SCHÜLDT – Schûldt (Schüldts Förlag & Studio, 1979)

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

It baffles me that it's still possible to find albums that are more or less unheard of, unknown, unheralded. After all, Sweden is a small country and after running this blog for such a long time, probing, digging, scrutinizing what feels like every inch of the progg soil, it seems so improbable that there are any albums left to excavate. But it does happen, and it happens more often than should be statistically possible. (Not to mention the amounts of long gone, buried 45s – is there even an end to it?)

I can honestly say I had never heard of Schüldt before I came across this private pressing from 1979. Although the front cover shows only the richly bearded Björn Schüldt, it's actually a duo album recorded with his wife Heléne who was highly involved in the songwriting and vocals, played guitar and autoharp, as well as creating the tapestry used for the album's artwork. She has a rather nice voice and a vocal style steeped in both British and American traditions. Björn's vocals are closer to a singer/songwriter style – I can even trace a bit of Ola Magnell here and there. I like Heléne better – Björn's voice is a bit dry with a slightly numb sort of timbre. Their voices blend rather well though on the tracks with both of them singing.

Surprisingly enough, it's all original material, but just like the vocals, the songs themselves display a deep love for the traditional material of both the UK and the USA. Heléne is a tad closer to the Brits, and she also wrote the best song. Her ”Nattlig frost” opens the album and is pretty great in a style that would have worked well on Lal & Mike Waterson's masterful ”Bright Phoebus” album. Björn leans a bit more towards blues and Appalachian country folk.

The lyrics are split between Swedish and English, but the couple's English pronounciation isn't the best why the native language tracks work best. Apart from that, the whole album is elaborate enough both in terms of execution and sound. Especially for being recorded in their own studio which was obviously well equipped for the mainly acoustic framework. Despite the sparse arrangements, the music sounds satisfyingly rich thanks to the couple's tactful and tactile mixing work capturing the rural quality of the songs.

”Schüldt” isn't a 'lost classic', but with some lesser shortcomings aside, it's still rather pleasant and pleasing. And better yet, it suggests that there might be more and perhaps even better albums out there, still undiscovered.

Nattlig frost  
The Wish Of A Bird  

SPRING QUINTETT – Spring Quintett (Polar, 1981)

Instrumental
International relevance: **

Mixing members from Sweden, Denmark and Norway, ”Spring Quintett” was released in Sweden on Polar in 1981. An unusual release for a label best known for ABBA, as this is a relatively imaginative fusion album, centered around EGBA member Bjarne Roupé's guitar and Mats Lundvall's piano. The songs were mainly written by saxophonist Stefan Grahn, and they don't take the easy way out; the songs have quitks and angles not too typical to early 80s standard fusion. Spring Quintett had a broad scope of jazz styles merging into something rather original and underappreciated. You can hear traces of performers as diverse as Pharoah Sanders, Terje Rypdal, Harald Svensson, and late 70s free jazz, with dashes of Albert Ayler's and Ornette Coleman's melodicity. While not an absolute top shelf release, it does have a quite a few interesting touches and moments. I would have liked to hear more from this outfit, but this was unfortunately their only album. The streaming version has one bonus track though.

Full album playlist (with bonus track)

PIERRE STRÖM & FINN ZETTERHOLM – Första maj: 11 socialistiska sånger (YTF, 1973)

   

Swedish vocals
International relevance: *

Neither Pierre Ström nor Finn Zetterholm are strangers to this blog, but this is the only album they did together. Not that I mourn that fact, because I'm not a fan of any of them and this one double bill effort is more than enough.

The album title means ”First of May (11 Socialist Songs)”, and it's entirely dedicated to songs associated with Labour Day and the labour movement. And it sounds just like a political rally, with Ström & Zetterholm predictably opening with ”L'Internationale” before yelping their way through Swedish versions of Socialism's Greatest Hits like ”Bandiera Rossa”, ”The Partisan” and ”Warschawjanka” (one of the better songs in this field). Despite utilizing the talents of usual suspects Janne Schaffer, Göran Lagerberg, Jan Bandel and a handful of other experienced studio faithfuls, most of it sounds pretty much like any album of this ilk. "Warschawjanka" has some wah-wah guitar colour and there's somewhat unusual drum pattern at the end of ”Bandiera Rossa”, but it's only details that can't save the album.

Cover variations exist, some with a sticker with album title and the artists' names on front, some with no such info at all on the front sleeve.

Första maj / Partisansången / Bandiera Rossa / Världens alla slavar vakna  / Komintern  / Warschawjanka / Riegohymnen/ Socialisternas marsch 

SANSARA MUSIC BAND – Plays The Music Of Lars Färnlöf (Mirrors, 2008; rec. 1976)

  
Instrumental
International relevance: ***

I'm not too impressed by Sansara Music Band's only other release, an eponymous album recorded in 1977. This archival disc is taken from a radio session the previous year with a largely different line-up, but the style is roughly the same, meaning funky soul jazz with light fusion touches. Although I'm not amazingly thrilled by it, it's still a more vivid performance with especially pianist Bobo Stenson leaving an indeliable mark on the recording. If I had to choose one of Sansara's now two albums, I'd go with this one.

Full album playlist

SAREK – Smol 1 (Bastun, 1981) / Ohoj! (Mandarine, 7”, 1980)

 
Swedish vocals
International relevance: *

Sarek (not to be confused with any other band by that name) were distantly related to Splash through multi-instrumentalist Kay Söderström, while drummer Gus Dahlberg appears on Mikael Ramel's all too underrated ”Jag rycker dig i svansen” in 1979. Thommie Fransson in turn was an oft-hired session guitarist who also released a solo album at the tail end of Sarek's existence.

Sarek's debut came with an absolutely appalling 45 in 1980 with the idiot rock of ”Ohoj!” on side 1 and the pseudo yacht rock of ”Alla tiders hjälte” on the flip.

The curiously entitled LP ”Smol 1” followed the next year and is in a similar vein, but it also displays a clear inspiration from contemporary Zappa. The best track on the disc is even a cover of Zappa's ”More Trouble Every Day”, here named "Spüan”. That's a homemade spelling of the word ”spyan” meaning ”the vomit” and gives you an example of Sarek's low rent humour.

I certainly don't recommend it, but if anyone wants to hear Sarek's Tonkraft gig from April 1980, it's available as scattered tracks on this Youtube channel.

Full album + single 

NISSE SANDSTRÖM GROUP – Öppet Ett (Caprice, 2023; rec. 1965-67)

  
Instrumental
International relevance: ***

”Öppet” (=”open”) is a series of releases curated by free jazz saxophonist and standard-bearer Mats Gustafsson and archivist Roger Bergner, with the ambition to unearth previously unreleased, high quality recordings from the Swedish jazz and avantgarde underground 1965-1975. The series was initiated in 2023 with the very hands-on help from Caprice Records who release the albums in vinyl-only editions and for streaming.

The first volume was by Nisse Sandström, a saxophonist whose 1972 album ”The Painter” in 1972 has become an awarded Swedish jazz classic. Sandström's been more of a sideman, working with numerous performers over the years including Björn J:son Lindh, bassists Red Mitchell and Sture Nordin, Cornelis Vreeswijk, Bernt Rosengren, Monica Törnell and American born piano player Horace Parlan. ”Öppet ett” is notable for several reasons. The recordings predates ”The Painter” with several years, and it features musicians then largely unknown but soon-to-be progg heavyweights: Erik Dahlbäck (Fläsket Brinner), the aforementioned J:son Lindh, and Bella Linnarsson (Baby Grandmothers, Kebnekajse).

The two tracks on the 'A' side predate the time range of this blog, being taped in 1965 and 1966. Nevertheless, they're prime examples of early Swedish free jazz; a must-hear for anyone interested in its regional development. But side 2's ”Bränn fläsket” is something out of the ordinary. Not only does it fit here because of the 1967 recording date, it's a massive 21+ minutes chunk of free-thinking, explorative, explosive free jazz that transcends its own genre. Thanks to Erik Dahlbäck's hard-hitting drumming, it's a visionary, ahead-of-its-time mergence of avant jazz and rock music unheard of in Sweden in 1967. It's the 1960s equivalent to what Mats Gustafsson himself would do some 35 years later with The Thing and Fire! Orchestra. With Linnarsson's electric bass, J:son Lindh's tape treatments and what have you, it almost predicts noise rock in a time when nobody could imagine such a thing (except perhaps for two or three New Yorkers around Angus MacLise).

”Bränn fläsket” was recorded by Swedish Radio for broadcast in early autumn 1967. Had it actually been released back then, it's not unlikely it would have changed the course and sped up the evolution of experimental rock as we know it today. And not only does it significantly move the historical markers, it's bloody great too with the energy of a nuclear power plant!

”Öppet ett” is a top level release, a must from every perspective.

Full album playlist 

PETER VON SOLYMOSSY – Den 30:e februari (Buda, 1980)

  
Swedish vocals
International relevance: **

A little known or should I say deliberately ignored album by one Peter von Solymossy of whom I know just about nothing. Looking like a private release, but distributed by EMI with a pretty extensive list of musicians credits including Rune Carlsson on drums (not the jazz drummer with the same name). Recorded in a studio situated just below Greg FitzPatrick's synthesizer shop in Stockholm, and produced by Håkan Wollgård who worked with numerous acts as diverse as punk legends Rude Kids, feminist proggers Mixed Media, Mats Glenngård, and postpunk synth band Ståålfågel to name but a few. The sound is quite lavish – it sounds more expensive than it probably is.

”Den 30:e februari” is a strange one. All songs were written by von Solymossy, and although pretty well written, they seem rather mainstream on the surface. But the entire albums has some weird underpinnings of light symphonic rock, as evident on tracks like ”Själens uppvaknande” and ”Snödrottningen”. The guitar work is quite heavy, especially on ”Den plötsliga dödens minut” and ”Disc-Yockey” [sic!]. Not a masterpiece, but a bit of a grower, and it's actually really pleasant to listen to even if it's far from a Mr. Brown or a Saga. Von Solymossy wasn't untalented and it's a pity that ”Den 30:e februari” were his only album. You might not take to it, but I think it's still worth hearing at least a couple of times.

Den plötsliga dödens minut / Själens uppvaknande / Sången är skriven för oss / Dimman bakom horisonten / Snödrottningen / Disc-Yockey / Allting är så nära / Avsked

SKY HIGH – Sky High (Good Vibes, 1980)

 

Swedish vocals

International relevance: *

Guitarist Clas Yngström had been active since the early 70s and appeared on disc already in 1971 on Acke Gårdenäs's (Acke & Gurra) single ”There Is A Man In The Rain”. He joined forces with Dennis Huntington (Love Explosion) in political rock band Röda Ropet and appeared on their lone album ”Spänn bågen” in 1975. In the same year he took a real step forward as a guitarist with Soffgruppen who released their ”Greatest Sits”, one of the most forceful fusion jazz albums released in Sweden. He stayed with Soffgruppen for a couple of years, and following their demise, he started power trio Sky High in 1978. Starting out as a lingonberry version of Jimi Hendrix performing mostly his songs, they later turned into a lingonberry version of ZZ Top.

Sky High's first single was released by Sista Bussen in 1979, featuring completely pointless and more or less note-by-note covers of ”Red House” and ”Stone Free”. They then switched to Swedish vocals for a second Sista Bussen single, the anti nuclear power track ”Säj nej... till kärnkraft” backed with ”Säj ja... till livet”. The 'A' side was a translated Earl King cover while the flipside was a funky original track. The Hendrix influence is still evident, and Yngström really loves his own guitar wanking.

The eponymous debut album also appeared in shops in 1980. Only one Jimi cover, a translated version of ”I Don't Live Today”, but Yngström's own songs sound so much like Hendrix covers too that it's almost identity theft. Plus, he's a very nondescript singer. The only thing that gives this album some character is that all lyrics are in Swedish, something that would change already to the even more unlistenable second album ”Still Rockin'” from 1982.

”Sky High” was reissued on CD in 2005 with ”Red House” from the debut single plus both tracks from the second one as bonuses. Also added were two further provocatively redundant Hendrix covers (in English), ”Voodoo Chile (Slight Return)” and ”Little Wing”.

Full album playlist with bonus tracks 
"Stone Free"

SHEKINA – On Our Way To Love (Transubstans, 2024; rec. 1976)

 

English vocals, instrumental

International relevance: ***

After the demise of Änglabarn, his participation in ”Hair” and ”Jesus Christ Superstar” but before his solo career, Dan Tillberg teamed up with the band Solen Strålar (not to be confused with Solen Skiner) who had been around since the early 70s but only played a few gigs. The band asked Tillberg if he wanted to be their lead vocalist, and after only one rehearsal, he agreed to it. They changed their name to Shekina, new songs were written, and soon they found themselves recording a full album in Tillberg's newly built Bellatrix studio when it wasn't booked by other artists. However, running the studio and the label attached to it, Tillberg realized he didn't have the time to head a band too. The recordings ended up unreleased until Transubstans got their hands on them, finally releasing them as ”On Our Way To Love” in 2024.

One can only wonder what would have happened if the album had been released as originally intended. Because the thing is, it's a quite beautiful album of progressive pop with symphonic touches. The songs are really lovely and well-composed, the arrangements are lucid and Tillberg's vocals are the best I've heard, sincere but relaxed and respectful to the melodies. I sense a light touches of Moody Blues in Shekina's music and lyrics but without the Moodies' strains of self-pity.

I didn't know what to expect from Shekina on beforehand, but I was pleasantly surprised. The album has a mellow sweetness and melodic care that I find rather irresistable. As a matter of fact, it's a little gem that really should have been released already 50 years ago.

No links found

GÁBOR SZABÓ – The Swedish albums

Gábor Szabó was a Hungarian born American guitarist whose best known albums are ”Bacchanal”, ”Dreams” both from 1968, and unfortunately also unbelievably cheesy ”Jazz Raga” from 1967. If you want to hear stunningly bad sitar playing, please choose ”Jazz Raga”, one of legendary jazz label Impulse's greatest brainslips. ”Bacchanal” and ”Dreams” however are two lovely examples of pop jazz with psychedelic tinges. Two albums of quality cool kitsch.

 

Small World (Four Leaf Clover, 1972)

Instrumental

International relevance: **

Recorded in two days in August 1972 in Stockholm, this is the first Szabó album to feature Swedish musicians, this time Schaffer and Nils-Erik Svensson of Svenska Löd AB!, Stefan Brolund, Sture Nordin, and Berndt Egerbladh. It's one of Szabó's best 70s albums, very close to his 60s work, with his characteristic guitar sound set to a groove-laiden background. Szabó recorded the Oriental sounding ”Mizrab” several times, but this version is the best of them all, with a great, funky ensemble performance. (A mizrab is the special kind of plectrum you put on your index finger when you play sitar.) ”Small World” is an often overlooked album which deserves more attention. Several different cover variations exist.

 

Belsta River (Four Leaf Clover, 1979)

Instrumental

International relevance: **

Another two-day session in Sweden, this time in January 1978 (but not released until the following year). Only Schaffer is left from ”Small World”, with Wlodek Gulgowski, Malando Gassama, Peter Sundell (from De Gladas Kapell), and Finnish/Swedish Pekka Pohjola joining him. Nowhere near as good as ”Small World”, this is muzak fusion, decorative but dull. The Latin affected ”24 Carat” has some life in it, but it's still not very good. (The album was also released in Japan as ”24 Carat”.)

”Belsta River” was to be one of Szabó's last albums. He died in 1982 while visiting his birth town Budapest only 45 years old from liver and kidney failure caused by drug abuse.

Small World full album playlist
Belsta River full album playlist

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

SCAFELL PIKE – Complete albums 1973-1976

 The Month Of Maying (Epic, 1973)
Lord's Rake (Epic, 1974)
Four's A Crowd (Mercury, 1976)
English vocals
International relevance: *

An English/Swedish combo playing a watered down version of British folk rock, closer to an unholy mix of Lindisfarne and Cat Stevens than any Fairport Convention or Steeleye Span. Still they were a very popular act in their day, often heard on the radio and appearing on TV. They were the first exposure I ever got to anything even close to British folk melodies, and thus a tiny seed was sowed for my lifelong love for UK folk rock.

Scafell Pike also fleshed out their English repertoire with Swedish songs by the likes of haughty troubadour Evert Taube and 18th century poet and songwriter Carl Michael Bellman, all translated into English. But everything comes out twee and/or perked up. Saying that ”Lord's Rake” is their best album doesn't say much at all, because it's still way too insufficient and superficial to deserve a listen. There's absolutely no need to bother when the great UK folk rock bands are readily available to anyone these days.

Scafell Pike later became more of a classic rock band, a style they weren't very good at either.

The Month Of Maying full album playlist
Lord's Rake full album
Four's A Crowd full album playlist

BENGT SÄNDH & FINN ZETTERHOLM – Complete albums 1969-1977

 Hemtjörda visor (Sonet, 1969) with Finn Zetterholm
OBS. täxten (Sonet, 1969) with Finn Zetterholm
Världens minnsta LP (YTF, 1971, 33 rpm 7") with Finn Zetterholm
Folklår – våra allra fulaste visor (YTF, 1977) with Finn Zetterholm
Swedish vocals
International relevance: -

Bengt Sändh is a troubadour with a life story much more interesting than his music. He grew up in orphanages and foster homes where he was sexually assaulted by the carers before eventually moving to his grandfather. He went to nine different schools in three years, and was repeteadly held in custody and reformatories. He ran away from one of them, as did he from military service for which he spent a month in open prison. He reputedly stole 46 cars in ten days and had forty different jobs in the course of a few years, including pall bearer, locksmith and mannequin maker. His recording debut came in 1965 with an album together with fellow troubadours Stefan Atterhall and Finn Zetterholm. Zetterholm came to be Sändh's most frequent collaborator over the years, both being controversial figures with a taste for songs and subjects on and over the edge of the commonly morally acceptable. (He also released a couple of albums with two other troubadours, Rune Andersson and Jeja Sundström, plus two solo albums up to 1981 but they're not included here.) 

Rudeness and drinking were two regular characteristics. Always at odds with society and its norms as a person and a performer, his albums were honestly meant manifestations of his denial of acceptability rooted in a disappointment with social rules. But in the end, they're all about shock value. Once the effect wears off which it immediately does, they just sound pueril and empty to an outsider. And with the music being bad too it's absolutely nothing to waste your time on.

After leaving the music scene, Sändh became a snuff producer (not as in snuff movies, but as in tobacco).

Hemtjörda visor full album playlist
OBS. täxten full album playlist
Världens minnsta LP full 7"
Folklår full album playlist

PIERRE STRÖM – Complete solo albums 1970-1976

Pierre Ström was one of the prime exponents of the wave of Swedish troubadours, or visa singers, in the 60s and 70s that included among others Cornelis Vreeswijk, Fred Åkerström, Thorstein Bergman and Finn Zetterholm. The visa singers rarely went progg full on, but they shared progg's general political sympathies more often than not so there's a loose connection between them.

Ström is already on the blog with ”Joe Hill lever!”, a joint release with Oscar Norrman and Anders Granell. Ström had two more collaborative albums out in the 70s (one with Finn Zetterholm), but this review is for the albums solely credited to him.

I vädurens tecken (Intersound, 1970)
Swedish vocals
nternational relevance: *

After making a sneak debut on a various artists compilation in 1969 and a 7” on MNW subsidiary Green Light, ”I vädurens tecken” was his first full length album. It has it's share of mildly brooding moments but it's generally a more good natured collection than the album cover might lead you to believe. The emphasis on Swedish covers of Tom Paxton, Leonard Cohen and Simon & Garfunkel and the light pop backing sometimes augmented with orchestral arrangements suggest that Ström was more in tune with his times than some of his peers. Pleasant but not hugely exciting.

Pierre Ström sjunger sånger av Leonard Cohen (Intersound, 1971)
Swedish vocals
International relevance: *

The title says ”Pierre Ström sings songs by Leonard Cohen”, and that's exactly what it is, a full disc of translated Cohen songs. Ström never strays far from the original versions, and that perhaps served a purpose in 1971 before the original artist was a household name in Sweden, but 50 years on the album has severely deteriorated into redundancy. The Leslie treated vocals on ”Lavin” (=”Avalanche”) is a nice touch though.

The album was reissued as "Cohen på svenska" (="Cohen in Swedish") by YTF in 1974. 

Rallarvisor (YTF, 1973)
Swedish vocals, a cappella, instrumental
International relevance: *

Two years on and a switch to the visa movement's own label YTF. Still having problems getting original material together, or a lack of interest in such a venture, Ström looked to the traditional songs of the rail layers of old. He obviously felt at home in this material because he sounds much more confident than on his first two albums. The light pop ambitions are gone in favour of a small ensemble consisting of old-timey dance accordeonist Sone Banger, jazz bassist Red Mitchell and folk fiddler Björn Ståbi, giving ”Rallarvisor” a stronger local flavour. A handful of a cappella tracks (or backed with the metallic clang of hammers against railway sleepers) further helps setting it apart from what came before. The problem with thematic albums such as this though is that they can come across as museal, and that goes for this one as well.

På Palmes tid (YTF, 1976)

Swedish vocals

International relevance: **

Finally an album of Pierre Ström originals, and a return to fuller arrangements. Banger and Ståbi are still on board, but the personnel's expanded with drummer Jan Bandel (Atlantic Ocean, Jason's Fleece, Baltik and many more), Bengan Karlsson (Heta Linjen, Svenska Löd AB!) and Björn J:son Lindh (but no Schaffer!). It's not as rockish as one could have hoped for though. Ström's songs are closer to the political progg of the day than say, a Heta Linjen groove although both ”Motströms” and ”Solens gyllne lampa” adds a bit of funkiness to the mix. Best track by far is ”En kväll rätt sent”, politically charged but with a slight mysterious mood brought on by Bengan Karlsson's watery guitar sound and bated playing. A must-hear it is not, but Pierre Ström's best album nonetheless, housed in an eye-catching jolie laide album cover.

I vädurens tid full album playlist
Sjunger sånger av Leonard Cohen full album playlist
Rallarvisor full album playlist
På Palmes tid full album playlist

SJÖN SUGER – Complete albums 1974-1978

I kustbandet (Polydor, 1974)

Sjön Suger (Strike Of Sweden, 1976)

Värre än vanligt (Strike Of Sweden, 1977)

Fina fisken (Marianne, 1978)

Swedish vocals, English vocals, instrumental

International relevance: -

Mentioned in the "100 other artists to listen to" in ”The Encyclopedia Of Swedish Progressive Music”. Similar in style to Grus I Dojjan but better playing. Cheerful roots music, tongue-in-cheek trad jazz and interwar period goodtime songs with ”humourous” lyrics. There's no need to distinguish the albums, they all sound the same and they're all bad.

I kustbandet no links found
Sjön Suger full album playlist
Värre än vanligt full album playlist
Fina fisken full album playlist

ÅKE SANDIN – Förlorad i toner (Subliminal Sounds, 2002; rec. 1965-70)

 Swedish vocals
International relevance: -

I don't have many rules for this blog, but one unwritten law is to include all artists mentioned in Tobias Peterson's ”The Encyclopedia Of Swedish Progressive Music”. That includes the 100 artists mentioned as ”suggested further listening”. Some inclusions in the book, especially among the extra 100, are puzzling. Sometimes I wonder what Peterson's selection criteria was.

That certainly goes for Åke Sandin. True he was a solitary original, recording his weird songs with idiosyncratic vocals and strange lyrics and releasing them himself. But the musical style was a remnant from the popular songs of the second world war and after. His songs, including those from his sole album ”Rariteter i kokäkta konvolut” with an album cover made of cloth and released in 1968, fit the Incredibly Strange Music tag. I can appreciate such myself as it's often so weird and off that you sort of have to learn to listen anew. And yes, I'm somehow fascinated by Sandin, but progg it is not. Not even with my otherwise generous definition of progg. So this post is merely to fulfill my own blog law.

Subliminal Sounds released "Förlorad i toner" in 2002 which collects everything Sandin recorded between 1965 and 1970.

Full album playlist

MIA SANDBERG – Hälften av din kudde (Sonet, 1982)

Swedish vocals
International relevance: *

Second album from this confessional singer/songwriter, following two years after her debut ”...från mig”. Lyrically following along the same lines of slightly self-pitying diary poetry, but musically it's more ethereal with fretless bass and an airy production touching on new age. Put it all together and you have a truly terrible album with a embarrassing title meaning ”half of your pillow”. Avoid at all costs.

Features Janne Schaffer and Björn J:son Lindh, with liner notes by Swedish Academy member and author Lars Forsell.

Full album playlist

LEE SCHIPPER – Phunky Physicist (CAM, 1975)

Instrumental
International relevance: **

Now here are some peculiar turn of events! Lee Schipper was an American physicist specializing in energy efficency research and considered something of a pioneer on climate issues. He was also a vibraphonist and recorded an album in 1973 with Swedish musicians Stefan Brolund, Ola Brunkert, Christer Eklund, and thick-as-thieves couple Schaffer & J:son, plus Americans Art Lande on piano and Ted Curson on trumpet, and produced by Swedish big band leader Lasse Samuelsson. The album, appropriately entitled ”Phunky Physicist” was originally only released on Italian library music label CAM in 1975 before eventually getting a Swedish reissue on Four Leaf Clover two years later with new title ”Jazz Meeting 1”. Later yet it appeared as a digital release expanded with two bonus tracks, one with the eyebrow raising title ”LSD Takes A Holiday”.

I'm not a fan of the vibraphone; it's too close in sound to steel pans and there's something about it that makes me restless. A personal thing for sure, but even without the vibraphone, the album isn't too thrilling. It's all very competent but also very dutiful, going through the motions without much excitement. It leans towards fusion jazz but without becoming a fully fledged fusion album of the most formulaic kind. The track ”Still Life” moves in a silent way (if you get the drift) and is one of the best ones on the album. Apart from that, it's Jan Schaffer who gets to shine the most here, going crazy in opening number ”Phunky Physicist” and ”Harvest Machine” (also found on Schaffer's debut LP in a tamer version). ”LSD Takes A Holiday” is unfortunately not as strange as the title might lead you to believe.

So the album has some OK moments, but the somewhat odd story behind it is much more interesting than the album itself.

Full album playlist with bonus tracks

STÖRNINGEN – I görningen (Subverskivbolaget, 1976)

Swedish vocals
International relevance: **

”I görningen” has a couple of pretty good tracks like ”Främlingen på Stockholms C”, perhaps ”Det är jag som får tacka” and the towering closer ”Fruset land”, but it also has a Blå Tåget-styled pastiche and a few other clunkers dragging the album down. Still, it's better than some other Uppsala bands on Subverskivbolaget and Piglet, like Teddybjörn Band and the largely terrible Sub-gruppen (both bands share members with Störningen). Worth noting is the appearance of Lars Hollmer on accordeon and vocals. ”I görningen” has its share of fans, but it's far too uneven for me to recommend it.

Full album

SALAMANDER – Live At Northsea Jazz Festival (Dragon, 1981)

Instrumental, Swedish vocals
International relevance: ***

Despite having Susanna Lindeborg on piano, Salamander isn't a Mwendo Dawa offshoot but very much an entity of its own she took part in, with its own strengths and merits. They made five albums during the first half of the 80's, but only their debut, recorded live at the Northsea Jazz Festival in The Hague in the summer of 1981, fits within with this blog's time frame.

The album is full of very good multifaceted music, ranging from wild free jazz outbursts sometimes reminiscent of Albert Ayler to gentle lyrical passages and further on to cheeky silliness and then back again. Honest music that never takes itself too seriously, never falls into over-cerebreal traps which makes it a very accessible and very entertaining piece of work.

The first side is my favourite, and consists of three compositions by saxophonist Cecilia Wennerström. Despite all being different in tone and style, the three tracks make a flowing but cohesive whole. Second side has two tracks ”Vaggsång för havet” by Katarina Karlsson and the charmingly jerky ”Ekorrhjulet” by drummer Vanja Holm. Both tracks feature Karlsson's vocal and may be an acquired taste, but they're so disarming (especially on ”Ekorrhjulet”) I don't mind them.

Seemingly overlooked, Salamander was a most convincing constellation with a personal tone and an endearing charm, always open to surprise both themselves and the listener with compositions that not necessarily followed the expected direction.

Full album playlist