HEMLÖSA KATTER

The band Träd, Gräs Och Stenar (Trees, Grass and Stones) has existed since 1969, and even before that the principal members were together under other names. While they could hardly be accused of flooding the market (this is only their fourth studio album), the band has to be admired for their persistence and longevity. Released a mere seven years after the 2002 album "Ajn Schvajn Draj" this is widely regarded as the band's final album. While co-founder Thomas Tidholm is absent, the rest of the original line up is here, together with Jakob Sjöholm who has been in the band since 1971. Reine Fiske adds additional guitar on one track.

Bo Anders Persson provides vocals on the opening "Punkrocker", a song which is in so many ways the antithesis of punk. This brooding, riff laden dirge oozes atmosphere in a Neil Young sort of way. Indeed the song could have been lifted from Young's nod to punk "Hey hey my my" on "Rust never sleeps". Vocals are rare on the album though, Jakob Sjöholm's contribution on "Pondering wondering" being their only other appearance.

The rest of the tracks are guitar dominated instrumentals. The intrusive drumming on tracks such as "The Railway Engine of the People in Irresistible Motion" are symptomatic of Post rock, and while there are similarities with that style at times, the music is generally too dynamic to be labelled that way. That said, the band do include drone type effects through the multi-tracking of the guitars.

At times the performances are a bit too basic, the overall effect being of a bunch of guys bashing something out without too much concern for the quality. Sometimes though, the simplicity works, and the music becomes reasonably rewarding if seldom remarkable.

I notice that the band are listed here under the sub-genre Psychedelic/Space Rock. Being unfamiliar with their early work, I would not presume to comment on that allocation. There is though little of that style here, the music being closer to Krautrock, Post Rock or even avant-garde. As such, this is not an album for the masses, and should be approached with some caution.