Ja, dä ä dä

Part of the adventure that comes with listening to foreign bands is the guesswork that goes into defining their respective influences. Of course, we have our own English-language music with which to compare the foreign stuff, but rarely do we consider the home-grown influences of these foreign acts. The most recent example I can provide is Dungen, whose Ta Det Lugnt (2004) drew instant comparisons to The Who Sell Out (1967). Not that The Who Sell Out is a poor point of comparison (the records do, in fact, have many similarities), but I tend to believe that for a Swedish band that sings in its native tongue, there are probably quite a few indigenous influences in play as well. The problem then becomes pinpointing those influences.

A month ago, I stumbled upon a Swedish record that I believe must have been on Dungen's turntable during the making of Ta Det Lugnt. The culprit: Ja, dä ä dä (1969), Pugh Rogefeldt's debut album. A rocker who sang in Swedish (unlike contemporaries such as the Tages), Pugh would go on to have several hits in his native country. The similarities between his record and Dungen's are too numerous to ignore. Both records begin with drum solos, both of which are recorded in a similar manner - the drum kits are rather natural sounding, with room mics rather than close mics doing the trick. The lead guitar tone on the albums is also strikingly similar - there are moments on Ja dä ä dä when you will swear you're listening to a Dungen's Reine Fiske on guitar. Even the vocal tones are similar - it would not surprise me if Gustav Ejstes lifted his singing style from Pugh.

Today's post is "Här Kommen Natten," the second track on Ja, dä ä dä. Dungen fans will recognize the familiar guitar tone from the start, as well as Pugh's similar vocal stylings. Dungen comparisons aside, though, this is a record that stands out on its own. Far from just a Swedish-language curiosity, Ja, dä ä dä is a fine piece of psych/folk/prog that deserves your attention.

You've got to respect the mustache.

Här Kommen Natten