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Posts tagged Samla Mammas Manna
Samla Mammas Manna – Dear Mamma (Live 2002) (@256)
02 Jul 2010
(Review from allmusic)
Drummer Bruniusson left the fold after “Kaka” had been released — but the drummer’s chair was soon filled by Tatsuya Yoshida, the manic and riveting drummer of Japanese experimental rock duo Ruins.
This live album was recorded in Uppsala, Sweden, mainly during May 2002. The recording quality suggests placement of a DAT recorder in the audience, but the balance and stereo separation are good and the sound is adequate, somewhat better than a typical bootleg.
There are a number of tunes from “Kaka” here, notably an 11-plus minute of “Frestelsens Cafe”, nearly a progressive epic with its tightly executed heavy themes, rollicking jazz-rock passages, and interjections of vocal zaniness — it’s an effective summary of what this incarnation of the Samlas has to offer in a live setting.
The Samlas travel back to their early days, not only covering additional tunes from Kaka such as the three “Ikariens” (“Första Ikarien”, “Andra Ikarien”, “Tredje Ikarien”), but also “Lang Ner I Ett Kaninhal” and “Ingenting” from the band’s third album, 1974′s Klossa Knapitatet.
This being the Samlas, there are plenty of weird musical juxtapositions, with the bandmembers babbling operatic nonsense one moment and jamming away, navigating tricky unison riffs, or accelerating to a manic tempo the next. The wacky episodes of grunting and guttural growling, yodeling, and falsetto gibberish between the displays of “serious music” are presented here without the benefit of Monty Python-esque “commentator” John Fiske, whose bemused interjections during Kaka added another layer of oddball humor to the mix. Here, the goofiness is presented sans “interpretation,” so be warned: you’re on your own in trying to decipher the madcap goings-on.
In December 2008, Lars Hollmer succumbed in his battle with cancer at the age 60, making this album the swansong of the band.
Line-up:
- Coste Apetrea / guitar, bouzouki, veena, voice
- Tatsuya Yoshida / drums, percussion, marimba, voice
- Lars Hollmer / keyboards, accordion, melodica, voice
- Lars Krantz / bass, voice
Track List:
01. Introduction – 2:18
02. Frestelsens Cafe – 11:20
03. Ooaajjii Ohdadaididadaidi – 4:03
04. Langt Ner I Ett Kaninhal – 3:42
05. Dear Mamma Pt1 – 3:45
06. Ingenting – 4:06
07. Forsta Ikarien – 8:13
08. Dear Mamma Pt2 – 2:29
09. Andra Ikarien – 3:12
10. Mjolk – 1:13
11. Tredje Ikarien – 5:35
12. Monitor Song – 0:53
13. Potato Song – 2:01
14. Sensitive Moment – 0:28
15. Tarningen – 3:41
16. Grave Song – 0:58
17. Musmjolkningsmaskinen – 7:22
18. Viking Song – 0:35
19. Five Single Combat – 5:48
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Samla Mammas Manna – Kaka (1999) (@256)
01 Jul 2010
(Review from progarchives.com)
The last offspring of Samla Mannas Manna, Von Zamla, did their last album “No Make Up!” in 1983. 16 years after, the long awaited reunion on album for Samla Mannas Manna was finally here. The line-up on this album made their last album “Snorungarnas Symfoni” in 1976, so actually it’s 23 years since they did an album together.
The playfulness, the craziness, the humour, the experimentation’s and the improvisations is ever present and it sounds just like it did back then. The only thing that has changed is that they’re even better musicians today and that the sound on the production has improved since the 70′s.
The material on this album is a mix of live recordings ranging from 1993-98 and new recordings done in Lars Hollmer’s legendary studio “The Chickenhouse”.
Line-up:
- Coste Apetrea / guitar, bouzouki, vocals
- Hans Bruniusson / drums, percussion, marimba, vocals
- Lars Hollmer / keyboards, accordion, melodica, vocals
- Lars Krantz / bass, vocals
Track List:
01. Stamma Lite – 0:29
02. Lyckliga Titanic – 5:12
03. Oh Sa Masalana Jamfort Med Alman River – 2:03
04. Forsta Ikarien – 6:39
05. Reptilgarna – 2:16
06. Satori – 3:28
07. Vegetariskt Impro, Svar Direkt – 2:38
08. Frestelsens Cafe – 8:14
09. Tung Krupa Tejpraga Tra La La – 2:36
10. Andra Ikarien – 3:33
11. Aven Oss Far Tiden Aldras Spasmodskij Engelbert Humperdinck Blues – 5:12
12. Hatman – 2:28
13. Tredje Ikarien – 5:30
14. Oq – 0:19
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Von Zamla – 1983 (Live 1983) (@256)
30 Jun 2010
(Review from progarchives.com)
This album contains recordings from two live concerts in Germany during Von Zamla’s Spring 1983 European tour. The production is very good especially since these are live recordings.
“1983″ features songs from both “Zamlaranamma” and “No Make Up!” studio albums, together with some songs that has never been released on any album before.
The sound is very much in terms of RIO but also laced with gypsy jazz (circus-like music). For this one, Belgium’s Michel Berckmans (of Univers Zero fame) joined the band and he gives a typical Berckmans input with his bassoon.
The music pumps with a creepy, Monster Mash hipness and astounding changes in mode and tempo, filled with delicate lines, little details, and bizarre humor. The group draws influence from seemingly all music at once and spits it back out with flair and bold disregard for convention or popular ideals. The thirteen cuts brim with this energy. The vast majority of tunes here are instrumental and offer much with a truly progressive form of rock music.
Among the highlights in this album would be the impressive Temporal You Are with keyboard layers reminding of Pink Floyd’s Shine On You Crazy Diamonds and the Gong-like Doppler.
Line-up:
- Eino Haapala / guitar
- Lars Hollmer / piano, organ, korg, accordion
- Hans Loelv / piano, organ, korg, melodica
- Michel Berckmans / bassoon, oboe
- Wolfgang Salomon / bass
- Marten Tiselius / drums
Track List:
01. Ten Tango – 7:23
02. Forgeetyde – 4:23
03. Harujanta – 7:56
04. Temporal You Are – 5:59
05. Antsong – 5:34
06. Fur Munju – 4:46
07. Glassmusic – 1:00
08. Rainbox – 3:11
09. Doppler – 7:57
10. Akarondo – 2:48
11. Dancing Madras – 0:30
12. Clandestine – 6:59
13. Odet (Bonus Track) – 5:42
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Von Zamla – No Make Up! (Vinyl 1983) (@320)
29 Jun 2010
(Thanks to CrimsonKing and his new blog Brain Damage)
Second studio album of the Von Zamla incarnation features an expanded lineup of six, including Univers Zero reeds man Michel Berckmans. “No Make Up!” is undeniably an avant progressive tour de force.
Throughout the album, it’s once again Lars Hollmer’s familiar accordion, that drives most of the Nordic European style folk melodies. The ensemble work is tight, in typical chamber music fashion, with the aggressive rock edge provided by guitarist Eino Haapala, the same role he played for the Zamla clan prior.
It’s fair to say that most of the groups in the Rock in Opposition camp find it hard to avoid some crazy improvisation, sort of their bitch-slap to the establishment. Here Von Zamla only utilize one piece for that, the unbelievably irritating (and mercifully short) ‘Voice Improvisation’. Fortunately the remainder of the tracks remain composed, energetic and satisfying.
The album opener “Forge Etude”, is a rework from the Zamla Mammaz Manna incarnation’s final album “Familjesprickor”.
Line-up:
- Michel Berckmans / bassoon, oboe
- Eino Haapala / guitar, vocals
- Lars Hollmer / keyboards, accordion
- Hans Louhelainen / keyboards, melodica
- Wolfgang Salomon / bass, guitaron
- Marten Tiselius / drums
with
- Kalle Eriksson / trumpet (4), percussion
Track List:
01. Forge Etude – 4:07
02. Soon Series – 7:25
03. Fur Munju Indojazz – 6:01
04. Gilmit – 4:31
05. Hopeful – 4:35
06. Endanko – 3:51
07. Piece of Antsong – 2:45
08. Voice Improvisation – 3:49
09. After Smrt – 5:14
10. Cancion de Bi-Me-Mela – 3:25
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Von Zamla – Zamlaranamma (1982) (@256)
28 Jun 2010
(Review from progarchives.com)
Von Zamla (translating Son of Zamla) is an evolution of Samla and then Zamla Mamma Manna. It is also in the musical continuity of its pedecessors. Von Zamla has Haapala and Hollmer from the band’s previous incarnation, with the addition of two other musicians from Albert Marcoeur’s band.
Their sound’s main bet is on multicolored melodic motifs, extravagant tratments, heavily relying on dissonant chord progressions and pretty recurrently sustained on counterpoints regarding the arrangements. The music is deeply challenging while not being particularly aggressive – their compositions and style bear the heritage of Zamla Mannas Manna (ZMM) but with a more light-weight attitude toward the interactions between all musicians. The absence of a drummer, or more precisely, a specialized percussive section, allows the ensamble to focus more enthusiastically on the amalgamation of keyboards, guitars and woodwinds, although the rhythmic basis still plays a solid role at ordaining the aforesaid amalgamation. The strong position of the accordion helps the band to elaborate a folk-based depth within the confines of the band’s overall vision.
The opener “Harujanta”, bearing a pletoric aura of celebration with various hints to Northern Europe folk, is a definite proof of their sound. Later on, ‘Clandestine’ includes an effective melodic twist that leads to a werid musical box-like final motif and ‘Original 13/11′ is headlong for the delivery of overwhelming exotic ambiences; both persevere with the special, bizarre magic that Von Zamla instill on their particular approach to RIO.
‘Rainbox’ displays a more melancholic mood, sweet and suave, but not without its proper touch of mystery. ‘Doppler’ is a definite highlight with its sinister spirals of neurosis and spacey cadences. In many ways the somber spirit in this track is a reminder of the sophisticated tension so clearly illustrated on ZMM’s swansong “Familjiesprickor”.
Other notable tracks include the nocturnal ‘Temporal You Are’ and the last two numbers ‘Antsong’ and ‘Tail of Antsong’, genuine brainstorms of atonal colors. ‘Ten Tango’ brings back the band’s softer, althoug displaying more intensity and mystery than ‘Rainbox’, particularly due to the hypnotic use of texturial ornaments in a weird confluence of tango-fusion, Stravinsky and gypsy folk.
Line-up:
- Eino Haapala / guitar, bass, cello, mandoline, percussion, vocals
- Lars Hollmer / keyboards, accordion, percussion, glockenspiel, lead vocals
- Denis Brely / bassoon, oboe, voice, baryton sax, Soprano flute
- Jan Garret / bass, bass pedals, guitar, percussion, vocals
Track List:
01. Harujanta – 7:51
02. Rainbox – 3:15
03. Doppler – 4:34
04. Clandestine – 5:46
05. Temporal You Are – 4:34
06. Original 13 11 – 4:49
07. Ten Tango – 5:44
08. Antsong – 5:12
09. Tail Of Antsong – 2:04
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Zamla Mammaz Zanna – Family Cracks (1980) (@256)
26 Jun 2010
(Review from allmusic)
Familjesprickor (Family Cracks) was the last album recorded by this incarnation of the band. The original drummer, Hans Bruniusson, left the group in early 1980 and was replaced by Vilgot Hansson, for tours in France and Belgium. In the liner notes, the group states that Familjesprickor was made during a period of transition, and the music is therefore not as “optimistic and happy” as that on previous Zamla/Samla releases. Indeed, this album is the darkest and most aggressive of any album by any incarnation of the group.
The opening track, “Five Single Combats”, drives hard and fast right out of the box, and the intensity barely lets up through the rest of the album. There is a bit of a rest on “Ventilation Calculation,” where keyboardist Lars Hollmer has brief and wistful solo interludes, but “The Forge” (reprised as Forge Etude by Von Zamla on No Make Up! kicks back up again. The album’s only vocals are on “Pappa,” a demented folk tune with none of the sweetness of the band’s earlier work.
Line-up:
- Lars Hollmer / keyboards, accordion, song
- Eino Haapala / guitar, song
- Lars Krantz / bass, song
- Vilgot Hansson / drums, percussion
- Hans Bruniusson / drums, percussion (8)
Track List:
01. Five Single Combats – 5:54
02. Ventilation Calculation – 5:06
03. The Forge – 5:11
04. The Thrall – 5:08
05. The Panting Short Story – 3:53
06. Pappa (With Right Of Veto) – 4:29
07. The Farmhand – 7:36
08. Kernel In Short And Long Castling – 5:48
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Zamla Mammaz Manna – Mystery of Popular Music (1978) (@256)
25 Jun 2010
(Review from allmusic)
Side one of “Schlagerns Mystik” (translating as Mystery of Popular Music) is a series of quirky folk songs, sung relatively straightforwardly. Although the band have always included at least one track with vocals on most of its albums, the vocals were typically shouted, buried in the mix, or sung in falsetto. This time, the lyrics are completely comprehensible (in Swedish), and the arrangements are subdued. Yet they retain all of the tunefulness for which the band became famous, and even through the strange elements, the melodies are truly charming.
The second side of the album contains the long instrumental “The Fate” — structurally similar to Pink Floyd’s “Echoes” from its album Meddle — has a clearly stated theme, a spaced-out improvisational section in the middle, and a return to the theme.
Line-up:
- Hans Bruniusson / drums, xylophone, chimes, vibraphone, song
- Eino Haapala / electric guitar, acoustic guitar, vibraphone, song
- Lars Hollmer / electric piano, Korg polyphonic, Hohner-symphonic grand piano, accordion, song
- Lars Krantz / electric bass, double-bass, acoustic guitar, song
Track List:
01. At Ragunda – 1:38
02. Seasonsong – 3:46
03. Proffesion Is The Amateur’s Glue – 2:19
04. Buttonless – 2:18
05. Not Margareta – 3:49
06. Little Karin – 4:17
07. Asphaltsong – 1:53
08. Joosan Lost – 0:31
09. The Fate – 16:55
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Zamla Mammaz Manna – For Older Beginners (Live Improvisations 1977) (@256)
24 Jun 2010
(Review from squidco.com)
After Coste Apetrea left, Samla Mammas Manna reformed as the subtly renamed Zamla Mammas Manna in January 1977 to indicate a new start and a new style with much more fiery and distinctly RIO type of rock fusion. Songs moved to the background as instrumental music took the lead, fed from a vast palette of styles that always anchored on rock, often in intensely sophisticated yet melodic ways. They have a wide range, from straight rock grooves to experimental textures.
When the band went on tour that summer, they played all improvisations, to the point where at one show a fan cut off their power because they wouldn’t play their well-known songs. Chris Cutler, drummer of Henry Cow, remarked that they were one of the best improvising rock bands he’d ever encountered, and showed it by inviting them to the first Rock in Opposition festival at New London Theatre in England.
The band recorded all the improvisations, and took the best ones for this album, For Aldre Nybegynnare (“For Older Beginners”).
Line-up:
- Hans Bruniusson / drums, pinochet, chimes, xylophone, radio, voicet
- Eino Haapala / guitars, voice
- Lars Holmer / electric piano, Korg polyphonic, Hohner-symphonic grand piano, Farfisaorgan, voice
- Lars Krantz / bass, trumpet
Track List:
01. Watchmaker 1 – 3:41
02. Watchmaker 2 – 2:31
03. The Funktrap – 2:49
04. Short Inheritance – 1:55
05. The Modern – 6:18
06. Temporal You Are – 2:36
07. Harness In Memoriam – 12:30
08. To The Oval Meter – 3:47
09. Do You Think Like Me? – 5:14
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Samla Mammas Manna – Snorungarnas Symfoni (1976) (@256)
23 Jun 2010
(Review from gibraltar, allmusic)
“Snorungarnas Symfoni” is a collaboration with composer Gregory Allan Fitzpatrick, an album of four long pieces, all extremely diverse with very complex yet melodic arrangements, the result being a positively brilliant album that defies categorization yet defines the word progressive.
The band’s familiar twisted folk tunes, calliope keyboards, soaring guitar excursions and Zappaesque time signatures are enhanced perfectly by Fitzpatrick’s own quirky compositions. The album has a much more jazz-oriented flavor to it, in a way it might be considered the next logical step after “Klossa Knapitatet”.
You’ll laugh, hum along, tap your feet and shake your head in amazement, all at the same time.
Line-up:
- Coste Apetrea / acoustic & electric guitars, balalaika
- Hans Bruniusson / drums, percussion
- Kalle Eriksson / trumpet
- Lars Hollmer / keyboards
- Lars Krantz / bass
- Artan Wallander / saxophone
Track List:
01. Forsta Satsen – First Movement – 11:52
02. Andra Satsen – Second Movement – 5:40
03. Tredje Satsen – Third Movement – 7:46
04. Fjarde Satsen – Fourth Movement – 8:49
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Samla Mammas Manna – Klossa Knapitatet (1974) (@256)
22 Jun 2010
(Review from progarchvies.com)
How could Samla Mammas Manna better their work after the astounding Maltid? Well they certainly tried very hard to duplicate the success without making a carbon copy of their previous oeuvre or reproducing exactly the recipe and succeeded in bringing us something almost as tasty as “Maltid”. “Klossa Kuapitatet” is an excellent album, that was recorded the following year with an unchanged line-up and it was granted another weird freak artwork, again with no obvious relation with the music, even with the track titles translated.
Staying more or less in the same musical realm than with Maltid, Klosa Knapitatet actually dare goes a little further in jazz (or jazz-rock as in the superb and lengthy “Liten Dialektik”), or in the burlesque (the yodelling of Kaninhal) or even in the dissonant and absurd (“Influences”) or in the festive folk and circus-like music (“Mousemilkingmachine”) and sometimes Crimsonoid deviations (“Influences” again). The Zappa stature is probably less present here than on “Maltid” though, and while the vocals remains strange, we can also say they’re less Focus-like as well. Elsewhere the band’s giving us some accordion with a guest musician on the title track, while the closing “Ramlosa Kvallar” is a fitting closing bit for such a crazy album, like Crimson playing Moonshine or Providence and after that returning to some brilliant polka music.
Line-up:
- Coste Apetrea / acoustic & electric guitars, backing vocals
- Hasse Bruniusson / drums, backing vocals
- Lasse Hollmer / piano, accordion, yodelling, vocals
- Lasse Krants / bass, backing vocals
- Brynn Settels / accordion (8)
Track List:
01. Ingenting (Nothing) – 2:10
02. Liten Dialektik (Small Dialectics) – 10:08
03. Sucken (The Sigh) – 1:14
04. Langt Ner I Ett Kaninhal (Way Down A Rabbithole) – 4:15
05. Kom Lite Narmare (Come A Little Closer) – 1:29
06. Musmjolkningsmaskinen (The Mousemilkingmachine) – 6:36
07. Influenser (Influences) – 7:00
08. Klossa Knapitatet – 1:22
09. Ramlosa Kvallar (Framless Nights) – 5:25
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Samla Mammas Manna – Maltid (1973) (@256)
21 Jun 2010
(Review from progarchives.com)
Some three years after their debut, Samla Mammas Manna (SMM) lost percussionist Oberg, but gained guitarist Coaste Apetrea, but this didn’t alter much their direction, even if there were obvious sonic changes. Unlike its predecessor’s and its chicken shack, Maltid was recorded in a real studio during the fall 1973 and received a strange third-age picnic artwork.
Starting out on some very obtuse bowels sounds, the quartet attacks their second opus on the almost 11-mins “Dundrets Frojder”, a constantly evolving track with some crazy percussions, weird vocals astounding overall musicianship and a Zappa-esque mastery and humour, but SMM has their own distinct sound. There is no way you could mistake it for Zappa, but it is damn well inspired, but never copied, as SMM is really giving priority to the instruments, as opposed to Zappa’s often too wordy musical scheme. SMM’s vocals are often weird but actually closer to Focus.
Further down the album we have some really superb tracks like “Oforutsed Folossning”, some more experimental or dissonant “Aterupplivate Laten”, the burlesque and wordy “Svackorpoangen” and the slightly ethnic sounding Minaretten (with some incredible drumming) etc.. The mood always remain positive, humorous, joyous, even festive, that Maltid is actually fairly accessible despite its complexity.
This album comes with three bonus tracks, two of them from this same 1973 session, and “Circus Apparatha” from the chicken shack sessions and the debut album. One of the tracks “Minaretten II” is absolutely vocally bonkers and it may introduce a certain reject reaction, but manages to blend in enough with the album’s overall mass of work. Blending much better in (although you can hear the major production difference between the shack and the studio) is “Circus Apparatha”, while the final “Probably” should’ve made the original cut.
Line-up:
- Coste Apetrea / guitars, vocals (1-10, 12)
- Hasse Bruniusson / drums, percussion, backing vocals, glass
- Lasse Hollmer / acoustic & electric pianos, vocals
- Lasse Krants / bass, vocals
- Henrik Oberg / congas (11)
Track List:
01. Dundrets Frojder – 10:46
02. Oforutsedd Forlossning – 3:13
03. Den aterupplivade Laten – 5:59
04. Folkvisa I Morse – 2:09
05. Syster System – 2:29
06. Tarningen – 3:37
07. Svackorpoangen – 3:14
08. Minareten – 8:21
09. Vaerelseds Tilbud – 2:28
10. Minareten II (Bonus) – 4:41
11. Circus Apparatha (Bonus) – 6:05
12. Probably The Probably (Bonus) – 3:55
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Samla Mammas Manna – Samla Mammas Manna (1971) (@256)
20 Jun 2010
(Review from progarchives.com, allmusic)
The Samlas were formed in Uppsala, Sweden, in 1969. Two years later, the band’s selftitled debut was recorded at the Chickenhouse, which was so named because it really was built on a former chicken house that had belonged to organist Hollmer’s mother.
Opening with a quirky electric-piano riff, ‘Circus Apparatha’ indeed sounds like a carnival – humourous riffs, vocals and silly voices, care-free organ and e-piano playing, with a competent rhythm section – it really gets this album off to a great, unique start.
The bulk of the album is instrumental, and the sound and instrumentation consistent throughout. There are some brief, but beautiful e-piano interludes at certain points, and there is a loose, jammy vibe to be heard on most tracks. Sometimes slow, sometimes fast, many tempo changes and tasteful progressions abound, always keeping things interesting.
The band would later get tighter, more avant-garde, and simply more skilled, but few of their recordings are as charming as this one. The production values leave a bit to be desired, but it kinda adds to the naivety and innocence of this wonderful bit of creativity.
Line-up:
- Hasse Bruniusson / drums, vocals
- Lasse Hollmer / organ, piano, vocals
- Lasse Krantz / bass
- Bebben Oberg / congas, percussion
Track List:
01. Circus Apparatha – 6:04
02. Pausus – 0:20
03. Broadened Condition – 3:19
04. Slayride to Satori – 4:17
05. Schenkina – 2:52
06. Overture to a Kind Horse – 2:55
07. The Girl in the Woods – 2:22
08. Manna Jamma – 6:07
09. At-One-Ment – 4:20
10. Shouts From Embassy – 2:29
11. Fittravisan – 0:58
12. E’ Pop Tai – 4:12
13. Cirkus Impala – 3:39
14. Lawrence in Sahara – 2:01
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