VARIOUS ARTISTS – Jazz & Rock (Caprice, 1979)

Featured artists: Barabbas / Stetson Cody Group / Ramaskri
Swedish vocals, instrumental

International relevance: **

Caprice Records have always been tireless flagbearers for Swedish contemporary and historic music, but then again, being the record outlet for the Rikskonserter organisation, they were on a mission from the Swedish Social Democrat government in the 70's. While that might sound dull, more often than not it wasn't, as their catalogue of jazz, folk and classical music is as almost as qualitative as it is quantitive. Don't forget that their series of annual volumes of ”Jazz in Sweden” gave us both Sevda and Rena Rama back in the day. While Caprice have graced ”Jazz in Sweden” with CD and/or digital reissues, of the informal trilogy of ”Jazz- Och Rockstipendiater 1976”, ”Tvärsnitt” and ”Jazz & Rock” only the latter resurfaced as a (digital) reissue for the time being. Similar in spirit to ”Jazz in Sweden”, these three volumes are different insofar they also present rock oriented bands.

On the live recorded ”Jazz & Rock”, the most out-and-out rock – or progg – band here is Ramaskri. Their three tracks remind me of a more rudimentary ”Hej på er!” era Trettioåriga Kriget, which means I'm not at all impressed by them. Very dull.

Only marginally better are Stetson Cody Group whose four tracks are more varied. ”Kraftrock” suggests King Crimson or perhaps some lesser RIO act. Then they go from undistinguished prog over pseudo-symphonic rock to 'complicated' and pretty embarrassing funk fusion. Worth mentioning is that this was Kjell Hilding Lövbom's first band. He later changed his name to Kee Marcello and made it big with hair metal band Europe.

Barabbas round off the album in a slightly more pleasing manner with two rather energetic free jazz/post-bop outworks. While not top of the heap, they're at least OK.

All in all, this is far from any of Caprice's most memorable releases. Europe completists (if there's such a thing) need it, but hardly anyone else.

Full album playlist

INFRA / TREKLÖVER – Infra/Treklöver (Subliminal Sounds, 1972/1974, released 2022)

English vocals, instrumental

 International relevance: ***

Two names, but basically the same band. Beginning as Treklöver, they recorded a demo for EMI in 1972 which lead nowhere. After recruiting singer Eddy Kristiansen, they changed their name to Infra, taped a 1974 demo for UK label RSO which faced the same fate as their first, leaving two studio sessions left unheard by the public for four decades.

The Infra demo takes up the major part of the album with seriously progressive rock with symphonic aspirations, which for the sake of clarity means plenty of neurotic time signature changes. They indeed aim high, and although they're accomplished musicians, there are split seconds where especially drummer Jörgen Nordgren slips. OK, so it's a demo, but the clean and conspicuously modern-sounding production is too revealing at crucial moments. Eddy Kristiansen in turn is way too operatic and pretentious, but it gets even worse when he tries to 'rawk out' in the busy bordering-on-hysterical ”Keep On Truckin'” in which he gets absolutely unbearable. 

All in all, it's everything I absolutely hate with progressive rock.

Not that the Kristiansen-less two-song Treklöver tape is much better. The production gels a bit better here, and while hired-gun vocalist and organ player Ann-Marie ”Ami” Henning's voice is a bit weak, it's still way more pleasant to listen to than Kristiansen's self-important bombast. But already in the band's early stage, they suffered from time signature Tourettes and it takes me a fair amount of death defiance to get through eight minutes of ”Saturn” (one of their two tracks here).

”Infra/Treklöver” will probably give folks who enjoy playing their Trettioåriga Kriget albums at 45 rpm a boner, but my self-mutilation session with this nonsense is forever over.

Full album playlist (Bandcamp)

FUNCTION – Play It Maestro (Prim, 1979)

English vocals

International relevance: **

Function gets an A for ambition and execution, but they also score high on the 'so boring it hurts' scale. They were a Christian band on the Prim label, run by the Swedish Pentecostal Movement , and ”Play It Maestro” also had a U.S. release in 1982 on Lamb & Lion Productions. The music is of the most dreaded kind, inbetween AOR, prog rock and fusion. Competent for sure, but that's certainly not an end in itself. Whatever redeeming qualities the use of violin brings to the table, the cheesy jazz rock synths quickly pollutes them to a toxic degree. Vocalist Lars Ludwingson doesn't make it any better either, sounding just like you can expect from somebody having every bit of real soul crippled by a cocksure and annoyingly stubborn faith. A mind uniform that's too tight to let your head breathe properly with different ideas.

The only track even remotely agreeable here is "Unborn Child", but that would have been much better if performed by Pink Floyd. Mind you, I think Pink Floyd is the longest valium party that ever happened and happened and happened and happened and happened and happened and happened and happened and happened and... So thinking they would do anything better is hardly a compliment.

Quite honestly, I can't see how even the most hardcore Christian could bear listening to these suffocatingly boring 43 minutes all through. Play it, maestro? No, please, don't.

Full album playlist (Spotify)

WERUP-SJÖSTRÖMGRUPPEN / STORM – Complete albums 1973-1977

Centered around poet and former jazz musician Jacques Werup, the group Storm was preceded by his collaboration with saxophonist Frans Sjöström, Werup-Sjöströmgruppen. They made their vinyl debut with as Werup-Sjöströmkvartetten on ”Club Jazz 1”. a split album with Nils Lindberg in 1970. Werner-Sjöströmgruppen's first and only album came three years later with ”Makten och härligheten”, disbanded soon after, with Jacques Werup forming the progressive Storm.

Makten och härligheten (Sonet, 1973)

Werup-Sjöströmgruppen

Swedish vocals

International relevance: **

Jacques Werup is involved as a songwriter in seven of the thirteen tracks on ”Makten och härligheten”, providing lyrics to five of them. The jazz is still there of course, but the arrangements are varied, some of them utilizing a string quartet and some revealing a cabaret influence. Unfortunately, the histrionic and pretentious vocals (sometimes with a squeak not unlike Swedish 80's pop star Tomas Di Leva) ruin what could possibly have been a better album without them. Artwork by painter Ola Billgren.

Stormvarning (Harvest, 1974)
Swedish vocals, other languages

International relevance: ***

Storm was very different to Werup-Sjöströmgruppen, with their music taking cues from prog, jazz, experimental and Moody Blues' soft symph. ”Stormvarning” occasionally reminds me of Samla Mammas Manna in approach bit not sound. The album is full of ideas presented in an imaginative way that's hard to describe. Not a great album but interesting enough to hear at least once.

Storm at the Top (Harvest, 1975)

English vocals

International relevance: ***

After their quirky debut, Storm suddenly went for a more 60's inspired sound, with English lyrics and pop melodies filtered through perhaps The Sensational Alex Harvey Band, Cockney Rebel, and early David Bowie? It's a much weaker outing than ”Stormvarning”, and although Storm tries to put a personal spin to it, it sounds derivative and fake.

Casanova in Mjölby (Harvest, 1977)

Swedish vocals

International relevance: ***

For their third album, Storm changed their style again with a new rhythm section inherited from Lotus. ”Casanova in Mjölby” is a concept album (in short, the story tells the story of seducer Casanova turning up in small Swedish town Mjölby – phew...). The music is like a mix of their first two albums, melodic but progressive. It's better than the inferior ”Storm at the Top” but sillier than than ”Stormvarning”. Great cover art though.

Storm was obviously a band full of ideas but not all of them were very good. The initial appeal of some of what they did wears off after a few listens. ”Stormvarning” is their best, but while not very expensive, I advise you to listen before you buy. Several former Storm members continued making music in various contexts; Werup released several albums under his own name and kept writing books up until his death in 2016.

Stormvarning full album playlist

Storm At The Top full album playlist
Casanova i Mjölby full album playlist

SPLASH – Ut på vischan (Polydor, 1972) / Splash (PLA, 1974) / Splash (PLA, 1978)

Splash was a band founded in Söderhamn 1969, initially with a strong influence from Blood Sweat & Tears and similar acts, but their music grew increasingly intreresting by each album. Their debut however was an unremarkable self-produced single in 1972, ”Gobby's Train” b/w ”Way Up North”. Their full length debut followed later the same year and they soon earned a dedicated following in Norway, Belgium and former Czechoslovakia. 

 Ut på vischan! (Polydor, 1972)
Swedish vocals

International relevance: **

 

Signing to Polydor, Splash benefitted from the higher production values after the relatively primitive debut single. ”Ut på vischan!” is competent in every regard. It has a few prog moves, but has vague hints at Kebnekajse styled folk harmonics on the best track ”Smutsig jord” (with some appealing guitar work). But there's no mistaking early Splash was a horn rock band at heart, with ”Ut på vischan!” sounding like a poor man's Solar Plexus. It ought to please genre fans but others should listen before paying the relatively high prices asked for the album, and better yet, look out for their later albums.

Splash's Polydor deal ended abruptly after a truly terrible 45 of two cover choices including Edgar Winter's ”Keep Playin' That Rock'n'Roll”.

Splash (PLA, 1974)

Instrumental, wordless vocals
International relevance: ***

Splash released their first of two self-titled albums on their own PLA imprint. Self-released, it sounds professional enough, and here it's clear they were aiming at a new style. The side-long ”Karottorokokrockokrokorock (Elephant Nilson)” (say that fast) touches on Uriah Heep (not good), symphonic rock, prog, jazz and avantgarde during its 20+ minutes, while ”Tiokronorspolskan” adapted from Hjort Anders Olsson's vast catalogue of classic fiddle tunes is similar to Skäggmanslaget with Contact backing them. ”Sambahmadu” adds an Latin-cum-African flavour thanks to percussionist Ahmadu Jarr. Overall a much more interesting and rewarding effort than ”Ut på vischan!” Brilliant and eye-catching cover art by Ardy Strüwer.

1974 also saw the release of two Splash seven inches. The first of them featured more Uriah Heep heaviness on ”Orangutang Boomerang”, backed with the rather excellent ”Sunday Ride”, with lyrics by German born Swede Linus Kal X Blue (who made garage rock history with Something Wild's ”Trippin' Out” 45 in 1966). The second 1974 Splash single was recorded as a backing band to the incredibly annoying folk singer Maritza Horn.

Splash (a.k.a. Splash 2) (PLA, 1978)

Instrumental

International relevance: ***

Four years down the line and Splash's music had developed a lot. Opening track ”Variations on polska & hoppdans” is an occasionally atonal clash of styles – traditional folk tunes, fusion, cajun and what not. ”Nina” is furious fusion that works. ”El Greco” sounds like Zappa in the Near East. ”Hueå” is back in horn rock territory, but with a twist (of Zappa). The only relatively straight track here is ”Snusa” which also happens to be the least exciting selection (but with still more Zappa in the guitar department). Engineered by Mikael Ramel and hands down their most satisfying album.

Another Maritza Horn single appeared in 1975 (funky but bad), and a 1974 Tonkraft session circulates in good sound. Splash disbanded in 1979. A meaty 5CD box set of their complete recordings plus previously unreleased material was released in 2018, "Splash 1970-1979 (Samtliga inspelningar)" The archival stuff includes some rather splendid live recordings.

Ut på vischan full album

Splash full album playlist

Splash 2 full album playlist

TRETTIOÅRIGA KRIGET – Complete albums 1974-1981

Prog and symph fan favourites Trettioåriga Kriget were founded in the Stockholm suburb Saltsjöbaden in 1970 as a clumsy gang with ambitions higher than a skyscraper and a competence level sometimes not higher than a newly mowed lawn. But if their band beginnings were humble, their social origins were not – Saltsjöbaden was and is one of Stockholm's wealthiest areas. 

Trettioåriga Kriget (Epic, 1974)

Swedish vocals

International relevance: ***

Trettioåriga Kriget's eponymous album debut came in 1974 and until then they had had the time to rehearse enough for their music to gel. Which unfortunately doesn't make the music better, only terrible in a different way. The ”Glorious War” recordings are largely instrumental, without long standing singer Robert Zima . Once he's present, there's someone to sing the impossibly pretentious lyrics. Really, they're unbearable, hopeless boy's room existentialism. Sad to say, the music has the same swanky feel. This is intellectually constipated arty-farty adolescent dross in a black polo shirt. Still, their best.

Krigssång (CBS, 1975)

Swedish vocals

International relevance: ***

 

Same thing over again, only with a breathier production. The vocals are highly-strung and egocentric, and worse still, they're occasionally 'augmented' by Zima's Uriah Heep falsetto. This album is like a yoga position known as 'head up your arse'. Strenous and full of itself.

Hej på er! (Mistlur, 1978)

Swedish vocals

International relevance: ***

 

Three years later and a new label. Trettioåriga Kriget stayed with Mistlur until disbanding in 1981. For ”Hej på er!” they downplayed their pretentiousness a little bit which could have been a good thing hadn't it turned them into some kind of proto new wave ”Solo” era Kaipa instead. And Robert Zima still annoys me to the verge of breakdown – and lets out his tortured cat falsetto in ”Natten som alltid”. The title track is a decent pop tune of sorts though.

Mot alla odds (Mistlur, 1979)
Swedish vocals 

International relevance: *

 

The 'proto new wave' reference above wasn't chosen at random, as Trettioåriga Kriget moved closer towards a contemporary late 70's style with each Mistlur album. Diehard fans usually dismiss the later albums, and I can see why – Trettioåriga Kriget's new found new wave influences didn't sit well with the expectations of fans of their former style. It worked for Van der Graaf Generator on ”Vital Live”, but it only makes Trettioåriga Kriget sound ridiculous. I mean, more ridiculous than before. Just look at the album cover – who did they suddenly want you to believe they were? The Ramones? Pathetic.

Kriget (Mistlur, 1981)

as Kriget

International relevance: *

Swedish lyrics

Following the release of ”Mot alla odds”, internal conflicts arose which led to Trettioåriga Kriget's demise in 1980. Very soon after some of the members reunited. Most importantly Robert Zima was gone, leaving the vocal duties to bassist Stefan Fredin. He's not a great singer, mediocre, but at least he isn't as nerve-grating as Zima was. Not being the same band anymore, neither in line-up nor style, they shortened their name to Kriget. As such, they released their final album in 1981. It's not very good, mostly standard fare turn of the decade pop/rock that other bands did so much better, but a little irritating than their other pompous drivel.

Trettioåriga Kriget full album playlist
Krigssång full album playlist
Hej på er! full album playlist
Mot alla odds full album
Kriget full album playlist

AUTUMN BREEZE – Höstbris (Ö Records, 1979)

Instrumental, Swedish vocals

International relevance: ***

Disappointed with the lack of major label interest, Autumn Breeze borrowed money to release their sole album by themselves in an edition of 500. Perhaps proper labels thought the recording sounded to unprofessional – after all, this was 1979 and the DIY ethos of progg's early days had waned. Or more precisely, it had been inherited by punk.

While obviously a private recording. the sound isn't that bad and the playing is adequate enough. (Birgitta Nilsson's vocals are a bit limited and thin but most of the album is instrumental anyway). Tobias Petterson compares parts of ”Höstbris” to Radiomöbel in his progg encyclopedia, but that's a most offensive insult. I'd much rather compare it to German band Carol of Harvest, or American progsters Third Estate.

The album has both progressive and symphonic traits without comfortably falling into either category. It has dark and dreamy qualities that are rather winsome, underlined by the simple but evocative flute playing of Gert Magnusson and Gert Nilsson's fuzz guitar that's never allowed to overpower the moody music. The synth sound used on the album is admittedly cheesy but adds a peculiar, skewed feel to the songs. ”Höstbris” isn't a top drawer progg album but it does have a certain appeal.

Full album playlist

FLÄSKET BRINNER – Fläsket Brinner (Silence, 1971)

Instrumental 

International relevance: *** 

Ranked #4 on the blog's Top 25 list

One of those albums just about impossible to overestimate. From the first notes of ”Gånglåten” to the last ones of ”Musik från Liljevalchs”, this is progg perfection with everything you could possibly ask for: bittersweet folk harmonies, exemplary jazz influences, organic groove, powerful performances, excellent and perceptive playing that never overtakes the musical content, and instrumental as it is: no politics. And one of the most striking album covers ever. (Graphic artist Hans Esselius designed the cover, and alluding to the band's name – ”the pork is burning” – he actually used a real pig's head in real fire for the photograph.)

Fläsket Brinner attracted a multitude of top notch players over the years. Kenny Håkansson was with them for a short time (a line-up documented on double LP ”Festen på Gärdet”). Mikael Ramel joined the band in time for their second album ”Fläsket”. Their ever changing line-up featured Bo Hansson for a while. Jazz pianist Bobo Stenson used to join them on stage. Sweden's finest drummer Bo Skoglund was recruited for a later incarnation of the band. Not to mention original members Sten Bergman (organ, flute); Gunnar Bergsten (sax); Per Bruun (bass); Bengt ”Bengan” Dahlén (guitar), and the exceptional Erik ”Kapten” Dahlbäck, a powerhouse drummer that had an inutitive musical understanding and a force extremely important to early Fläsket Brinner.

'Power' is a key word when discussing Fläsket Brinner. They generated so much electricity during a show that they alone could have supplied energy to any Swedish mid-sized city for a week straight. In 1970 they supported their source inspiration Frank Zappa at Konserthuset, Stockholm (selections from the occasion are featured on ”Fläsket Brinner”). They simply must have blown him off the stage into the Baltic Sea and watched him drift away to the shores of Finland.

Fläsket Brinner's telepathic inter-member contact and their instinctive musical understanding made for immensely dazzling music, so intense and brilliant that its glow can never wear off. This is music for the past, for the present, for the future, for all ages to come.

Full album

FRIENDSHIP TIME – Friendship Time (Mellotronen, 2006; recorded 1975)

Instrumental, English vocals

International relevance: ***

1975 recordings unearthed by Trettioåriga Kriget drummer Dag Lundqvist and remastered and released by Mellotronen in 2006. Originally intended for release on Virgin but eventually shelved when Friendship Time fell apart. The album displays influences from Yes and similar bands but the prodiction is less flashy, more akin to UK underground legends Dark, with an intrusive drum sound. The steroid perkiness running through the entire album makes it one of the sillier examples of prog and symph. The only reason for releasing this nonsense 30 years after the fact is to satisfy genre collectors who have a pathological need to own every time signature change in recorded history. 

Full album

BERITS HALSBAND – Berits Halsband (Forsaljud, 1975)

Instrumental

International relevance: ***

 

First ever release on the eclectic Forsaljud label who released both folk rock and punk. This however is a fusion album with a basement feel and a certain level of non-detracting amateurishness that sets it apart from the typical genre efforts and makes it a lot more interesting than most of them. The whole album is strangely 'off' with a fair share of semi-psychedelic guitar improvising and krautish flute work. All four tracks are interesting in their own way, never boring, and the album is an unusually refreshing example of an often emotionally numb genre.

Full album

LOTUS – Vera O'Flera (SMA, 1976)

Instrumental, Swedish vocals

International relevance: *** 

Second album from this technically driven outfit, housed in a striking cover. During the two years that passed since their debut they changed their rhythm section, with Lerker Allgulander taking bassist Stefan Berggrenssons place, and Henning Öfverbeck handing over his drum stool to Håkan Nyberg (who later teamed up with Mikael Wiehe). It didn't change things for the better Lotus' debut was a pretty boring effort, but this one is even worse. It's tight and complex enough to get prog rock and fusion fans going, but it bores me to death. It's all about show-off and minutious precision. Their humour extends to an idiotic rock version of Swedish children's song ”Bä bä vita lamm” (the only vocal track on the album). Too bad it's not funny in the least. To make matters worse, the album was reissued on CD in 2004 with two previously unreleased tracks.

Full album playlist

RAGNARÖK – Ragnarök (Silence, 1976) / Fjärilar i magen (Silence, 1979) / Fata Morgana (Silence, 1981)

Like Kung Tung, Ragnarök came from Kalmar (Ragnarök guitarist Peter Bryngelsson has played in both bands) but their sound is vastly different, with the latter at best creating a web of lyricism and introspective mystery. They were founded in 1972, turned professional in 1975 and appeared at Alternativfestivalen, the protest manifestation against the Eurovision Song Contest that year.

Ragnarök (Silence, 1976)

Instrumental

International relevance ***

 

This is a thing of beauty, different in style but related in mood to Bo Hansson's albums post ”Sagan om ringen”. ”Ragnarök” floats in a beautiful mind sphere, with lightly soaring guitars and transparent flute leading the way to inner paths through sunlit birches and beeches. A tranquil excitement permeates the album, and the effect is soothing but never in a cheap new age kind of way. Instead: dreamlike, with lovely colours infused by a sense of sweet synaesthetic hyperreality Evocative.

Fjärilar i magen (Silence, 1979)

Instrumental

International relevance: ***

After the elevated beauty of ”Ragnarök”, the band returned with ”Fjärilar i magen” and an opening track to tear you right out of the relaxed state of their debut album. ”Adrenalin” sounds like something out of King Crimson's oeuvre circa 1973. Actually a reference valid to the rest of the album as well – it's much heavier than their previous release. Sometimes ”Fjärilar i magen” makes me think of what Kebnekajse could have been like had they been closer to prog rock than folk rock. Even the softer parts of ”Fjärilar i magen” have a greater density than the lucid debut album. A very good album, although not as captivating as their debut.

Fata Morgana (Silence, 1981)

Instrumental

International relevance: ***

Two years further away from ”Ragnarök” and the sound has become even more prog rock with more instruments, including synthesizers and saxophones. There are even some fusion moves to drag ”Fata Morgana” down below the usual Ragnarök level. It's OK for a 1981 release, but after one excellent album and one very good one, this is ultimately disappointing.

Ragnarök made another album for Silence in 1983, the partially vocal ”3 Signs” (steer clear of that one!) before disbanding in 1984. They have reunited several times after that, and are currently active. They've released several albums after their reunion. Selections from two Tonkraft shows for Swedish Radio were released as part of ”Progglådan”, and there are at least four Tonkraft sessions of various length from 1974 to 1981.

Ragnarök full album playlist

Fjärilar i magen full album playlist

from Fata Morgana
Fata Morgana 

Midvinterblot II
Eskapage

SAN MICHAEL'S / KAIPA / ROINE STOLT – The 1970's albums

Kaipa is one of the most cherished Swedish progressive bands. They grew out of the fertile progg soil of Uppsala, but their roots go back to 1964 and cover band The Shakemen with future Kaipa keyboardist Hans Lundin in their line-up. The Shakemen soon changed their name to St. Michael's Sect and released a few singles before making their album debut in 1970 with their name shortened to San Michael's. As such, they also appeared as a tour band for a few popular artists.

SAN MICHAEL'S – San Michael's (California, 1970)

Swedish vocals, instrumental

International relevance: ***

For their first and for a long time only album, the band dropped the 'Sect' part from their name. It's an organ driven album with pop sensibilities and Swedish lyrics. The playing is tight but the album isn't too interesting in a British Procol Harum and The Fox vein with unimpressive vocals from Hans Lundin. ”Drömliv” most obviously points to the band's Kaipa future with multiple time signatures and an extensive use of dynamics, and is the best track in this lot.

SAN MICHAEL'S – Nattåg (Transubstans, 2009; recorded in 1972)
Swedish vocals, instrumental

International relevance: ***

San Michael's became a rather popular live act in Sweden and Norway, and in 1972 they recorded their second album with touring member Nane Kvillsäter now a permanent guitarist. However, the album went unreleased at the time but was unearthed almost 40 years later by Swedish label Transubstans. It's a more mature effort than ”San Michael's” showing that the band benefitted from Kvillsäter joining the band. The songs are better overall and the performances are heavier than on their debut. The thin vocals are still the weakest link though. All in all, it would have made perfect sense releasing ”Nattåg” in the early 70's, as intended.

KAIPA – Kaipa (Decca, 1975)

Swedish vocals, instrumental

International relevance: ***

In January 1973, San Michael's split up and Hans Lundin formed a new band with San Michael's bassist Tomas Eriksson, and drafted Thomas Sjöberg as a drummer. As Ura Kaipa they released the ingratiatingly catchy 45 ”För sent”, closer to San Michael's than later Kaipa in style, with The Nice/ELP inspired instrumental ”Bay-E, Bay-O” on the flipside, both originally recorded for San Michael's aborted second album. The original Ura Kaipa changed as Sjöberg was struck by cancer, and Ingemar Bergman took his place, and adding guitarist Roine Stolt. With a new line-up, Kaipa found their vision and the conditions to formulate it. With Lundin being a fan of Merit Hemmingson, ”Kaipa” displays a penchant for traditional Swedish folk melodies, tastefully incorporated with the band's strong symphonic leanings, most notably on ”Ankaret” and the beautiful ”Skogspromenaden”. Symph rock more often than not becomes unwieldy with its overblown ambitions, but ”Kaipa” is a nicely balanced piece of work that stands out as the band's best album. Reissued on CD with two bonus tracks.

KAIPA – Inget nytt under solen (Decca, 1976)

Swedish vocals, instrumental

International relevance: ***

”Inget nytt under solen” shares many of its characteristics with Kaipa's debut, but something has decidedly changed here. ”Skenet bedrar” is a side long suite and that sets my alarm off. And yes, it's as pompous as the scope suggests. Synthesizers crop up everywhere on the album, and the album lacks freshness that made their first outing as appealing as it is. ”Inget nytt under solen” sounds dull and calculated and the rare fine moments drowns in the pretentiousness that is the album's hallmark.

KAIPA – Solo (Decca, 1978)

Swedish vocals, instrumental

International relevance: ***

”Solo” (curious titel for a band effort) is as appealing as coming home from a five day trip realizing you forgot to take out the garbage before you left. You want to open the windows and let some fresh air blow into the music. If ”Inget nytt under solen” felt calculated, this is even worse. ”Solo” is cerebral to the max and the production is lifeless and stale. A textbook example of bad symph prog.

KAIPA – 1974 Unedited Master Demo Recording (Decca, 2005; recorded in 1974)

Swedish vocals, instrumental

International relevance: ***

Released as part of the 5CD Kaipa box set ”The Decca Years”, and recorded as demos in the summer of 1974 prior to their debut LP, with plenty of tracks unreleased elsewhere. The songs were recorded to two-track but it doesn't matter that the sound quality isn't professional because Kaipa never sounds this fiery on any other release. It's a pity this has never been released separately.

KAIPA – Live (Decca, 2005; recorded in 1976-1978)

Swedish vocals, instrumental

International relevance: ***

Another box set exclusive compiling selections from three Swedish Kaipa shows and one from Copenhagen, Denmark. It's better than both ”Inget nytt under solen” and ”Solo” but only marginally. Not a reason enough to fork out piles of cash for ”The Decca Years”.

ROINE STOLT – Fantasia (Svenska Love, 1979)

Swedish vocals, instrumental

International relevance: ***

Kaipa's rising popularity lead to extensive touring in the late 70's, in turn creating conflicts within the band. A failed attempt to write new music in 1979 led to Roine Stolt's and bass player Mats Lindberg's departure. Stolt soon began working on his first solo album which appeared in 1979. While the restructured Kaipa moved into radio friendly and sometimes semi new wavish territory with two absolutely horrendous albums ”Händer” and ”Nattdjurstid” in 1980 and 1982 respectively, Stolt stayed closer to the symphonic area with ”Fantasia” but with equally bad results as his former band. Appalling symph synths, underwhelming songs that sometimes sound like TV themes and a production so unhealthy sounding it needs medical care. Ugly album cover, ugly music.

A live Kaipa session recorded for radio show Tonkraft in 1978 was included in ”Progglådan”. Further Tonkraft recordings from 1974 and 1978 can be found in great sound quality on the Japanese bootleg ”Stockholm Symphonie”.

Kaipa reformed in the early 00's, and Roine Stolt has led a successful career, performing with for instance The Flower Kings and Kaipa off-shoot Kaipa DaCapo. Hans Lundin released two solo albums in the 80's and has one album out as Hagen with folk fiddler Anders Rosén.

San Michael's full album

Kaipa full album playlist

Inget nytt under solen full album playlist

Solo full album playlist

 

from Nattåg

Nattåg 

Främling i en främmande värld

Försent + Bay-E Bay-O

Aftonbön 1972  

Som ett ljus i mörka nätter

Live

Total förvirring 

Skenet bedrar 

Visan i sommaren

En igelkotts död/Ömsom sken

Inget nytt under solen 

Copenhagen House-Jam 

Flytet 

Musiken är ljuset 

Se var morgon gry 

Noise-Village-Stone-Frog 

Oceaner föder liv (End Part)

1974 Unedited Master Demo Recording
Saker har två sidor

Under stora gröna träd
På färd
Taktus

Folke 2

Allting har sin början genom solen  

Cirrus
Akrobaternas flykt

Akrobaternas dans

Nattens affär  

Karavan

from Fantasia

Nytt blod 

Som svalor mot skyn 

Silversurfaren

ALTER ECHO – Alter Echo (Musea, 1993; recorded in 1979)

Swedish vocals, English vocals

International relevance: **

Synthesizer heavy soft symphonic prog with pop leanings that was unearthed by the Musea label in the early 90's. Some well played Genesis moves with weak adolescent sounding vocals on top makes for a terribly unengaging listen. Only for the most hardened symphonic collectors, but I doubt even those would listen to this very often. Unless the idea of a high school proto Marillion tickles your fancy.

The band appears as Alter Ego on Caprice's V/A comp ”Tvärsnitt – Collection of Ten Unreleased Young Swedish Jazz and Rock Groups in 1978”.

Gulnat vatten 

Stämman 

Eremiten 

Innan strax före

Axel i stan

Daffodils

Tänk om 

Oleg 

Hem - Prelude

Hem

Jordbon

Falska banor

ENERGY – Energy (Harvest, 1974)

Instrumental, English vocals

International relevance: ***

A November off-shoot with Björn Inge on drums who changed their original name Allrite to the better and appropriate Energy before releasing one album on EMI's prog subsidiary Harvest. Because energetic it is, complex and forceful prog with obvious jazz aspirations (not fusion) and a fair amount of heaviness. This music that demands 100% musicianship  and Energy had it in spades. It's also music that could easily become boring to listen to, and it's not a style I'm usually too fond of, but Energy was both able, passionate, original and dynamic, why their sole album is a rewarding listen.

”Metamorphosis/Impressions” is the only track with lyrics, with keyboard player Alvaro Is taking the vocal lead, almost sounding like a blend of John Wetton, Robert Wyatt and Demis Roussos of ”666” era Aphrodite's Child.

Originals are scarce, but ”Energy” also had a Spanish release in 1975, and has been graced with both CD and vinyl reissues.

Full album playlist

BALTIK – Baltik (CBS, 1973) / ABLUTION – Ablution (CBS, 1974)

Instrumental, English vocals

International relevance: ** / ***

One of several studio bands to feature buddies Jan Schaffer and Björn J:son Lindh, but the Baltik album credits include a number of celebrities such as Anders Nordh, Malando Gassama, Göran Lagerberg and Bengan Dahlén. Swedish pop star Tomas Ledin also makes one of his earliest appearances here. The album isn't very good, at times sounding like a post ”Hair” musical. The best track is Janne Schaffer's ferocious intro song ”Leslie Briggs”, but some people will probably warm to ”Round and Round” and ”No Registration, Please” as well.

Following a year after Baltik, Ablution's eponymous album is sometimes described as an informal follow-up. It's true insofar J:son Lindh, Schaffer, Gassama, drummer Ola Brunkert and British bass player John Gustafson (Quatermass, Hard Stuff, John Du Cann et al) can be heard on both albums. But it's also misleading as they're different beasts altogether, with the all instrumental ”Ablution” being closer to prog and fusion. Ten minute closing track "The Visitor" revels in an unnerving, creeping atmosphere that's very unusual to albums in this genre. The album seems a bit overlooked to me, which is a pity as it's good and way more vital and imaginative than your average stale air jazz rock. These guys enjoy their work and let it show. Well worth hearing, although vinyl copies are getting scarce and a reissue is long overdue.

Baltik full album playlist

Ablution full album playlist

PONDUS – Myrornas frammarsch (Coop, 1979)

Instrumental, Swedish vocals 

International relevance: ***

Pondus was a prog and fusion outfit releasing only one album, on the Coop label. Some tracks are overbearing in their contrived complexity. Some people will likely appreciate it for its quirkiness. Best track is ”Flumlåten” with guitarist Ole Bäck revealing distant influences from Kenny Håkansson.

Full album

RADIOMÖBEL – Tramseböx (Chockskivor, 1975) / Gudang Garam (Chockskivor, 1978)

International relevance: ***

Swedish vocals, English vocals, instrumental

Radiomöbel (sometimes known as Musikgruppen Radiomöbel) was formed in Lund in 1973 and their sound was once described as ”they sound as if they discover their instruments while playing them”. Uttered as praise, I still have to concede with it. Their two albums consist of painfully inept playing, nowhere near their level of ambition. You can be experimental breaking rules by knowing exactly what you're doing, and you can be accidentally experimental by having no clue whatsoever what you're up to but with the results more akin to harassment than music.

Their debut album ”Tramseböx” sounds like the first, maybe second, rehearsal by a school band who bribed their music teacher to get access to the instruments locked inside a room to keep them away from people like Radiomöbel. But it was in fact recorded in 'guitarist' Andre Kangro's basement in 1975. Yes: in 1975. That means they had two years to get their shit together after forming. And they failed so bad. Originally pressed in 250 copies, it's now a highly sought-after collectors' item. But I know for a fact there's been people out there collecting dogshit too.

Three years on, and ”Gudang Garam” appeared. Did Radiomöbel spend their time learning how to get anything decent out of their equipment? Nope. Some members left the band prior to the sessions, those who stayed were still as incompetent as ever before. New singer Carin Bohman didn't help much either, nor did their attempts to write more 'complex' and 'progressive' tracks although they were so musically dyslectic they probably couldn't get a proper sound out of a door bell.

Radiomöbel's not good bad in a Shaggs or Legendary Stardust Cowboy kind of way, just bad. These albums suck mammoth genitalia. Not quite as dismal as Malaria or Prefix, but way up high on the shame list.

Tramseböx full album playlist
Gudang Garam full album playlist