Röda Bönor (1976)

Röda Bönor (which means both Red beans and Red chicks) is considered to be the first girl band in the Swedish music-political movement in the 70s, and one of Sweden's first feminist bands. The band existed from the mid-70s to the early 80s and released two full-length albums, of which this self-titled one was the first.

This was a record I rescued from my parents' collection when they were about to get rid of all their vinyl albums. One might suspect that this album was my mother's. Looking purely from a musical angle, this is not my thing, but it's fun as a time document. The Swedish prog music of the 70s was not like the international version (King Crimson, Yes, Gentle Giant etc). Instead it was a musical-political movement (left, of course) where bands sang songs about socialism, a fair and just society, fought for society's forgotten people and despised the factory owner. This scene consisted of two kinds of bands, according to me, those who had their message as priority one and where musical know-how was secondary, and bands which had a balanced priority between political messages and musical quality. An example of the latter could be Nationalteatern, which has created many songs and albums that are real classics today. Röda Bönor I would spontaneously sort into the first group.

The messages on the record are the women's struggle - gender equality  - and the socialist struggle, prioritized in that order, as I see it. These are two questions you can quite easily sympathize with, but as I primarily listen to music for an auditory beauty experience, I don't like the songs. They have stripped down arrangements, the sound is relatively dry and primitive, and there is honestly not much that appeals to them. It's a mix of own songs and some traditional, with newly translated lyrics. Lots of harmonies in the singing.

The song lyrics about the socialist struggle feel pretty outdated today, and it's with a inner smile I hear these messages. The perspective has somewhat shifted, and the struggle is done in a different way today. But the lines about the women's struggle feel more current, although I rarely hear these thoughts delivered so coarse and straightforward as on the album. You would blush if you knew. But that's fun! The 70's seems to have been more radical and the struggle more aggressive. I grew up in the 70's, but the will to fight doesn't seem to have spread to me. Maybe it was color TV that got in the way.

Röda Bönor was formed in Lund, where I lived in the 90's for some time. For some of these years I lived in Smålands Nation, a building with student dorms, at the time the socialist-communist center of the town. Surely, Röda Bönor would have been a popular album. But to me, this is primarily a time capsule from an era that is gone, when the leftist struggle was more important, and a real hope of change existed. But musically speaking, it's not much to have. No good songs.


Tracklist

Page A
1. Oh Carol 2:19
2. Sången Om Ann-Marie 4:33
3. Diskoteksjakt 3:49
4. Kotten1:02
5. Nya Songes 3: 3
6. Det Ska Bli Slut På Rumban 4:45
7. Skärp Dig Ann-Marie 2:03
8. Faellesang1:42

Page B
1. La Lega 3:33
2. Sången Mot Familjen 2:37
3. Denna Karl 3:43
4. Kärlek4:30
5. Vaggsång 1:00
6. Sången Om Kvinnans Otäcka Roller 6:20

Marie-Pierre Arthur - "Si l'aurore" (2015)

Marie-Pierre Fournier, as her real name is, comes from the small town of Grande-Vallée, located in the Gaspesie area of ​​Quebec. I traveled there this summer and must have passed the village without knowing it was Marie-Pierre's native village. Now, I don't know if it had made a big difference to the quality of that day, but maybe I would have taken a photo which I could have included in this post for a more genuine feeling.

Nowadays, Marie-Pierre lives in my new hometown of Montreal, so in other words, local music is on the agenda today. Perhaps I have met her on the street, without knowing it? Had it been even more impressive if I had a photo of me and her together in this post? But only dreams and fantasies.

Si l'Aurore is her third album, and I bought it because I have and like her self-titled debut album from 2009. Unfortunately, I don't like Si l'Aurore as much, and have trouble becoming a good friend with it. Actually, there's nothing clearly bad about the album I can put my finger on, the sound and song quality is of good craftsmanship, but I just don't like a lot. I think it's a little too poppy for my taste. It works OK as background music when you do something else, or maybe you have a local visiting. It's a simple trick if you want to become friends with a Montrealer, to show you have some local albums in the shelf. They like that.

The album is produced by Marie-Pierre's husband Francoise Lafontain, and a bunch of other Montreal musicians with French sounding names are involved. Marie-Pierre is a bass player in addition to singer, and manages that instrument on the songs. It's sung in French, which may have somewhat of a negative impact on my experience, as I have been brainwashed during life to associate music with the English language (or Swedish). French is a beautiful language, but when I hear it in movies or music, the experience often gets an extra intellectual layer, which is not always good for a more emotional enjoyment.

So personally I would rather recommend Marie-Pierre's debut album than Si l'Aurore. I haven't heard her second album.


Tracklist

Page A
1. Rien À Faire
2. Cacher L'Hiver
3. Si L'Aurore
4. Il
5. Come Avant

Page B
1. Le Silence
2. La Toile
3. Papillions De Nuit
4. Dance Ma Tête

Alt J - "Relaxer" (2017)

The third album from one of my favorite bands, when it comes to contemporary groups. Recorded in London with Charlie Andrew as producer, who also produced their first two albums. It's a really good album, one of the few records where each song is qualitative and worth spending time on. No fillers. OK, Adeline on side B I find a little boring, but the rest of them all have their unique character and beauty.

The band offers a varied musical journey. Many songs are quite suggestive, calm and a bit dark, but sometimes they go on a more high speed travel, such as Hit Me Like That Snare, which describes quite brutal scenes at a Love Hotel. An interesting version of House Of The Rising Sun with some new verses, created by the band, is kind of a odd bird, but works well. The closing number / hymn Pleader is a great song, with a powerful arrangement that makes one associate with church choirs' descriptions of paradise and salvation. A nice end of the album, and you might find yourself considering joining the Salvation army.

The album was marketed, among other things, by a computer game created specifically for the album by Osamu Sato, based on his PlayStation game LSD from 1998. All the artwork on the record and in the marketing was taken from the game. It was made available to be played on the band's website, but I haven't tried it. My mother told me to stay away from mind expanding stuff.

So I can definitely recommend this album. Alt J is a band which creates music that is often not that simple, much of what they've done one needs to hear a few times to get to know. Sometimes they make me think of the 70's progressive bands. Alt J is usually more accessible, but they create music that can often be something of a challenge for the listener, which requires focus. Despite that, they have been successful and must be considered a rather big band. This delivers hope for today's music world and listeners.


Tracklist

Side A
1. 3WW
2. In Cold Blood
3. House Of The Rising Sun
4. Hit Me Like That Snare

Page B
1. Deadcrush
2. Adeline
3. Last Year
4. Pleader

Distant Days - "Dying Of The Light" (2017)

Probably I'm the only one in Montreal who owns this Swedish album, maybe the only one in Canada. I received it as a birthday gift from my brother, and the members of the band are friends to him, of whom I have met and spoke with a couple of them. Crème de la crème of the Uppsala and Stockholm musicians. At times like these, it's easy that one's objectivity takes vacation.

The company that released the album is Open Mind Records, which is also a record store in my hometown of Uppsala (Sweden), where I spent many hours and quite a bit of money. Probably my favorite store in Uppsala, though I was unaware that the owner also had a record label. They release vinyl records with bands from Uppsala, as I've understood it.

Distant Days consists of four members, of which the singer / guitarist Erik Illes is also the main songwriter. The other members are Anders Vretenäs (bass), Ulf Eklund (drums) and Michael Funke (guitar). My expectations of the record were not that high, what can some local guys from my little hometown create, I thought a bit snobbish, but was immediately put in place. Dying Of The Light is a good album, where rock / alternative rock may be a suitable label. It's generally a relatively quiet mood, and often the band's music is compared to the Swedish band Weeping Willows (for those of you who happen to know them). Personally, I get more vibes of the British band James, their calmer songs, which also happens to be one of my favorite bands. I can definitely hear Tim Booth sing several of these songs. Both of these similarities are to be considered compliments.

The album is filled with many strong songs that tend to get stuck in the head. Several times I've found myself humming a chorus while taking care of everyday life. The opening song Search & Rescue has become a favorite, just like A Song From The Basement and The Loved Ones. Should I find something that the band could do better, it would be a bigger variation in the sound. Although some fast-paced songs are thrown in with a the calmer ones, it's the same soundscape that we're constantly in. Some excursions here and there to something more different would be fun and also show a wider repertoire of the band. Maybe this is primarily a producer issue.

If you like a bit calmer music, with a dark touch, Distant Days debut album can definitely be recommended. If you want to know more about the band, visit their website https://distantdaysmusic.com/

Tracklist

Side A
1. Search & Rescue
2. September
3. A Song From The Basement
4. The Loved Ones
5. The Moon Is Too Pale

Side B
1. Out Of This World
2. Falling Apart
3. Mixed Blessing
4. Sarajevo
5. Strange Things Will Happen Here

Patrick Watson & l'Orchestre Cinema l'Amour / The Barr Brothers - "Live" (2017)

When I a week ago bought the album 13 with Lee Hazlewood on the nearest record shop, Aux 33 Tours, the shopkeeper put something in the bag when I paid, said something quickly in French, of which I only caught pieces, "Je mets ... dans la sac ... gratuite ... ". Since I still understood the essentials, I smiled and responded, "Comme noël." Outside the store, I examined the bag and found to my surprise that there was an extra album there. What a lovely day. Two albums for the price of one. They must have realized that I was a Very Important Person, with a Very Important Blog. Didn't think it was that visible.

The record is a so-called promo, which must be handed out for free by shops, it cannot be sold. After my initial hybrids, I thought maybe they gave it away if you bought for a certain amount of money, but through the internet, I realized that the artists created this record in conjunction with this year's Record Store Day, and Aux 33 Tours' 10th Anniversary. It was to be handed out to the first 1500 customers after the release. I managed to be among the first 1500. The official release date is April 22, 2017, so it's really smokin' fresh.

Patrick Watson

The artists are two local bands that I didn't know before. I had no expectations of the content, but was very pleasantly surprised. As the name suggests, it is a live recording with each artist. Patrick Watson is both an artist and a band (where the artist is, of course, a member / founder). On internet, the band's music is described as a mix of cabaret pop, classical music and indie rock. And the record opens up with something that makes me associate with Jacques Brel and Mackie the Knife. The music is from a concert in 2013 at Église Saint-Jean-Baptiste (a church), and on stage there is an orchestra and a choir in addition to the band. The four songs are a rather eclectic mix, with everything from beautiful, calm songs to cabaret influenced stuff. The band is apparently known for using odd "instruments" in the studio, such as a bike. Interesting side of the album, which definitely makes me want to explore the band further.

The Barr Brothers

On side B you'll hear the two brothers Barr and Sarah Pagé, who are the foundation of The Barr Brothers. On stage there are also other musicians joining them. Their music is described as eclectic modern americana, a music style they are considered to be one of the more important performers of. Different than the A-side, but absolutely listenable. They got to know each other when they were neighbors in Montreal, and Sarah's experimental harp playing was heard through the thin walls. And from there it continued. This music is more back to the American roots, something I don't have much of in the shelf. The closest thing might be Dr John, even though The Barr Brothers don't dive as deeply into the voodoo swamp. Three good songs, and also here I get curious to hear more of the band. The concert was recorded in 2015 at the Montreal International Jazz Festival.

It was fun to get this album, which made me discover two new local bands that seem interesting. When I read about them on internet, I realize that they are quite famous and successful in their respective genres, and no longer only local artists. Of the two bands, Patrick Watson is currently the one that arises most curiosity, but the Barr Brothers are also worth remembering.


Tracklist

Side A - Patrick Watson & l'Orchester Cinéma l'Amour
1. Wooden Arms 3:23
2. Beijing 5:53
3. Man Like You 5:03
4. Where The Wild Things Are 5:13

Side B - The Barr Brothers
1. Even The Darkness Has Arms 4:11
2. Beggar In The Morning 7:23
3. Half Crazy 8:01

James - "Girl at the End of the World" (2016)

James delivers, as usual, on their 14th studio album. Three weeks together in Scotland, with Max Dingel as producer, results in a record with a more electronic sound than usual, something found on a couple of early 2000's albums with the group.

A source of irritation, however, was the label's idea to put a sticker directly on the cover, a sticker that tells which singles are found on the album. When the album is wrapped in plastic. And the sticker has a glue that makes it virtually impossible to peel off without leaving ugly marks on the cover. Why not put it on the plastic surrounding the LP? I was so upset that I wanted to contact the label and ask questions, but on the website no phone number or email address were given. Writing a handwritten letter felt like going to extrems. So they wont have to fear my anger. This time.

The record's nearly 45 minutes are generously distributed on two discs. It's said to be good for the sound quality with a greater distance between the tracks. There is a tendency of getting somewhat spoiled when buying new vinyl with various add-ons, like cool booklets, gatefold covers, etc., so I noted a bit disappointed that this album contains no more than both the discs and a mp3 download. But that's OK, and probably the reason the album has got a relatively affordable price to be a newly released vinyl. The downloading of the mp3 just gave me just over two minutes of each song, I blame it on technical issues during the download. It's nothing I usually listen to, anyway.

It's a good album. Not James's best, but neither one of the less good. If you like the band, I definitely think it should be acquired. Personally, I like the band better when it's a slightly less electronic focus, and Tim Booth's voice doesn't go through various effects, as it does on some songs here. But this doesn't go to exaggeration, and it feels without doubt like a solid James album. As a balance to the electronic sound, you get, amongst others, the Edward Sharp smelling Nothing But Love, which finishes side A. James have been around for a long time, and I am pleased that they continue to create great records. It can be mentioned that it was almost James's first # 1 album in England, but in the last moment they were put down to the second place by Adele.


Tracklist

Side A
1. Bitch - 4:52
2. To My Surprise - 4:21
3. Nothing But Love - 3:29

Side B
1. Attention - 4:08
2. Dear John - 4:04
3. Feet of Clay "- 2:37

Side C
1. Surfer's Song - 3:51
2. Catapult - 4:02
3. Move Down South - 5:19

Side D
1. Alvin - 2:13
2. Waking - 2:44
3. Girl at the End of the World - 3:00

Lee Hazlewood - "13" (1972)

Somewhat an odd bird in Lee Hazlewood's catalog. The story behind the record is described in a two-sided, groovy, serie strip that comes with the album. The background is also described with more words in a text that is also found within the album. The story is as follows:

A man named Larry Marks worked as a producer at Hazlewood's record company (LHI) a few years before the release of the album. Larry liked Hazlewood's music, and had this project in which he chose his favorite songs with Lee, remade them in his favorite flavor - soul, funk & blues - and recorded it with himself singing. Top musicians from Los Angeles were brought in to the recording sessions. But the record company vanished, Lee moved to Sweden and the album was never released. In Sweden, maybe Lee didn't have a lot to do, so he started to go through what was hidden in the vault of his former label, and found this recording. So by re-recording the song with himself singing (and deleting Larry's song) he had an entire album with a minimal effort. I get a feeling one can discuss the morality in this. Anyway, the album was only released in Sweden and attracted not much attention.

Larry Marks

That background means that this sounds different from what Lee usually does. Of course, it's a lot more soul and funk, much more horns than usual. In addition, the music is recorded in a tone that is adapted to Larry's voice, not Lee's deep voice. It also means that this is a pretty fun and interesting album.

Actually, I like Lee better in his more "regular" version, with his own arrangements, but it's fun to break habits sometimes. It's a lot more uptempo here, and perhaps the closest one will get to a party album with Lee. Of course, I've bought a reissue, and with the LP comes a mp3 download as well. Here you'll find the original album, where Larry sings, and the outtakes for the album. Personally, I actually like the music better with Larry's song, maybe because the music is adapted to his voice, and that it actually is the musical style he loves. Perhaps it affects the performance in a positive way. It's really groovy stuff. The LP contains some extra tracks where Larry Marks sings, including some previously unreleased songs.

If you want a slightly different Lee Hazlewood album, with a lot of horns, a clear smell of the early 70's, this record might be something. Especially if you like soul. But one must have an open mind, it sounds different from what Lee usually does, even though his deep baritone nevertheless makes you feel at home. It sets its clear mark on the songs, as always. The photo on the cover is one of Lee's favorite photos, he though the dartboard looked like a halo, and the backrest like angel wings.


Tracklist

Page A
1. You Look Like A Lady 2:10
2. Tulsa Sunday 2:15
3. Ten Or Eleven Towns Ago 2:36
4. Toocie And The River 4:35
5. She Comes Running 2:26
6. Rosacoke Street 2:41

Page B
1. In Move Around 2:24
2. And I Loved You Then 3:30
3. Hej, Me I'm Riding 1:58
4. Cold Hard Times
5. Drums
6. The Start
7. Suzie