ART OF MUSIC – Sessions (Allt För Laget, 2021; rec. 1972-1974)

  
English vocals, Swedish vocals
International relevance: **

This is actually only half an album as it wasn't a standalone disc with a specific cover, but a bonus album to the 50th anniversary reissue of Art Of Music's sole, self-titled 1971 album. That album is already reviewed here, so this review is for bonus disc ”Sessions” only.

Art Of Music had existed for four years when their original album was recorded under primitive circumstances. Taped on a Tandberg reel-to-reel machine in their rehearsal space using sound-on-sound technique by Staffan Odlander, certified Beatles expert and owner of Buttercup Records who initially released the album on his label. It's now a massive collectors' item, better known than the subsequent Art Of Music seven-inches that followed in 1972, one of them a split disc with Swedish dance band Mattis (Buttercup's release plan – if there ever was one – was far from consistent).

When Odlander invested in better recording equipment including a mixer and a trusty Revox tape recorder and a mixer, fidelity got immediately better. The band too had matured and become tighter, and the songwriting here is a more focused in a post-Beatles vein (and there are even two Beatles covers). So ”Sessions” ought to be a better album than ”Art Of Music”, but truth is I think something got lost in the advancement. Despite all its inadequacies, I prefer the debut album for its vibe of underground secrecy. Imperfections don't always add to experience but rather spoil it (as exemplified by Axelsson or Prefix), but in the case of Art Of Music the insufficiencies intertwine with the experience and enriches it. There are of course some enjoyable moments here, especially the rather intense ballad evocatively entitled ”Today Is A Day Without Future”, but most of ”Sessions” sounds too mediocre and ordinary to my ears.

”Sessions” includes all tracks previously only released on singles, plus takes planned for a never issued 1974 EP along with other unreleased tracks. The ambition to present Art Of Music's complete recordings unfortunately also extends to leaving distracting studio chatter and broken down takes intact, a modus operandi I've never liked (and happening a bit too often these days with the flood of archival releases from everyone from Bob Dylan and The Beatles down to The Nowhereburg Nobodies).

That said, I'm happy the reissue exists because it's the only viable way to get the hysterically rare original album in your hands. That album is an entity of its own, and the bonus material doesn't lesser its impact. You simply don't need to play ”Sessions” except for a track or two, but stick to the real album. The liner notes are a nice feature too, sharing lots of information from both Odlander and the band.

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ART OF MUSIC – Hallo And Farewell (Buttercup, 1971)

English vocals

International relevance: **

”Hallo and Farewell” is one of the rarest progg albums of all time, recorded on a Tandberg reel-to-reel recorder one day in April 1971 and released a little more than a month later on the tiny Buttercup imprint in an edition of 100. The Buttercup catalogue is rather small, mostly consisting of singles and EP's in a variety of styles. To my knowledge, the only other full length album on the label is by Swedish dance band Gayes. Like all Buttercup titles, ”Hallo and Goodbye” was released locally in the Malmö area, home of label head Staffan Olander who in 1973 won top prize 10,000 SEK in the national version of Double or Nothing thanks to his seemingly unlimited Beatles knowledge. (Some years later, Olander hosted several Beatles special shows on Swedish Radio, airing an array of very rare Fab Four recordings, at the time unheard by most.)

As expected from the 1971 release date, ”Hallo and Farewell” retains a pronunced late 60's feel, sometimes thanks to Swante Bobeck's swirling Hammond organ. Four of the songs are penned by the band, the five remaining ones being covers of varying origin, including the lesser known Eric Burdon composition ”White Houses” (from the 1968 ”Everyone Of Us” album), and an understated but spirited jazzy take on the Bobby Hebb chestnut ”Sunny”. However, the highlights are their take on Ray Davies' beautiful ”Tired of Waiting” which Art of Music amazingly enough turn into something not too far removed from The Velvet Underground's third LP; and the band original ”The City” which resembles obscure U.K. folk acts like Shide & Acorn and The Water Into Wine Band, only better.

”Hallo and Farewell” was produced by Staffan Olander as Staffan Olsson but whether he actually produced it is up for debate – it's probably closer to the truth that producer here means ”he who turned on the tape recorder”. It's a true underground effort, and whilst the four members of the band aren't top notch musicians by any stretch, they manage to create an oddly appealing, moody, semi-psychedelic basement atmosphere. It may not be an essential album but it's head and shoulders above other private pressings such as Prefix's 1974 album ”Brustna illusioner” and the disgustingly terrible Malaria album from 1970.

Art of Music appeared on TV and radio a few times but weren't around long enough to make another album – they disbanded the same year ”Hallo and Farewell” was released. They do however appear on a couple of seven-inches, so rare they're not even listed in Tobias Petterson's extensive ”Encyclopedia of Swedish Progressive Music”. The three-track ”An Art of Live Music” EP (assumably a live recording including a cover of The Beatles' ”Lady Madonna”) appeared in 1972, and does also exist in a special Christmas edition entitled ”God jul 1972, gott nytt år 1973) with an added introduction by Staffan Olander. Also from 1972 is a split EP with fellow Buttercup act Mattis and the otherwise unknown G&D. Art of Music's contribution is exclusive track ”A Place in the Sun”. The following year, 1973, the foursome appeared as a backing group on Hasse Permbo's 45 ”Balladen om Karl Hubert” on the Playback label.

The album had a 50th anniversary reissue adding a full extra album with rare and unreleased recordings.

Tired of Waiting