MÅLTID

SAMLA MAMMAS MANNA's 1973 album "Måltid" is a mixture of amazing virtuoso avant-garde prog rock by a bunch of really talented artists and crazy humorous vocal arrangements which only Swedish people are capable of doing. The music is a bit jazzy, but not quite fusion, it's avant-garde, but it's not quite RIO, and for the love of god, it sure isn't symphonic prog.

The musicians are very talented indeed. Guitarist Coste Apetrea can pull an impressive solo from his sleeve anytime and keyboardist Lasse Hollmer is on fire as his piano is all over this album. Lasse Kranius and Hasse Bruniusson back them up solidly on bass and drums respectively.

The music is quite hard to describe and also quite hard to grasp at times, but the epic 10-minute album opener "Dundrets Fröjder" is one you immediately fall in love with; full of wacky instrumental and vocal hooks. But one word of warning for everyone; try singing some of this stuff in the shower and you bloody well might drown in there. 4/5