FOLK BLUES, INC – Corn Street (Pep, 1972)

English vocals

International relevance: **

Although it's not quite clear why anyone should listen to Folk Blues, Inc instead of authentic country blues, ”Corn Street” certainly isn't void of qualities. Patrik Gyllenberg may not be the Lightnin' Hopkins he perhaps thought he was, but there's a certain shivery urgency to his husky vocals which make the only album from Folk Blues, Inc rather attractive. And the playing is just fine, with Håkan Sjöström's harmonica and the two guitars of Gylleberg and Stenblomma member Gregory Johnson-King creating a sparse, laidback yet persistent underground feel. Guesting are Bo Winberg of instro band The Spotnicks, Thomas Ellerås from Knutna Nävar (both on bass) and Myglarna's Johan Dielemans (drums on two tracks).

There's no way in a million years that ”Corn Street” can replace the original American artists this Gothenburg trio covers – John Lee Hooker, Elmore James, Robert Johnson, Leadbelly, Sonny Boy Williamson etc – but I still enjoy listening to the album. for its drive, unquestionable sincerity and dusky atmosphere. 

Boom Boom
Mr. Backlash

STENBLOMMA – Alla träd har samma rot (Silence, 1973)

Swedish vocals

International relevance: ***

The story goes that trio Stenblomma's main woman Hélène Bohman (now Hélène Bohman Blomqvist) quit playing after getting a bad review in the music movement's periodical Musikens Makt. (And in case you wonder, it was not some kind of patriarchal slag off – the review was written by Mia Gerdin who later hosted feminist radio show Spinnrock on Swedish Radio.) Bohman has since taken up playing again, and ”Alla träd har samma rot” has earned a greater appreciation over time, which might have something to do with the Träd, Gräs & Stenar connection; Torbjörn Abelli, Thomas Mera Gartz and Jakob Sjöholm all appear on it. The use of tablas and sitar on some tracks probably helps its reputation too.

But it's most of all down to this being a great album, with a loose and slightly stoned feel emphasized by Gregory Johnson-King's bubbly wah wah guitar slithering its way through several songs. (Johnson-King was also in Folk Blues, Inc.) The songwriting's fine and while Bohman is only a so-so singer, she's a hundred times more enjoyable than Turid, a parallell not entirely off the mark. But the great Lena Ekman is probably an even better comparison.

The track that usually gets the most praise is the nine minute ”Skeppet” which indeed is the album's high point with its slow burning melancholy enhanced by Johan Runeberg's recorder, like a haunting wind on the dark open sea. But there are more great stuff here – actually, the only two inferior tracks are ”Åh pappa, ormarna ringlar” and the annoyingly shouty ”Christiana”.

It's a real shame this has yet to be reissued. It deserves it, a lot more than many other albums reissued over and over again.

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