FINN ZETTERHOLM & MARIE SELANDER – Lillfar och Lillmor (SR, 1970)

  
Swedish vocals
International relevance: **

I wouldn't say that Finn Zetterholm's and Marie Selander's voices and vocal styles are a perfect match, but it's no wonder Zetterholm chose Selander as a singing partner on this album. It's a collection of old short folk songs, some almost like children's rhymes, and with no better female folk singer in Sweden than Marie Selander, few could do this better than her. It's also Zetterholm's best 70s album, much thanks to Bengt-Arne Wallin's interesting arrangements quoting both jazz and renaissance music. No wonder, as jazz players such as Palle Danielsson, Egil Johansen and Rune Gustafsson appears, plus the nation's prime advocate for renaissance music. multi-instrumentalist Sven Berger on instruments like dulcian, hurdy gurdy and bassoon, and Eric-Gustaf Brilioth adding the colourful timbre of crumhorn. It's not one of my regular spins, but Folk & Rackare fans may be interested in hearing ”Lillfar och Lillmor” at least once.

Full album playlist

BENGT-ARNE WALLIN – Varmluft (Sonet, 1972)

Swedish vocals, instrumental
International relevance: **

Bengt-Arne Wallin is surrounded by an interesting lot of performers on ”Varmluft”. Apart from the internationally renowned swing and bebop trumpeter Clark Terry, there's a number of domestic dignitaries here including Marie Selander, Lennart Åberg (of Rena Rama), Georg Riedel, Sabu Martinez, Anthony Reebop Kwaku Bah and Maffy Falay. And as always, Janne Schaffer. The music could be called progressive big band, but that doesn't quite say much about its variety. There are low-key, moody moments, funky sections, folksy moments – there's a little bit of everything working together as a kaleidoscopic whole. Wallin sometimes wanted too much at once which is the problem with for instance ”Wallin/Wallin”, but ”Varmluft” is a bit better sorted out. Not everything here is successful, but some of it is. And I do appreciate his approach even when it doesn't work out completely. He was a visionary and it's always heartwarming delving into a visionary's work.

The cover art is made by Lasse Åberg.

No links found 

VARIOUS ARTISTS – Sånger och musik från Kvinnokulturfestivalen (Silence, 1977)

Rut Hermansson / Eva Blomqvist / Sabina Kristensen / Monika Lundin / Frankie Armstrong / Lena Ekman / Jan Hammarlund / Marie Selander / Lena Granhagen / Monica Törnell / Andra Bullar / Lava / Ulla Bendrik-Johansson / Turid / Margareta Söderberg / Monica Törnell / Cyndee Peters / Röda Bönor 

Swedish vocals, English vocals, a cappella
International relevance: **

Kvinnokulturfestivalen (Festival of Women Culture) was a three day event held in Stockholm in late October 1977 with many of the usual suspects coming together. This album is a selection of songs recorded at the festival and features Marie Selander, Turid, Lena Granhagen, Andra Bullar, Margareta Söderberg and Röda Bönor to name a few. Most of it is acoustic and most of it sounds exactly as expected, meaning political folk with a righteous message.

A couple of tracks have electric backing and those selections are also the best. Marie Selander's ”Carcara” even manages to work up a physical groove very rarely heard on political albums. Lava, a seemingly temporary grouping assembled specifically for the festival, is Lena Ekman backed by the likes of Sigge Krantz (Archimedes Badkar, Stockholm Norra, Torkel Rasmusson, Lokomotiv Konkret et al) and Ola Backström (Stockholm Norra, Torkel Rasmussion, Dag Vag). Their ”Svartsjuk” starts out a bit trying and uncertain but grows organically as it goes on. Ola Backström's slide guitar isn't exactly Elmore James – more of a slurry Robbie Krieger – but it works to good effect and pushes the song almost to the six minute limit. And Monica Törnell is far better here than on any of her own albums from around this time.

The performers are perhaps more interesting than the performances, but as said above, the album isn't entirely without musical merits. It's not a great album by any means, but remains one of the better feminist albums from the period, for what it's worth.

Full album playlist

DIDDLERS – Is Good For You (Sonet, 1969)

English vocals, Swedish vocals, other languages
International relevance: *

An early incarnation of folk band Låt & Trall, and more interesting from a historical point of view than a musical one. Musicwise it's straight-laced folk music with a very strong Irish bent. This may be 1969, but these days you can go to any local fake 'Oyrish' pub and hear exactly the same thing you hear on this album, complete with a mock accent put on for 'authenticity'. It works best when the always genuine Marie Selander takes the lead, as on the best cut ”Go To Sea Once More”.

Selander is one of the participants who later got an artistically rewarding career. Add to that Urban Yman who went on to Blå Tåget and the various Träd, Gräs & Stenar incarnations. The ever present master musician Kjell Westling was also a member of Diddlers, as were Pyret Lindström and Slim Lidén who both joined Freedom Singers a few years later (along with Selander).

By the way, shouldn't it be "ARE" instead of "IS" in the title?

Full album playlist

MARIE SELANDER, STYRBJÖRN BERGELT & SUSANNE BROMS – Å än är det glädje å än är det gråt (Ett Minne För Livet, 1976)

Swedish vocals, other languages, a capella, instrumental

International relevance: **

Marie Selander has one of the finest voices heard in the entire progg canon, every bit as authentic as Shirley Collins but with the sombre power of Sandy Denny. Every time she opens her mouth to sing, it makes you listen a bit closer.

”Å än är det glädje å än är det gråt” is her second proper solo album, following ”Från den svenska vildmarken” from 1973. It is however co-credited to flautist Susanne Broms and multi-instrumentalist Styrbjörn Bergelt who create a rough-hewn backdrop of ancient sounding folk music. Listening to the sparsely framed, rugged traditional songs is like listening to a tree growing its bark, full of life but without any unnecessary, distracting material. If you're looking for flashy fanciness, go elsewhere because you won't find it here. This frugality is very alluring, and best of all, it leaves a generous space to Selander's voice which is as enticing as ever, and creates a deep sense of dark fir forest mystery. Perhaps an acquired taste to some, but utterly rewarding to anyone who accept the challenge and persist.

Full album playlist

LENA EKMAN – Det beror på ögonen som ser (Mistlur, 1980)

 
Swedish vocals
International relevance: ***

I didn't expect this to be anything but a disappointment after Lena Ekman's first proper album: ”Hjulspår” is simply one of the best yet-to-be-properly-discovered progg albums, at times a haunting LP that beats Turid in her own game by a mile and gives Stenblomma a run for her money too. With three years apart and a new label (Mistlur instead of Silence), ”Det beror på ögonen som ser” was deemed to have lost something, or at least be different enough to be a let down. Not that change is a bad thing, but ”Hjulspår” is in a special league with qualities that are hard to repeat, and even harder to follow up on a second album.

And no, it's not another ”Hjulspår”, but do not repeat my mistake: ”Det beror på ögonen som ser” is a very fine achievement. Ekman's slightly husky, mature voice is as inviting as ever, and the songs are mostly very good. As a matter of fact, it's hard to pick a weak one and much easier to choose a favourite, which is the excellent ”Vänner ändå”. Almost all of them are Ekman originals, but she manages to sneak in a cover of Danish singer/songwriter Trille as first track. Name players such Hasse Bruniusson, Marie Selander, Turid, Thomas Almqvist and, at the top of the heap, Kjell Westling offer a very pleasing lowkey backdrop that puts Ekman's appealing vocals in the sweet centre spot. The album has a pronounced acoustic feel; a delicate setting for Ekman's delicate songs.

”Det beror på ögonen som ser” is definitely worth picking up by those into the singer/songwriter side of progg, and it's good enough also for those who just happened to have a love for well-crafted and subdued songs well-equipped for playing at dusk.

No links found

LÅT & TRALL – Låt & Trall (Sonet, 1971) / Gamla go'bitar (Europafilm, 1973)

International relevance: **/**

Swedish vocals, English vocals, instrumental

Originally known as Diddlers, this folk outfit changed their name to Låt & Trall when member Sten Erik 'Pyret' Moberg left the band. Not that they had any talent shortage with Kjell Westling, Urban Yman, Marie Selander and the beautiful-voiced Fred Lane in the band.

With Moberg's departure, the band's Irish oriented repertoire expanded to include Swedish tunes as well. ”Låt & Trall” was produced by folk legend Sam Charters and the second one by Bo Anders Larsson and the band, but they basically sound the same mixing instrumental tunes with vocal tracks in an acoustic, down-to-earth style. ”Gamla go'bitar” is a little bit better with richer arrangements, but they're both solid affairs worth hearing to fans of no frills traditional folk.

Från "Gamla go'bitar":

North Sea Holes 

Blackleg Miner

VARGAVINTER – Vargavinter (Silence, 1976) / Röster från alla land (Ett Minne För Livet/MNW, 1980)

Vargavinter (Silence, 1976)

Swedish vocals, English vocals, other languages, instrumental
International relevance: ***

After the demise of Låt & Trall, singer Marie Selander became part of 'super group' Vargavinter, featuring members from Archimedes Badkar, Iskra, Södra Bergens Balalaikor, Spjärnsvallet and, through Kjell Westling, Blå Tåget/Arbete & Fritid and others. And not to be forgotten, the brilliant Anita Livstrand.

The title of Vargavinter's second album is ”Röster från alla land”, ”voices from all countries”, and that's a good description even of their live recorded eponymous debut. Vargavinter performed music from just about all around the globe. They were a bit in your face politically but the multitudinous music is often great. It is a bit uneven, with two or three of the songs sounding as if they're there mainly to fill the geographic quota, but  ”Snart” and the atmospheric ”Rumänsk dansmelodi” for instance are very good.

Röster från alla land (Ett Minne För Livet/MNW, 1980)

Swedish vocals, other languages, instrumental
International relevance: ***

”Röster från alla land” appeared four years after ”Vargavinter” and despite being recorded in the studio, the music sounds looser, or if you will, less focused. Still some good tracks such as ”Bågskytten”, ”Dans från Zalongou” and ”Det omöjliga”, but ”Röster från alla land” lacks a lot of the debut's freshness.

”Progglådan” has a 1980 Vargavinter Tonkraft session, and a mid-70's live version, also made for Tonkraft, can be heard on the double LP ”Tonkraft 1975-76: Levande musik från Sverige”.

Vargavinter full album playlist
Röster från alla land full album playlist
Tonkraft 1980 full album playlist

VARIOUS ARTISTS - 3 FEMINIST ALBUMS

It's no wonder that the feminist movement gained momentum in the politically charged 70's. The fight for social equality between men and women connected well with the struggle for working class liberation. It paved way for #1 feminist band Röda Bönor, and later Andra Bullar, but prior to that, several feminist projects had already received attention.

SÅNGER OM KVINNOR (MNW, 1971)

International relevance: *

Swedish vocals

The first album entirely devoted to the topic of feminisim was ”Sånger om kvinnor” in 1971 with its origins in a stage play called ”Tjejsnack” written by Suzanne Osten and Margareta Garpe for Stockholms Stadsteater (Stockholm City Theatre). MNW wanted to release an album with the music used in the play, but as there wasn't enough material for a full LP, additional songs were written specifically for the release.

Much appreciated upon its release ”Sånger om kvinnor” was also questioned. While the lyrics were written by women, the music was composed by Gunnar Edander (formerly active in independent theatre group Fickteatern), and the backing musicians were an all male cast of Bengt Berger, Urban Yman, Kjell Westling, Roland Keijser, Tord Bengtsson, Leif Nylén and others. Ironically enough, it's the musical backing that impresses the most, with several fine efforts from the musicians involved. The album sports a massive lot of singers including the aforementioned Suzanne Osten and Margareta Garpe, but also Ulla Sjöblom, Lise-Lotte Nilsson, Lena Söderblom, Louise Waldén, author Sonja Åkesson and the excellent Marie Selander. Not all of them are as good singers as Selander. Also, the music is annoyingly silly and yippee jolly from time to time, but it has a couple of good moments – ”Innerst inne är du en riktig kvinna, Louise”, and Leif Nylén's excellent ”Törnrosa” (sung by Marie Selander). ”Vi måste höja våra röster” became an instant classic feminist anthem.

TJEJCLOWN - MED LIVMODER I STRÄNGARNA (MNW, 1974)

Swedish vocals, spoken word

International relevance: *

 

In response to ”Sånger om kvinnor”, ”Tjejclown” was made with only women writing and performing the songs, some of them spilling over from ”Sånger om kvinnor”, but also including such well-known names as Anita Livstrand, Turid, Hélène Bohman (of Stenblomma) and Lena Ekman. Obviously of greater symbolic value than ”Sånger om kvinnor”, but if you don't want to listen to political symbols just for the sake of it, it's a bad and largely amateurish album. There's not one track here of the same stature as ”Innerst inne är du en riktig kvinna, Louise” and ”Törnrosa”, but ”Flugsvampens visa” is passable.

JÖSSES FLICKOR - BEFRIELSEN ÄR NÄRA (YTF, 1975)

Swedish vocals

International relevance: *

”Jösses flickor – befrielsen är nära” was originally highly successful musical/play premiered at Stockholms Stadsteater in 1974, depicting the evolution of the women's liberation movement (three years before ”Tältprojektet” did a similar thing with the working rights movement). Again the music was written by Gunnar Edander, meaning it was a little more carved out than ”Tjejclown”. Unfortunately, he borrowed so much from the pamphlet progg style so fashionable among the communist crowd at the time that the best thing I can say about the album is that the songs at least are short...

To sum it up, all this is (mostly) bad music for a good cause. For more enduring, digestible and entertaining feminist progg, please turn to Röda Bönor.

 

Sånger om kvinnor full album playlist

Tjejclown full album playlist

Jösses flickor - befrielsen är nära full album playlist

NYA LJUDBOLAGET – Nya Ljudbolaget (MNW, 1981)

International relevance: ***

Instrumental, Swedish vocals

Ranked #13 on the blog's Top 25

Nya Ljudbolaget's name means ”The New Sound Company” in English and implies there was an old Sound Company too and there was. Before the late and sorely missed cellist Ove Karlsson joined Arbete & Fritid, that was his band. With Arbete & Fritid's last album ”Håll andan” being released in 1979, Karlsson was free to resurrect his old outfit, now with Samla Mammas Manna drummer/percussionist Hans Bruniusson, Samla relative Kalle Eriksson on trumpet, saxophonist Ulf Wallander (Ramlösa Kvällar, Samla Mammas Manna, Renhjärta et al), and on one track, Marie Selander on vocals.

”Nya Ljudbolaget” is like an extension of late era Arbete & Fritid, with a drone foundation supporting the sometimes Eastern, sometimes Swedish sounding melodies. But the album has more on offer than just that; "Chal Chal Chal" and the three-part suite ”Cellohalling/Putenska marschen/Ramlösa mammas fritid” have a strong air of Samla Mammas Manna and other RIO bands; ”Continuum Prometheus” is Terry Riley styled minimalism, while ”Minnesvisa” sounds like an old mournful Swedish folk song (but isn't). The entire album is wrapped in a dark kind of shimmer, wonderfully evocative, and should be considered mandatory by Arbete & Fritid fans, particularly those with an admiration for their later post-Roland Keijser period.

Full album

FREEDOM SINGERS / DE FÖRENADE FNL-GRUPPERNA – Albums 1968-1974

Two groups, closely related to both each other and the Gothenburg communist party KPLM(r), with anti-imperialist lyrics dealing with the liberation of Vietnam. Maria Hörnelius and Marie Selander were both among the many Freedom Singers members.

FREEDOM SINGERS – 68 (Befria Södern, 1968, 10”)

Swedish vocals

International relevance: *

Freedom Singers first album, an eight track ten inch, was a joint venture by the FNL groups of Gothenburg and Stockholm. The music is part American sounding protest songs (ironically enough), part Swedish styled singer/songwriter, and part standard fare communist anthems. ”Befria södern!” has become a classic of sorts in the circuits of like-minded, and also gave name to the bands' own label.

FREEDOM SINGERS - Antiimperialistiska sånger (Befria Södern, 1970)

Swedish vocals

International relevance: *

Second album is mainly the work of the Gothenburg FNL faction, but it doesn't helped making the music much better. If you've heard one of these albums, you've basically heard them all. But at least this one has a couple of decent songs if you can look beyond the dreadful genre typical fist-waving, more precisely ”Wall Street”, the Jefferson Airplane inspired ”Richard Dollarhjärta” (their best track), and Fugs cover ”CIA-visan”, the latter two with full band backing including fuzz guitar. ”Bläckfisken” (not the Björn Afzelius song) is passable. Anthem ”Befria Södern” makes another appearance.

DE FÖRENADE FNL-GRUPPERNA

Till det kämpande Vietnam (Befria Södern, 1971)

Swedish vocals

International relevance: *

Includes contributions from various FNL groups from Stockholm and Uppsala in a standard protest style with few variations. Some tracks sound like Fria Proteatern with accordion. Horrible. And for the third time, ”Befria Södern”. 

DE FÖRENADE FNL-GRUPPERNA - Vietnam är nära (Befria Södern, 1972)

Swedish vocals

International relevance: *

More of the same, although the lush string arrangement on ”Vid läsningen av Ett tusen poeters antologi' is an (temporary) advancement. ”Maktens män” and ”Roten till det onda” feature a full band but aren't as 'good' as ”Richard Dollarhjärta”. ”Avskedet” and ”En kamp på tusen slagfält” are the least maddening tracks here. And oh, ”Befria Södern” finishes off the album.

DE FÖRENADE FNL-GRUPPERNA - Framtiden är vår (Befria Södern, 1974)

Swedish vocals

International relevance: *

”Vi hjälptes åt” almost sounds like something UK folk prog band Spirogira could have done, for what it's worth. ”Basarbetaren” has some of that ”Richard Dollarhjärta” fuzz but it's still a crap track. And in case you thought they had forgotten, they didn't: Here's the fifth version of ”Befria Södern”.

Freedom Singers released on further album, ”Lär känna Vietnam”; recorded live in 1973 with a Vietnamese song and dance group (and including ”Befria Södern”). They also released a 1975 EP, ”Vietnam Kambodja befriade!” to celebrate the end of the Vietnam war. Thankfully, that was the end of Freedom Singers/FNL-grupperna as well.

Of course I concur with the sentiment here – it's needless to point out that the Vietnam war was a disgrace to mankind, but the fundamentalist vibe to these record is as repellant as on many political albums in a similar style. Sitting through these albums one more time for the review made me nauseous. I felt physically ill, I kid you not. Also, they are outdated, at best an academic reminder of the dogmatism of bygone days.

Knutna Nävar evolved out of Freedom Singers.

from 68

Leve det vietnamesiska folkets befrielsekamp 

Antiimperialistiska sånger
Wall Street
Å Sentab och jag
Visan om Gunnar Myrdal
Vårt sagoland 

Rövarvisan 

Vi sår vårt ris 

Befria Södern 

Bläckfisken 

Hur ser friheten ut? 

Visan om Olof Palme 

Kafferepet

En liten quisling 

Richard Dollarhjärta 

CIA-visan  

from Framtiden är vår

När avtalstexten torkat 

Vi hjälptes åt 

Visan om terroristlagen 

Basarbetaren

Kambodja ska bli vårt

En vanlig kvinna i Vietnam

Kissingers fredsvals 

Ett helt lands framtid 

Folken i Indokina kämpar även för oss 

Till det kämpande Vietnam full album
Vietnam är nära full album playlist

MARIE SELANDER – Från den svenska vildmarken (MNW, 1973)

Swedish vocals

International relevance: ***

Marie Selander is a prominent singer who participated in too many projects to mention in detail, but she turned to music after meeting John Lennon in a taxi in the 60's, then forming the band that would turn into Nursery Rhymes, the first all-female Swedish pop group.

”Från den svenska vildmarken” was Selander's first solo album featuring a brilliant group of backing musicians: Bengt Berger, Urban Yman, Nikke Ström, Palle Danielsson, Torkel Rasmusson and Kjell Westling. The songs were mostly written by Rasmusson, Westling, Leif Nylén and Selander herself, fusing folk, jazz and. Sometimes the album almost sounds like a coarse Pentangle with their brains on fire. It's a genuinely inspired (and inspiring) effort, with excellent playing (listen, for instance, to Bengt Berger letting it loose on opening track ”På lilla värtan”!) and Selander's gritty and wonderful vocals on top.

The lyrics are blatantly political but the highly spirited performances are so good it's easy to look beyond the propagandizing words. ”Från den svenska vildmarken” is one of those albums that somehow has bypassed the interest of collectors, possibly because of the nature of the lyrics, why it still can be found cheap. So there's no excuse for not getting this awesome album!

Full album playlist

SKÄGGMANSLAGET – Pjål, gnäll & ämmel (Sonet, 1970) / Snus, mus och brännvin (Sonet, 1971)

Instrumental, Swedish vocals, other languages

International relevance: **/ **

Skäggmanslaget was one of the best known folk music groups, partly due to their involvement with Contact, playing on their best known track ”Hon kom över mon”. They also worked with accordionist Leif ”Pepparn” Pettersson on his 1973 album ”Nää, nu jäsicken!” and others, and they released a number of albums of their own. They were serious about what they did, but had a more easygoing approach than, for instance, Norrlåtar.

”Pjål, gnäll & ämmel” was their first album and nicely demonstrates their abilities. Apart from core members Peter Logård, Thore Härdelin and Wilhelm Grindsäter, Kjell Westling joins in a couple of tracks, as do noted singer Marie Selander. Contact makes an appearance here, backing Skäggmanslaget on the excellent closing track ”Gråtlåten” – what a pity they never made a full album together!

”Snus, mus och brännvin” followed suit in 1971, again with a guest appearances from Kjell Westling along with Bengt Berger, Urban Yman and nyckelharpa player Ceylon Wallin. It's an even more self-assured album than its predecessor. A fun take on famous Swedish tune ”Trettondedagsmarschen” almost sounds like a cheerful Arbete & Fritid recording features tablas, as does ”Polska efter Nils Hägg” which rounds off the album in a nice way. 

 

Pjål, gnäll & ämmel full album playlist

Snus, mus och brännvin full album playlist

A VARIOUS ARTISTS SPECIAL: 4 POLITICAL COMPILATIONS

Just like one might expect, there's a slew of various artists albums released during the progg years. Some of them are regional releases covering a local scene such as ”Bygg ett eget musikforum”, a double album including several lesser known Uppsala bands plus an exclusive track by Samla Mammas Manna. Others in turn document specific events, such as ”Alternativ festival”, released by MNW in 1975 consisting of live recordings from Alternativfestivalen held as a protest manifestation against the commercially oriented Eurovision Song Contest in Stockholm 1975 following Abba's ”Waterloo” victory in Brighton the previous year. And there's of course the famous 2LP set commemorating the Gärdet festival that many consider the starting point of the entire progg movement.

There's also a fair share of charity styled albums produced to bring attention to certain causes and raise funds to help for instance striking labourers. These albums are of an undeniable historical value, artefacts to remind us of a particular events and moments in time. However, few of them are fun to listen to for other than strictly academical reasons. More often than not, they're bogged down by political fundamentalism and tiresome sloganeering. Even if you sympathize with the core sentiment of the leftwing world view expressed in the lyrics, they soon get overbearing, rendering many of the albums straight up unlistenable. I consider them being of limited interest even to foreign listeners unfamiliar with the Swedish language, due to the often low quality music. That said, they're still part of the progg movement and thus clearly within the scope of this blog, why I've decided to present some of them here as the first in a series of brief overviews.

 ARBETARKAMPEN OCH AVTALSRÖRELSEN (Arbetarkultur, 1974)

Featured artists: Finn Zetterholm / Narren / Jan Hammarlund / Klasskamraterna / 

Oktober / Marie Selander / Knutna Nävar

Swedish vocals, other languages

International relevance: *

Publishing house Arbetarkultur was run by Swedish communist party SKP, but had several record releases out during the 70's from artists such as Maria Hörnelius, Röda Kapellet and Unga Gardet. ”Arbetarkampen och avtalsrörelsen” (”the labourers' struggle and the round of wage negotiations”) has catalogue no. AKLP01 and was recorded live at the Labourer's convention in early 1974. Far left stalwarts Knutna Nävar make a contribution with ”Det är något konstigt med friheten”, while singer/songwriter Jan Hammarlund, one of the first to openly declare being gay and a fierce mouthpiece of the Swedish gay rights movement, appears with three tracks. The album closer speaks for the album's sentiment, a full cast performance of ”The Internationale”.

HÖR MASKINERNAS SÅNG (Proletärkultur, 1973)

Featured artists: Knutna Nävar / Maria Hörnelius / Boråspionjärerna / Wiveka Warenfalk / Fred Åkerström / Röda Ropet / Röd Morgon / KPML(r):s Blåsorkester
Swedish vocals

International relevance: *

 

”Hör maskinernas sång” (”hear the singing of the machines”) is similar to ”Arbetarkampen och avtalsrörelsen” only more hardboiled left-wing, being released by Proletärkultur, the label affiliated with communist party KPLM(r). Of course, KPML(r) figureheads Knutna Nävar appear on the album providing two tracks, plus backing Maria Hörnelius up on ”Den trojanska hästen”. Also featured is renowned singer Fred Åkerström. The album is recorded during KPML(r)'s federation day meeting in 1973 and each song is followed by the unproportionally loud Soviet Union styled audience roar. ”Hör maskinernas sång”– appropriately rounded off with yet another version of "The Internationale" – is the perfect album for anyone who wishes to poke fun at the sometimes over-zealous Swedish leftist engagement in the 70's.

LÅT ALMARNA LEVA (Metronome, 1971)

Featured artists: Cornelis Vreeswijk / Bernt Staf / Fred Åkerström / Tage Lidén

Swedish vocals, English vocals

International relevance: *

The album was recorded in May 1971 in Kungsträdgården, Stockholm in conjunction with the massive protests against the felling of elm trees that were 100 years old to make way for a new subway station. It was a battle of political inclinations, but the real struggle took place between the ordinary protesters and the police. Thousands of people participated in the protests and many of them took turns occupying the area day and night to prevent the trees from being cut down. The trees themselves were occupied to stop the chainsaws and several people were hurt during the week-long clashes, but the protesters won and the elm trees are still there as a much loved symbol of the power of the right to protest. 

Various bands and artists supported the protesters, such as Envoys who, with vocal backing from Charlie & Esdor (of Gärdet festival fame), released a benefit 45 "Almarna åt folket”, a cover of ”Power to the People” with John Lennon's original lyrics translated into a war cry in defense of the preservation of the elm trees. Other noted singer/songwriter artists appeared in Kungsträdgården during the protests, including Cornelis Vreeswijk, Bernt Staf and Fred Åkerström, all appearing on ”Låt almarna leva” (”let the elm trees live”), released on the major record label, Metronome. Short speeches and interviews with the protesters and supporters are interspersed between the tracks, providing the recording with a pronounced documentary feel and the album is highly valuable time capsule of those events. Musically speaking, it's one of the most consistent albums in this post, but it's doubtful it would make much sense to non-Swedish listeners without necessary insight into the historical events which took place all those years ago.

STÖD DE STREJKANDE HAMNARBETARNA (Proletärkultur, 1974)

Featured artists: Thomas Ellerås / Harald ”Bagarn” Andersson / Knutna Nävar / Anja Svederborg / Fred Åkerström / Mats Lundälv / Sven Wollter / Röda Ropet / Dan Berglund

Swedish vocals, English vocals

International relevance: * 

Another typical Proletärkultur release, similar to ”Hör maskinernas sång” above with some of its artists re-appearing here; Knutna Nävar, Fred Åkerström and Röda Ropet, along with several other KPML(r) sympathizers including Knutna Nävar member and later to be famous actor Sven Wollter, and singer/songwriter Dan Berglund, performing one of his best known song "De mördades fria republik" in his typical world-weary voice. (Berglund later left the KPML(r) party and came to dismiss the political engagement of his youth.) The title reads ”support the striking dockers” and there's nothing that can be said about the album that the title doesn't give away immediately. All acoustic pamphlet songs, performed in a typical overwrought ”engaged” fashion. Recorded live at Marx-Engels-huset, "house of Marx-Engels". Go figure.

from Arbetarrörelsen och avtalsrörelsen

Marie Selander - Maskinernas sång

from Hör maskinernas sång

Knutna Nävar - Hör maskinernas sång

Maria Hörnelius & Knutna Nävar - Den trojanska hästen 

Boråspionjärerna - Arbetarmarseljäsen 

Boråspionjärerna - Albaniensång

Wiveka Warenfalk - En proletärmoders vaggvisa

Fred Åkerström - Den trettionde i första -72
Fred Åkerström - Mordet i katedralen 

Röda Ropet & Knutna Nävar - Sång om fjortonde maj

from Stöd de strejkande hamnarbetarna

Knutna Nävar - Balladen om Olsson 

Sven Wollter - Riksdagsvisa 

Dan Berglund - Visa till SAP 

Dan Berglund - De mördades fria republik