MECKI MARK MEN

Remarkable debut album from the quintet MMM, and one of the earliest (and most brilliant) psych-rock album of Scandinavia (released in late 67), when they were at the height of their popularity and the previously-released single Midnight Land /Got Together, which sounded excitingly new and pre-dated brass rock, this self titled album is a stunning often overlooked gem. The group had backed up Frank Zappa and Jimi Hendrix in their country and obviously the two strongly influenced MMM a fair bit, especially with leader Mecki Bodemark's vocals, when you'd swear it is Jimi singing. Apparently, the group set the studio a bit like a stage and recorded most of this album as direct-live, just dubbing vocals, vibraphones, flute and sitars later. One of the features of MMM is that there were two drummers: the full-time Fredholm and the part-time (playing vibes and sitar as well) Gartz, who was the second songwriter in the band

Opening (that's also the first track's name) on some phantasmagorical noises from organ and winds, with the beat is a spell-binding slow but drumroll filled almost dies, before catching its final breath and finally lays itself to rest. Whether it is Get Up or I Got It or other Sweet Movin might seem fairly straight forward, but there are always tons of small things happening that this is not basic pop or rock music. Other more experimental tracks like Free (and its great sitar strumming), Scream (some fantastic psych delirium throughout the song and at the end), Enlightenment ( ) are usually the works of Thomas Gartz and provide much of the adventurous spirit of the album. And that's where the non-album single Midnight Land fits, despite its single status. Ditto for its flipside.

The latest reissue comes from Universal and is a lavish digipak, with extended sleevenotes and four bonus tracks, two of the instrumental versions album tracks and the last two being previously- mentioned single (where they sound like Chicago Transit Authority); all four being well in line with the album and providing great added value to the already excellent album. MMM will then tour in the US with Blue Cheer and Canned Heat, releasing their second album Running In The Summer's Night as a US-only under a very different line-up, while returning in late 70 with their final Marathon album (a Sweden only release), but clearly their moment had gone. MMM's debut album is clearly a real psych classic with plenty of prog and brass rock tinges and deserves to be on every early-prog-loving proghead's shelves.