VARIOUS ARTISTS – Samlade krafter (Avanti, 1978)

 
Featured artists: Mikael Wiehe & Kabaréorkestern / Herr T Och Hans Spelmän / Elektriska Linden / Pierre Ström & Kenneth Kvist / Björn Afzelius / Göteborgs Visgrupp 
Swedish vocals
International relevance: **

A album recorded live in Stockholm Easter 1978 and released to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the formation of the youth organisation KU of the Swedish communist party VPK. Some high profile names here, most notably Hoola Bandoola Band ex-members Mikael Wiehe and Björn Afzelius, both represented with two tracks each. One of Afzelius's contributions is interesting as it's an acoustic cover of Nationalteatern's magnum opus ”Barn av vår tid”. But interesting doesn't necessarily mean good. The bare bones approach with only voice and guitar bereaves the song most of its original prowess. Afzelius's other track ”Nattlig visit” fares better as it's a folk styled number reminiscent of Bob Dylan's earliest narrative songs. I'm not an Afzelius fan but ”Nattlig visit” is actually good, clearly one of his best ever.

Mikael Wiehe's two tracks with his then backing band Kabaréorkestern are also at both ends of the quality spectrum. ”Kärlek, ömhet och disciplin” is bloody awful in a marching band style (and absurdly enough later released as the 'A' side of a 1980 Avanti single backed with Afzelius's ”Nattlig visit”). ”Högt till tak” is much better, unusually heavy for Wiehe and also instrumental with a persistent, groovy drive and a rich horn section almost moving into jazz territory at times. The guitar solo has a nice bite to it as well.

Elektriska Linden's sole album ”Torbjörns dansskola” isn't too impressive, but their sole track here – ”Ugglan far i natten” – is pretty vivid and raucous taking cues from both Nationalteatern and The Rolling Stones. ”Smeden” by long running folkish band Herr T Och Hans Spelmän is more typical to the style you could expect from an album like this, half decent for the style but still forgettable. The two tracks each by Göteborgs Visgrupp and singer/songwriter Pierre Ström on the other hand are exactly as bad as one might suspect.

”Samlade krafter” is too inconsistent but the good or at least decent tracks make this a little better than several other LPs in this vein.

Full album (poor sound)

ELEKTRISKA LINDEN – Torbjörns dansskola (Avanti, 1978)

Swedish vocals

International relevance: **

A later era progg album that features a massive cast of progg eminences such as Blå Tåget's Leif Nylén and Carl-Johan de Geer, Torbjörn Abelli of Träd Gräs Och Stenar, Anders Linder (Kapten Zoom, Ville & Valle & Viktor) and Mikael Katzeff (later of the revived Gudibrallan). The Torbjörn of the title and album cover is Sweden's right wing prime minister Torbjörn Fälldin, just elected when the album came out. The rich instrumentation of violin, sax, trombone, clarinet, harmonica and string synthesizer makes for a rich timbre palette but the playing is somewhat over-enthusiastic and messy at times, as on opening track ”Uppmuntran” and ”(Äntligen) Tillbaks i stan”. ”Tystnadens kultur” is a bit similar to Anders F. Rönnblom, while ”Bränna Highway 20 med stereo på” and the title track almost sound like a slightly jazzier version of Gudibrallan if you can picture that. Unfortunately, it's a pretty dull album overall.

Elektriska Linden spin-off band Torvmossegossarna released an EP in 1979, the anti nuclear 7” ”Atomkraft? Nej tack” on their own label Skivbolaget EKO. The 45 includes a cover of Knäckebröderna's ”R.R.R.”. Stylistically similar to Elektriska Linden but with a less dry production. Elektriska Linden also had a track on Avanti's 1978 ”Samlade krafter” compilation, and one on ”Vi kan leva utan kärnkraft” on Silence in 1975.

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