FINN ZETTERHOLM & KABARETORKESTERN – Längtans blåa elefant (YTF, 1977)

 Swedish vocals
International relevance: *

Visa singer Finn Zetterholm is more interesting as a troublemaker than a musician, and this album is
mostly academically interesting for having Mikael Wiehe's Kabaréorkestern as a backing band. It guarantees some good musicianship, if nothing else. It does have a few decent moments apart from that though, especially when Zetterholm gets a bit closer to folk melodies, as on ”Sven i Rosengård anno 1977”, and the melancholy ”Fågelns visa” and ”Vaggvisa vid Ekofisk”. They also try for a more creepy atmosphere on ”Flickan som skrek” without really succeeding. But too many songs are just silly, and all in all, this isn't a very memorable album at all.

Näktergalen
Fridas klagan över snön 
Fången på Hall 
Flickan som skrek
Bröllopet i hönsgården
Sven i Rosengård anno 1977
Balladen om Sussie
Jimmy Carters Rag
Barnvisa
Vaggvisa vid Ekofisk
Sång till fars dag
Sång i lönearbetestakt eller Nyaste grottesången
Fågelns visa

MIKAEL WIEHE – Complete solo albums 1977-1982

After the disbanding of Hoola Bandoola Band in 1976, Mikael Wiehe founded Kabaréorkestern with Hans Sjöström (Werup-Sjöströmgruppen), Arne Franck (Hoola Bandoola Band) and Ale Möller (allround folk musician) among others. They released only two albums but played on troubadour Finn Zetterholm's 1977 album ”Längtans blåa elefant” (with alternate spelling Kabaretorkestern).

Sjömansvisor (MNW/Amalthea, 1978) 
as Mikael Wiehe och Kabaréorkestern

Swedish vocals
International relevance: *

Mikael Wiehe's greatest achievement since Hoola Bandoola Band's ”Vem kan man lita på?” in 1972. Great songs, sharp lyrics and good playing. ”Titanic (Andraklasspassagerarens sista sång)” is one of his best known tracks, and an allegory of the music movement's post Tältprojektetcollapse (only that Wiehe himself didn't realized it when he wrote the song). One brilliant Dylan translation, ”Sakta lägger båten ut från land” (”It's All Over Now, Baby Blue”) and one good Dylan translation, ”Spanska stövlar” (”Boots of Spanish Leather”) are also notable. Also worthy of mention: ”När bolaget kom till byn”.

Elden är lös (Amalthea, 1979) 
as Kabaréorkestern

Swedish vocals, instrumental
International relevance: **

A four part suite that stands as Wiehe's musically most progressive achievement, sometimes even resembling Samla Mammas Manna (”Ouvertyr”, ”Krigsdans”) written by the versatile Ale Möller. Möller's a very important contributor to the album, providing bouzouki, accordion, trumpet, electric piano, organ, and percussion. A stylistically richer and more free-thinking album than usual when it comes to Mikael Wiehe. ”Elden är lös” is the Wiehe album for people who don't like Wiehe.

Kråksånger (Amalthea, 1981) 

as Mikael Wiehe, Nyberg, Franck & Fjellis

Swedish vocals

International relevance: *

New band, new sound. The mawkish hit ”Flickan och kråkan”, drenched in Greg FitzPatrick's synthesizers, isn't representative to the album which has a rougher sound. 

”Katarina”, the terrible Swedish language mock reggae version of ”All Along the Watchtower”, ”Strebersång” and ballad ”Kom hem till mej” are all dreadful, the funky ”Allt vad jag begär” and ”Som om ingenting har hänt” are OK, ”Gossekungen” is good. The album sounded better when it was new, but time certainly hasn't been kind to it.

De ensligas allé (Amalthea, 1982) 
as Mikael Wiehe, Nyberg, Franck & Fjellis

Swedish vocals

International relevance:*

One of the worst albums mentioned on this blog. Eight Dylan translations and a Wiehe completely lost in the land of synthesizers and dated gate reverb. 11 minute title track (”Desolation Row”, or at least what's left of it) is freaking Guantanamo.

Mikael Wiehe has released numerous albums since.

Sjömansvisor full album playlist
Elden är lös full album playlist
Kråksånger full album playlist
De ensligas allé full album playlist