Kebnekajse - 1971 - Resa Mot Okänt Mål

Kebnekajse 

1971

Resa Mot Okänt Mål

01. Tänk på livet (4:58)
02. Frestelser I stan (4:47)
03. Orientens express (2:06)
04. Resa mot okänt mål (7:14)
05. Jag älskar sommaren - solen och varma vindar (10:47)
06. Förberedelser till fest (3:33)
07. Kommunisera! (5:12)

- Kenny Håkansson / vocals, guitar, composer
- Rolf Scherrer / guitar
- Bella Linnarsson / bass
- Pelle Ekman / drums

With:
- Mats Glenngård / backing vocals
- Gunnar Andersson / backing vocals
- Pelle Lindström / backing vocals
- Thomas Netzler / backing vocals

Out of the ashes of Mecki Mark Men was borne this hard rock band that would soon change totally of musical direction after the release of their debut album. Actually the hard rock comes from the third or fourth line-up of MMM around the time of their third album, a direction fairly different from the psych/prog of their debut album. Returning to Kebnekajse, they were a mainly instrumental double guitar attack quartet, releasing in 71 their debut album Resa MOt Okan Mal (journey to anywhere) with a greatly naïve artwork.

Contrary to MMM, Kebnekasje's hard rock is a sophisticated one that sometimes oogles in Zappa's direction, and not only because of the often funny vocals that were probably belting humorous lyrics, but the music was indeed complex as well, as the sublime 7-mins+ title track suggest.. Think of a proggier early Wishbone Ash and you'll have an idea of how good these guys could get. But things had tarted out with the almost Skynyrd-esque Tänk På Livet, a track filled with brutal riffs. Right on its racks, Frestelser I Shan has no less heavy duty double guitar riffs that should help Sweden gat a Florida winter if the album is played often enough. The Oriento Express is starting out as a spoof, but it veers in a full musical delire complete with zappa vocals and outstanding interplay and a finish that almost sends Freebird back on the drawing table.

Nothing really shocking but only the lengthy (around 10 minutes) Sommaren track sticks out a bit, more acoustic, but this is hardly a problem since it rocks out just as fine Sounding like a worked up and progged-out surf music Forberedelser Till Fest is an impressive and amusing stab at musical satyr, a bit like a Zappa pastiche. It's too bad the album closes on the weakest track Kommunisera.

While a completely beast than further albums, this is by all means an excellent Swedish hard rock album with the typical Swedish and Zappa-esque humour that one finds in almost all of the early 70's Swede group, be they prog or prog. Completely different and not an ounce prog folk, but no less interesting.

If you're a fan of early 70's Swedish hard rock in the likes of NEON ROSE, NOVEMBER, SOLID GROUND and TRETTIOARIGA KRIGET you will definitely love this album too. Highly recommended!

Kebnekajse would later be famous for turning traditional Swedish folk tunes into Rock music but here, on their first release, they are a Hard Rock act inspired by Cream and Mountain. This is not blues based music however.