VON ZAMLA – Zamlaranamma (Urspår, 1982)

Instrumental

International relevance: ***

Samla Mammas Manna's first 'Z incarnation' Zamla Mammaz Manna disbanded following the marvellous ”Familjesprickor” in 1980. The year after, Lars Hollmer and Eino Haapala formed the second 'Z incarnation', Von Zamla, and recorded this album in the autumn of 1981. Von Zamla continued up until 1984, and put out two albums before disbanding, this one and ”No Make Up!” (1983).

Like ”Familjesprickor”, the much more synthesizer heavy ”Zamlaranamma” sits firmly in the RIO category but lacks the powerful tension and brilliance. Most of this album sounds like Lars Hollmer's solo music but with a more serious approach. A lot of it sounds like a bit too intrusive background music to a TV series you're not sure if you like.The album's OK but a far cry from "Familjesprickor".

An album of previously unreleased 1983 Von Zamla live recordings, simply called "1983", was eventually released in 1999 on Cuneiform.

Full album

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

LARS HOLLMER – XII sibiriska cyklar (Silence, 1981) / Vill du höra mer? (Krax, 1982)

International relevance: ***/***

Instrumental, Swedish lyrics

Lars Hollmer was the most prolific ex-Samla Mammas Manna member, with several different projects and collaborations going while maintaining his solo career. He quickly became a much heralded part of the RIO scene, but also scored a surprise radio hit with the loveable ”Boeves psalm” from his first album ”XII sibiriska cyklar”, forcing Silence to release at as a single in 1983, two years after the LP was released. A lot of Swedes know the song without having a clue of Hollmer's past as a Samla Mammas Manna member or later activities.

”XII sibiriska cyklar” is an amiable collection of humorous vocal tracks and shrewd instrumentals, weaving together multiple musical traditions from different parts of the world into what can only be described as 'Hollmer music'. No-one can possibly question his significance to Samla Mammas Manna, but with his ideas isolated on a true solo album (he plays all the instruments himself), it becomes even more evident how crucial he was to the group's sound. ”XII sibiriska cyklar” is an endearing album which serious playfulness/playful seriousness is destined to make you feel nice and comfortable within.

”Vill du höra mer?” follows along the same lines, only with a broader soundstage, but it doesn't sound quite as fresh as the debut. It's good, but it would be even better if ”XII sibiriska cyklar” didn't already exist. The title track is the album's high mark, with lyrics about the life of a pained teenager making it one of the darkest tracks on any of these two albums.

”Vill du höra mer?” was the first of many releases on Lars Hollmer's own Krax label which stayed in business until Hollmer's untimely death in 2008.

XII sibiriska cyklar full album playlist
Vill du höra mer? full album playlist

RAMLÖSA KVÄLLAR – Ramlösa Kvällar (Silence, 1978)

Instrumental

International relevance: ***

Recorded in 1977 and 1978, and a much appetizing entry to the vast Samla Mammas Manna related catalogue, featuring Coste Apetrea and centered around the maverick talent of Lars Hollmer. Their name translates into ”nights without frames”, and frameless the music certainly is, blending a wide array of musical traditions into one highly appealing mix that those who accepts today's terminology would call world music. 

”Ramlösa Kvällar” is one of those albums that not unlike Anita Livstrand's "Mötet" transcends musical borders and shrinks the world into one strong unit. In other words, an album to teach us that different traditions are basically only different expressions of the same thing and that people can co-exist perfectly fine if only we'd give it a serious try. (Yes, I'm naïve enough to believe that music can bring us at least a little closer together.)

The album cross-pollinates Klezmer, Balkan, Oriental and Romani music but the very best track in this collection is the slow but tense seven minute Swedish traditional ”Vallåten” that would have been a high point even on an Arbete & Fritid album. 

Selections from a show recorded at Gärdet in Stockholm in 1977 are included in ”Progglådan”, and a longer radio recording (from the same show?) circulates in great sound quality and should be released officially. ”Ramlösa Kvällar” was reissued on CD in 1993 with an uglier cover design.

Full album playlist

 

Tonkraft 1977 full album playlist (tracks 4-8)