Samla Mammas Manna

Exacting reissue of the 1970 debut album by this trailblazing Swedish quartet, led by composer/pianist/organist/accordionist/vocalist Lasse "Lars" Hollmer, just prior to any knowledge of anything called "RIO" (Rock In Opposition). Formed in the late late '60s in Uppsala, SMM canvassed the festival circuit (appearing on the same bill that Träd Gräs och Stenar recorded their mammoth Live Gardet 1970 album) to popular and critical appeal. Later SMM would team up with groups like Henry Cow and such to affix a politically-bent moniker to their particularly labyrinthine chord progressions. Here we get a few prog-polkas for the kids, a bit of tasteful Rhodes bob, a few Swedish-folk sounding numbers, a fast carnival segue or two, near Deep Purplesque organ snaking, etc... Altogether pleasing, crude at points, plenty of humor, handclapping