Tuesday, May 12, 2015

Träd, Gräs Och Stenar - 1972 - Rock För Kropp Och Själ

Träd, Gräs Och Stenar
Rock För Kropp Och Själ

01. In Kommer Gösta (3:59)
02. I Ljuset Av Din Dag (6:16)
03. Solen Går Upp, Solen Går Ner (2:11)
04. Våran Vila (8:37)
05. Rock för Kropp och Själ (22:47)

- Arne Eriksson / piano, cello, flute
- Bo Anders Persson / guitar, vocals, violin, flute
- Jakob Sjöholm / guitar
- Torbjörn Abelli / bass, harp, flute
- Thomas Gartz / drums, harp, flute, vocals

The Swedish "progg" movement contained both prog rock bands and political rock bands and it was a political left wing movement that was very big. Träd, gräs och stenar was a stripped and improvisation based band sprung from Harvester, International Harvester and Pärson Sound. They made two 70s studio records of whom I think this is the most interesting. I admit they were talanted and quite lonely with their sound and if you try them perhaps you'd like them. My listening to their music was interesting but I'm not very impressed.
If you'll find this record, listen to the first two songs ? they are good. "In kommer Gösta" was made famous of another swedish progg (and prog) band Philemon Arthur and the Dung but this version is heavier and better (3/5). "I ljuset av din dag" (3/5) is a hippy song with a nice mood and a melody but still their unpolished sound. I my opinion they should have been more pretentious. "Solen går upp, solen går ner" (0/5) is a totally meaningsless rubbish and "Våran vila" is perhaps political but it is hard to hear the lyrics(2/5).

If you liked the two first songs perhaps you can try "Rock för kropp och själ"(2/5) - the monster of this record. It is a minimalistic jam that runs for over twentytwo minutes. For me it is very monotonic but somewhere you can hear really good guitar being played. If you like minimalistic things or Krautrock this could be something for you. I'm more up to symphonic, folk and eclectic prog or political "progg". Träd, gräs och stenar intended to sound living and careless. Their message was: "everybody can play!". TGOS could play but ? they didn't.