SAMLA MAMMAS MANNA – Måltid (Silence, 1973) / Klossa knapitatet (Silence, 1974) / Snorungarnas symfoni (MNW, 1976)

It probably says more about me than about guitarist Coste Apetrea that the two Samla Mammas Manna albums I like the best don't have him in the line-up, the one they did before he joined the band, and ”Familjesprickor” by the Zamla Mammaz Manna incarnation. Most people would say that the 1972-1976 is their prime period and it's generally acknowledged as their most classic era.

Måltid (Silence, 1973)

Instrumental

International relevance: ***

”Måltid” is the first album to feature Apetrea, and needless to say it's a much different album to the band's eponymous, guitarless debut. With Apetrea, the music lost most of the mysterious aura that surrounds their maiden work. Instead they developed their famed complexity and patented humour. Sometimes it's far too much of that make-a-funny-face sing-with-a-silly-voice thumbs-up tomfoolery. And sometimes, it's very good, as in "Folkvisa i morse". Often within the same song. And that's why I find ”Måltid” so frustrating to listen to.

Klossa knapitatet (Silence, 1974)

Instrumental
International relevance: ***

Coste Apetrea's influence on the band was really beginning to show here. A greater amount of fusion was beginning to creep into the slapstick music, with constant time changes (”heh heh, funny, eh?”) and over-complex compositions (”aren't we clever, eh?”). I can't shake off the feeling that they do it just because they can, to impress. It's peacock prog. Again, some good moments but on the whole, well, juvenile really.

Snorungarnas symfoni (MNW, 1976)

as Gregory Allan FitzPatrick/Samla Mammas Manna
Instrumental
International relevance: *** 

Greg FitzPatrick wrote ”Snorungarnas symfoni”, an extended work in four movements. Considering Samla Mammas Manna's considerable skills, it was a natural thing to let them perform it. Augmented by a horn section, they toured with ”Snorungarnas symfoni” and recorded it for MNW in 1976. Although it has parts that allow Samla Mammas Manna to show off and despite its grander scope, it's less overwrought and not as hysterical as Samla's regular albums. The downside is that it's not imaginative enough to warrant a 34 minutes playing time. Some parts could easily have been cut down to make for an overall more effective piece. 

After ”Snorungarnas symfoni”, Samla Mammas Manna took a break during which Coste Apetrea left the band (good riddance). Eino Haapala stepped in as his replacement, and the band officially reformed as Zamla Mammaz Manna.

Måltid full album playlist
Klossa knapitatet full album playlist
Snorungarnas symfoni full album playlist

KJELL HÖGLUND - Complete albums 1971-1980

Undran (Alternativ, 1971)

Swedish vocals
International relevance: *

Kjell Höglund's first album, privately recorded, privately released, privately sold (originally with only an inner sleeve). Most of his trademarks are evident already here, small songs asking big questions in unassuming phrases, simple guitar accompaniment and his patented intimate voice. ”Jag hör hur de ligger med varandra i våningen ovanför” is one of Höglund's best known songs but hardly one of his best. The album is endearing for sure but very uneven – not all tracks are as good as ”Denna känsla av undran”, the utterly charming ”Gustav under trappan”, ”Den vita kråkan” and ”Stormen före lugnet” (the latter re-recorded for ”Vägen mot Shangri-La”). 

Later versions have the cover pictured above with the album title handwritten. Same cover was used for "Blomstertid", also with the title in handwriting. 

Blomstertid (Alternativ, 1972)

Swedish vocals, spoken word

International relevance: *

Second album, similar to the first so it makes sense that ”Undran” and ”Blomstertid” was later combined to a double LP. (Original copies were also sold in a white inner sleeve, as with "Undran".) The main difference between the two albums is that Höglund sounds more self-confident here, plus the addition of electric bass on a couple of tracks. ”Du sålde min biljett” is a great track, one of his best from the early years, but ”Blomstertid” has, generally speaking, higher lows and lower highs. Or if you will, it's a less uneven album than ”Undran”. 

Baskervilles hund (Alternativ, 1974)

Swedish vocals

International relevance: **

Höglund matured considerably with ”Häxprocess” released in 1973. With ”Baskervilles hund” (with appearances from Lasse Englund and Rolf Wikström) he had carved out his particular songwriting style rather well. Or actually his two styles – the perky songs, and the more reflective ones which usually are Höglund at his best. A terrific example of the latter is ”Man vänjer sig”, a heartwrenching description of a numbingly dull everyday life but, as the title says, ”you get used to it”... ”Trollfolk på bygden” is another brilliant track, this time featuring a funky full band. And, at the other end of the arrangement spectrum, the hysterically funny a capella tragicomedy of ”Sista valsen”.

This is Höglund's second best album, here and there actually reaching the heights of ”Häxprocess”.

Hjärtat sitter till vänster (Alternativ, 1975)

Swedish vocals

International relevance: *

A disappointment after the great ”Häxprocess” and ”Baskervilles hund”, with uninspired songs, some of them quoting blues and trad jazz with a yawn. Also, Höglund tries to adapt to the political agenda of the time which suits rather bad. He's an observer asking questions, but not leading questions as he does here. Only ”Lågor för dom döda” is up to the usual Höglund standards. 

Wikström and Englund are still on the job, and Greg FitzPatrick, Mats G. Bengtsson (Blå Tåget) and Hans Wiktorsson (Nationalteatern) join in too.

 Doktor Jekylls testamente (Alternativ, 1979)

Swedish vocals
International relevance: *

Pretty much a return to form. (I guess it some kind of inspiration proof that ”Desertören” is 17 minutes long, and thus the longest Höglund track recorded, even beating the title track from ”Häxprocess” with almost two minutes.) Some musical quotes that miss the target but they're easy to bear with when Höglund delivers tracks like the part serious, part ironic ”Höglund har blivit gammal”, the tongue-in-cheek gibe at (political) bigotry ”Slutstrid”, and the lovely almost-a-hit ”Lugnare vatten” (that actually was a hit, with Marie Bergman). Not a bull's eye album, but with several very good moments.

Vägen mot Shangri-La (Alternativ, 1980)

Swedish vocals
International relevance: *

Last album of Höglund's classic era, followed by another four year hiatus. Some good songs (”Holländsk genever”, ”Mr. Swanee”, the superior remake of ”Lugnet före stormen”) but ”Vägen mot Shangri-La” suffers a bit from a sterile production. Not as much as Höglund's later albums that are all suffocated by period synths and dated aesthetics, but a more vivid sound could possibly have given some of the lesser tracks a well needed punch.

Kjell Höglund's next album was "Tidens tempo" in 1984. Again it had some good songs, but the album is drenched in synths and studio polish and is hard to digest. Later albums are even worse productionwise.

Undran full album playlist
Blomstertid full album playlist
Baskervilles hund full album playlist
Hjärtat sitter till vänster full album playlist
Doktor Jekylls testamente full album playlist
Vägen mot Shangri-La full album playlist

CONVALJEN, PELLE, CHRISTINA, JOJJE – Kåklåtar (MNW, 1972) / KONVALJEN – Konvaljen (MNW, 1975)

There was an ongoing debate over prisoners' conditions in Sweden in the early 70's. The correctional facilities were criticized for being too old-fashioned, even inhumane. MNW decided to make a record of inmates performing their own songs telling their own story, and the album ”Kåklåtar” became an important contribution to the public debate, bringing further attention to their cause.

CONVALJEN, PELLE, CHRISTINA, JOJJE – Kåklåtar (MNW, 1972)

Swedish vocals

International relevance: *

A number of progg luminaries help the "Kåklåtar" singers out including Tore Berger, Greg FitzPatrick, Hans Wiktorsson, Tomas Forssell, and Tord Bengtsson. But the important performers are interns Lennart 'Convaljen' Johansson, Pelle Lindberg, Christina Calldén and George 'Jojje' Olsson performing mostly their own songs (some traditional) with lyrics written by other inmates. The importance of the album lies with what's being said and not how it's said. Obviously none of the singers are professionals and it has to be taken into consideration when approaching ”Kåklåtar”. It's unconditionally context-depending; from a strictly musical point, there's nothing thrilling here.

KONVALJEN – Konvaljen (MNW, 1975)

Swedish vocals

International relevance: *

Of the ”Kåklåtar” singers, Lennart "Konvaljen" Johansson became the most popular, and having spent around three decades in prison, he also became the informal spokesman of Swedish prisoners. In 1974, he began working on his solo album together with the likes of Slim Notini, Nikke Ström and Samla Mammas Manna (backing him up on dull blues track ”Resocialiseringsblues”). It was released the following year, with Convaljen's name now spelt Konvaljen. The songs are similar to his contributions to ”Kåklåtar” in an uncomplicated troubadour style with the lyrics being the most important element. You could almost say that the message is the medium. ”Konvaljen” is a wee bit better than ”Kåklåtar” but the songs are still in an uninteresting troubadour style, and there's not much here for foreign listeners to pick up on (unless you're a hardened Samla Mammas Manna completist).

A much better prison themed album is Hawkey Franzén's ”Visa från Djupvik”.

For those wanting to learn more about the tradition of Swedish prison songs, a book was published in 2017, ”Kåklåtar – Fängelsevisor som identitetsmarkör och kulturarv”, written by Dan Lundberg, published by Gidlunds Förlag. An English translation is currently in the making.

Kåklåtar full album playlist
from Konvaljen

Resocialiseringsblues 

Lazzaron 

En billig rymning + Porrblaskan

GREG FITZPATRICK – Det persiska äventyret (MNW, 1977) / Bildcirkus (Mistlur, 1978)

 

Swedish vocals, instrumental

International relevance: ***/***

Beverely Hills born Gregory Allan FitzPatrick was the son of director and documentary maker James A. Fitzpatrick who began making movies in the 20's and whose career spanned five decades. He left the States in 1966 and spent a year in Finland before settling down in Sweden. He earned his living as a street musician, and eventually formed a band with Jan Bandel and Sten Bergman. They turned into Atlantic Ocean and recorded one album in 1969 (released the following year), then FitzPatrick left for Asia. Upon returning to Sweden, he initiated Handgjort that in turn spawned the Tillsammans project with a line-up large as a small city. In 1976 he teamed up with Samla Mammas Manna for ”Snorungarnas symfoni”. His first solo album appeared in 1977.

”Det persiska äventyret” is an unintentionally funny album. FitzPatrick sings in Swedish – or he thinks he does. With an American accent so thick you could chop bricks out of it to build a house with, it's sometimes almost impossible to understand what he says. You've got to admire his linguistical braveness though, more than the album itself. It's more peculiar than good due to his lack of proper Swedish. For some reason the album has a several cover versions of songs by Hoola Bandoola Band, Bo Hansson/Fläsket Brinner, Stenblomma, Robert Broberg, Gläns Över Sjö Och Strand and Philemon Arthur & The Dung's ”Du var min enda vän”. His passion for Sweden and the then contemporary music is endearing for sure but ”Det persiska äventyret” is actually rather dull apart from the curious pronounciation.

For his second album ”Bildcirkus”, released under his full birthname, he dropped the lyrics altogether in favour of an all instrumental semi-symphonic music that's closer to ”Snorungarnas symfoni” than ”Det persiska äventyret”. His pioneering infatuation with synthesizers shows. He uses them a lot on the album, making it sound dated and sterile. Parts of it remind me of Samla Mammas Manna member Lars Hollmer's solo albums, but ”Bildcirkus” isn't as heartfelt as say ”XX sibiriska cyklar”.

Greg Fitzpatrick later became an in-demand session player, and opened a synthesizer shop in Stockholm in the 80's. He then turned to jingles making for commercials, and he's also worked in the field of music pedagogy.

Det persiska äventyret full album playlist
Bildcirkus full album playlist

HANDGJORT – Handgjort (Silence, 1970)

Instrumental, English vocals

International relevance: ***

Few bands live up to their name as Handgjort do; the word means ”handmade” in English. At least as far as album covers go. Every individual cover were painted by hand so each of the initial 901 copies are all different. A further 226 copies were then pressed in 1973. (The picture above is from a reissue.)

The music on the album has a 'handmade' feel too. It's masterminded by Greg FitzPatrick who uses different pseudonyms on the album due to his lack of a Swedish work permit. FitzPatrick had just returned from an Asian trip, picking up musical influences on his journey, as exemplified by the extensive use of sitar, tablas and flute. Björn J:son Lindh, Jan Bandel, Guy Öhrström and of course FitzPatrick himself appear on the album.

It's a pleasant album, but the question is why I should listen to ”Handgjort” instead of authentic Indian and other Asian music. It pretty much falls in the same category as UK band Magic Carpet (only without the vocals), i.e. a bunch of people soaked in hippie mysticism. It's a strange album insofar it's cheesy and appealing to equal parts. I'm never really sure what I actually think about it. I like it and I don't like at the same time.

The album has been reissued a couple of times (in hand painted covers), and in 2010 it was expanded with a number of previously unreleased subpar tracks recorded at the Gärdet festivals. Their track ”Farmer Jack” can be heard on ”Festen på Gärdet”.

Greg FitzPatrick later initiated the voluminous project Tillsammans.

Full album playlist with bonus tracks

ATLANTIC OCEAN – Tranquillity Bay (Love, 1970)

English lyrics, spoken word
International relevance: ***

A legendary album with an impressive members list in retrospect: Björn J:son Lindh, Jan Bandel, Johnny Mowinckel, Staffan Stenström, Sten Bergman and Greg FitzPatrick (appearing under visa escaping pseudonym Göran Ahlin), most of them later to turn up on a number of stellar progg albums.

”Tranquillity Bay” was the first LP in a series of co-productions between Finnish Love Records and bands from the not yet fully developed Swedish progg scene. The 1970 release date suggests a strong influence from late 60's pop and rock, and it's indeed a product of its time. The album's very unfocused, with nonsense tracks (”The Critics”, ”Able Baker Charlie Dog”, ”Relapse (incl. United Fruit)”, some with spoken parts), post-psychedelic numbers (”Take a Look Around You”, ”Very Special Dream”), pre-progg (the side long ”Weather”), and pop (”Can't You Hear Them Shooting”). The short a capella snippet ”What Is the Time” reappears a few times to give the album a conceptual sense, but the truth is that the songs are way too disparate to work together in a cohesive fashion. But the best ones are very good. ”Tranquillity Bay” is a legendary album but admittedly largely because of future history and what became of the members.

Prior to the album, baroque pop song ”Your Sister Juliet” was released as a single backed with the much better pop psych track ”Would You Believe It”. Atlantic Ocean can also be heard on the original soundtrack to Roy Andersson's ”En kärlekshistoria” (international release: ”A Swedish Love Story”) from 1970, The movie songs are better than most of what ended up on their proper album.

Full album 

7":

Your Sister Juliet 

Would You Believe It

RISKEN FINNS – Risken Finns (MNW, 1973) / 2.a LP:n - Hästgryta (MNW, 1975)

Swedish vocals, spoken word

International relevance: **/**

Lund based duo Risken Finns comprised the talents of Lars ”Ferne” Fernebring who went solo after the duo's breakup, and Gunnar Danielsson who went on to form Ensamma Hjärtan after leaving Risken Finns. In a time when the political movement gained momentum and the clearly phrased message impossible to misunderstand was the order of the day, Risken Finns went for satire and absurdist humour. They made several appearances on high profile TV shows (even as early as in 1972, before they had made an album) and were often heard on the radio. Some people didn't get what the duo was all about, and Swedish Radio received several outraged complaints for allowing them air time. At one point, there was even a bomb scare at one of their shows!

Roger Wallis at MNW was so enamoured by an early Risken Finns's TV perfomance that he asked them to record their first, eponymous album for the label, engaging several noted musicians for the sessions, including Greg FitzPatrick, blues guitarist Rolf Wikström and Mats G. Bengtsson of Gunder Hägg/BlåTåget. ”Risken Finns” includes the classic, ramshackle ”Du känner väl mig...” that soon became one of the best known progg songs, a 'hit' of sorts from a sphere where hits were considered philistine. 

”Risken Finns” is a diverse work, making use of a variety of styles depending on what the lyrics needed. It's however unfair to assume that the album is a joke. While their lyrics are important to fully appreciate Risken Finns, most of the songs are really good with several unexpected twists and turns, often within an acoustic framework, but sometimes roaring loud with electricity. Refreshingly free from dated one-dimensional slogans, ”Risken Finns” still stands up well and remains a true progg classic.

Second album ”Hästgryta” opens with the first part of the triptych ”Självkritik” (”self-criticism”), a hard groin kick to proselytizers and glazed-eyed 'radicals' sitting on their asses acheiving nothing but talk and more talk about changing the world through pot or revolution. Risken Finns were the truthtelling fools at the political table, poking fun at every stupidity they could identify no matter where they found it. Since bigotry is still alive and well today and probably will remain so forever, their albums will never become outdated.

”Hästgryta” was recorded at home in Gunnar Danielsson's apartment, thus losing the forceful sonics characteristic to some of the tracks off their debut. But if the setting is sparser, the impact of the content isn't lessened at all. It's such a shame that listeners not familiar with the Swedish language won't be able to fully appreciate Risken Finns, but for those who are, ”Hästgryta” is every bit as essential as their mandatory maiden work.

Risken Finns also appears on 1972 V/A comp ”Låtar från Knuff” with songs from one of the TV shows they appeared on, and on ”Alternativ Festival” recorded in 1975 during the protest live show against the Eurovision Song Contest. "Progglådan" features three track recorded live in Stockholm.

Risken Finns full album playlist
Hästgryta full album playlist

Tonkraft
"Glada Åsnans teater"
"Risken bloos"
"1945 minus roten ur ett år tomma mängden"

TILLSAMMANS – Tillsammans (Silence, 1973)

International relevance: ***

Swedish vocals

Tillsammans means ”together” and they could hardly have chosen a more appropriate name. There are so many people involved in the project including several members of Fläsket Brinner, Arbete & Fritid, Kebnekajse and other major early progg acts, that were I to mention them all, I'd expand the Internet's total amounts of data by half.

Headed by Greg FitzPatrick, ”Tillsammans” is a Handgjort spin-off, with several of the tracks originally written for them. Needless to say, the sound of Tillsammans is nowhere near as sparse as on Handgjort's legendary 1970 album, but the songs still have a sweet delicacy, be it the frail grandeur of ”Söner frågar fäder” (which sounds a bit like a slowed down ”Sympathy for the Devil”), the Leo Kottke/Jorma Kaukonen inspired ”Brev till Radionämnden”, or the tender ”Cathrine” highlighted by Kenny Håkansson's ever so beautiful guitar. Or any track really.

That's the thing about ”Tillsammans”: the multitude of players is used economically, timbres are never overused, only implemented when really needed to ensure the album to turn out as lush and rich as possible. Harp, accordeon, clarinet, bagpipe and cello all help creating a beautifully crafted web of characteristics, but a particularly nice touch is the appearance of balalaika orchestra Södra Bergens Balalaikor adding a unique texture to a very adorable album.

Two years in the making, it's no wonder this massive undertaking was a one-off thing. Omnipresent visionary FitzPatrick's next major venture was writing ”Snorungarnas symfoni” for Samla Mammas Manna in 1976, then releasing a couple of mildly entertaining solo albums before becoming in-house synthesizer wizard for pop duo Adolphson-Falk in the 80's. The lyrics (which are on the political side but not intrusive) were written by Christian Diesen who abruptly switched careers and is now a criminal law professor at the University of Stockholm. He's also author of crime fiction.

(Please note that the band Tillsammans who released an eponymous album in 1976 on the Kompass label is an entirely different Christian outfit.)

Full album playlist