LENNART ÅBERG – Partial Solar Eclipse (Japo, 1977)

 

Instrumental

International relevance: *

If you're into fusion jazz, this one looks promising at a first glance, with several EGBA members and Lennart Åberg himself from Rena Rama, Häxmjölk and Oriental Wind. ”Partial Solar Eclipse” is a suite in six parts, and ”IV” is OK, moving in freer areas. But most of it is contemporary jazz in a progressive big band mode with only very light fusion touches. And a bit too heavy on the big band part. Not exciting at all. As a matter of fact, it's pretty damn boring.

Full album playlist

FRED ÅKERSTRÖM – Två tungor (Metronome, 1973)

Swedish vocals
International relevance: *

Featured in Tobias Peterson's ”Encyclopedia Of Swedish Progressive Music” in the ”also listen to these artists” list, why at least one of his many albums should be featured here.

Fred Åkerström made a massive impact on the troubadour/visa singer scene in the 60s and 70s, and he was the most successful of the lot along with Cornelis Vreeswijk. There's not a lot progg about him however. At least not musically. Politically is a different thing, as he was a stubborn communist who joined the KPMP(r) party, based in Sweden's #1 working class city Gothenburg and known for having acts such as Knutna Nävar and Dan Berglund on their side. A friend of Åkerström's once said that Stockholm born and bred Fred was so red that he even began speaking with a Gothenburg accent. His political sympathies was clear from the start; an early Åkerström recording is ”Kapitalismen” (”the capitalism”) that has become a leftist classic.

But no, he's much more of a traditional singer/songwriter in the Scandinavian vein than a progg artist. The one album that comes closest to progg is ”Två tungor”, It was recorded in late 1972 with Hawkey Franzén and Mats Glenngård helping out on a few tracks. Coming from the often rowdy Fred Åkerström the album is conspicuously low-key as exemplified by his best known song ”Jag ger dig min morgon”, a very tender rendition of Tom Paxton's ”I Give You The Morning”. But the best track is probably album closer ”Den trettionde i första sjuttiotvå”. The title is the date of Bloody Sunday, 30 January 1972, when British soldiers killed thirteen civilians during a civil rights march in Derry, Nothern Ireland.

”Två tungor” has a slightly folkish feel all through and the sensitive and mild-mannered arrangements help set the dusky atmosphere that makes this one of his emotionally most consistent efforts and probably his best altogether, 

Full album playlist 

RONNY ÅSTRÖM – Den ensamma människan (Sonet, 1976) / Hampadängor (Sonet, 1977)

Peps Persson cohort Ronny Åström was involved in board game development for kids in the 60's, and also in children's comics including the Swedish version of Donald Duck. He released only two proper albums, both produced by Peps Persson with Peps Blodsband backing him up. The lyrics are sometimes political but with a humorous twist and sung in Åström's thick Skåne dialect.

Den ensamma människan (Sonet, 1976)

as Ronny Åström med Peps Blodsband

Swedish vocals

International relevance: *

”Den ensamma människan” is disarmingly charming but with lyrics of a much greater depth and with far darker serious strains than what the music itself might imply. The album title, ”the lonely human” and track titles such as ”Big Brother is watching you” and ”Why does Noa drink?” give a hint. There's a lot more going on here than what only a slapdash listen reveals. But what would a foreign listener hear? Probably only well played but pedestrian blues and reggae with some old-timey feelgood music in-between. It's the lyrics that really carry it and they're lost on non-Swedes.

Hampadängor (Sonet, 1977)

as Ronny Åström och hela Skånes ljudpark

Swedish vocals

International relevance: *

Åström's second album has a not entirely comfortable calypso influence on several tracks. Much too close to Peps Persson's albums with Pelleperssons Kapell, which means this is mostly a terrible album. But one can meditate on whether ”Mäster Felix göingavisa” is a deliberate tribute to Philemon Arthur & The Dung or not. 

After ”Hampadängor”, Ronny Åström retired from music, and kept working in the comics business. He died from cancer in 2002.

Den ensamma människan full album playlist
Hampadängor full album playlist