THOMAS MUNCK – Parachute Man (Sonet, 1978)

English vocals

International relevance: - 

 

This is a massive turd, served on a mouldy plate. It doesn't actually belong here, wasn't it for ”Give Me Your Hand” and to some degree ”Got My Soul All Open” for their studio musician fringe progg shadings. ”Give Me Your Hand” isn't good but still the obvious standout track in this dubious collection, with its time signature changes and proggish guitar sound. ”Parachute Man” is mainly a pop album with some funk moves typical of its time. The pseudo funk is unfortunately so stiff and sexless that they make fucking Level 42 look like James Brown at his hard working sweatiest. Björn J:son Lindh appears on some tracks, as does Lasse Wellander on one. Have mercy on their souls.

In 1978, the same year that saw the release of this provocatively disgusting clunker, Thomas Munck – a singer as terrible as he is a songwriter – appeared in the Swedish Eurovision Song Contest with ”Nå't som gör dig glad”, meaning ”something that makes you happy”. The voting jury was less than happy though, with each jury member rewarding the song with the lowest possible points. But that's more than I give ”Parachute Man”.

(Please note that I never once called the album "Parashite Man" in this review.)

Full album playlist

BERNT STAF – Complete albums 1970-1981

One of the many discoveries made by Metronome producer Anders Burman who brought the likes of Pugh Rogefeldt, Ola Magnell and John Holm to public recognition. Burman had a penchant for original voices, and Bernt Staf indeed had one of those, oddly piercing and nasal. Uncommercial some would say, but he nevertheless scored a huge hit with his song ”Familjelycka”, culled from his 1970 debut album ”När dimman lättar” for a 45 the following year. Staf's lyrics have a political focus, often dealing with the depopulation of the non-urban regions of Sweden.

När dimman lättar (Metronome, 1970)

Swedish vocals

International relevance: **

”Familjelycka” is an incredibly annoying song, especially with Staf's terrible vocals perforating your eardrums (the Jan Hammarlund syndrome). Unfortunately, ”Familjelycka” sets the tone for ”När dimman lättar”. The album is full of twee singer/songwriter stuff marred by Staf's very unpleasant, infantile voice. Last track ”Uppståndelse” shows a somewhat more powerful perfomance, but the fake gospel sound still doesn't make Staf's polyp squeaks any more tolerable. The funky ”Hovmästarsoppa” was released as Staf's first single, and it's a pretty good track – hadn't it been for the vocals.

Live (Metronome, 1972)

Swedish vocals, English vocals

International relevance: *

I'm not very fond of live albums since I don't like the sound of a cheering audience, but in this case an audience screaming loud would have been beneficial. Perhaps it would have had drowned out Bernt Staf's vocal mannerisms. Having him drawling through ”What Shall We Do With the Drunken Sailor”, ”Havanagilah” and a Swedish version of ”Last Night I Had the Strangest Dream” is a fucking punishment. In the live setting, he turns into a third rate protest folk singer who talks too much between tracks. His speaking voice is every bit as maddening as his singing voice. And then he whistles...

Vingslag (Metronome, 1972)

Swedish vocals

International relevance: *

Full band backing provided by Sten Bergman, Ola Brunkert, Lasse Wellander, Göran Lagerberg and others. Which obviously gives Staf the occasional excuse to holler away like a Dylan with a stomach pain. No harmonica honks; instead Staf whistles... again...

Valhall (Metronome, 1973)

Swedish vocals

International relevance: **

This could possibly have been an OK Kvartetten Som Sprängde album – they're the backing band here (plus a cameo from Bo Hansson). Had it actually been an album of theirs, it would have been instrumental, and had it been instrumental, you wouldn't have to endure Staf's vocals.

Vår om du vill (YTF, 1976)

Swedish vocals

International relevance: *

Substituting Kvartetten Som Sprängde with a slick radio friendly lush laidback West Coast sound was Staf's worst idea since the day he decided to sing. And that smug grin on the album cover...

Hycklarnas paradis (Best, 1981)

International relevance: *

Swedish vocals

Mocking reggae on the title track (a pathetic Swedish cover of Bob Marley's ”Pimpers Paradise”) was Staf's worst idea since substituting Kvartetten Som Sprängde with a slick radio friendly lush laidback West Coast sound on ”Vår om du vill”. Not even having Kenny Håkansson among the session musicians can help this privately released mess. And oh, Staf whistles too...

Bernt Staf made one further album on his own Best label ('Worst' would have been a better name) in 1983, ”Hammenhög Airport”, and a comeback album in 1996, ”Klockor”. He also appears on several various artists compilation, including ”Progglådan” that features an early live recording for Swedish Radio show Midnight Hour.

När dimman lättar full album playlist

Live full album playlist

Vingslag full album playlist
Midnight Hour 1971 full album playlist

from Valhall

"Göteborgsposten"

"Arbetarblot"

"Zaïre" 

No links found for Hycklarnas paradis. 

NATURE – Nature (Gump, 1972) / Earthmover (Sonet, 1974) / LASSE WELLANDER – Electrocuted (Sonet, 1976) / WELLANDER & RONANDER – Wellander & Ronander (Polar, 1978)

Nature was an Örebro blues rock outfit that evolved out of Blues Quality who made one album with blues and reggae master Peps Persson. Harmonica player and singer Mats Ronander's Hendrix styled vocals ais one of their foremost characteristics, with his sidekick Lasse Wellander taking care of the heavy guitar sound. Nature was often hired as a back-up band to artists such as Pugh Rogefeldt and nationally successful singer/songwriter acts Ulf Lundell and Ted Gärdestad. There are two 1972 Pugh 45's co-credited to Nature, and one Lundell album, ”Natten hade varit mild och öm” released around the time of Nature's demise in 1977. 

NATURE – Nature (Gump, 1972)

English vocals, Swedish vocals

International relevance: ***

Mats Ronander's vocals are too derivative and in your face, but that's not the only thing that makes this a pointless album. Nature's blues rock is pedestrian, dull and redundant. It features both English and Swedish vocals, and partly because of the Swedish lyrics, ”Den killen är en stjärna” sounds a bit like power trio November. ”Nature” was produced by Pugh Rogefeldt who worked for Metronome subsidiary Gump who released the album, which alone makes it an expensive item. But that's all there is to pay for: the label, not the music.

 

NATURE – Earthmover (Sonet, 1974)

English vocals, Swedish vocals

International relevance: ***

Their second album has a more luxurious production with additional musicians like Björn J:son Lindh, sax player Bernt Rosengren, pianist Alain Leroux and conga player Malando Gassama expanding the sound. Thankfully Ronander had also toned down some of his Hendrix complex which makes for more 'natural' sounding vocals. But multiple session musicians and Claes af Geijerstam's production Nature makes this an even weaker effort than their debut, and unnecessary cover versions of Lovin' Spoonful's ”Summer in the City” and Dylan/The Band's ”This Wheel's on Fire” certainly don't help. ”Earthmover” is overproduced and too glossy. Best track is the instrumental ”Meating” which sounds a bit like Kebnekajse with Gassama's congas a crucial element.

A couple of unreleased early 70's Nature radio sessions exist, and there's a 1972 recording with Dave Greenslade in ”Progglådan”.

LASSE WELLANDER – Electrocuted (Sonet, 1976)

Instrumental

International relevance: ***

For his solo debut album, Wellander went for ”Earthmover” producer Claes af Geijerstam to get the desired sound. Geijerstam also plays guitar and adds some background vocals on ”Electrocuted”, and other high level session musiciani including Wlodek Gulgowski and Tommy ”Slim” Borgudd appears as well. Even UK keyboard player Dave Greenslade who Nature played with in 1972. Without a singer to balance the music, it's a guitar album through and through. Wellander solos and solos and solos and solos, and just in case, he overdubs himself so he can play solos twice or more at the same time. Sometimes funky, sometimes bluesy, sometimes semi-progressive, sometimes romantic, always boring. Best track is the Kebnekajse pastiche ”Lingonskogen”.

WELLANDER & RONANDER – Wellander & Ronander (Polar, 1978)

Swedish vocals, instrumental
International relevance: *

After Nature's break-up, Lasse Wellander again teamed up with Mats Ronander for an album, this time released through ABBA's label Polar. Constipated blues rock, rheumatic funk, thickheaded hard rock... As great as a heart attack.

Nature full album playlist
Earthmover full album playlist

Electrocuted full album playlist

Wellander & Ronander full album playlist
Tonkraft 1972 full album