THE CARETAKERS/HAVE A BALL WITH THE CARETAKERS SWELP C 51 (-66) SWEDEN

Swedish combo started 1959 as an instrumental group in the same vein as Ventures and Shadows. From 1962-65 working as backing band for Amercan-Norwegian singer Jack Dailey. 1965 UK vocalist Mike Wallance joined and they got a minor breakthrough in Scandinavia and parts of Europe by excessive touring and a couple of charters - with a cover of Skeeter Davies' "The End Of The World" reaching #1 in Sweden 1966 - before breaking up 1967. This was their only album. A mix of r&b, uptempo pop, ballads and one "old style" guitar instrumental. Eight songs written by Wallance and guitarist Lars Starck, the rest covers. Instrumental setting common contemporary rock embellished by some very nice organ. What makes it stand out is Wallance's bright fragile vocals, at a few occations so high pitched they reach an almost operatic mode. I wish he had done more of that. The recordings have a garage atmosphere - though efficiently performed and with clear natural audio much of it seems captured by direct takes, roughly produced with a couple of flaws here and there. All together very attractive - for the time and place high quality yet personal and connective. Released in France as "Danse Party" on Président (KVP 186). To my knowledge never reissued on vinyl or CD. Swedish issue, as compatible stereo, had label as shown here and thin fully laminated cover. (SCÄ*) (ÖGÄ*) (CCÖ*)