DET ÄR INTE BÅTEN SOM GUNGAR - DET ÄR HAVET SOM RÖR SIG

As some of you may already know many bands of the Swedish progressive scene in the 70's were highly political. The politics sometimes mattered more than the music.The songs were simply a means to an end, to get the word out so to speak. By way of a socialist and communist struggle on all fronts, be it through the media of art or protest in pther forms, the main goal was hopefully overthrowing and demolishing all capitalist structures of power, bringing forth a new society buit on equality and void of the stock market.

There are quite a few stoies that by now seem comical. Tomas Bolme, a well known actor in Sweden who took part in the movement, told story once of such a story. He and others of the FNL- movement was collecting Money or the people in Vietnam, then struggling during the war with the USA. A colonel (or something of that kind) in the Swedish army approached them, intending to give some Money tothe cause. When he approached Bolme he put away the Money-box, saying "You can't give any money". Well, that was all in the past and what's left are the remnants of an era, still echoing out it's views. Sometimes it's good and sometimes outright bad.

Solar Plexus is one of those great bands to whom he music mattered just as much as the lyrical content. This was my first venture into the world of Solar Plexus and to me it still is their greatest achievement.

The band consisted of very well known, no less today, members. The singer is a very eclectic performer who has crossed the borders of all genres and done it with exceptional brilliance. The couple Dominique are very well known jazz and classical figures in Sweden. All still active. With two keyboard players in the band it is safe to say that there are alot of great electric piano and organ to enjoy. The Wurlitzer electric piano is often distorted and played through a wah-wah pedal, giving it a very distinct and powerful sound. The organ is superbly played.

This album consists of jazz rock of a typical Swedish kind, which also brings in quite a big dose of folk and that is really enjoyable. (They kept this course throughout, before and after this album.) The opening track, however, is a storming piece of hard jazz-rock, driven by a powerful riff and awesome keyboards. The title translates "It is not the boat that's rocking, it is the ocean moving", meaning the People ae getting ready to overthrow the Ship (i.e. the capitalist forces). Quite a statement. Regardless of your political point of view, the song remains as powerful as ever. Equally powerful is "Man skall tala idag", translated into "One must speaktoday". Also political it is in similar vein as the opening title track.

The tracks "Girl of the dawn" and "Fåglarna i Nam Dinh" (The birds of Nam Dinh) are very beauiful pieces. Dreamy and spacious I love those tracks, giving the listener some time out from the very powerful tracks I have reviously mentioned.

The epic of the album is the 17 minutes long "Jorden är ett underbart ställe" (The world is a wonderful place), which is made up of several sections. It covers every aspect of the Solar Plexian vision of what music ought to be, a perfect blend of lyrical importance and musical perfection.

This album is very dear to me and remains a staple in my collection of Swedish progressive music. The lyrics are almost entirely in swedish but that ought not discourage anyone from discovering this piece of superior jazz-rock. A pinnacle of it's genre.

Since I heard a record by Solar Plexus at a listening session with some guys, I have wanted to listen to them, but I haven't until now. In addition, on of the best Swedish singers, Tommy Körberg sings with Solar Plexus. My favourite records with him is his renderings of Birger Sjöberg and Jacques Brel's works. His appearence on this jazz record is very different.

"Det är inte båten som gungar, det är havet som rör sig" from 1974 is Solar Plexus' third studio album(of four). The cover isn't as psychedelic as their two earlier releases even if the name of the record is abit surrealistic. The musicians were Tommy Körberg (vocals, guitar, percussion), Bosse Häggström(bass, vocals), Tommy Borgudd(drums, percussion, vocals), Carl-Axel Dominique(keyboards, flute, saxophone, vocals) and Monica Dominique(keyboards, vocals).

The band invites us on a musical journey of a very different sort. This jazz rock isn't as heavy and crazy as many such band and not either some form of soft jazz rock with quite conventional rock songs. "Solar Plexus" seemed to be making an artistical landscape here which mixtures traditional jazz with rock, big band and sung poetry slam. The result is a very pleasant experience where every song gives you something new. The title track "Det är inte båten som gungar, det är havet som rör sig"(7/10) releases a nice swing to us but "The girl of the dawn"(8/10) is much better; here shows Tommy Körberg his great vocal abilities and it is one of the record's gems. "Man ska tala idag"(8/10) is also one of the best, an experimental jazz pop song i like a lot. "Fåglarna i Nam Dinh" is a calmer more traditional jazz piece with fine flutes but I think it's the records least interesting song(6/10). "This is the place" (7/10) is another nice track and of the two English sung tracks. The best and most interesting composition though is "Jorden är ett underbart ställe"(8/10) which is along lasting song. Here we face a composition with a poetical and political text which merge together in a musically gorgeous piece.

Solar Plexus' third album has an average high standard with splendid playing from the five band members even if I don't think there are masterpieces here. The music is complex but easy listened so I can really recommend it! My rating: 3.67 which becomes four stars. Best songs: "Jorden är ett underbart ställe", "The Girl of the Dawn" and "Man skall tala idag"