ANDRA BULLAR – I krig och kärlek... och Göteborg (Silence, 1981)

Swedish vocals, a cappella

International relevance: *

The first album was like a low-calory version of Röda Bönor, lacking everything that make Röda Böners fun to listen to, especially their humour and even self-irony. For their follow-up, rhey've lost the little enthusiasm they had which obviously makes for an even duller album. Not even Kenny Håkansson can save ”I krig och kärlek... och Göteborg” from being an insipid sign of a progg movement sorely losing steam. It's almost as if Andra Bullar didn't really believe in their own feminismist manifesto anymore which in turn makes me wonder if even their first album was a simply a gold-digger's attempt at political bandwagon jumping. Röda Bönor knew how to make me listen, Andra Bullar just knew how to make me want to turn it off.

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

THORES TRIO – Thores Trio (Kulturföreningen Källan, 1981)

  
Swedish vocals, other languages, instrumental, a cappella
International relevance: -

Vastly ignorable late era album on obscure label Kulturföreningen Källan which as far as I know only had one 7” in their catalogue outside of this Tomas Forssell produced LP. Thores Trio weren't particularly prolific on record either – they're featured on two various artists EP's on Manifest. Which is not to say they didn't have a long history because they did. As a matter of fact, they're most likely the longest running band ever to be featured on this blog.

Starting out in the tiny Northern town of Båtskärsnäs in 1933 (!) as Thor-Allans Trio, they changed their name to Thores Trio in 1936. Originally specializing in foxtrot, tango and various Swedish dance types, they stayed true to their style until the very end in 1996 when original member and accordeonist and fiddler Tore Allan Nilsson passed away at the age of 82. Singer Nanna Helin and her husband bass player Erik continued playing as a duo afterwards.

They might seem like an unlikely band to be embraced by the progressive movement, but as self-confessed communists, their politically charged lyrics with a strong local connection fell in well with the progg alumni. The Swedish version of Hanns Eisler's ”Einheitsfrontlied” speaks volumes, less so the puzzling inclusion of German schlager "Bei Mir Bist Du Schön". 

This album's probably charming to the immediate family, a limited number of the remaining 200 inhabitants of Båtskärsnäs, or Tomas Forssell completists, but assumably of very little interest to anyone else. 

"Thores Trio" was re-released with a slightly altered cover in 2021.

Full album playlist

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

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