CONTACT/UTMARKER 2379.023 (-71) SWEDEN

(eng. "Outskirts") A follow-up to their then surprisingly successful second LP "Hon Kom Över Mon" (see earlier post). As that was partly garage psych with left-wing lyrics released on the independent MNW label I guess nobody had expected a breakthrough, but when it started to sell the band moved over to the much more resourceful Polydor label for this third and, as it turned out, last album before break-up. I get about the same message here, just conveyed a lot smoother - political input not as strong and garage feeling totally gone, which would be expected when recorded for a world-wide company with access to the best studios. A good album with a couple of highlights, but a little too polished for my taste thus hampering direct connection. With that in mind there are still four cuts that hit me hard. "Fyrvaktarns Dotter" (The Lighthouse Keepers Daughter) and "Ode Till En Fjord" (Ode To A Fiord), both catchy folk rock with melodic support by fiddler trio "Skäggmanslaget" (League Of Bearded Men). I also like the jazzy title track because of its desolate atmosphere and the country ballad "Västerns Son" (Son Of The West) - about a Vietnam deserter - with verse in Swedish and refrain in English. In my world an album not as good as HKÖM, but those four songs makes it worthwhile and a keeper. Released in Sweden only. Never reissued on CD, but most of the tracks can be found on the 2004 MNW CD compilation "Samma Vindar, Samma Dofter" (Same Winds, Same Scents) (MNWCD 2015). Premiere vinyl had label as shown here and laminated fold/out cover. (SCÄ*) (CCÖ*)