JAN HAMMARLUND & KJERSTIN NORÉN – Några här, några där... (Amalthea, 1981)

Swedish vocals
International relevance: *

I've already written about Jan Hammarlund's entire 1970's catalogue here, but he continued making records long after that, with a discography reaching well into the 2010's. Never foreign to working and performing with other (predominantly female) artists, there are several releases co-credited to others. This is one of them, made together with Kjerstin Norén. She was one of the original members of Röda Bönor, and subsequently had another band called Kjerstin Norén & Damorkestern with members from Husmoderns Bröst.

”Några här, några där” – with the unweildy subtitle ”Jan Hammarlund Och Kjerstin Norén Sjunger Sånger Av Il Nuovo Canzoniere Italiano: Ivan Della Mea - Giovanna Marini - Paolo Pietrangeli” – consists of songs by contemporary Italian songwriters (as the subtitle says) translated to Swedish. The vocals are split rather evenly beteween the two singers, and although Norén might not be the greatest voice ever heard, her songs are still a welcome break from Hammarlund's always annoying warbles.

The album as a whole has a somewhat different feel than many other Hammarlund albums which has a lot to do not only with Norén's involvement but also the arrangements. The most different-sounding track is ”Balladen om Ardizzone” with its renaissance-styled framework. A well seasoned line-up surely helps too; how about Kjell Westling, Fred Lane, Lena Ekman, Ale Möller and his mate from various constellations Dan ”Gisen” Malmquist to name but a few? Recorded in Copenhagen, a couple of Danish musicians get on the payroll too.

But all in all, this remains too much of a Jan Hammarlund album, and unless you're a fan of his, you may just as well pass on it.

Full album playlist

FRED LANE – Vi smida (A Disc, 1977)

Swedish vocals
International relevance: *

U.K. born singer Fred Lane moved to Sweden in 1970 and is in possession of a wonderful folk voice heard on albums by Låt & Trall and Bella Ciao. A multi-instrumentalist, he also plays accordeon on the Tillsammans album. ”Vi smida” however isn't his finest hour. It's a concept album with the concept explained by the subheading ”Proletariatets visor före och under industrialismen” (”songs of the proletariat before and during the industrialism”), and it shouldn't take much imagination to figure out what these songs sound like. It's not surprising that it's on the Social Democrat house label A Disc, quite possible the dullest of all Swedish 70's imprints. Some skilled players appear alongside Lane though, such as Hans Alatalo (Norrlåtar), Lasse Englund and Kjell Westling, but it's not enough to save the album which is best left in the era that made it possible.

Vi smida Side 1
Vi smida Side 2

LÅT & TRALL – Låt & Trall (Sonet, 1971) / Gamla go'bitar (Europafilm, 1973)

International relevance: **/**

Swedish vocals, English vocals, instrumental

Originally known as Diddlers, this folk outfit changed their name to Låt & Trall when member Sten Erik 'Pyret' Moberg left the band. Not that they had any talent shortage with Kjell Westling, Urban Yman, Marie Selander and the beautiful-voiced Fred Lane in the band.

With Moberg's departure, the band's Irish oriented repertoire expanded to include Swedish tunes as well. ”Låt & Trall” was produced by folk legend Sam Charters and the second one by Bo Anders Larsson and the band, but they basically sound the same mixing instrumental tunes with vocal tracks in an acoustic, down-to-earth style. ”Gamla go'bitar” is a little bit better with richer arrangements, but they're both solid affairs worth hearing to fans of no frills traditional folk.

Från "Gamla go'bitar":

North Sea Holes 

Blackleg Miner

BELLA CIAO – Om åtta timmar... (MNW, 1976) / När dagen randas (Nacksving, 1978)

Om åtta timmar... (MNW, 1976)

Swedish vocals, Italian vocals, spoken word

International relevance: *

När dagen randas (Nacksving, 1978)

Swedish vocals, Italian vocals, instrumental

International relevance: *

Bella Ciao was like the central station of progg – seemingly everyone passed through at one point or another. Thus, collaborators are too numerous to mention but sometimes included Kjell Westling, Jan Hammarlund, Lena Ekman and Fred Lane. With participations also by members of the Narren theatre group and their album often centered around a certain theme or topic, the albums have a slight conceptual feel.

Centered around Italian immigrant and Bella Ciao founder Carlo Barsotti, their music often had a southern European and even burlesque touch despite the serious working class message. Their joyful playing makes their 1976 debut album ”Om åtta timmar...” one of the better political albums of the era. The vocal style on these traditional Italian working class songs is sometimes loud and a bit harsh, but if you can come to grips with that, it's really an entertaining album.

”När dagen randas” is in a similar style to ”Om åtta timmar”, but something is lacking – not only two of the band's previous members Lena Ekman and Jan Hammarlund. It simply isn't as frothingly playful, and I'm tempted to blame it on the label change, from MNW to Nacksving, run by progg potentate Tommy Rander. He had a remarkable talent for sucking breath and blood out of the best music, leaving only an empty shell of political doctrines dead on the ground behind him. Not that ”När dagen randas” is that bad, but it never reaches the level of their debut.

Bella Ciao released two more albums, "Misteri Buffo" also on Nacksving in 1980, and ”Bella Ciao sjunger 'Från 1945 till evigheten'” on their own impring in 1981.

Om åtta timmar... full album playlist

from När dagen randas

Någon har frågat mig