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

BJÖRN ARAHB – Björnspår (YTF, 1973) / Svantes visor (YTF, 1975) / Visor ur klyvnadens tid (YTF, 1980)

The remaining three Björn Arahb albums released under his own name up to 1980. His recorded output is fairly slim compared to others from the golden era of Swedish troubadours with only a handful of albums including a couple made with other artists. Feautured in ”The Encyclopedia of Swedish Progressive Music”, although only one of his albums has progg bearings, the previously reviewed ”Jag är en bekymrad socialist”.

Björnspår (YTF, 1973)
Swedish vocals
International relevance: -

Starting out as short film maker in the 60s, Arahb turned to a musical career in the early 70s. His debut album appeared in 1973, a collection of thirteen fairly short songs revealing a clear inspiration from highbrow troubadour Olle Adolphson. Very dated.

Svantes visor (YTF, 1975)
Swedish vocals

International relevance: -

A full album of songs written by Danish poet/songwriter Benny Andersen translated by top troubadour Cornelis Vreeswijk. The songs were originally performed by Povl Dissing, best known internationally for working with fellow Danes Beefeaters and Burnin Red Ivanhoe. Dissing's similarily titled original album isn't too great, but it still has a lot more character than Arahb's sterile version of it.
 

Visor ur klyvnadens tid (YTF, 1980)
Swedish vocals
International relevance: -

Following a collaborative album with Monica Nielsen, ”Visor ur klyvnadens tid” was Arahb's last album in almost two decades. This time with lyrics by proletatian author Ivar Lo-Johansson, but there's really nothing to set it apart from Arahb's other albums. The tone has the same kind of preciosity as ever before, and it hasn't become any less grating. Arranged by Thomas Frykberg.

Björnspår full album playlist
Svantes visor full album playlist
Visor ur klyvnadens tid full album playlist

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

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

BJÖRN ARAHB – Jag är en bekymrad socialist (YTF, 1974)

Swedish vocals
International relevance: *

Björn Arahb was a visa singer (to remind you, visa is a certain kind of Swedish singer/songwriter music) that made handful of albums in the 70's and early 80's. 

Released in 1974, it's made up by songs written and released by the #1 visa singer Cornelis Vreeswijk. Several jazz and prog alumnis back him up, including Wlodek Gulgowski, Sabu Martinez, Jan Bandel and Luis Agudo (Energy). Lorne de Wolfe of Contact designed the album cover. Together they work up a funky groove on some tracks – try for instance ”Telegram for Lucidor”, ”En visa till Ellen när hon hade flyttat hemifrån” or ”Ågren”. Thing is, you can get it too from Vreeswijk's own albums around 1969/70, and better. And as Arahb tries hard to mimick Vreeswijk's special way of phrasing, ”Jag är en bekymrad socialist” comes off as a redudant work of a lesser copycat. The album is of course meant as a tribute but it falls flat compared to the original.

Full album playlist

HAI & TOPSY – Jag sjunger ej om kungar, jag sjunger ej om mord... De fattigas visor (YTF, 1974)

Swedish lyrics
International relevance: *

Hai & Topsy had a rather colourful background. Hai, real name Heinrich Frankl, was born in Wiesbaden in Germany to Jewish parents. He managed to flee from Germany to Sweden only a few days before the outbreak of the Second World War. (His parents were later killed in Auschwitz.) Here, he acquainted other Jewish refugees and quickly learnt a number of traditional Jiddisch songs from them.

Hai recieved a monthly grant from the Swedish quakers in the 40s, and thus he was able to attend Stockholm's premiere art school Konstfack where he met Topsy, real name Gunnel Wahlström. They soon became a couple and began performing as a musical duo in restaurants and other places welcoming their music. They became a pretty well-known act over time, and in the 60s they teamed up with the ever-present Kjell Westling along with other domestic folk musicians. Hai & Topsy's record debut was already in 1959 with a six track EP on the Cupol label, only marking the start of a long career spawning numerous of releases in various formats.

The politically oriented ”Jag sjunger ej om kungar, jag sjunger ej om mord...” (”I sing not of kings, I sing not of murder”) with subtitle ”De fattigas visor” (”songs of the poor”) was released in 1974. There's not much to distinguish it from Hai & Topsy's other albums, meaning it's chock full of traditional songs performed in the most rosy-cheeked, jolly-jolly, thumbs-up-all-day-long kind of way. They were part of the zeitgest, but their personal stories are much more intriguing than ever their music.

Full album playlist

KLARATEATERN – Sessornas sånger (YTF, 1976)

Swedish vocals
International relevance: **

With music written by Gunnar Evander (and lyrics by Per Lysander and Suzanne Osten), this stands as something of the third part in the informal feminist trilogy beginning with ”Sånger om kvinnor” in 1971 and continuing with ”Jösses flickor – befrielsen är nära” in 1975. While not great, ”Sessornas sånger” stands head and shoulders above the previous two. It's more refined, the perfomances are smoother thanks to seasoned studio pros such as Rolf Alex and Jan Bandel but it's also a bit lacklustre, and the songs are at least occasionally better. Although they originate from a stage performance by Klarateatern, several of them are focused enough to stand on their own, in particular the almost-funky ”Den svarta prinsessan och den röda”, the evocative ”Sessornas magar” and the brooding gospel-tinged ”O Gud gör mig fattig”. ”Äntligen en prins” isn't that great, but fans of wah-wah might appreciate it nevertheless. Some songs have male vocals, but the songs featuring female vocals fare generally better.

Being musical excerpts from a stage play, the songs tell a story, with the plot centered around the Swedish princesses. Given ”Sessornas sånger” was released at the height of progg era, it's critical of the Swedish monarchy. 

All in all, the album's value is greater as a period piece than a musical work.

Comes with a lyric sheet.

No links found

BJÖRN EHRLING – Frihetens legender (YTF, 1978)

 
Swedish vocals

International relevance: *

Björn Ehrling was a 'visa' singer, that particular Swedish brand of singer/songwriters that was widely popular in the 60s and 70s. Ehrling released only a few albums during his recording career, two of them on the YTF imprint. This is his second LP, and with a title like ”Frihetens legender” (”the legends of freedom”) you might expect politically inclined songs with a possible Spanish or Latin flair. If so, you're almost right – the material is chosen entirely from the Portugal's rich fado tradition and then translated to Swedish.

Ehrling's got a decent voice used in the same slightly over-zealous style that often comes with the visa genre. It's a largely forgettable album included here only as a favour to the Turid completists out there as she adds backing vocals to the track ”Nu är vi fria”. Bear in mind though that her effort is of minimal proportions, and unless you knew it's actually her, you could mistake her for just about any angel-voiced chanteuse.

Nu har vi fest

BO HANSSON – Ur trollkarlens hatt (Silence, 1972) / Mellanväsen (Silence, 1975) / El-Ahrairah (YTF, 1977)

 Ur trollkarlens hatt (Silence, 1972)

Instrumental
International relevance: ***

It's impossible for anyone to follow up a masterpiece like ”Sagan om ringen” with something equally good, Bo Hansson included. Therefore, his subsequent albums will always stand in the shadow of his monumental debut. You almost have to forget you've ever heard ”Sagan om ringen” – at least, that's what I had to do to fully appreciate ”Ur trollkarlens hatt”. Truth is, it's a very loveable album, not as dark as its predecessor (see? now I'm comparing it to ”Sagan om ringen” again!), more like drinking dewdrops in the morning with the sun shining through the foliage of trees. It's a wonderful album, meaning both incredibly beautiful and full of wonder.

The album was released abroad as ”Magician's Hat” with cover variations.

Mellanväsen (Silence, 1975)
Instrumental

International relevance: ***

There's something about ”Mellanväsen” (international title: ”Attic Thoughts”) that makes it more intangible than Hansson's previous albums. It has more guitars (courtesy of Finn Sjöberg of Kvartetten Som Sprängde, and Kenny Håkansson) that somehow seem to restrict the album, and with more syntesizers in use, it also has an unbecoming coldness to it. Also, Hansson's regular session drummer Rune Carlsson has a stiffer way of playing here than before. It's also a bit worrying that the music at times veers towards fusion, only a tiny bit as if it doesn't want you to notice, but you can't help but doing it anyway. ”Mellanväsen” isn't a bad album but somewhat unsatisfactory.

The international cover seen above is eye-slicingly terrible. The drawing of Hansson makes him look like a mean-spirited caricature of Sweden's then prime minister Olof Palme.

El-Ahrairah (YTF, 1977)

Instrumental
International relevance: ***

Another album based on a book, this time Richard Adams's ”Watership Down” (the album's international title is ”Music Inspired by Watership Down”). ”El-Ahrairah” also saw Bo Hansson signing with a new label, YTF. My concerns with ”Mellanväsen” are even greater here. It's further down fusion road and despite several excellent names in the credits list – Kenny Håkansson, Bosse Skoglund, Sten Bergman, Göran Lagerberg et al – the music just won't come to life. The best track is the first part of ”Flykt” which sounds like the music to a porn scene in an Italian horror movie. I want to like this album more than I do, but unfortunately, there's too little here to invite me into the music.

The cover art was again mutilated for the album's international release:

”El-Ahrairah” is the last of the 'real' Hansson albums. He made ”Mitt i livet” for Silence in 1985 but that one doesn't count.

Ur trollkarlens hatt full album playlist with bonus track
Mellanväsen full album playlist with bonus track
El-Ahrairah full album playlist with bonus track

FOLK & RACKARE – Complete albums 1974-1981

In the wake of the anti-imperialistic forces in the late 60's and 70's, several bands turned to traditional Swedish music, taking a stand against the American influence on Swedish culture. Most of those bands and artists based their repertoire on instrumental tunes rather than songs, but Folk & Rackare delved deep into the old domestic narrative music. Softly adding a rock touch, they became the Swedish equivalent to particularly UK folk rockers Steeleye Span, with harmony vocals and a softer sound than for instance, Fairport Convention. Their first release was actually a duo album by front couple Carin Kjellman and Ulf Gruvberg, but when expanding their line-up, they soon turned into a very popular band, releasing several albums up until 1985.

Med rötter i medeltiden (Sonet, 1974)
as Carin Kjellman & Ulf Gruvberg

Swedish vocals, instrumental, a cappella

International relevance: ***

The duo debut with acoustic guitars, fiddles, flutes and bagpipes and also a couple of a capella songs. I used to be a huge fan of this, but my infatuation has slowly worn off with time. ”Liten Kersti stalledräng” and ”Maj är välkommen” are still nice enough tracks, but the general mellowness of the album strikes me too rosy-cheeked these days. The album is simply too pretty and cozy for me to pull out anymore. I actually find it a bit hard to listen to now. 

Folk Och Rackare (YTF, 1976)

Swedish vocals, instrumental, a cappella

International relevance: ***

First album released as Folk Och Rackare, still largely acoustic but with more musicians participating to make it more o a band effort including the ocassional electric bass and drums. First Folk Och Rackare appearance from Jørn Jensen of Norway's #1 folk rock band Folque. Another album I used to play to death that doesn't quite do it for me anymore.

Rackarspel (YTF, 1978)

Swedish vocals, instrumental, a cappella

International relevance: ***

Fiddler Trond Villa did what Jørn Jensen already had done, he left Folque for an increasingly rock oriented Folk & Rackare. ”Rackarspel” is a fuller sounding album than any of their previous outings, more self-assured and with richer and punchier performances making for a smoother mix of band tracks and a capella numbers. Their best album. (An acoustic and inferior live version of ”Äggavisan” from ”Rackarspel” can be heard on the 1978 various artist album ”Ångbåtsmusik – Live ombord på S/S Blidösund” on the Roslagen label.)

Anno 1979 (Sonet, 1979)

Swedish vocals, instrumental, a cappella

International relevance: ***

 

After two albums for the YTF label, Folk & Rackare returned to Sonet who released ”Med rötterna i medeltiden” back in 1974, this time offering the band higher production values, resulting in their glossiest sounding 70's album. The use of reverb rounds off the sharper edges too much and that weakens the impact the album otherwise might have had. Too smooth for its own good.

Stjärnhästen (Sonet, 1981)
Swedish vocals, instrumental, a cappella

International relevance: ***

 

A Christmas album with songs exclusively dealing with the Staffan Stalledräng character of Swedish and Norweigan folklore. Christmas records are a scary concept but this is, after all, better than most (for what it's worth). But just like ”Anno 1979” it suffers from too much production sheen, plus much too much of those apple-cheeked vocals that have pushed me such a long way from even Folk & Rackare's early albums. 

Folk & Rackare returned in 1985 with "Rackbag" that has a couple of good songs and features a cameo performance from UK guitar slinger Richard Thompson, but suffers from a typical mid-80s production with compressors and aural sheen. Carin Kjellman released a horrendous solo album the same year, while Ulf Gruvberg became a host for Swedish Radio folk show Trender & Traditioner, presenting new and old folk sounds from around the world on a weekly basis.

Folk & Rackare appears with a 1976/77 radio concert (date uncertain) in ”Progglådan”. Those who so wish can also look around for other, unreleased radio sessions – there are plenty.

Med rötter i medeltiden full album playlist
Folk Och Rackare full album playlist
Rackarspel full album playlist
Anno 1979 full album playlist
Stjärnhästen full album playlist
Tonkraft 1976-1977 full album playlist

FRISKT VATTEN – De é vi (YTF, 1978) / En svensk tiger (A Disc, 1978) / Lee Highway (A Disc, 1982)

Hailing from working class city of Södertälje, Friskt Vatten was a rather succesful outfit with connections to the Social Democratic sphere – two of their records were released on A Disc, and they got quite a few gigs through ABF (the Workers' Educational Association). Singer, guitarist, flugelhorn player and Sweden's best kept secret Göran Wiklund shed some light on the band's political afilliations when I interviewed him in 2017:

– We saw ourselves as a progg band, although perhaps in the second division except when it came to fees. You can always debate ideology vs. money, but what the heck, we never felt ashamed and we were never close to what Mikael Wiehe and Björn Afzelius [of Hoola Bandoola Band] charged. We always got decent pay when we toured and made records, much thanks to ABF. I must admit it was pretty cool to play to large audiences who knew our songs and sang along with us!

– We were hired by Kulturnämnden (The Cultural Board) to make a show about school. So we did, and we played in schools regionally. We gigged at Social Democratic Youth Association meetings several times, and eventually got signed to the labour movements' own label A Disc.

Friskt Vatten also collaborated with the then Södertälje based independent theatre group Musikteatergruppen Oktober.

De é vi (YTF, 1977)

Swedish vocals

International relevance: *

Göran Wiklund had not yet joined Friskt Vatten when they released their debut album in 1977. The album is mostly conventional pop/rock. Tobias Petterson compares them to Rekyl in his progg encyclopedia, and that's not entirely wrong, except that Rekyl had a greater amount of The Rolling Stones in their music whereas ”De é vi” sometimes leans more towards Contact's and Norrbottens Järn's jollier moments. Still, the progg factor is low.

En svensk tiger (A Disc, 1978)

Swedish vocals

International relevance: *

Recruiting Göran Wiklund was a wise move because he's one of the few G-R-E-A-T singers on the progg scene and one of extremely few with a bit of genuine soul in his voice. (The lack of truly good progg singers is conspicuous. How many of those are there? Ten? Probably down to a five. Perhaps less.) Here he's best heard on ”En gång förut” and ”Människor som inte lyssnar”. ”En svensk tiger” is an overall more mature effort than the debut LP with better songs, but still not interesting enough. Tomas Ernvik (of Christian band Vatten) appears on guitar.

Lee Highway (A Disc, 1982)

Swedish vocals

International relevance: *

After a non-album 45 in 1980, Friskt Vatten returned to the album format in 1982 with their third and final album. There's more blues to this album than their previous ones – the drummer here is the excellent Stefan 'Stoffe' Sundlöf who was in several of blues master Sven Zetterberg's bands, from Telge Blues to Chicago Express. However, the best feature is – again – Wiklund's vocals, especially on album highlights ”Ombudsman” and ”Skulle kunna berätta”. This is Friskt Vatten's best album.

Thanks to Göran Wiklund for sharing memrories!

De é vi full album playlist

En svensk tiger full album playlist

Lee Highway 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. 

MIKAEL RAMEL – Complete albums 1974-1982

 Extra vagansa (Ljudspår, 1974)
Swedish vocals, instrumental

International relevance: ***

 

With ”Till dej” occupying slot #5 on my Top 25 list, it should be obvious I have a special place in my heart for Mikael Ramel's music. Then again, it's hard to top an album like that, or even make another album on the very same level. But fear not, ”Extra vagansa” is a brilliant effort! Several tracks would have fit perfectly on the debut – ”Flödet”, ”Så länge're svänger” and the title track rival the best parts of ”Till dej”. This is a meticulously crafted album, but never as meticulous it loses swing and emotion. With ”Till dej,” Mikael Ramel promised to be one of the greatest Swedish artists of the 70's, and with ”Extra vagansa” he fulfills the promise.

3:e skivan (YTF, 1977)
Swedish vocals, instrumental

International relevance: ***

 

And he wasn't kidding the second time either. ”3:e skivan” may be less exuberant and more reflective than ”Till dej” and ”Extra vagansa” but beneath the surface, it's just as thorough and playful. ”Gurus att anamma” is an untranslatable word play referring to the lyrics' questioning of religious (and for that matter, political) leaders. A tribute to the power of independent thinking. ”Strax dax” is beautifully decorated by an ”Eleanor Rigby” inspired string quartet providing further melancholy to an already wonderful track. And so on. ”3:e skivan” may not be as immediate as Ramel's earlier albums; it's more of a slow burner that wins in the end. Three strikes in a row!

Rycker dej i svansen (Sonet, 1979)

as Mikael Ramels Musikband
Swedish vocals

International relevance: ***

 

With the initial trilogy getting most of the attention, ”Rycker dej i svansen” has become unjustly overlooked. It has a different sound than its predecessors, and perhaps some people are scared off by the rhythmic sensibilities of the album, with loans from funk, reggae and Latin. But what a sorry shame if things like that get between the listener and the music because this is a lovely album, as essential as Ramel's previous three. ”Förpackningar” is one of the best songs he's ever written. And Bosse Skoglund is as masterful with the syncopation as always. And Kenny Håkansson's here too. In short: another dazzling disc from Mikael Ramel.

Strömavbrott (Sonet, 1982)

as Harru Lust med Mikael Ramel
Swedish vocals

International relevance: **

 

A single with a Swedish version of Johnny Clarke's masterpiece "Roots Natty Congo", intended as a poke at everybody that jumped the reggae bandwagon in the early 80s but still being a highlight track in Ramel's ouvre as "Patriotidioten" held a lot of promise for him and his new band Harru Lust. The following album was however problematic. The translation of Chuck Berry's ”No Particular Place to Go”, ”Små partiklar i min Pernod” is witty but the album in general is surprisingly lacklustre. The songs aren't quite as sharp as before but the two biggest problems are that a) backing band Harru Lust sounds stiff and b) that the dull production makes Harru Lust sound even stiffer. ”Strömavbrott” is a victim to the era, with too loud bass and drums in a typical early 80's fashion. I'm not the one to call out for remixes and other fiddling with once finished albums, but this one sure could use a careful overhaul.

Extra vagansa full album playlist with bonus tracks
3:e skivan full album playlist with bonus tracks
Rycker dej i svansen full album playlist
Strömavbrott full album playlist
"Patriotidioten" + "Bättre och bättre"

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

VARGEN – I original (YTF, 1975)

Swedish vocals

International relevance: *

Ex-Contact member Lorne de Wolfe struck gold in the late 70's and 80's with successful soft rock band Hansson de Wolfe United (their music was once appropriately described as ”office rock”). Vargen was their precursor – they were actually the same band, except that mastering technician Olle Ramm on bass and guitar, and MNW engineer Bo Anders Larsson of Scorpion on vocals completing the Vargen line-up were gone by the time Hansson de Wolfe United started out.

”I original” is lowly regarded by many, and it's understandable. Opening track ”Monte Bello” is decent compared to the rest of the album, and ”Vodka och whisky” sounds like Contact leftover, but the rest of the album is uninspiring (and uninspired).

Full album playlist

TOMMY BROMAN – Efter midnatt (YTF, 1976)

Instrumental

International relevance: ***

”Efter midnatt” is something of an all-star affair, featuring keen session musician Jan Bandel (formerly of Atlantic Ocean) on violin and tablas, Panta Rei's Georg Trolin on harmonica, commercially successful songwriter Peter Lundblad (who had a roaring national hit with ”Ta mig till havet” in 1986, and died a few days short of Christmas in 2015) on guitar, and oft-hired studio players Rolf Alex and Peter Sahlin on drums and bass respectively. Also featured is Björn J:son Lindh on flute and keys. Lindh co-produced the album with Bo Anders Larsson, co-founder of MNW and previously in Scorpion (of ”I Am the Scorpion” fame) and Ron Faust. Tommy Broman himself had been in E=mc² which turned into Telefon Paisa which turned into Sogmusobil which turned into Levande Livet. He also played guitar on several albums by Tom Zacharias, including the infamous ”Belinda” in 1975. (As a side note, the girl on the ”Belinda” cover was Broman's girlfriend at the time, Karin.)

”Efter midnatt” is quite different to what one would expect from an album released by YTF, a label best known for their many releases by troubadours and singer/songwriters (and still in operation). The album is heavy on guitars (no wonder as Broman was a talented guitar player), including a thundering cover of folk/folk rock standard ”Morning Dew” performed in a Neil Young & Crazy Horse style, albeit instrumental like the rest of the album. ”Delilah” plays like a less overwrought Santana while ”När jag vaknade i morse”, ”Nattjamaren” and ”12-12 Blues” all have a funky swagger. The weakest track is the last one, a pointless rendition of ”Sailing”, the mawkish Sutherland Brothers song that Rod Stewart had turned into a worldwide hit the previous year.

While the Broman's guitar is prominent all through, he steers clear of most of the guitar hero bombasm; instead, he focuses on the smooth and gentle groove. ”Efter midnatt” might not be the most memorable album, but it's pleasant enough to put on while doing other things.

Sadly, Tommy Broman died an untimely death in 1990, reputedly from an overdose, only 38 years old. 

Full album playlist