MYRORNAS KRIG

Of all RIO bands heading from Sweden Myrbein probably is the hardest one on the ear, sounding like a grittier (but equally as amusing) Zamla Mammaz Manna during 'Familjesprickor'. Overall very experimental but with a good dose of offbeat and very scandinavian humor, with some really jerky music to reflect this. Very frantic and restless compositions backed up with some really solid musicianship, especially on tracks like "Kurt på Taket" and "Är du Förvirrad?", the music rarely stays in one place for long and the whole thing is really a rollercoaster ride. Occasional vocals are present, sung in Swedish with silly lyrics and confirms their humoristic sense. Parallels to bands like King Crimson, Samla Mammas Manna and Zappa are obvious but they still manage to do their own thing really well.

Not easy to find on CD these days due to it's limited distrubution, but their homepage allows you to download the whole album on mp3 legally for free in addition to bonus live material from the same sessions as this album was recorded. That also includes an excellent live performance of King Crimson's "Lark's Tongues in Aspic, Part II", who was added to the CD release as a bonus track. Fans of the RIO/Avant genre should definitely check this album out, not essential but excellent nevertheless.

Here's a RIO oriented album that isn't a chore to enjoy. Myrornas Krig is a fusion of rock grooves in quirky metres, jazziness, traditional folk and dance forms and plenty of humour. Most of the songs are short - making the album feel like a sketchbook of exceptional musical themes - but fleshed-out and varied throughout their duration. A harder degree of rock is in evidence here than on the relevant and passingly similar Stormy Six releases.

Three stars because the album doesn't really have a centerpiece and suffers slightly from stop-start RIO syndrome - no long notes and the occasional 7/8 time signature that doesn't enhance the song - but don't let my personal reservations put you off.

3.5 stars really!!!

Starting out as a Crimson cover band in the mid-70's, by the time Myrbein released their sole album in 81, they had become a full-blown RIO group (with some Zeuhl touches and some definite Canterbury twists), obviously inspired by their countrymen of Samla Manna Mama (who were in their Von Zamla phase in the early 80's). You will also find some Zappa quirks, some grotesque/burlesque (future) Miriodor attitudes, some Present ambiances, some Wyatt weirdness, a few GG reminiscences, frequent time sig changes, and a general Muffin-based policy of ever-changing musical themes and ideas.

In some ways, they remind me a lot of the other sole-album group from Sweden, Kultivator, who released their album roughly around the same time. The quartet manages to intrigue, baffle, dazzle, amuse and even irritate (sometimes all at once), as the succession of short tracks is rather aimless (only half of them are sung) and can lose the listener. In many ways a lot of groups that will be categorized later as Avant- prog will take many of the traits and characteristics you will find here on this album. Of the 12 (rather-short) tracks making the album, you will be taken through a wild but weird series of climates ranging from the absurd folk theme of Fyra Standen (all of the members are multi-instrumentalists and they can make a full brass section) to the more serious RIO climates of Raus, silly singing (the Swedish language being sung is not helping in this matter) and all-around over-abundant energy (they seemed like a wild bunch on stage, by the looks of the photos), a semi Hatfieldian-Present feel of Kurt Pa Taket and an ever-ending stream of short humorous music ideas, that never hang around long enough (sometimes this is very frustrating, as you'd like them to expand on the idea) for you to get used to them.

The Cd reissue comes with a Crimson LTIA Pt2 cover recorded in 93 for the reissue, which adds nothing to the original or the album. Rather spectacular aural pleasure, even if a trained ear is a must to approach such a weird album. While not exactly what I would call essential RIO/Avant, this is exactly the type of album that will give a good depth to your collection, along with the afore-mentioned Kultivator album.