Saga (Sweden): To complete the homonymous trilogy

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First there was Saga (Canada), then yesterday we had Saga (Portugal), and now today we finish the saga with another band from Sweden!  
Actually this Swedish version was the first of the bunch - their album being released in 1974 whereas the Portuguese outfit didn't cut theirs until 1976, and Saga from Canada didn't even start at all until 1977, but kept going the longest (though Saga Sweden have now reformed with the original line up, and are due to play their 1974 eponymous album in its entirety, plus some new stuff, at the three-day Melloboat Festival: http://www.melloboat.se/en/, which sets sail from Frihamnen in Stockholm on the 6th of September 2013.

Not the first time they've been mentioned in the forums - someone called David Brown asked for help with this band in General Music Discussions back in February 2009: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=55514 - it was his only ever post, more than 18 months after he initially joined us...and he hasn't been back here at all since October of that year.  

Saga Sweden's leader is Christer Stålbrandt, who was 
previously with Swedish power trio November, a band which was formed in the suburbs of Stockholm in the late 60's, evolving out of two groups, Train and The Imps. UK blues/rock guitarist Snowy White was with the group for a few months, and they cut four decent hard/blues rock albums before splitting up at the beginning of 1972, and the formation of Saga got 
now Christer a chance to play the songs he wrote for November, but which didn't 
fit that band's style of playing. The music of Saga is more poetic and tends to be in a somewhat symphonic 
direction, including the use of piano, cello and saxophone.

http://www.progg.se/band.asp?ID=484
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Saga/178267925537001
http://www.discogs.com/Saga-Saga/master/401389

Their only self-titled album was released on the Sonet label in 1974: SLP 2550 (Sonet)

Side A:
1. Djävulens läppar (6:32)
2. Gamla goda misstag (2:11)
3. I ett glashus (3:32)
4. Önskebrunnen (7:49)

Side B:
1. Soliga barn  (1:25)
2. Jakten tillbaka (4:40)
3. Sång för Sylvia  (1:51)
4. Källardrottning (4:32)
5. Ensamma rum  (6:17)

Total time: 38:48 

Christer Stålbrandt / vocals, bass 
Kenny Bülow / guitars, vocals 
Mats Norrefalk / guitars, vocals 
Sten Danielsson / drums 

With: 
Sylvia Olin / piano 
Christer Eklund / sax 
Björn Isfält / Cello

This is from a music blogspot (translated from Russian):

The album is a very unusual and offbeat mix of hypnotic guitar-acid sound waves and mystically mesmerizing vocals. Unsteady harmonic vibrations generated by the creative impulse of the group's leader bassist Stalbrandta Christer (Christer Stalbrandt) gently envelop soluble in the vast ocean of the universe and gradually refusing to resist the inexorable laws of intergalactic space consciousness. Viscous and melancholic singing Swedish- Christer and disturbing sounds sad and enlightened cello Bjorn Isfelta (Björn Isfält) created while listening to the album a real sense of belonging emotional experiences of the authors of music and carry the listener into a fantastic and full of unforeseen danger and adventure, journey into the world of animated echoes of ancient Scandinavian sagas and sagas passed through the black-and-white prism of modern perceptions of reality in all its manifestations, not children. A delightful drive and is definitely one of the best rock albums of the Scandinavian 70 's.

Sadly that is the only sample I could find at the moment, but the album will be provided in full to the team who gets to evaluate these guys (should it pass stage one of the process, of course )
Edit: These dudes are on Proggnosis, just like the Portuguese formation are: http://www.proggnosis.com/ARTIST_DETAIL.aspx?AID=3444 (progressive rock - sub genre not assigned...!!  )

Edited by yam yam - July 02 2013 at 08:20

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yam yam Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Collaborator Crossover Team Joined: June 16 2011 Location: Kerberos Status: Offline Points: 6352	Topic: Saga (Sweden): To complete the homonymous trilogy Posted: July 02 2013 at 07:06
	First there was Saga (Canada), then yesterday we had Saga (Portugal), and now today we finish the saga with another band from Sweden! Actually this Swedish version was the first of the bunch - their album being released in 1974 whereas the Portuguese outfit didn't cut theirs until 1976, and Saga from Canada didn't even start at all until 1977, but kept going the longest (though Saga Sweden have now reformed with the original line up, and are due to play their 1974 eponymous album in its entirety, plus some new stuff, at the three-day Melloboat Festival: http://www.melloboat.se/en/, which sets sail from Frihamnen in Stockholm on the 6th of September 2013. Not the first time they've been mentioned in the forums - someone called David Brown asked for help with this band in General Music Discussions back in February 2009: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=55514 - it was his only ever post, more than 18 months after he initially joined us...and he hasn't been back here at all since October of that year. Saga Sweden's leader is Christer Stålbrandt, who was previously with Swedish power trio November, a band which was formed in the suburbs of Stockholm in the late 60's, evolving out of two groups, Train and The Imps. UK blues/rock guitarist Snowy White was with the group for a few months, and they cut four decent hard/blues rock albums before splitting up at the beginning of 1972, and the formation of Saga got now Christer a chance to play the songs he wrote for November, but which didn't fit that band's style of playing. The music of Saga is more poetic and tends to be in a somewhat symphonic direction, including the use of piano, cello and saxophone. http://www.progg.se/band.asp?ID=484 https://www.facebook.com/pages/Saga/178267925537001 http://www.discogs.com/Saga-Saga/master/401389 Their only self-titled album was released on the Sonet label in 1974: SLP 2550 (Sonet) Side A: 1. Djävulens läppar (6:32) 2. Gamla goda misstag (2:11) 3. I ett glashus (3:32) 4. Önskebrunnen (7:49) Side B: 1. Soliga barn (1:25) 2. Jakten tillbaka (4:40) 3. Sång för Sylvia (1:51) 4. Källardrottning (4:32) 5. Ensamma rum (6:17) Total time: 38:48 Christer Stålbrandt / vocals, bass Kenny Bülow / guitars, vocals Mats Norrefalk / guitars, vocals Sten Danielsson / drums With: Sylvia Olin / piano Christer Eklund / sax Björn Isfält / Cello This is from a music blogspot (translated from Russian): The album is a very unusual and offbeat mix of hypnotic guitar-acid sound waves and mystically mesmerizing vocals. Unsteady harmonic vibrations generated by the creative impulse of the group's leader bassist Stalbrandta Christer (Christer Stalbrandt) gently envelop soluble in the vast ocean of the universe and gradually refusing to resist the inexorable laws of intergalactic space consciousness. Viscous and melancholic singing Swedish- Christer and disturbing sounds sad and enlightened cello Bjorn Isfelta (Björn Isfält) created while listening to the album a real sense of belonging emotional experiences of the authors of music and carry the listener into a fantastic and full of unforeseen danger and adventure, journey into the world of animated echoes of ancient Scandinavian sagas and sagas passed through the black-and-white prism of modern perceptions of reality in all its manifestations, not children. A delightful drive and is definitely one of the best rock albums of the Scandinavian 70 's. Sadly that is the only sample I could find at the moment, but the album will be provided in full to the team who gets to evaluate these guys (should it pass stage one of the process, of course ) Edit: These dudes are on Proggnosis, just like the Portuguese formation are: http://www.proggnosis.com/ARTIST_DETAIL.aspx?AID=3444 (progressive rock - sub genre not assigned...!! ) Edited by yam yam - July 02 2013 at 08:20

seventhsojourn Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: December 11 2009 Location: . Status: Offline Points: 4006	Posted: July 03 2013 at 03:35
	Thanks David. Yeah, heavy at times but I think the Psych Team should probably check this one out first.

DamoXt7942 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Special Collaborator Joined: October 15 2008 Location: Okayama, Japan Status: Offline Points: 17493	Posted: July 03 2013 at 04:48
	Love this videoclip!