine a mix of Beefheart and UK do-it-yourselfers The Raincoats and you're nearly there.

As promising as it may sound, Mögel lacked the necessary musical efficiency and skills to convincingly pull itoff. They aimed far too high: their 'complicated' songs sounded clumsy and awkward. Their more straightforward tracks suited them better, simply because those didn't demand the same level of proficiency. But, and this is important, despite their obvious shortcomings, they had something that's hard to dismiss categorically. Amongst the squeaks and yelps and rickety arrangements, Mögel put forth an endearing lot of energy and honest intentions. They meant what they were doing, and while it's sometimes eargrating, their music is often oddly touching. Yes, they failed in their ambitions but they did puzzlingly successful. I don't necessarily like them, but I still can't stop listening to them once I put on their album.

Which in fact isn't an album, but a six-track 45 rpm EP. Much later, in 2003, it was expanded to twice its original length for the belated CD reiusse retitled ”1978-1983”. Contradictive as it may seem, the added material consisting of demos, live recordings and rare tracks previously only available on a hard-to-find various artists cassette-only compilation, present the band in a wider scope and slightly more beneficial multifaceted light.

Mögel were certainly an acquired taste, and while some will never acquire that particular taste, others will find it an interesting and/or annoying listen if you're in the mood for it. It's also like a time capsule, a snapshot of what might be the only time in history when a band like this was not only allowed to have their music out but also managed to gain positive attraction from both the audience and the media. The music movement's own periodical Musikens Makt even ran a feature on them in 1980.

Full album playlist (expanded reissue)

MANTRA – Take It! (A-Disc, 1980)

Instrumental
International relevance: *

Latecomers to the A-Disc roster, Mantra's debut album showed more than a few commercial leanings towards the radio friendly pop rock of the day as well as dehydrated funk fusion and disco. One track, ”Swing Your Thing” suspiciously shares a few features with Toto's ”Hold The Line” which is revealing enough. ”I Sold My Soul (To Rock 'n' Roll?)” is – with a question mark or without it – one of the worst over-used song titles ever. It doesn't matter that it's probably used here as a tongue-in-cheek hint at the slight hard rock charasteristics sneaking into what's basically a mediocre jazz fusion track. Guitarist, songwriter and arranger Henrik Janson obviously had a taste for American FM hard rock, as his playing is soaked with it. The album is entirely instrumental, but whether that's for the better or for the worse is impossible to say since ”Take It” sucks harder than an anabolic Hoover anyway.

Mantra had a few 45s out and released their second album ”Mantraction” on the Hill label in 1982 before Janson turned to a prolific career as a studio guitarist. He was also a member of Mikael Ramel's backing band Harru Lust in the early 80s (appearing on ”Strömavbrott” from 1982 and ”Bra sak” from 1984), and Ramel also wrote the lyrics for one of Mantra's songs on ”Mantraction”.

Balladtime

MA CONNECTION – 8691 (Brute Force, 1981)

 
English lyrics

International relevance: **

Semi-professional sounding private release from this Umeå band which existed from 1980 to 1982 and toured with other local bands as well as being support act to wellknown Luleå band Rekyl. More of a heavy rock outfit somewhere between early ZZ Top (only better, which isn't too hard to be!) and other somewhat less boogie-inflicted contemporaries. Despite the year of release, there are surprisingly few signs of Ma Connection taking cues from the then burgeoning NWOBHM scene. Progressive moves are prevalent albeit faint; they're much more steeped in the pre-heavy metal hard rock of the 70s. Although I'm not much of a genre fan (although not entirely dismissive of it either), I won't deny there's something decidedly appealing about the curiously titled ”8691”. The performances – eight tracks in total – are passionate and the playing is tight and spirited. The vocals are only so-so but they add a down-to-earth blue-collar gutter vibe to the music which in fact is pretty tasty.

The songs aren't bad at all, especially in their field. I find myself tapping my feet and nodding my head to ”Mighty Men Of Power” and the gritty ”You Will Care” which, to top it off rather nicely, sports some Eastern-sounding guitar work. All tracks are originals, and given the high quality of the material, that is in fact pretty impressive. Only album closer ”Aching Heart Disease” is a bit 'meh”, being a rather pedestrian blues (and at almost 7 minutes, overlong).

Only 300 copies were pressed, and on the rare occassions ”8691” comes up for sale, it has a rather hefty pricetag attached to it. I can see why: genre fans must drag their drooling tongues on the ground over this! This one is certainly ripe for a proper reissue. Shadoks, are you listening?

Ma Connection also had a live cassette out, ”Live At Elvira”, of which I know nothing.

For those who may wonder, the cryptic album title refers to Martini Bianco.

Full album playlist

MADS VINDING GROUP - Danish Design (Sonet, 1974)

Instrumental
International relevance: ***

 

It's albums like this that makes me question my vocation. Why do I do this? How far am I willing to go with this blog? Is it really just a karmic punishment for mistakingly killing a squirrel in a previous life by sitting on it thinking it was a small cushion? Am I a bad person? Is it only right that I suffer?

For a long time, I've put off writing about "Danish Design". Yeah, you've already figured out why. It's Danish. The title already says so.

Or so I tried to convince myself, ignoring the cold, hard facts. And they are as follows: The album is recorded in Sweden. It's produced by a Swede, Rune Öfwerman. Engineered by another Swede, Lasse Gustavsson. All musicians except Mads Vinding himself are Swedish (he's, you know, Danish). Sabu Martinez, percussion. Ola Brunkert, drums. Jan Schaffer, guitar. Keyboards, they're played by Kjell Öhman -- very Swedish. Released by Sonet Records? Ah yes, a Swedish label.

You see where this is going, don't you?

I can run, but I can't hide. It's a dirty job but somebody's got to do it. Tough shit it had to be me.

[insert inappropriate word referring to sexual intercourse]

Let's put it this way: This album is so boring, so relentlessly tedious that I consider playing Coste Apetrea's "Nyspolat" seven times in a row while breathing inside a very small plastic bag.

This is fusion at its worst. Soulless. Impotent. Clinical. There's more life in a lab grown bacterial culture than on this album.

I hate the album cover too.

Full album playlist