JAMES HOLLINGWORTH & KARIN LIUNGMAN – Complete albums 1974-1976... plus

James Hollingworth – a Swede by birth despite his British sounding name – made several singles already in the mid-60s. The first one featured one song each by Phil Ochs and Bob Dylan and he pretty much continued in this vein covering American folk- and country-based artists in the following years.

Vem, var och när / Persson är lös (CBS, 1969)
released as James
Swedish vocals
International relevance: ***

The first single of interest here is this one, released simply as James. It's a Swedish version of a then brand new Cliff Richard song released as Cliff & Hank (with Hank being Marvin of The Shadows and also the song's author). That surely doesn't raise much interest, but truth is that it's a really good even bettered by James. The original, ”Throw Down A Line”, suffers from a rather cowardly performance, but James instills a certain restless drama into it. He also makes better use of the string arrangement which further elevates the song. The B side is a Hollingworth original not quite on the level of the A side but still good. It's noteworthy for having Blond as backing band giving the track a spirited performance with spacey sound effects and great guitar playing.

Medvind (CBS, 1974)
released as Hollingworth/Liungman
Swedish vocals
International relevance: **

Let's make a jump to 1974 and Hollingworth's first full length album. Recorded in 1973/74 and released with partner Karin Liungman, it's a real duo work with songwriting and vocal duties shared between the two. It's a pretty varied effort ranging from Liungman's lovely folkish ”Det borde varit vildros” to funky workouts such as ”Elden är lös”. Some lyrics touch on environmental concerns, a recurring theme on their following albums. It's an OK album overall but I generally prefer Liungman's tracks delivered in her very appealing veiled voice.

Barnlåtar (CBS, 1974)
released as James & Karin
Swedish vocals, spoken word
International relevance: **

The duo began recording their next album only a couple of months after their first one was finished, and it's a rather different kind of album. The title means ”children's songs” in English and that's exactly what it is. Not a massive hit upon release, its reputation grew steadily. Today it's heralded as one of the finest children's album ever released in Sweden. Their idea was to make an album both pedagogical and entertaining to children but also possible for grown-ups to enjoy, and they certainly succeeded. An album such as Jojje Wadenius's ”Goda' goda'” immediately leaps to mind. As on the previous album, some songs are inspired by the couple's travels in Morocco. Disguised in the easy-going, crazy fun songs are again environmental concerns, as in the still wildly popular and evocative ”Älgarna demonstrerar”, about a gang of elks' protest meeting against pollution and deforestation. Similar sentiments can be sensed in the excellent ”Har du grävt någon grop idag?”. There are also moments of sheer whackiness, most notably the totally bonkers ”Jag vill ha vitaminer” that sounds almost like Philemon Arthur impersonating Donald Duck.

What really contitues ”Barnlåtar” is James & Karin's care for songwriting and attention to arrangements. It truly is an album that can be enjoyed by children and grown-ups alike. You could take several songs from the album and only tweak the lyrical subjects, and no-one would notice it's a children's record – just like ”Goda', goda'”.

Djurens brevlåda (CBS, 1976)
released as James & Karin
Swedish vocals, spoken word
International relevance: **

Released two years later, ”Djurens brevlåda” is essentially ”Barnlåtar Vol. 2”. The songs were originally written for a radio series of 18 episodes. It features Hollingworth's best known song of all, ”Hur ska jag göra för att komma över vägen?” which subject-wise follows in the footsteps of ”Älgarna demonstrerar”, not to mention ”Älgarna säger” which is a direct reference back to ”Älgarna demonstrerar”. A personal favourite in this collection is ”När vintern är över” which is as baroque pop a children's song will ever get. But there are so many good songs here to choose from.

The main difference between this album and ”Barnlåtar” is that the songs here are shorter, most of them around the one minute mark, some even shorter than that. But it's actually not that distracting, and everything I said about the previous album can also be said about this. If you have one album, you'll want the other one as well. They belong together.

One more great track appeared under the James & Karin banner before they parted ways. ”Den sista vargen” (backed with ”Rödluvan ljug”) appeared in 1977 through the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation. The A side was later included on Hollingworth 1979 solo album named after the song.

Ärliga blå ögon / Morgon på Kungsholmen (CBS, 1977)
released as James Hollingworth 
Swedish vocals
International relevance: ***

James first post-Karin outing was this soundtrack 45 from a very popular heist drama series for Swedish Television in 1977. The song might very well be Berndt Egerbladh's crowning achievement as a songwriter, and I'm not kidding you if I say it's one of the best Swedish songs ever. Curiously enough it's the same song as Doris's ”You Never Come Closer” from 1970 with the Swedish lyrics written by director Leif Krantz to fit the series's plot. Annoyingly enough, it was never included on any of Hollingworth's albums, and the single is quite rare these days. If that Record Store Day nonsense was of any proper use to mankind, that would be something to re-release. Suggested reissue flipside: Doris's original version.

The B side is a track from ”Medvind”.

Karin Liungman released a couple of albums under her own name following the separation from James Hollingworth while he had a more prolific career. As of June 2025, he's 77 years old and still active as a performer although his last album to date came in 2006, most fittingly a children's album with Jojje Wadenius.

James 7":
Vem var och när
Persson är lös

Medvind full album playlist
Barnlåtar full album playlist
Djurens brevlåda full album playlist

James Hollingworth 7"
Ärliga blå ögon

LARS ”LACH'N” JONSSON & MATS JONSSON – Asken Yggdrasil (Bauta, 2012; rec. 1974-76)

Instrumental
International relevance: ***

A really lovely album recorded in the mid-70's but not mixed and finished until 2020. Not only is it a wonderful and unexpected blast from the past, it's also a missing piece of the Zut Un Feu Rouge and Ur Kaos puzzle. Both bands featured/features prime mover Lars ”Lach'n” Jonsson, a multi-instrumentalist but most of all drummer who also released a series of art rock solo albums in the Rē Records ilk.

Those familiar with the postpunkish RIO stylings of Zut Un Feu Rouge or the Zeuhlish assault of Ur Kaos will probably be surprised by the relative pastorality of ”Asken Yggdrasil”. I can't put it any better than what Lach'n Jonsson does himself: ”The music was created under the influence of records such as Bo Hansson – 'Lord Of The Rings'; instrumental, melodic music with a touch of old folk traditions and a Nordic atmosphere. Old Norse mythology became the theme for a musical suite, where the predictions of the Voluspa gave the motifs to form an instrumental tale.” That's exactly it!

Some tracks, all of them instrumental, are even downright romantic, such as the short piano piece ”Soluppgång” (”Sunrise”) and ”Urd, Skuld och Verdandi” (”Urd, Skuld and Verdandi”, the names of the norns that control the fate of humans in the Norse mythology). The Bo Hansson influence comes sweetly to the fore in ”Midgårdsormen” (”the snake of Midgard”) and ”Valhall” (”Valhalla”). A track like ”Ragnarök” (the twilight of the gods) in turn points toward Lach'n Jonsson's future in the abovementioned bands, with quirky rhythms and almost symphonic epicity.

Why it took until the early 10's to see this album mixed, edited and mastered is beyond me. Had it been released shortly after it was recorded, this would be heralded as a fullblown classic of the era. Well, it still is – it's just that very few people know it. Instead of wasting immodest sums of money on so called 'collectable albums” of inferior symph rock, you could get ”Asken Yggdrasil” for basically small change, and get a wonderful little album too.

Full album playlist (Bandcamp)

JERUSALEM – Complete albums 1978-1981

Swedish vocals
International relevance: */**

Jerusalem was the most popular Christian rock band Sweden had to offer at the time, reaching listeners far outside the religious circuits, even playing to foreign audiences. Founded near Gothenburg, they had a lot of the straight-ahead, dry sound typical to the late 70s bands of the area. Jerusalem was mainly a mainstream band but earned their popularity from their touches of hard rock and boogie rock. Their first album (sometimes referred to as ”Volym 1”) was released in 1978 and is an undigstinguished effort that fails to make much of an impression, with lacklustre sound and mediocre writing.

”Volym 2” is slightly heavier, slightly better produced, and slightly better. The most interesting tracks (without being that interesting) are ”Getsemane” and the extended ”Introduktion” which both features some progg characteristics.

Third album ”Krigsman” is probably the best one here overall, and also the most progressive one thanks to the title track with passionate vocals from Jerusalem main man Ulf Christiansson, ”Moderne man” which is the top track in this collection, and the 12 minute epic ”Sodom”.

This might give you the idea that Jerusalem are at least occasionally worthwhile, but I can't say they are. Most of the time they're mediocre and dull. Even duller is Ulf Christiansson's solo album ”I mina drömmar” released as Uffe in 1982, a painfully boring collection of radio friendly dross that shows hardly any of Jerusalem's heavier side which after all is their strongest point.

Jerusalem full album playlist
Volym 2 full album playlist
Krigsman full album playlist
I mina drömmar full album playlist

J.P NYSTRÖMS – Låtar i Norrbotten (Manifest, 1979)

Swedish vocals, instrumental

International relevance: *

Formed way up in the Swedish north in small Malmberget (current population of around 6,000), a part of municipality Gällivare, J.P. Nyströms took their name from a prominent 19th century harmonium builder. Harmonium was indeed part of their gear along with fiddle and the diatonic button accordion. Much like Norrlåtar, J.P. Nyströms repertoire consisted of tunes from the Norrbotten region, and they are a bit like a poor man's Norrlåtar, with a lighter touch and a softer edge. The dance tunes and songs are mostly upbeat, and if you're not well versed in the deep traditions, a lot of it come off as pretty lightweight (especially when compared to Norrlåtar). Perhaps that's why the slower, more melancholy ”Villiruusu (Vildrosen)”, ”Rimppa” and ”Matalan torpan balladi (Det låga torpets ballad)” stand out, breaking the otherwise rather samey flow.

This was J.P. Nyström's first album, and they have infrequently released a few more over the years. They're still active to this day.

Full album playlist

B.L. MAGNELL – Idyllen (Jerome, 1976)

Swedish vocals, English vocals

International relevance: **

After a long time hesitating over if this semi-rare but never expensive album should be included or not, I decided to give it the benefit of doubt and give this relatively obscure album some attention. I realize of course that this album isn't for every reader of this blog as it's not a straigh-laced progg album, but then again it's not that far removed from singer/songwriters generally rewarded with the progg approval either. Also, it's a quite good album with underpinnings of mid 70's West Coast sounds, Southern country funk, folk and narrative country music. ”Idyllen” has an appealing sound that's both mature and slightly low budget at the same time that gives it a slight outsider feel. And – dare I say it? – progg touch.

Bo Lennart Magnell – not related to Ola – recorded ”Idyllen” backed by unknown Landskrona four-piece Änglamat in 1976, and released it on the Jerome imprint later the same year, a label mostly (un)known for releasing several albums of Swedish dance bands around the same time as ”Idyllen” Magnell sings with a slightly nasal voice that sometimes makes him sound like a cross between higher-pitched and less troubled John Holm and a weaker-voiced version of Straight Records artist Tim Dawe. But he sings with a certain urgency that catches my interest even if the (sometimes vaguely political) lyrics in English and Swedish are a bit on the cheesy side.

Not all songs are good but some of them are just fine. ”Ondskans tid” may seem a bit overworked with its semi-funky arrangement defined by Tommy Öhlund's busy bass playing, but it has a great melody. The same can be said of ”Ett sagoland”, a decidedly folksy tune – add to that an almost krautish flute hovering in the background towards the end. You could blame the title track for being mawkish but damn it if you don't find yourself humming along to it before it's over! The highlight however is ”Lögnarens kost” in which the folk influences really comes to the fore in an irresistably bumpy and contageous little track. 

B.L. Magnell was also a member of dance band in the 70's called Lenne Magnells (terrifying). Between 1994 and 2007, he was a member of country outfit Highway 40 (which makes perfect sense as the country strain is obvious already on ”Idyllen”). Highway 40 had at least one album out with both covers and self-penned songs.

Unfortunately, several of the best tracks aren't on Youtube so the links below might give you the wrong impression of the album.

Linda Lee

Ondskans tid 

I Believe I'm There

Ett sagoland 

JEMERTON JÖNSSONS – Kaffesump och kärlek (Musiklaget, 1975)

Swedish vocals

International relevance: *

Jemerton Jönssons apparently have some 'cult following', at least in the Skåne region which could be explained by the fact they came from Lund. The band featured two future music journalists, best known for their Swedish Radio work, Kalle Oldby and Stefan Wermelin. Wermelin was also one of the guys behind the Musiklaget label that released ”Kaffesump och kärlek” in 1975, as is one of his Musiklaget cohorts, album cover designer Lasse Ermalm. One Agneta Klingspor also appears, and with such an usual name, it's a safe bet that she's the same person that later became an author and an art/literary critic.

Jemerton Jönssons released this album only, sometimes compared to Anna Koka Fem Ägg Jag Är Värd I Huset and even Philemon Arthur & The Dung. While indeed a whacky acoustic album, the comparisons may lead you to believe that ”Kaffesump och kärlek” is a much better effort than it is. Don't fall for it. If there are any good songs here, I certainly haven't found them beneath the thick layers of contrived quirkiness and the outdated and simpleminded attempts at humour. The album is very bad, plain and simple.

Full album playlist

AHMADU JARR – En dag i Afrika (EMI Odeon, 1975)

Instrumental, other languages, spoken word

International relevance: -

Ahmadu Jarr (sometimes Ahmadu Jah) was an in-demand Sierra Leonean drummer and percussionist, appearing on a myriad of Swedish 70's albums by Egba, Splash, Pop Workshop, Sundance, Folk Och Rackare and others, plus as many by 'commercial' artists. (He's also father of Swedish singers Neneh Cherry and Titiyo Jah.)

”En dag i Afrika” (”a day in Africa”) is a children's album of sorts (featuring children) on which Jarr sings and plays traditional music from Sierra Leone and explains the songs' place in his native country, often with a political twist. No progg content; the album is included here only because of Jarr's tight connections to the scene.

Full album playlist

CURT JALMO – Ängel med krossade höfter (Sonet, 1972)

Swedish vocals

International relevance: **

 

An outsider classic thanks to Curt Jalmo's laughably overpretentious lyrics including embarrasing tributes to Jim Morrison and Janis Joplin (recited to music by Johann Sebastian Bach). The title, meaning ”angel with crushed hips”, should give an idea of Jalmo's poetry. 

The music itself is decent albeit unspectacular singer/songwriter stuff with some folk touches à la Contact, and sometimes with a bit of groove. Major label Sonet drummed up a set of often used session musicians such as Stefan Brolund (Hörselmat, Pop Workshop), Jukka Tolonen, folk fiddler Ole Hjort, and Lasse Wellander (Nature) to mention the most renowned. All in all a passable album if you can stand the pompous lyrics, or simply don't understand Jalmo's incommodious verbal leakage: non-Swedes certainly has an advantage here. The album's reputation has also grown with time and is now considered a cult album.

Jalmo also published ”Nattsand” in 1970, a collection of poetry which I haven't read, and quite frankly, I don't really wish to either. He was lead singer in 60's band Lay Abouts who released one single in 1967, the forgettable ”So Long Fanny”.

Full album playlist

JÄRNGUSTAV – Tiden läker inga sår (Nackspärr, 1978)

Swedish vocals

International relevance: **

 

Gävle band Järngustav released this private pressing (a couple of hundred copies only) after only one year in existence, and you can tell they hadn't rehearsed enough in time for the album sessions – drummer Peter Östlund's sense of rhythm is less than perfect and Urban Nilsson's vocals lack personality. The songs aren't very interesting either, being mainly predictable mid-tempo rock. The side long title track bites off more than Järngustav could chew. Obviously the product of the idea that an album needs an overlong track, they struggle with even the simplest time signature changes that lack compositional logic to begin with.

Full album

BJÖRN J:SON LINDH – The 1970's albums

Björn J:son Lindh's name pops up everywhere on this blog. No wonder – he was part of the core staff of studio musicians, and remained so for decades, often performing with guitarist Janne Schaffer. His 'Credits' section at Discogs has almost 600 entries, and there are probably more albums featuring J:son Lindh still not listed. He was well-versed in multiple genres, wrote music for movies and television, and more important his breathy and sometimes even aggressive flute style was distinct and original. He remained active up until his death a few days before Christmas in 2013. Still many Swedish casual listeners have a limited view of J:son Lindh's scope, largely based on the romantic and new age tinged 1980 hit ”Brusa högre lilla å”. While true a lot of his albums beyond the 1970's are best avoided, some of his earliest solo works are pretty great. 

Some of his albums were released internationally under the moniker Jayson Lindh.

Ramadan (Metronome, 1971)

Instrumental

International relevance: ***

 

First solo outing from Björn J:son Lindh features the likes of Kenny Håkansson, Jojje Wadenius, Jan Brandel and jazz men Bobo Stenson and Palle Danielsson. ”Ramadan” touches on funk, renaissance music, Swedish folk, Eastern scales, jazz and multiple points in-between. The exuberant ”Love March” was culled from the album and the single quickly became a radio favourite. The warm sounding production, typical to Metronome albums of the 70's, ensures a rewarding listen even today. 

Från storstad till grodspad (SR, 1971)

Instrumental, Swedish vocals

International relevance: ***

A very different, interesting but nevertheless largely parenthetical release in J:son Lindh's early ouvre, recorded with a symphony orchestra and released through Swedish Radio's imprint. The experimental and collage-like ”Från storstad till grodspad” has its admirers and the first side – devoted in full to the suite ”Musik från en storstad” – may interest fans of early Mothers of Invention. Side two is all over the place, with prog (”Grytnäs sväller”), jazz and modernist art music. Hawkey Franzén appears on ”I grodspadet”. It's a diverse album, or more precisely way too inconsistent.

Cous Cous (Metronome, 1972)

Instrumental, wordless vocals
International relevance: ***

The proper second album isn't quite as cohesive as ”Ramadan” but it's still a must if you like the J:son Lindh's debut. Highlights includes ”El Henna” in vivid Oriental colours, and the minute track ”Abdo” which sounds a bit like the long tracks off US Kaleidoscope's magnificent albums. Both tracks feature Egyptian lute player Abd al-Rahman al-Khatib (who also lends his rich baryton hum to ”Abdo”). There are other great moments here, but these two tracks alone would still make ”Cous Cous” a mandatory listen.

Sissel (Metronome, 1973)
Instrumental 

International relevance: ***

 

His third Metronome album moves in the territory staked out by ”Ramadan” and ”Cous Cous” but hasn't quite the same amount of emanating mystique. Still an album to own for the funky groove of ”Your Own House” and the fast moving title track which is a most meritorious example of what later would develop into fullblown fusion. Along with ”Ramadan” and ”Cous Cous”, ”Sissel” makes up an informal trilogy that together stands as Björn J:son Lindh's finest hour.

Boogie Woogie (Metronome, 1974)

Instrumental

International relevance: ***

Things definitely began to slide with ”Boogie Woogie”. With it J:son Lindh took a further step towards the fusion amalgam, adopting a studio sound that pretty much killed the graceful mysticism of his previous albums. Only closing track ”Pivo” retains the Oriental influences to good effect, making it the self-evident high mark of ”Boogie Woogie”. Released as ”Second Carneval” in the US.

Raggie (Metronome, 1976)

Instrumental

International relevance: ***

Take a look at the cover and you've heard the album. The pink fuzz and soft focus of the sleeve is also prevalent on the album itself and turns the music into an unengaging smear – smooth perfection over musical content. The sole exception is ”Anniversary March” with Mats Glenngård's fiddle adding a much needed spirit. The softer tracks try to capture the low-key sense of wonder familiar from the 'trilogy', but they end up as hopeless slippery new age drivel. 

Bike Voyage II (Sonet, 1978)

Instrumental

International relevance: ***

After signing with Sonet, J:son Lindh appeared with this album which is marginally better than ”Raggie”, largely thanks to a couple of tracks with a pronounced Oriental feel like the traditional ”Billathi Askara”, enhanced by Egyptian Nāgi al-Ḥabaši fervent cello playing, and ”Ah Q” with a guest appearance from Okay Temiz on tablas. But it's ”A Day at the Surface”, ”Hotel and Drumsticks”, ”Colwyn Way”, and ”Boathouse Club” (the latter with an absolutely horrendous synth part) that define the album as just another bloodless fusion album, as stone dead as the granite bust on the cover. Released as ”A Day at the Surface” in the UK.

Ramadan full album playlist
Från grodspad till storstad full album playlist
Cous Cous full album playlist
Sissel full album playlist
Raggie full album playlist
Bike Voyage II full album playlist

JASON'S FLEECE – Jason's Fleece (Mercury, 1970)

English vocals

International relevance: ***

Jason's Fleece was a supergroup comprising several famous members about to become even more famous in the years following their first and only album.

Singer and guitarist Hawkey Franzén had been in Lea Riders Group immortalized by ”Dom kallar oss mods” in 1967, one of the rowdiest and most psychedelic 45's ever to come out in Sweden, subsequently gaining international notoriety when it was included (with misspelt title) on ”Pebbles Vol. 3”. Franzén also had a solo album out prior to Jason's Fleece.

Flute player Björn J:son Lindh and drummer Jan Bandel were fresh out of Atlantic Ocean who released one highly sought-after album in the same year as Jason's Fleece, ”Tranquillity Bay”. Of course, Lindh had several solo albums out in the 70's, as well as session musician credits on numerous albums.

Made in Sweden main man Georg ”Jojje”Wadenius is another frequent session player – he's played on literally hundreds of albums over the years. He rose to international fame during his stint with Blood Sweat and Tears during the first half of the 70's.

Remarkable bass player Göran Lagerberg has a striking CV as well, including the highly talented ”Swedish Beatles” Tages in the 60's, Kebnekajse, Fläsket Brinner, Tillsammans, Egba, Bolon Bata, and... Well, you get it.

New York born jazz bassist Red Mitchell had an international career as a sideman for everyone from Gerry Mulligan and Clark Terry to Paul Bley and Henry Mancini before moving to Sweden, becoming a stalwart on the Swedish jazz scene.

Singer and guitar player Sam Ellison released the ”Jag vill ha en lessen häst” 7” in 1970 which actually was Jason's Fleece before they adopted the name. The following year, Ellison (whose real name was Elison, with a single L) released an eponymous album, and then became an in-demand session player for a couple of years.

Sax blower Kenneth Arnström was in Handgjort along with Lindh, Bandel and Greg FitzPatrick, and is also on the Tillsammans album (but so is everybody).

With such an illustrious cast, one could expect ”Jason's Fleece” to live up to its reputation but sadly, it doesn't quite. Despite good intentions and great ambitions, the album's a bit too bland second tier pop psych with minor dashes of blue eyed soul. It looks good on paper, but with the possible exception of the Beatles flavoured ”Damn Long Way Behind Us”, the album won't quite take off. Maybe it's a matter of entities cancelling each other out? Maybe they just couldn't muster up enough inspiration once it was time to enter the studio?

Someone who certainly couldn't justify his remuneration was cover designer Göran Rossander. 'Progressive' layout or just a good old lapse of imagination? I'd say the latter.
 

Full album playlist