SVENNE & LOTTA/OLDIES BUT GOODIES POLS 251 (-73) SWEDEN

For more on the duo and their background(s) check post on their "Tillsammans" and "Svenne & Lotta/2" LP:s. You could see this as just another revival album covering the heydays of American rock. But it's also kind of an ABBA (or at least *BB*) album with both Björn and Benny behind original idea, production and set-up. Agnetha and Anni-Frid weren't there, but the rest of the band crew was - Benny on keyboard, Björn and Janne Schaffer on guitar, Ola Brunkert behind the drums, Mike Watson and Rutger Gunnarson on bass, all supervised by Michael B. Tretow in the control room and released on Stickan Andersson's Polar label. Production, arrangements and audio all impeccable which makes the outcome good to the ears, but almost too smooth at parts. While the originals all had if not flaws so at least some underlying friction making them crawl in and stick, this is very kind and friendly, more leaning towards dance-band than garage. Though Svenne Hedlund has a very nice baryton what saves it for me is Charlotte Jean Butler's vocals. As member of Philadelphia girl group The Sherrys 1961-67 she must have sung songs like this many times before and you can hear she's feeling much at home here. I've always liked her voice - rather weak but at the same time dedicated making it sound like she's struggling and that's kind of sexy...well I think so anyway. My favorite cuts would be the ones where she owns most of the time - "Be My Baby" has a dark Phil Spectorish sound, "Save The Last Dance For Me" and "Making Love" bouncy enough and "Little Yellow Aeroplane" very cute. As a whole maybe not for the lover of the cheeky or challenging, but a good background to any benign chore and perfect for amiable dancing. To my knowledge only released in Sweden and Denmark (same label and number). Also on 8-track and cassette, but not CD. The 1995 Danish CD "Oldies But Greatest" on CMC records (24140-2) had only "Sandy", "Breaking Up Is Hard To Do" and "Little Yellow Airplane" in common. Premiere Swedish vinyl had label as shown here and thin fully laminated cover. (ÄBBÖ*) (CCÖ*) (FÄV*) (SCÄ) (HÄH*) (PKÖL*)