MONICA TÖRNELL/ALRIK 6316 033 (-73) SWEDEN

 If the only album you've heard from her is the out there jazz/soul/funk third LP   https://monolover.blogspot.com/2025/02/monica-tornelldont-give-damn-6316-052.html  this second may come as a surprise. Deeply rooted in Swedish folk music with only one track - John Bundrick's "Magical Fountain" - sung in English, the rest in Swedish. Some of the tracks are interpretations of traditional tunes, like "Öje Brudmarsch" (Öje Bride's March), "Suplåt" (Drinking Song) and "Inte Äger Jag Gods Och Guld" (I don't Own A Big Estate Or Gold). The latter has an odd subtitle - (eng. translation) "Polka from Dalarna written down at Nicolai police station". Haven't found any explanation for the location, but she was known to be rather wild, so maybe she spent a night in the slammer at some point. Three of the songs sung a capella, the rest backed by assorted instruments as fiddle, flute and keyboards, mostly to a body of guitar, bass and drums. If you're in the mood for traditional folky stuff, sometimes in a more modernized style, mixed with sweet ballads and even some rock'n'roll, this might be it. I really like her voice - sometimes girlish, sometimes mature, but always personal. I dig it all so it's hard to pick favourites, but I've added a few below.  To my knowledge this Swedish was the only original release. Also issued 2012 as 11xFile, Flac, Album, 44.1KHz-16bits by Universal Music. Vinyl had label as shown here in a fully laminated cover. (FÄV*)  (SCÄ*)  (CCÖ*)