SOV GOTT ROSE-MARIE

I REALLY wasn't prepared for the album. A hidden gem from Sweden was avaible in Finland to my surprise (altought it was released under the Love Records) and deserves the best. With ''the best'' I don't mean the best ever - I mean in Sweden's scale. Don't let the 'Psychedelic/Space Rock' - title fool you around. To my mind this album is more like Prog Folk - and Krautrock -ish stuff. There are not so much pedal effects as you could really expect. This record reminds me of bands like CAN, AMON DÃ?Ã?L II and pays a visit to Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention too (I mean the wierdest records). You wouldn't still call this band a copy-cat. Terry Riley as being as their inspiration there are a lot of minimalistic signs (the three last songs; think of an math-rock album that's released in 1968. What the -?). Why I still wouldn't call this a full-blooded Krautrock-record? There're no synths. To my mind that's a reason.

Album's structure reminds me of Frank Zappa's 'Uncle Meat' because even when there're just 14 songs, there are lots of outros and intros that are just playing wierd or are filled with the sounds of the nature. Yeah. And some simple flute scenes too. All 11 first songs are just short fillers that warm you up to the main thing: 3 songs that have lenght 50 min in total. Still I'm not calling the songs boring to their shortness. They make a brilliant wholeness and some of them are being pretty just like they are. Songs like 'There is no other place', 'The Runcorn report on western progress' and 'It's only love' suprised me. When there are songs with just acoustic guitar and singing, there are wierd drumming freak-outs and guitars playing out loud to make it sound chaotic too. This albums anwers to the politics straight out and makes the record more entertaining, for example: Statsministern lyrics (translated to english): ''Stateminister can read, stateminister can write, stateminister can count'' and the song ends. Instrumental abilities are a HUGE plus on this too. There are more instruments used than you could have expected.

LETS RATE THE SONGS!! (I don't rate the intros and outros, NEVER, but exceptions will be made if they are long)

Dies Irae (2:26): A chaotic 'omen'-like theme opens the record. Refers possibly to a classical song with a same name. Ends with the sounds of nature. Right

I villande skogen (0:47): Continues with the nature theme...

There is no other place (2:41)*****: Wierd lyrics sang by Bo Anders (in English, with a Swedish accent) and a bit clumsy like guitar riff (not meaning that it's bad, I'm refering to the sound) and agressive drums start to play. I like especially the ending when Bo Anders starts to shout. Song's pretty simple but it has it's hooks.

The Runcorn report on western progress (3:27)*****: Bo Anders sings with the 'Paul Simon'-like of voice, very soft (and clean) and it's just calming the theme after the more agressive song. This song is very beautiful. When listening this song for the first time you start to think that this record really has something to give to the world. Bongos and the bass fill the background.

Statsministern (0:20)*****/-: This song isn't made to be repeated to be listened. It's just playing funny and isn't stealing anything from anyone. Great

Ho Chi Minh (1:47)*****: A mantra-like singing is repeated and the drum is banged. The record suddenly becomes very chaotic. A funny song. Reminds me of Frank Zappa-kind of f*cked up material.

It's only love (1:40)*****: A theme, a short one, but still, beautiful.

Klockan är mycket nu (3:29)*****: Just when you tought that the artists forgot being wierd, no no... Guitar strings are stretched and repeative singing makes its job. nice.

Ut till vänster (0:42): A Neutral flute intermission.

Sommarlåten (2:50)*****: This is the part where the record starts to get... emotional? Thinking about the end of the 60's, summer, there were just the northern farm house and you and me, we were free without limits, love was natural and pure. Sorry, it's the song. VERY hooking symphonic- like guitar track. I would call this track the highlight of the record. It's so pure and beautiful.

Sov gott Rose-Marie (3:38)****: Back to the melancholic theme where we were started. Because of some reason I don't get this song so well as the others. I would call this a intro to the songs coming up. Slow singing and a ...... quiet ..... song ......

I mourn you (12:47)*****: Here start the themes that support the nature (damn hippies...) and gets quite emotional. With 'mourning' the song is about the nature, 'her'. Song is slow and has a lot of minimalistic elements in it. Still this is the spot where the album starts to get really interesting: there are still 50 min left!!!

How to survive (11:42)****: The weakest one of the longer tracks, still an ok track.

Skördetider (24:58)*****(best track): Oh god, the ultimate highlight. The song runs 25 min and is still so epic! I love when a long song doesn't overdo the guitar. Heavy and slow drumming makes it all down to the ending climax and the flutes, repeative and still, so fitting! There's a little bit of jabbing around in the background. The drumming gets heavier after every minute. I also spotted the saxophone and violin! Ending's a guite symphonic. (I have to mention, the ending sounded like the TOOL had thrown the guitar to the wall and started raping violins, no, I'm not lying, calling me a liar?). To my mind, if you are a fan of long symphonic kind of wierd, psychedelic, spacey, krautrock kind of stuff, you should get the record only because of this track.

Ending rating, a HEAVY 5. This has to earn a masterpiece status and a massive amount of respect. I could believe that some people don't get this album as I get it but I can't help it than just loving this album to death.

PS: I'm a Finn and my writing's not often very good. what? calling me a liar? Visit my profile :D

That was the end of my first record review. Thank You

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