BERNT ROSENGREN – Notes From Underground (Harvest, 1974)

 

Instrumental
International relevance: ***

Tenorist Bernt Rosengren is one of the major Swedish jazz musicians, and if you're at all into Swedish jazz, you neither should nor could pass him by. He played with so many, both domestically and internationally, from Sevda to Krzysztof Komeda, from Nature to Don Cherry, from later era Eldkvarn to George Russell. Not to mention his great albums as a leader of which ”Notes From Underground” stands out as his major opus. Yes, it is a jazz album, but it's so sprawling and free-spirited, spanning so many expressions that you soon just forget about genres and simply think of it as music delivered with an amazing joy of playing. And just look at the line-up: Maffy Falay, Okay Temiz, Salih Baysal, Gunnar Bergsten, Bengt Berger, Tommy Koverhult, Torbjörn Hultcrantz, Bobo Stenson, Björn Alke, Leif Wennerström, Bertil Strandberg and of course Bernt Rosengren himself. With such a heavy lot you just know that this can't go wrong. And of course it doesn't.

There's the bluesy lyricism of the short version of ”Markitta Blues”, there's the Pharoah Sanders permeated spirituality of ”Iana Has Been Surprised In The Night”, there's the 'free bop' of ”Gerda” and ”Splash”, there's ”Some Changes V” – almost a miniature throwback to Rosengren's participation with G.L. Unit. Not to mention the Turkish portions from the holy trinity of Falay/Temiz/Baysal that breaks through like sudden dreams from another world once on each of the two discs. ”Notes From Underground” is a double album, but never one to feel overstretched and presumptuous – itself an achievement. The whole album is so well composed, so sensitively balanced that it almost surprises you when it's already over.

I sometimes use the word 'monolithic' and I'm going to use it once again. This album is monolithic. And once you've got it, don't stop there – go on to 1971's splendid ”Fly Me To The Sun” and the two volumes of ”Live In Stockholm” recorded in 1974 and 1975 respectively – volume 1 is particularly powerful. And the continue.

Full album playlist minus first track
"Theme From Piano Concerto No. 2 in C Minor, Op. 12" (first track)

RALPH LUNDSTEN & THE ANDROMEDA ALL STARS – Complete albums 1977-1982

A curious character, this Ralph Lundsten guy. His career somehow parallels that of Ragnar Grippe, as Lundsten started out as an electro-acoustic composer and then gradually moved towards more commercially accessible music. A wider attention came in the mid 70's with his series of so called nature symphonies taking inspiration from Swedish nature and folklore. Lundsten became something of a new age music pioneer, recording many of his albums in his Andromeda studio in a house painted pink. He was on a massive ego trip, seemingly only liking his own music. Most of his many many albums are cheesy and aimed at the crystal healers market. To be fair, a lot of his un-commercial early stuff (from the late 60's and early 70's) is quite superficial too but at least somewhat more interesting to listen to.

With the 70's drawing to a close, Lundsten assembled an amorphous band called The Andromeda All Stars and rarely has the term ”all stars” been more to the point. Plenty of name performers passed through, too numerous to mention in all, but a few would be Bernt Rosengren, Ahmadu Jarr, Tommy Körberg, Jojje Wadenius, Monica Dominique, Wlodek Gulgowski, Björn Inge (November et al), Björn J:son Lindh, Janne Schaffer, Tomas Ledin, and renaissance music flag-bearer Sven Berger. This massive lot of people helps the four Andromeda All Stars albums into the progg realm.

Universe (Harvest, 1977)
Instrumental, wordless vocals
International relevance: **

The first All Stars album (housed in a truly eye-catching cover) is one of Lundsten's best, although I hesitate to use superlatives when talking about Lundsten's albums, no matter what line-up they flash. It's uneven and still very cheesy, but it has some entertaining moments of gurgling and bubbling sounds where Lundsten probably just fools around with the crazy sound effects because he enjoys it. As typical to his post-EAM albums, there are plenty of synth washes. The best tracks are those that have a rhythmic structure, like ”Harvest In Heaven”, ”Space Funeral”, and the space rock sounding ”The Planet Of Winds”.

Discophrenia (Harvest, 1978)
Instrumental
International relevance: **

With the disco wave sweeping the world in the late 70's, plenty of musicians jumped the danceable bandwagon. Even the self-loving Ralph Lundsten got bit by the bug, but his interpretation of disco is of course different to others. He either mess with it deliberatly, or he misunderstands everything. The title track is in fact rather interesting as Lundsten seems to predict the synth pop still a few years away from public recognition. It actually reminds me a bit of the early Human League albums (those before the girls joined the group and they became MTV darlings with ”Don't You Want Me”) and they hadn't been released yet when ”Discophrenia” came out. The album even spawned a single (with an extended remix of the title track), a rather rare thing in Lundsten's discography.

Alpha Ralpha Boulevard (Harvest, 1979)
Instrumental, English vocals
International relevance: **

The third Andromeda All Stars album falls somewhere between the first two, with characteristics spilling over from both. ”Rendezvous With A Washing-Machine”, ”Ego Love Song” (appropriate title for Lundsten!) and ”Horrorscope” are still discophrenic, while other chunks stick to the wishy-washy synth layers. The album is very inconsistent, and it sounds as if it's cooked up from leftovers from the previous two discs. The all stars concept is beginning to wear thin.

The New Age (Harvest, 1982)
Instrumental
International relevance: **

After a couple of electronic/symphonic works in the beginning of the 80's, Lundsten returned in 1982 with the final album credited to The Andromeda All Stars. Largely new-agey as the title lets you know, but a more coherent work than ”Alpha Ralpha Boulevard”. But it does sound as if the steam had run out altogether of the All Stars project. It's less colourful and crazy than the initial trio, there's no real push to it.

From "Universe"
Universe Calling / The Space Sneaker / In The Shade Of The Purple Moon / The Hot Andromedary / The Blue Planet / Harvest In Heaven / In The Erotosphere / The Celestial Pilgrim / Rhapzodiac / The Planet Of Winds / Lunatic Safari / Space Funeral / Cosmic Song

From "Discophrenia"
Andromedan Nights / Discophrenia / Luna Lolita / Robot Amoroso

From "Alpha Ralpha Boulevard"
Alpha Ralpha Boulevard / Rendezvous With A Washing-Machine / Space Flower Dance / Ego Love Song / Happy Earthday / Horrorscope / Computerful Love / Dancing In A Dream / Lifetide

From "The New Age"
Morning Of Creation / Time Storm / Future Carnival / Trance-Action / The Remembering Castle / Garden Of Delight

SOLAR PLEXUS – Complete albums 1972-1975

In terms of sheer musicality, it's hard to beat Solar Plexus. Led by married couple Carl-Axel and Monica Dominique, and featuring Jojje Wadenius and Bo Häggström from Made In Sweden, they could play anything – and sometimes did. They were originally named Bäska Droppar, a name they shared with the traditional Swedish wormwood liqour.

Solar Plexus (Odeon, 1972)

Instrumental, Swedish vocals [Swedish version] / 

Instrumental, English vocals [export version]
International relevance: ***

Funky, jazzy, bluesy, progressive, folky, avant, silly, serious, dull, exciting – all of it is true at one point or another on the album. The sheer musicality of it all is the greatest thing about this album. Sometimes they're actually too clever for their own good, but when it works it's certaonly better than Made In Sweden.

Jojje Wadenius original Swedish vocals for the album were substituted with English vocals by Tommy Körberg for an international launch. Körberg made a guest appearance on the Swedish version of the album, but after re-recording Wadenius's vocals, Körberg became a full time member of the band. Which version you prefer is a matter of taste I suppose. Both have their advantages, but my impression of the export edition is that Körberg doesn't quite feel at home being only a hired gun.

2 (Odeon, 1973)

Swedish vocals, English vocals, instrumental

International relevance: ***

Their second album, aptly titled ”2” and without Jojje Wadenius who had just left Sweden to join Blood Sweat & Tears. Tommy Körberg in turn was here a fully integrated part of Solar Plexus. You win some and you lose some; the band won a powerhouse vocalist but lost some of their curious-minded experimentation. ”2” isn't as adventurous as their first album focusing more on soul styled songs to fit Körberg's vocals. I wish they would have gone further out on a limb like they did on their debut.

Det är inte båten som gungar – det är havet som rör sig (Harvest, 1974)
Swedish vocals, English vocals, instrumental 

International relevance: ***

The album kicks off with the great, funky title track, but loses steam after that. Most of the album lacks real punch; the sound and songs are too polished, and it sounds like just another day at the jazz rock work.

Hellre gycklare än hycklare (Harvest, 1975)

English vocals, instrumental
International relevance: ***

If the previous album was weak, this is even lamer. The band goes through the motions and true inspiration is hard to find. Körberg's vocals sound a bit detached and uninspired, with a style hinting at his future career in musicals. Great rhyming album title though, especially if think of "better a joker than a hypocrite" as a well deserved quib at the increasingly holier-than-thou factions of the music movement.

Solar Plexus appears on several albums outside of their regular discography, most notably on ”Progglådan” that features a radio concert, probably from 1974. (”Progglådan” compiler Coste Apetrea cared as much for proper dates and correct info as he did for liner notes proof reading...) Solar Plexus provided music to actor Beppe Wolgers's children's album ”Gullivers resor” in 1971, appears on one track on Abdo's album ”Salma”, and provided music to comedy duo Hasse & Tage's live radio broadcast ”Öppen kanal – eller stängd?” in 1975, released on LP later the same year.

Although I don't like everything they did, I have the deepest respect for them and particularly the Dominique couple. They had free souls and a huge non-discriminating love for music, which in itself is a grand source for inspiration.

Solar Plexus (Swedish version) full album playlist

Solar Plexus (English version) full album playlist 
Solar Plexus 2 full album playlist
Det är inte båten som gungar full album playlist
Hellre gycklare än hycklare full album playlist

WERUP-SJÖSTRÖMGRUPPEN / STORM – Complete albums 1973-1977

Centered around poet and former jazz musician Jacques Werup, the group Storm was preceded by his collaboration with saxophonist Frans Sjöström, Werup-Sjöströmgruppen. They made their vinyl debut with as Werup-Sjöströmkvartetten on ”Club Jazz 1”. a split album with Nils Lindberg in 1970. Werner-Sjöströmgruppen's first and only album came three years later with ”Makten och härligheten”, disbanded soon after, with Jacques Werup forming the progressive Storm.

Makten och härligheten (Sonet, 1973)

Werup-Sjöströmgruppen

Swedish vocals

International relevance: **

Jacques Werup is involved as a songwriter in seven of the thirteen tracks on ”Makten och härligheten”, providing lyrics to five of them. The jazz is still there of course, but the arrangements are varied, some of them utilizing a string quartet and some revealing a cabaret influence. Unfortunately, the histrionic and pretentious vocals (sometimes with a squeak not unlike Swedish 80's pop star Tomas Di Leva) ruin what could possibly have been a better album without them. Artwork by painter Ola Billgren.

Stormvarning (Harvest, 1974)
Swedish vocals, other languages

International relevance: ***

Storm was very different to Werup-Sjöströmgruppen, with their music taking cues from prog, jazz, experimental and Moody Blues' soft symph. ”Stormvarning” occasionally reminds me of Samla Mammas Manna in approach bit not sound. The album is full of ideas presented in an imaginative way that's hard to describe. Not a great album but interesting enough to hear at least once.

Storm at the Top (Harvest, 1975)

English vocals

International relevance: ***

After their quirky debut, Storm suddenly went for a more 60's inspired sound, with English lyrics and pop melodies filtered through perhaps The Sensational Alex Harvey Band, Cockney Rebel, and early David Bowie? It's a much weaker outing than ”Stormvarning”, and although Storm tries to put a personal spin to it, it sounds derivative and fake.

Casanova in Mjölby (Harvest, 1977)

Swedish vocals

International relevance: ***

For their third album, Storm changed their style again with a new rhythm section inherited from Lotus. ”Casanova in Mjölby” is a concept album (in short, the story tells the story of seducer Casanova turning up in small Swedish town Mjölby – phew...). The music is like a mix of their first two albums, melodic but progressive. It's better than the inferior ”Storm at the Top” but sillier than than ”Stormvarning”. Great cover art though.

Storm was obviously a band full of ideas but not all of them were very good. The initial appeal of some of what they did wears off after a few listens. ”Stormvarning” is their best, but while not very expensive, I advise you to listen before you buy. Several former Storm members continued making music in various contexts; Werup released several albums under his own name and kept writing books up until his death in 2016.

Stormvarning full album playlist

Storm At The Top full album playlist
Casanova i Mjölby full album playlist

ULF LUNDELL – Vargmåne (Harvest, 1975) / Törst (Harvest, 1976) / Natten hade varit mild och öm (Harvest, 1977)

”Ulf Lundell's not progg!!!” I hear the outraged voices cry. But if John Holm and Ola Magnell should be here, then why not Lundell? Any objections to the inclusion fall in the Tomas Ledin category, i.e. only the prejudicial ear trying to dictate what's right and what's wrong.

Ulf Lundell sent his demo tapes to both MNW and Silence. They rejected him. And it's the same old story: he wasn't political enough. Again the overlords had spoken. So instead, he went to EMI who recognized Lundell's potential and offered him a deal with their progressive subsidiary Harvest. In early September 1975, seven months before his debut novel ”Jack” was published, ”Vargmåne” hit the shops.

Vargmåne (Harvest, 1975)

Swedish vocals

International relevance: **

Recorded in only four days with Finn Sjöberg (Kvartetten Som Sprängde) as an arranger and guitarist, and Mats Ronander of Nature on harmonica. Reputedly, Lundell was unhappy with the finished album, but it's a prime example of mid 70's Swedish rock, with classic tracks such as ”Stockholms City” and ”Sextisju, sextisju”. ”När duellen är över” should be as classic. But the best track is ”Bente”, a claustrophobic tale of a prostitute trapped in the big city netherworld. going down slowly but mercilessly on drugs. The song ends with a chilling question, made even more icy by Sjöberg's guitar, objective like steel, glass and concrete. His arrangement is perfect, and apart from being one of the best songs I know of written in the Swedish language, it's a billion times more thought-provoking than anything to ever come out on labels like Nacksving, Proletärkultur or, for that matter, MNW. But exactly that might the problem here – they didn't want any questions and independent thinking, they only wanted pre-fabricated answers.

With a song like ”Bente”, it doesn't matter that ”Sniglar och krut” and ”Jesse James möter kärleken” are pure crap.

Törst (Harvest, 1976)
Swedish vocals

International relevance: **

 

There's an equivalent to ”Bente” on Lundell's second album: ”Birgitta hon dansar”. It could almost be the sequel to ”Bente”, with the main character having lost her grip of reality and gotten locked up in a psychiatric ward. The claustrophobia is even denser here, like blinding smoke so thick you could touch it like bleeding fingertips rub against a raw surface. This isn't nice and kind music, it stares you straight in the face with reality's bloodshot eyes.

The ambivalent ”USA” deals with the nation of the song title in a credible 'can't live with it, can't live without it' way that's completely foreign to the militant anti-imperialist lot collecting double standards as if it was baseball cards.

The title track and ”Cobra Rax” in turn offer a peek into the same shady regions of the capital city as depicted in ”Stockholms City” off the first album.

”Jag vill ha ett lejon” might be too lightweight, but thankfully that and ”Och går en stund på jorden” provide some relief on an album that otherwise is as dark as the cover art is white. ”Törst” is often overlooked in Ulf Lundell's oeuvre but to me, it's his best and most gripping album.

Finn Sjöberg is still on board here, and Mats Glenngård appears on violin.

Natten hade varit mild och öm (Harvest, 1977)

as Ulf Lundell & Nature

Swedish vocals, English vocals

International relevance: **

This one usually gets general bashing, and I agreed before but I've come to re-evaluate a whole lot with time. It was recorded with blues band Nature (one of Pugh Rogefeldt's signings to the Gump label) on their mutual ramshackle tour of 1976-77. It mixes cover versions of rock standards – ”Route 66” and ”My Generation” sung by Mats Ronander – with chestnuts from Lundell's first two albums plus otherwise unreleased songs. ”Natten hade varit mild och öm” is to Lundell what ”Hard Rain” is to Dylan, i.e. a peculiar and sloppy live document with inferior sound and odd song choices. But that's what makes so intriguing and different to any other Lundell album out there. It's the sound of scruffy hobos thundering across the nation. "Progglådan" contains a Tonkraft show from the same period but while still OK (Lundell sounds nervous), it's a more polite document than this beautiful mess.

”Natten hade varit mild och öm” was reissued on CD in 2000 with five bonus tracks including ”USA” and ”Bente”.

Ulf Lundell went on to record numerous albums and write several books. He's one of the most well-known artists in Sweden.

Full album playlist with bonus tracks

Törst full album playlist with bonus tracks  

Natten hade varit mild och öm full album playlis with bonus tracks

Tonkraft 1976 full album playlist

 

ENERGY – Energy (Harvest, 1974)

Instrumental, English vocals

International relevance: ***

A November off-shoot with Björn Inge on drums who changed their original name Allrite to the better and appropriate Energy before releasing one album on EMI's prog subsidiary Harvest. Because energetic it is, complex and forceful prog with obvious jazz aspirations (not fusion) and a fair amount of heaviness. This music that demands 100% musicianship  and Energy had it in spades. It's also music that could easily become boring to listen to, and it's not a style I'm usually too fond of, but Energy was both able, passionate, original and dynamic, why their sole album is a rewarding listen.

”Metamorphosis/Impressions” is the only track with lyrics, with keyboard player Alvaro Is taking the vocal lead, almost sounding like a blend of John Wetton, Robert Wyatt and Demis Roussos of ”666” era Aphrodite's Child.

Originals are scarce, but ”Energy” also had a Spanish release in 1975, and has been graced with both CD and vinyl reissues.

Full album playlist

SUNDANCE – Sundance (Harvest, 1976)

Instrumental, Swedish vocals

International relevance: ***

 

As in many places, fusion was a big thing in Sweden in the 70's, prompting several forgettable outfits to produce a fair amount of vastly forgettable albums. Enter Sundance, whose pedestrian 1976 effort is most notable for featuring Ahmadu Jarr on three tracks, and excellent jazz maestro Gilbert Holmström on flute and various saxophones. The album is tedious at best, annoying at worst mainly due to Carl-Axel Hall's intrusive clavinet, and Anita Nyman's equally irritating vocals – ”Some Drunk” is especially grating.

Other players include guitarist Ulf Wakenius (Guitars Unlimited, Hawk On Flight among others), Neils Nordin (Hawk On Flight, Tottas Bluesband with former Nynningen singer Totta Näslund), trumpeter Stephen Frankevich (Soffgruppen), and session cellist Ingemar Brantelid.

Full album

PANTA REI – Panta Rei (Harvest, 1973)

English vocals

International relevance: ***

If you regard the city of Uppsala (situated some 60 kilometers north of Stockholm) from a certain angle, it looks very much like a 70's progg epicentre. For instance, Uppsala had one of the first and most important music forums. The music forums were non-profit associations crucial to the progg movement, arranging concerts and generally inspiring people to come together and do their own thing regardless of – and opposed to – any commercial aesthetics.

Out of the fertile Uppsala soil grew one of the most influential progg bands of all times, Samla Mammas Manna. Founded as early as 1969, the Samlas appeared at the second Gärdet festival in 1970 alongside stellar acts such as Träd, Gräs & Stenar and Fläsket Brinner. The Samlas may be the best known Uppsala band but they were far from being the only one. Panta Rei was another.

When Panta Rei released their eponymous album in 1973, for many years their only release whatsoever, they had been together for around three years. Now highly regarded, the album failed to make any significant impression upon its release. Sales were poor – was it the fact that Panta Rei had scored a deal with major label Harvest that turned people away from them in a time when MNW and Silence had already established the do-it-yourself ethos preferred by the many proggsters?

Sometimes categorized as symphonic rock, sometimes as jazz rock (two former members of monstruous free jazz act G.L. Unit were hired specifically for the album sessions), ”Panta Rei” is in fact much too varied to pinpoint stylistically. Often good, it doesn't quite live up to its reputation. Side 'A' fares better than side 'B', with three well composed tracks with enough melodic sensibilitues to ensure a rewarding listening experience. ”Five Steps” is a jubilant way to open the album, followed by lush album highlight ”White Bells”, richly ornate with flute and acoustic guitar and quite similar in mood to UK band Traffic. The heavier ”Five O'Clock Freak” on the other hand points to both Hendrix and Soft Machine as well as Austria's Krokodil and ”Weasels Ripped My Flesh” era Mothers of Invention.

Side two is more problematic. ”The Knight” is way too ambitious for its own good, with Panta Rei unable to combine the many song segments to a cohesive unit, ending up with a sprawling, overlong mess. ”The Knight” would certainly have benefitted from a more thoughtful disposition. Oriental flavoured ”The Turk” is better, rounding the album off in playful mood, somewhat akin to city mates Samla Mammas Manna.

Despite its shortcomings, it's easy to why the album has become such a sought-after collectors item. It has more going for it than sheer scarcity. Panta Rei were a skilled bunch with a flair for combining inspirations drawn from credible sources into something original.

In 1974, the band changed their name to Allting Flyter (Swedish for ”panta rei”), and after disbanding, drummer Tomo Wihma who joined Kontinuerlig Drift who released one rarely seen album, while bass player Zeke Öhrn played with Arbete & Fritid for a short while.

In 2012, the Mellotronen label unearthed a couple of 1973 live recordings and released them on ”The Naked Truth”. A session made for the Swedish radio show Tonkraft appeared in 2013 as part of the massive 40CD box set ”Progglådan”. Recently, singer Georg Trolin initiated Panta Rei 2.0, releasing the album ”Last Ticket to Heaven” in 2016.

Full album