14 CD:s + 1 DVD Easter Holiday

Some 14 CD albums more or less randomly chosen from the collection, based on being interesting albums that I haven’t heard for a while - and a DVD I bought for one euro at a flea market just before Easter. Well worth the euro too. Enjoy the last red day before the working week.

Eurythmics: We Too Are One (a last highmark before breakdown, it would take 10 years to the next Eurythmics album. Decent album, here with five bonuses. The theme in King And Queen of America is still current, and it is also the best track here, actually in both album and bonus 12” versions. Not a favorite album by Eurythmics, but still good, especially in this remastered version with bonuses.

Laakso: My Gods (After Laskso we don’t need any more Swedish bands, according to  the entertainment newspaper Nöjesguiden. Well, not really. Laakso sure have talent and attitude and there is much to like on My Gods, a great indiepop album, no doubt. High Drama, for example, impresses. Would like to hear it’s driving beat and desperation live. Same goes for Never Satisfied, and so on. And with a song titled Hamburg Night, how could you ever go wrong?).

Freundeskreis: FK10 1997-2007 (CD+DVD) (10 year anniversary compilation by the gifted Stuttgart hiphop crew. New songs, anniversary FK 10, and political Das Prinzip Hoffnung, are among the highlights, but greatest of all is the wonderful history-themed Leg Dein Ohr Auf Die Schiene Der Geschichte, pure magic. Reggae-song Halt Dich An Deiner Liebe Fest moves nicely and the cool vibes continues on You Can’t Run Away, where FK are guest artists on a groovy Udo Lindenberg cut. Esperanto, Exklusivinterview, Erste Schritte/Retroperspektive, Mit Dir. All Pure Ace too. And then we have the DVD too. A fine 56 mins band documentary. This is an awesome way to celebrate 10 years.

Marian Valinta: Maagiset Kirjaimet (DIY EP-album with eight songs, white label, truly homemade. The black disc is hand-sprayed or -coloured black, but underneath you still see, and can read, that it’s an ordinary, recordable computer-CD. Actually rather cool, Marian Valinta has made a hand-written cover too. They show attitude and it looks alt indie or punk, and definitely is cool - if the music lives up to expectations. Recorded in Kajaani 2002, we are informed. Not a clean and beautiful voice, but there is something appealing in the mellow soundscapes and sweet performances. It brings an amateurish Leevi and The Leavings to mind, without Göstas beautiful singing voice, his brilliant lyrics, and the harmonic well-performed melodies. However, this is an album with some nice, mellow and appealing performances, and with a vibe and atmosphere reminding of Leevi & co. And that alone is valuable. Ending Herää Jo is also a beautiful, short instrumental. This is not bad, not bad at all, Marian Valinta.

Hurriganes: Rock And Roll All Night Long - 50th Anniversary Edition (Classic debut album by the most legendary Finnish rock band Hurriganes. This is pure rock’n’roll, and with such performative power by the trio Remu, Cisse and Albert. It is especially a showpiece of the virtuoso guitar god of Finnish rock, Albert Järvinen, with the wonderfully tight rhythm section of Remu (Drums) and Cisse (Bass). The latter is on this album named Rock Häkkinen, and he certainly was the live concert wild man on stage. Half the album was recorded live, the other half in studio, and it’s especially the live cuts that shines. This anniversary version has eight bonus songs, six before released and two previously unreleased. The latter two are the real pearls here, both are great bonuses. The album is remastered, and especially the bonus songs sounds fresher than ever, the album proper was already well remastered before and don’t sound that much better now. All in all, a stunning album, and better than ever.

Nieminen & Litmanen: Third (Had almost forgot how great N&L are, so great to listen through the record collection occasionally. Beautiful Hammond sounds and stable swingin’ drumming, and Paleface does a fantastic guest rap on groovin’ highlight Vaalirahakynnytys, not forgetting guest vocals by Jonna Tervomaa on the great and jazzy Marraskuu. Wonderful record of pure stadin jaska (Helsinki jazz), with inspirations from rocksteady, tango, swing, twist and more.

Funf Sterne Deluxe: Alles Muss Raus (cool compilation but very wide and unruly in content. Aimed strictly at fans of FSD. Schund (Apollo Lovemachine RMX) is a first funky highlight. Followed by some joke-like wordplay in 49 sec and then another cool tune, Discotizer 100 bpm remix. The Apollo Lovemachine remixes is where it really is at here. Ja ja… Deine Mutter! (Hamburg Deadline Sebus Rmx) is another highlight. Prof. Professor feels like experimental time-waste before the beat of Silliun (Arj Snoek Rmx) relentlessly starts pumpin’.. Always interesting and occasionally wonderful compilation by this fine Hamburg crew. Fan club-CD limited to 500 copies and originally released with a skateboard. Mixed compilation Just sit back, for 77+ mins and enjoy the flow.

Tocotronic: Golden Years (Tocotronic made the greatest song of 2024 and a superb album. Golden Years follow suit, another sign of strength by this great Hamburg crew. Der Tod Ist Nur Ein Traum is a powerful start on an album that also includes life-affirming songs like Bleib Am Leben, wistful title track Golden Years, strongly political Denn Sie Wissen, Was Sie Tun and other highlights, like Bye Bye Berlin. Almost as good as their prime album and prime cut from 2024. And that doesn’t say little. This is a great album by a band still in their absolute  prime. Cool.

2Pac: The Best Of - Part 1: Thug (The best of is in two parts, forming the 2Pac line Thug Life. There was room for more than 11 cuts on the first, CD-version, but what 11. After 2 Of Amerikaz Most Wanted (with Snoop Dogg) and California Love (original mix feat Dr. Dre and Roger Troutman) you already know you’re in the presence of genius. ”Thug Life” mentioned, on his chest, in strongly personal tale So Many Tears. And among all conscious ghetto life-cuts also the sweet and honest declaration of love to Dear Mama. No fillers, only killers and thrillers on this compilation. Superb depictions from a reality and spatial place middle-class America never comes across in established media. Truly ”Black CNN”. Stunning.

2Pac: The Best Of - Part 2: Life (The second part of The Best Of 2Pac. Sequencing could be questioned, like why is Definition of a thug nigga here and not on the Thug part, or why is Dear Mama not here on Life. Anyway, the parts need to be heard together and you need them both. Early classic Brenda’s Got A Baby is here, together with another 10 great cuts. I think the Thug part is the better album, but both are essential.

Christian Falk: Hosts Swedish Open - Dirty Dancing (worth noticing that there is s different album from 1999 that is plainly titled Swedish Open. This one takes us further into electronica/dance territory, and the styles of house, future jazz and deep house. Hiphop vibes too, in highlight Men, Women, Boys, Girls. I’m In Love is a fine funky dance cut while Gypsy King features a distinct Latin soundscape before heavier percussion-drums characterize Oriental Wind. A rather varied and club-intense album on theme dirty dance moves. Party on!

Rio Reiser: Familienalbum - Eine Hommage (Various Artists) (Sehr schön, great tribute to rock and songwriting legend Rio Reiser. 15 cuts including one bonus and one by Rio himself. Hard to pick any favorites here, but already the start - with Söhne Mannheims, Fettes Brot, Ferris MC, and Rio himself superb on Herzverloren - is outstanding. And it certainly doesn’t end there and then. Internationally the perhaps  most well-known artist here, Nena, presents a fine cover of Schritt Fur Schritt Ins Paradies. Wonderful vibe throughout on this Familienalbum. This is an hommage album to return to.

Rio Reiser: Familienalbum, Band 2 (Various Artists) (Another hommage to Rio Reiser with 18 cuts reminding of his songwriting skills. His own live recording from 1988 of Fur Immer Und Dich is one of the highlights here, as is a sensitive B Seite by Annett Louisan, followed by an intense Bis Ans Ende Der Welt. Klee’s vulnerable Lass Uns Ein Wunder Sein, the great bass-drive in Komm Schlaf Bei Mir by Clueso feat. Stefan Kerth and catching Mensch Meier by Keimzeit are other highlights on this second strong hommage album to Rio Reiser. 

Scorpions: Tokyo Tapes  (One of the great legendary hardrock/heavy metal live albums from the late 1970’s - early 1980’s. This live album from 1978 was also Ulrich Roth’s farewell album and tour with Scorpions. The band is in prime, superb, form and deliver ultimate versions of some tracks, perhaps especially favorite Steamrock Fever and Speedy’s Coming. This version was without Polar Night, as it is a remastered one-CD version from 2001. Still brilliant. A stunning live album.

The Real Group: Live At Stockholm Concert Hall (DVD) (Wonderful a cappella performance  from 2005 by highly praised Swedish quintet vocal ensemble The Real Group. Strong stage presence and beautiful voices that elegantly fit together in chorus. Highly skilled performers that mesmerized the concert hall audience with their voices. Five great singers perform a strong repertoire. At just 56 mins, it is a tad short, including two sets and three encores. First part is brighter, and the sets differ in mood, like a daytime set and a late night set. The sets end with a impressive Count Basie Medley. The absolutely brilliant and enjoyable encores are all in Swedish, including a stunning version of Den Makalösa Manicken, and ends with Underbart Är Kort (Wonderful Is Short), which feels like a very fun and fitting end to this superb 56 mins concert DVD. 

Easter eggs: Skull Snaps, Bowie, Kela, Depeche & The Roots

Some funk, some Finnish, some hiphop, some synth and some rock godness. A batch of five more interesting albums, this time in the Easter holiday. It is a long weekend, Friday-Monday, so there is reasonable time for some popular culture. Here are some vinyl albums to digest with Easter eggs, Finnish speciality mämmiä (memma) or sima (mjöd). Delicious, actually. Or whatever you happen to eat and drink during the weekend and whether you celebrate Easter or not. Anyway, you can check out and perhaps enjoy some music. These were on my deck last weekend.

Skull Snaps: Skull Snaps.

Ultra-rare soul/funk album, at least before it was re-released. The original is still very rare. Famous mainly for the stunning beat in killer cut It’s A New Day. That cut figures in many different deep funk- and rare funk-compilations and made the interest for the mother album skyrocket. Yes, it’s insanely funky, super in any way you want. But it is not, unfortunately, representative for the album, rather it stands out. It’s the only really funky cut on side A, what you mostly get is soul and even some hints of proto-disco. Having You Around is mellow and very fine, and My Hang Up Is You is soul to the ears. It’s an album made in 1973, with a skull cover you certainly would have noticed back then, and now. Whether it is a great or good album is currently debated, but almost all agree that It’s A New Day is a stunner. My vinyl ex is a reprint and not the expensive original version, but it is a nice red-colored version. 

Side B starts funky with I’m Your Pimp. This three-piece band does a fine job, and are for example here strengthened by both horns and strings, so the soundscape is far from thin. I Turn My Back On Love is another funky cut with a full sound, including prominent horns and cool drum fills. Skull Snaps move between soul and funk and while this album is including far more fine moments than only It’s A New Day, it is still fair to say that It’s A New Day is in its own league. If you accept that the superb heavy, dirty, minimalist feel on It’s A New Day is not reprised otherwise on the album, but that it mainly moves smoothly in soulful territories, with funk- and proto-disco influences, then you will like the Skull Snaps album, and not just one thrilling killer cut.

David Bowie: Blackstar.

Rolling Stone called Blackstar his ”best anti-pop masterpiece since the Seventies” and rewarded it 4/5. 

It’s jazzy and experimental, eerie and even haunted soundscapes at times. This was Bowie’s farewell album before his death. A strong last statement of creativity, and certainly with a feeling of doom and darkness. You really can’t find a darker, blacker really, lyric booklet or album cover. And of course the title is, well, Blackstar.

It is a tremendous loss to the world of popular music to lose such a genius and gifted giant as David Bowie. ”Look up here I’m in Heaven” he sings in the wonderfully sad and majestic third track Lazarus, with beautiful crying saxophones high in the soundscape. 

Released so closely before Bowie’s death, it probably somewhat affected the stellar reviews and prices that it received, a last highmark for one of the truly exceptional giants of popular music. Listening to the album now, and looking back, it is perhaps fair to say in hindsight that it was perhaps slightly overrated at the time, due to circumstances. However, that said, Darkstar is definitely a very good album, an impressive last stand and truly interesting. Never less than very good, it’s highlights are superb, especially the magnificent Lazarus.

On the B-side I love Girl Loves Me, with its fine percussion from James Murphy.

A passionate and swinging I Can’t Give Everything Away ends the album, again with saxophone prominently present in the soundscape, as well as swingin’ high-hat drum fills.

It leaves an empty feeling when the last song slowly fades out. It is over. But the memories remain.

One moment I personally cherish with Bowie is his short speech on Live Aid, before the controversial and heart-breaking first showing of the Ethiopia Famine video, to the sound of Drive by The Cars. It moved a world.

I was also fortunate to see Bowie live, at Provinssirock festival 2004, his very last live performance in Finland, as part of the A Reality Tour. A stunning performance. And it proved to be historic. His last of a total of five live performances in Finland. RIP.

Anssi Kela: Parasta Aikaa (2 LP).

I was very sad to have missed Anssi Kela’s concert at classic rock club Tavastia just a few weeks ago. But this summer he will make a tour celebrating his wonderful debut album Nummela. And that really is a must.

Parasta Aikaa is Kela live on album, from 2016. He is a great live artist, with an equally great band behind him. I have seen him live a few times, and always liked what I saw, great shows. 

Miten Sydämet Toimii? (How Does Hearts Work?) is a very strong start on this set, followed by equally fine fan favorite Jennifer Aniston. Last on side A is my old favorite Puistossa, but I must admit that this later new arrangement is not really to my liking, as I love the original driving bass beat, that also works better live than this re-arranged version. It is not at all bad, a rather fine version, but it’s not as good as the superb original. Hope Kela choose the original arrangements for the Nummela tour. 

Side B begins strongly with impressive film hit Milla and includes the superb hiphop-inspired and groovy Petri Ruusunen, honest self-examination rocker Nostalgiaa, and a touching love gone wrong story, Palava Silta (Burning Bridge). It’s effective, considering the topic, that it ends the side without applause, just with the very last tone. 

Side C brings us Levoton Tyttö (Restless Girl), a great instrumental and unforgettable hit 1972. I have heard Anssi Kela present Kuoleen Miehen Kitara (Dead Man’s Guitar) with such a moving story that it strengthened the enjoyment of this song. No introduction is included here, but it’s still a very fine tune.

Side D is mostly reserved for the long and tender classic Nummela, a major highlight in Anssi Kela’s career, which is presented here in a very intense version, and D-side then ends with the title track Parasta Aikaa (The best times), which is a very fitting end. Anssi & Band gives the listeners a frenetic and very inspired finale live.

Overall, then, a very strong live album, fine highlights, and a clear reminder why you should check out Anssi Kela live. There is of course not room for all great songs on a double album, but perhaps one of the fragile and beautifully delicate Älä Mene Pois or Kipinöitä could have been added, or the catchy Mikan Faijan BMW?

Fine as his songs are on a live album, they are even better when delivered live on stage. A great Finnish artist.

Depeche Mode: Global Spirit Tour - Live At Volt Festival, Sopron, Hungary, 26.6.2018 (2 LP).

Perhaps the greatest of Depeche Mode tours as a three-piece band. And the last to feature founding member Andrew Fletcher. On later tour(s) they have unfortunately scrapped the two major songs from the Spirit album, Going Backwards and Where’s The Revolution. But: When have they been more relevant and contemporary than right now? Perhaps they became too contemporary for DM? .Both surviving members Martin Gore and Dave Gahan lives in Trump-led America nowadays. Or perhaps they think they already have had their say, and now leaves that stage to other artists. That would of course be a choice and stand they are free to take. But on this tour they were very much in the setlist and Going Backwards sets the vibe from start at Volt in Hungary. Interestingly, in a show in Hungary, that also has taken many steps backwards, under Orban’s autocratic leadership.

Going Backwards, then, is a heavy start, serious and adult, more statement than party, and a very fine tune. It’s also brave to start with a tune which repeatedly states ”We feel nothing inside”, but the Hungarian fans shout their approval, and darkness is always part of the mature DM sound. It’s No Good then puts the concert in hit mode and is followed by A Pain That I’m Used To and Useless, more dark moods alright. Pain has transformed into a live blockbuster with a superb fat bassline and the bass stays heavy on Useless.

Side B starts great with World In My Eyes, before Cover Me. It’s a fine piece too, but really a disappointment that it is included instead of Where’s The Revolution. The latter was a milestone on this tour and one of the highlights when I saw Depeche live in Helsinki on the same tour. Of course there is not room for a whole show on two LP:s, but, really, Revolution is a better and more contemporary live cut than Cover Me, but perhaps too controversial in Orban's Hungary. Well, we have elections coming up now, and his position is swaying. Anyway, it’s a disappointment that Where’s The Revolution is not included. Otherwise I can’t argue with the setlist. The chosen songs are all well-performed in stellar versions. After chilling down with Things You Said and In Your Room at the end of side B, it’s time for the big guns and megahits on the second disc.

Side C starts with superb Everything Counts and DM never lose grip or slows the dance mood down. Stripped, Personal Jesus and Never Let Me Down Again excite and exhaust all fans in the audience. 

Side D calms things down and gives the listeners a chance to catch their breath. Somebody is Martin Gore’s vocal masterpiece, also in this version, and then Walking In Your Shoes pumps up the speed again before the concert crescendo Enjoy The Silence and Just Can’t Get Enough.

It is a stunning concert, and a fine-sounding recording of a global superstar band in splendid form.

It’s also a heartwarming document of the last tour with founding member Andrew Fletcher. Amazing, really.

The Roots: Organix (2 LP).

Questlove in The Roots has become the new Chuck D (Public Enemy) as the intellectual brain of hiphop. If not before, so definitely after his very well-received landmark book Hiphop History (2024). Well, his international  hiphop credibility stems mainly from his role in The Roots and productions of other hiphop acts. 

Organix is The Roots’ debut-album and it has been called both experimental and jazzy. The views are mixed and divided over it, and by many seen as one of the weakest Roots albums. However, I would argue that Organix is worth to check out and not just be dismissed as weak. It might not be a classic, but it still has its moments. The Anti-Circle is a definitive highlight on side A. Black  Thought, Questlove & co delivers an interesting album, that moves and grooves nicely. It’s very well-performed, but without lifting to the greatest heights. Grits, for example, is pumping along on a fine beat, and the same goes for Leonard I-V. 

Side C starts with a fine experimental improvisation live from Slovenia, Essawhamah? (Live at the Soulshack), that both Roots and the audience seems to enjoy. Popcorn Revisited is a highlight on C, building on Black Thought MC:ing over a groovy and catchy bassline. Common Dust is another landmark on side C, with Questlove driving the beat. Great funky stuff.

Side D is totally dominated by 12-minute The Session (Longest Posse Cut In History). It has a fresh jazzy feel with horns prominent in the buildup. A slow and relentlessly rollin’ groove over which Black Thought intensively MC:s. Yes, it works very well. We are quite a few minutes in when the bassline and drums starts driving the beat. Syreeta’s Having My Baby is a fine 43 seconds instrumental while Carryin’ On is a jokey end that also copies some tones from Daylight.

Organix is an unfairly dismissed album. It might not be top of The Roots’ line, but it is definitely not a bad record. It has a few highs, and The Session is one of them, but not much of real lows. Some of the short joke numbers could have been scrapped, though.

So, it’s a good album, very good even. Not a classic, but dismissers would do wisely to check out Organix again. You could be surprised, hell, you should be surprised.

This list may give some moments, or hours, occupation if the weekend program is dull or you want to explore some newer territories in music. Or perhaps an Easter Music Quiz with friends and family? Perhaps the albums are like Kinder eggs, chocolate outer and hollow, but with a secret and surprising gift inside, or like Mignon chocolate eggs, compact dark nougat-chocolate under the white egg shell. Music can be like that too. Albums may hide secrets and surprises within, songs you would never have expected. Or they may look one way but be something else completely, what you see is not always what you get. Test these albums on your friends, some will love them, others will not. That’s life. We are not alike and that’s the way it should be.

Keep your eyes on the blogg, there might be more Easter eggs for the long weekend. Films or series perhaps.

For now I wish you a Happy Easter weekend, or just some well-deserved time to chill.

For now, over and out.

Paleface, St Pauli, Jan D, Biggie, Nina S

 Here’s five albums from the collection again, worthy of revisiting - or ripe for a first time acquaintance. Paleface from Helsinki, St Pauli Dance Core and Jan Delay from Hamburg, The Notorious B.I.G. from New York and Nina Simone from Tryon, North Carolina. 

Här är fem album från samlingen igen, värda att återupptäcka eller mogna för upptäckt. Paleface från Helsingfors, St Pauli Dance Core och Jan Delay från Hamburg, The Notorius B.I.G. från New York och Nina Simone från Tryon, North Carolina.

Paleface: Helsinki-Shangri-La (2LP, 10th Anniversary).

Den som har läst bloggen vet att jag nyligen kort-recenserade det här albumet som ett av 40 CD album. Men sedan dess har jag köpt tio-års-jubileumsutgåvan på vinyl (originalalbumet plus en skiva live med Paleface & Räjähtävä Nyrkki). Och det är den utgåvan jag recenserar här. 

Titelspåret Helsinki-Shangri-La är en av de bästa samhällskommentarer som skrivits om Helsingfors de senaste decennierna. Ett superbt hiphop-spår. Och titelspåret är minst lika aktuellt nu som för tio år. Kommer att lyssna på det ofta.

Annars är albumet en intressant mix av hiphop och närmast klassisk finsk folksång, med samhällsinnehåll. Talonomistaja låter som en gammal folksång medan Merkit för oss tillbaka till hiphop-scenen igen. Där mellan finsk musik från ett antal decennier rör sig albumets ljudbild, det här är hiphop som influerats av den finska sångskatten och den stereotypa finska folksjälen. 

Riisto Räppääjä är hiphop med basen snarare i den finska rocken än funk- eller soulbeats. Inget illa med det, det är ju finsk hiphop och Paleface förtjänar snarare beröm för att bygga sin hiphop med inspiration från beståndsdelar ur den finska ljudbilden. Dessutom är resultatet mycket bra. 

Kalpeaakin Kalpempaa är en underbar version av A Whiter Shade Of Pale och en stämningsfull avslutning på ett strålande album. Helsinki-Shangri-La är ett väldigt finskt album, men det är inget typiskt finskt hiphop album och det gör det faktiskt bara ännu bättre. Blandningen av gamla ”ralleja”  kombinerat med rock och progressiva hiphop-texter och rytmer fungerar utmärkt.

Finsk är stämningen också när Merkit drar igång på live-vinylen, men själv spåret är progressiv text till klassisk hiphop-rytm. Elokuun Leijona tar i sin tur influenserna från reggaerytmer.

Live-disken är utmärkt och förmedlar fina vibes från Tammerfest 2011. Saknar ändå verkligen Helsinki-Shangri-La i livematerialet på bonusskivan, men är desto nöjdare att Palefaces suveräna single Vaalirahakynytys med jazzduon Nieminen & Litmanen finns med, här i en betydligt hiphopigare version. Hela paketet gör full rättvisa åt firandet av Helsinki-Shangri-La. Och är tillräckligt bra för att motivera inköp, även om man redan har originalalbumet. Åtminstone för mig. Snyggt.

Like I earlier wrote about the original album on CD: Old time ”ralleja” vibes combined with contemporary hiphop makes a fine musical brew and title song Helsinki-Shangri-La and the A Whiter Shade Of Pale-version in Finnish is excellent. Not a typical Finnish hiphop-album and actually all the better for it. This is the 10-year anniversary version, on vinyl and including a second disc live from Tammerfest 2011. This is actually a very Finnish album, with influences from traditional Finnish folk songs, ”ralleja” and Finnish rock as well as typical hiphop. It is hiphop with a very Finnish soundscape in the background. The live disc is more typical hiphop, with funky, but also reggae influences. Progressive texts set to cool rhythms. I really miss Helsinki-Shangri-La on the live disc, but I am very happy that the great single Vaalirahakynytys, with jazzduo Nieminen & Litmanen, is here in a hiphopier live version. Great double album, great enough to buy even though you may have the original album from before. For me at least. 

Starkt, Paleface, Strong.

St. Pauli Dance Core (Various Artists).

This is a 13 track double EP compilation. So in the strictest sense, not an album at all. However, as it is long in running time, like an album, I see it as an ”album”, dig? Acid/Hardcore is what is was labelled as in the Hamburg shop where I bought it. House grooves are also present. It is connected to St. Pauli, but there’s no background info on the cover. Music for clubbin’, obviously, but which club? Well, there is a logo for Unit, and according to info on discogs Unit was the first club in Hamburg that played electronic music, and was located on Talstrasse in St. Pauli. That makes sense, and explains the title. I bought it for the St. Pauli connection and thus guessed it could be cool. And yes, it is. Originally it is said to have come with a sticker, St. Pauli Against Racism. That would make it all the better. Unfortunately my copy doesn’t have that sticker. It would have been a nice bonus. 

The music on Dance Core is rather fine electronica-based cuts for nights clubbin’ rather than home listening. You would prefer to draw the volume knob to 11 and dance away than sit back, listen and analyze. So, not ideal for home stereo systems then (if you have neighbours). But, hey, you can easily enjoy for example the brilliantly named One Nation Under One Housegroove either way. And at the same time enjoy the title pass to Parliament’s funk classic One Nation Under A Groove. Cool. Das Auge by XPC also brings together interesting influences. Whether this is music reminding of the Unit vibe or actual favorites on the Unit dancefloor remains a mystery. For  now. The cover only states: ”This compilation is forced by Unit”. I guess this is actual dancefloor killers at Unit, setting the vibe for club nights there.

This album, then, works as a means, from a safe distance at home, to experience club music, in this case Unit in St. Pauli. It’s convenient, safe and perhaps some feeling of light ”edginess” to not watch, but hear from, club scenes. Of course this kind of music is always produced to dance to rather than to listen to. And if it is good enough you can do both. This dancecore album has it’s moments also for listeners, like the before-mentioned cuts and Visual Attack by Endless Loop, which strongly starts the second disc. Marcello Mancur’s No. 95 is a track quite suitable for both club dancin’ and home stereo listening while X-Dream’s DJ’s Hardattack is more strictly aimed for the dancefloor and less well suited for listening. 

Repitcher sets a darker intensified dance mood with Thing on side D, and the hard dancecore intensity is upheld on Master, on the only double EP side containing four cuts. Electropia by Electropia closes the double loop EP. There’s nothing wrong with this cut, it’s actually kinda cool, but it doesn’t feel like a piece for ending an album, or a night out. At least it is not faded out, but has a proper ending.

Jan Delay & Disko No 1: Earth, Wind & Feiern - Live Aus Dem Hamburger Hafen (2 LP + 7”).

Jan Delay is one of the greatest contemporary German artists, a personal favorite, and live he and Disko No 1 are almost unbeatable. I saw him live in Stuttgart in 2025, celebrating 25 years as an artist. So cool. Beginner, Absolute Beginner, solo as Jan Delay. All good, all great. A live album from home city Hamburg is thrilling, and Earth, Wind & Feiern is of course a fun travesty on Earth, Wind & Fire. And yes, it’s a rump-swinging mix of disco, soul, funk, hiphop and reggae. 

Intro is not any intro, but the superb Mercedes Dance Intro, and on this high level the live album begins and continues strongly with Klar. Side A is party on from start to finish, which is the groovy and head-bangin’ Turlich, Turlich. I listed this as one of the best albums in 2022, and so it has remained. Just brilliant. 

The discosoul of Large opens side B, before the cool reggae-grooves of old fan favorite Vergiftet. Given the title, many songs from album Earth, Wind & Feiern are present here in live versions, three of them ends Side B. Best of them is Zuruck, that is set to a sweet, swingin’ rhythm, with some nice horns excelling. Lächeln features a very prominent and memorable bassline. I like.

However, late part of side B and early part of side C is the moment you often experience in concert when the energy level is on a lower flame, slightly catching the breath from an early climax before the latter part highlights. This is also where you play the more unknown or lower-grade hits. This part of the album is not bad, never worse than ok and mostly really good. Disko lifts the bar again with its captivating and dancable discosoul. Party on! Ska-rhythmic and charming Saxophone continues the party vibe that reaches its peak on wonderful Eule. 

Side D takes the listener down to quieter moments, to catch the breath, with sweetly chilled Alexa, before Intro/Raveheart slowly begins pumping up party grooves again. The whole album (and concert) ends with an impressive and ass-shaking, brain-boiling finale, wonderfully intense Oh Jonny, followed, of course, by anthem St. Pauli. That would be a strong ending on any Jan Delay concert, like the one I saw in Stuttgart 2025, but it is an wildly explosive live peak here, on home turf in Hamburger Hafen. 

Pure Magic.

And then we are also spoiled with a fine pink-colored double A-side bonus 7” single, at least on the first edition of this album.

Die Bass & Die Gang rolls along fine without adding anything significantly new. Alles Gut is slower and the better cut, mostly thanks to a relevant text and a warm and sensitive chorus.

One of the absolutely best albums of 2022, and still totally stunning.

The Notorious B.I.G.: Ready To Die.

In hindsight, this album title was sadly relevant, as Biggie was killed at a young age and the hiphop and larger music world lost a great talent. Both he and Tupac fell victim’s to insane drive-by shootings, at roughly the same time.

On this album, though, Biggie is still very much alive and presents a premium collection of hiphop cuts. Juicy cruises fine for starters and Gimme The Loot doesn’t leave much to fantasy, set to a heavy, funky rhythm. It is an example of a hiphop ”Black CNN”, reporting from the neighborhoods where corporate white media never visits, if not for demonizing the place and it’s people.

So you wanna be hardcore?, begins Biggie acidly on Machine Gun Funk, before some more rappin’ and storytellin’. The I love to. do the funk line is repeated many, many, many times before the cut fades out. Yeah, love the funk. And an even heavier, thumping funk rhythm is pumpin’ in Warning. Another great rap, to another superb soundscape. Until it ends in a nighttime discussion leading up to a shoot-out. Considering the history of Biggie, and his demise, you can’t but feel a chill.

Unbelievable is rollin’ on and Method Man guests on The What. Respect is another great rap tale of black lives from the boroughs of New York. Diana King does a good job on additional vocals. But Biggie’s storytelling is, again, in focus. The start on One More Chance is rather embarrassing, and grows to a relationship rap it is Biggie that is asked for a new chance, not the other way round). His ”They don’t call me big for nuthin’” line sounds rather juvenile, and is a hint to the answer on next song’s question: I wonder why you call me Big Pop-pa?, in Big Poppa. Well, Biggie is better on social commentary and more serious storytelling than on hiphop machismo numbers. The beats, on the other hand, are always great.

Nina Simone: Sunday Morning Classics (2 LP).

On the cover, this compilation is described as seriously chilled out tracks that are ”the perfect companion for your easy going Sunday mornings”. I don’t know if RCA market dept. has even listened to the album, or haven’t understood the lyrics, but some of them are extremely far from easy going Sundays. Mississippi Goddam, I Wish I Knew How To Be Free, Baltimore. Just to name three. All fantastic songs, but serious and deep, not easy going.

Of course this album is wonderful to listen to on Sundays too, and great for chillin’ out, but it’s not easy listening muzak. It is superb songs, beautifully sung by one of the emperors of soul, with an astonishingly sensitive delivery, be it black power anthems, heartbreaking soul and wonderful covers of classics. Seriously chilled out vibes, ok, and sometimes easy going, but not so easy going when you actually start to hear, and think, what Nina sings. This is concious stuff, and need to be heard and respected for it, way too good to be dismissed as easy going Sunday morning muzak.

That said, I love to hear this album on Sundays, it chills me, it moves me, it inspires me, and not necessarily in that order. 

Side A starts gloriously with classic Mr. Bojangles, a beautifully sad and concious tale, that immediately puts you in a Nina Simone mood. A-side also include stunning classics Angel Of The Morning, Baltimore as well Blues For Mama. 

Side B continues the vibe. Jazzy I Want Some Sugar In My Bowl is sweetly sung, followed my favorite cut, I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free, crescendoing and increasing pace like a freighttrain steamin’ up. I remember the first time I heard this song  and how it smashed into my consciousness. Wow. And it has lost none of that energizing feel. In The Dark slows things down to a relationship piece, yearning for togetherness, grapping a moment in the dark. Nina Simone is superb as soul singer, jazz singer, in short, she is a superb singer. She puts her very own grip on I Shall Be Released. Overall, the B-side is strong on themes of lust and love, which is as close a topic to Nina’s repertoire as black conciousness.

Side C starts on a high note with social commentary in great Backlasher Blues, continued by life-affirming class-concious high-spirited anthem Ain’t Got No-I Got Life. A wonderful highlight. To Be Young, Gifted And Black is another song on the fight for equality, and against racism. Set in a time when justice and equality was questioned, a little like in today’s dark trumpian days for America and democracy. Ending this side with covers of two fine classics - Turn, Turn, Turn! and Just Like A woman - Nina again shows what a fantastic and personal interpreter she if  of other people’s songs. Here she slows them down, jazzifies, and makes them her very own. Nice.

Side D brings in a few live cuts too, In The Morning not least, and that is essential, as Nina Simone is also a truly breathtaking performer live. Just listen to the absolutely stunning resistance and protest anthem Mississippi Goddam here. What a high-water-mark. The compilation ends with a emotional and rhythmical live version of Miriam Makeba’s Westwind. Perhaps a somewhat surprising end, but a strong piece of relentless percussions and Nina's intimate voce. 

Earlier on side D, O-o-h Child presents a positive future vision of comfort, told from adult to a child, that things are gonna get easier, and boosted by a gospel choir. It is sweet and hopeful, and contemporary also for these later dark times. Yesterday approximately 8 million people protested and demonstrated against ”the mad king” trump administration on the streets all over USA, and in some global cities like Paris, London and Amsterdam. This song could have been sung from a mother to a child then, it feels that contemporary. We all need to believe and hope that better days are coming.

Sunday Morning Classics is a great collection, and offers so much more than Sunday morning chills, even if it delivers that too. It gives a fine introduction to Nina Simone’s genius, but I really recommend the 4 CD box set next, or the box set with all her albums. Nina Simone is not one of the best female singers of all time, she is simply one of the best singers. Every tone might perhaps not be technically perfect, but every tone is sung with great conviction and soul. If a tone would break, it is because life itself breaks. Thus, it is perfect, even if every note is not necessarily technically perfect. It’s  impossible to not be moved by Nina Simone’s voice, at least if the listener has any humanity left inside. 

So there you have it, five more albums to enjoy. In a time when AI-made copycat songs are currently topping charts, it is a relief to hear human genius, hard-earned musicianships, and stellar performances by real artists like Nina Simone, Jan Delay and Paleface.

Fem Album - Five Albums (Kent, Gil Scott-Heron and more)

Fem intressanta album att återupptäcka, eller upptäcka från scratch, med Kent, Gil-Scott-Heron, 100% Dynamite, Sugarman Three och Ultravox.

Five interesting albums to rediscover, or to discover from scratch with Kent, Gil Scott-Heron, 100% Dynamite, Sugarman Three and Ultravox.

Kent: Tigerdrottningen.

Ett Kent-album som lite oförtjänt ofta hamnar på sidan om när man diskuterar Kents storhet. Men Tigerdrottningen är inget dåligt album, utan en lite bortglömd pärla. Det är höstmörker och tunga synthar i ljudbilden och texterna stöder den helhetsbilden. Det är ingen sommarnattskänsla utan iskall och mörk novemberblåst. Men det fungerar och det låter bra, förstås. Väldigt bra. Förstås. Det är ju Kent. 

Mirage är en utmärkt ingång och sätter tonen för den höstdrypande känslan på sida A. Finstämt och melankoliskt, även om materialet avmattas mot slutet. B-sidans La Belle Epoque är av best of-kvalitet och fokuspunkten på det här albumet. Svart Snö för oss tillbaka till en finstämd och melankolisk senhöstskänsla. Vem vill vara ensam?, som Jocke Berg avslutar sången med. Dysterheten och melankolin fördjupas i den långsamt drivande Allt Har Sin Plats, innan en pumpande elektro-puls stegvis höjer tempen och tempot. Och det tar en tid av tveksamhet innan låten finner sin röst och medryckande refräng, innan tempot igen skruvas ner och låten slutar med några elektroniska hjätslag. Visst, det är en vandring, upp och ner, och ett intressant koncept, men slutresultatet känns ändå lite oklart och, ja, ofärdigt.

Också sida C startar, precis som A och B, mycket bra. Innan Himlen Faller Ner är ännu en Kent-pärla, stämningsfullt och storvulet framförd, och den följs av vackert nostalgiska Din Enda Vän. Efter en oerhört stark inledning tappar den tyvärr lite riktning på slutet och precis som sidorna innan tappar sidan lite fart efter en superb inledning. Godhet med Beatrice Eli är tyvärr inte den starka mindblowing duett man skulle hoppas på. Inte dålig, men inte särskilt berörande heller. 

Simmaren och På Andra Sidan, sida D, glider långsamt framåt på en sympatisk, nostalgisk och melankolisk ljudbild, men utan att överraska. En till alla delar helt ok platta, vore säkert bra för de flesta band, men det känns lite jämntjock för Kent. När På Andra Sidan fades down och avslutar albumet så är det kanske symptomatiskt. Lyssnaren lämnas väntande, på det crescendo som aldrig kommer. Tigerdrottningen tangerar som helhet, och med det slutet, nivån lagom bra för albumet och höjer sig bara till utmärkt med beröm godkänt på 3-4 spår. De andra är inte dåliga, inte ett enda är det, men de är just, ja… lagom bra. 

Lagom har aldrig varit gott nog för Kent.

Gil Scott-Heron And Brian Jackson: From South Africa To South Carolina.

Global and Black American issues of racism and activism are in focus on this inspirational album. Johannesburg immediately sets the tone, commenting resistance to apartheid and also knits it to black struggles for freedom and rights in America. A strong start, and the album offers many songs of resistance and for fighting, in-violently, for your rights. ”Well I hate it when blood starts flowin’/but I’m glad to see resistance growin’, Scott-Heron sings in Johannesburg. The Summer of ’42 includes a long and highly welcomed bass solo before a mellow Beginnings end side A, firmly stating ”We want to be free”.

South Carolina starts proceedings on side B, commenting environmental concerns and questioning the absence of resistance: ”Whatever happened to the protests and the rage/Whatever happened to the voices of the sane/Whatever happened to the people who gave a damn”. You might ask exactly the same questions when following current world politics, meaning there are some unfortunate connections to contemporary times and politics. And that actually figures. This album was released in 1975. The latest published democracy index report, for 2025 (V-Dem Institute), puts the current situation for democracy on par with late 1970’s and note that the positive global democratic trend since Portugal’s democratization in 1974 is now all but wiped out. Tragic and certainly worrying. And the more reason why Gil Scott-Heron’s questions need answers, here, in our time.

A cool and jazz-funky bassline is prominent in Essex and compared to solo efforts by Gil S-H, this is a more jazzy affair, meaning jazz-funky, rather than distinctly funky with proto-hiphop raps. Fell Together is brought to end by repeating the wishful  ”Set you free” line while fading away. After all cuts about resistance, the album closes on a positive note, with mellow and tranquil A Lovely Day. And that’s an important learning too, we need to notice, react and act when we see problems (here: mainly racism) but we also need to leave room for the positive sides and moments of life: ”All I really want to say/is that problems come and go/but the sunshine seems to stay”.

An important album. A classic. Where are the Gil Scott-Herons’ of 2026?

100% Dynamite (Various Artists) (2 LP).

Legendary first installment from 1998 in a celebrated series of reggae compilations (the following parts were called 200%, 300% and so on, but none of them surpassed the greatness of this, the first compilation in the series). It states on the cover that it contains Ska, Soul, Rocksteady & Funk in Jamaica, and it includes 14 tracks ”of music that show the influence American Jazz, Funk and Soul has had on Jamaican Reggae”.

And the start is impressive, Willie Williams’ Armageddon Time, which in turn inspired British punk icons The Clash, who also covered it brilliantly. Williams’ delivery is, of course, marvelous. So is Rock Steady by The Marvels, before the superb funk-heavy Popcorn by The Upsetters sets in with a sweaty bassline. By now there can’t be many asses left sitting down, the grooves are infectiously bum-shaking. 

The relentless and rhythm-based heavy grooves continues mercilessly on side B. There is no pause from heavy, sweatin’ dance-beating tracks, and it’s no need at all for any DJ to interrupt the running order, three super-bassheavy cuts (Green Mango-Greedy G-Real Hot), followed by a slightly poppier vibe in Johnny Osbourne’s We Need Love.

Side C continues in the same fine style, but with more anonymity, the first two songs doesn’t stick out, but that is clearly corrected by the mind-blowing Granny Scratch Scratch by Sound Dimension. Yes, there’s some serious guitar-scratchin’ and funky vibes going on here. A definitive highlight. 

Side D starts with some valuable social commentary in funky Woman Of The Ghetto, showing all is not groovy, shakin’ party tunes in Jamaican music. Far from it, actually. Wonderfully stompin’ Cuss Cuss and another fine funk-heavy cut by Sound Dimension, Drum Song, ends this inspirational and great compilation bass-heavy Jamaican reggae music. I’ve had this album for years on CD, but instantly bought it on vinyl last year when I saw it in a wonderful Plattenladen in Hamburg. Yes, it’s that good.

The Sugarman Three: Soul Donkey.

Astonishing new (well, 1999) funk music by The Sugarman Three (led by Neil Sugarman). First heard of them on a superb Desco sampler compilation, Spike’s Choice - The Desco Funk 45’ Collection Part 2 (Part 1 is equally good). One of the best songs on this album, Turtle Walk, is included there, but unfortunately not the superb single side Cherry Pickin’. 

The album proper is much more of that same relentless heavy groovin’ funk, not least on superb Chicken Half. Oh yeah, party on! 

Soul Donkey is a great album, with some heavily danceable tunes, especially before-mentioned Turtle Walk and Chicken Halk, that brings out sweat  of excitement even if you are sitting still. Baby I Love You puts in a lower gear of funk-pumping rhythms, but is by no means mellow. Turtle Walk increases the tempo again before Daisy Rides Again sets in a lower gear of funk-pumping rhythms again, bringing a high-octane funk side to a stop. Stunning side, simply mind-blowing.

It’s with high expectations that the album B-side is played and Double Back immediately sets the tone, cruisin’ mercilessly on a deep funk sweaty dance beat. Smashing. 

Soul Donkey was the second album for this cool funk revival band. They started out with a more boogaloo feel on their debut album, but Soul Donkey from 1999 is a mega-dose of sweet and pure funk. And man, does it groove! B-side is every bit as good as the A-side, with Saddle For Two and Double Back as great highlights and So Long Donkey as a heavier workout number, ending the record with some applause.

Yes, by all means, applause are certainly in order here. This is an album you don’t wanna sit still to, you simply can’t sit still. Every cut is a stunner, and this album is nothing but a modern classic. Amazing.

Ultravox: Quartet (2LP).

Quartet could easily be described as one of the most polished and sharpest produced albums in the Ultravox catalogue. It is not necessarily only a good thing. In fact, it is a little too polished, if anything, and while for example Vienna included some timeless classics like Vienna and New Europeans, this is a much more, dare I say, mature and cohesive sounding album. That doesn’t make it a better album than Vienna, though, but it is a good album. 

The focal points are of course Reap The Wild Wind and Hymn, but in all their grandiosity and splendor lies also a risk for hybris. Good as their are, and they are, the best song is found elsewhere. Mine For Life is spectacular live (check the version on Monument) and also great in studio, but the real pearl here is the soundscape on ballad Visions In Blue. So beautifully desolate, until it gains speed and momentum. 

There’s quite a lot to enjoy on Quartet, an album that has been more easily written off as pompous than classic album Vienna or the more remix-accessible follow-up Lament. But give it a chance to impress, and it will.

This version of Quartet includes a half-speed master and new stereo mix of the album and an instrumental version. The sound is updated, crisper and clearer than beforehand while the new mix is not that prominent, but then it doesn’t state remix but mix, and that’s preferable. Quartet didn’t need remixing. This limited RSD edition is also good looking, with 180 gm clear vinyls. While it is also interesting to hear the instrumental versions, it’s perhaps not really that useful, compared to an extra disc of live versions. 

A remastered version of Quartet was well-motivated. You can hear it on tracks like Serenade, When The Scream Subsides, and perhaps most clearly on We Came To Dance and Cut And Run, that the sound really has improved. An then, lastly, right at the end of album ending The Song (We Go), suddenly, after some fine signature Warren Cann drum fills, a smooth a capella moment comes to life, some tender seconds right at the end that are barely heard or noticed in the original mix.

I liked Quartet the first time, in the 1980’s. That hasn’t changed, and it sounds even better now. It is of course better to get instrumental versions as bonuses than no bonus record, but the box set version includes some interesting live material, so it’s a tad unfortunate that you don’t find anything of it here. What we get is a fine album and an updated remastered sound. Sound purists will probably prefer the instrumentals to any live stuff. And the instrumentals are indeed not bad, nor pointless, as Ultravox’ music is sometimes referred to as symphonic pop or symphonic synthpop. That also means that the instrumental versions work better than for most bands on the pop/rock side of the aisle. And with the improved stereo mix and half-speed mastering the instrumentals also come to fine life here. All are not that essential, though, so a perfect bonus record could have included one side with the best instrumental versions, and one side with the best live cuts. I will not often listen to a full record of Quartet instrumental versions. But that’s a minor concern.

All in all, five highly interesting albums, two that have been neglected compared to more well-known or hyped albums by respective band, one that is already a classic, one a should-be modern classic that kinda unfairly is still left underground, and one stunning compilation that also deserves to be reviewed.

Totalt fem högintressanta album, två har blivit förbisedda jämfört med mera välkända och hypade album med respektive band, ett är redan en klassiker, ett borde vara en modern klassiker men har orättvist förblivit lite underground och en utmärkt samling som också förtjänar att recenseras.

There you have it. 

Short comments on 40 CD albums - Korta kommentarer om 40 CD album

Last months I have listened to CD:s too. They are sometimes found almost for free in flea markets and shops, so it is an easy way to get physical copies of interesting albums. Online you tend to loose the idea of albums, which still was important and significant for most artists not that long ago, and of course still is for all that also release physical albums. Especially in old school formats, like on vinyl or on c-cassettes (yes, there’s a small scene for them again and you can again also find some in record stores). 

CD:s lost one vital album dimension that LP/cassette had, the A and B sides. CD:s only repeat the full album as such. Still, it is also a format for thinking in album terms, and not the online logic of only in individual songs and playlists. That’s fun too, of course, and I really love playlists, as all blogg readers know. But a (hopefully) well-thought out album dimension is then lost for creative artists, namely the logical building of an album idea, or even concept. 

So, albums are valuable, I especially like vinyl albums (and the same c-cassette album logic) which really open for a well-structured album construction, organizing the different cuts to a well-thought whole. Albums are better if there is a creative idea also behind the album progression, from one song to the next. As listeners we are free to choose in which order we listen to songs, but it adds a dimension, and that’s valuable. Even though the logic follow the technical limitations of CD:s.
So, here are some fine 40 albums on CD that I have re-acquainted myself with thus far in 2026, in order of listening. I like to re-listen to stuff I haven’t heard for a while, and I especially love to hear new stuff (it doesn’t have to be new in general, as long as it is new to me, so lots of old stuff too, that is new to my ears). I don’t listen to the same same all the time, that would bore me out, even though the music is excellent. And I have started to write down short comments after listening to full albums, just for fun and information for me, and here are the CD comments thus far this year:

Break SL: City Wasteland (I was actually given this in a small record shop in Stuttgart, which specialized in music for DJ:s. A gift to bring to Finland and a fine album for nights clubbin’, or for wishing you were. Weird Dancer has some cool moves, but favorite cut here is the chilled My Love Is For U).

Dead Kennedys: Live ’79 (great band, and great live band too. Bought in record store, but unfortunately this is too close to bootleg quality, part of Rawhide is actually missing, what a shame).

Electric Light Orchestra and Jeff Lynne: Original Album Classics: Mr. Blue Sky - The Very Best of Electric Light Orchestra (2012 Versions here was an unnecessary update. The original versions were fine, and often better than these new ones), Live (great ELO live recording from 2001, with a nice setlist that complements other live albums), Zoom (last great ELO studio album and actually unexpectedly strong with highligts like Alright and Moment In Paradise) Armchair Theatre - Jeff Lynne solo (a somewhat weaker but ok album in the ELO/Lynne production, and not without highlights, like the great and happily swingin’ Lift Me Up), Long Wave - Jeff Lynne solo (very short cover album, that sweetly starts with a fine cover of She, that fits Lynne’s mild and tender voice perfectly. A chilled and poppy cover album, even Have Mercy has a poppy beat and sound).

 Billy Bragg: Tooth & Nail (fine, sympathetic, and mellow album with some political edge, and that includes many highlights, not least the impressive No one knows nothing anymore).

The Jesus and Mary Chain: Live at Barrowland (70 mins of thundering, merciless Live- intensity by the Reid Brothers-led alt-rock champions, brilliant!).

Sven Wollter: Sånger från tjugonde seklet (mycket sympatiskt, passionerat och politiskt  radikalt album av den legendariske, nu bortgångne, skådespelaren// very sympathetic, passionate and radical album by the legendary late Swedish actor).

The Grandmothers: Turn on, tune in, drop out (Exclusive, interesting bonus-cd to The Encyclopedia of Swedish Progressive Music 1967-1979, with some very impressive 31 mins of music workouts, recorded live at cafe Filips).

Kent: Tillbaka till samtiden (starkt, electro-influerat album med den inspirerande, magnifika Ingenting och fine Columbus bland albumets höjdare// strong electro-influenced album with the inspiring, magnificent Ingenting and fine Columbus among the highlights).

Idris Muhammad: Black Rhythm Revolution + Peace & Rhythm (uncompromisingly funky rhythms, expressing himself and making us move to the groove, especially to superb Express yourself, that NWA later updated to hiphop).

Vesku Jokinen & Sundin pojat: Juuret (outburst of Finnish nationalistic rock, which could easily be imagined live in a Finnish keskikaljabaari. Päätösvalta is built on some sweet Sabbath-inspired riffs).

De La Soul: Is Dead (these hiphop legends are very much alive on this fine album, not least on bum-shaking A Roller Skating Jam Named ”Saturdays”).

Air: Twentyears (great 2 CD compilation of both classics and some rarer stuff by the superb French electro duo, the ultimate masters of electronic chill.

Dave Godin’s Deep Soul Treasures - Taken From The Vaults - Vol. 2 - Various Artists (2nd installment in a wonderful Deep Soul- compilation series, almost as excellent as Vol. 1. Many highlights, and great, informative liner notes).

Beat Surrender - Various Artists (included with Mojo, March 2025. Good Mod and Northern Soul compilation, best: the stunning Compared To What, by unknown Mr. Flood’s Party).

Thåström: Be-Boo-A-Lula Hela Jävla Dan (helt jävla underbar Thåström-samling 1989-2009, inkluderar som suverän bonus intressanta kommentarer om varje spår och djupintervju// wonderful Thåström compilation 1989-2009, includes superb bonus, interesting comments on all tracks and deep-interview).

SuperFunk - Various Artists (Great first installment in a fine series funk compilations. Off to a superb start with Ann Alford’s Gotta Get Me A Job and also includes 7 unreleased gems).

Ken: Mitt Hem Blir Ditt Hem (i huvudsak ett utmärkt svenskt hiphop album, men tyvärr lite för långt// excellent Swedish hiphop album in large parts, but unfortunately a tad too long).

Tom Waits: Original Album Series - Closing Time (Sweet and cozy, marvelously spirited, with a magic Ol’55), The Heart Of Saturday Night (more spirited, cozy and afterhours-vibing tracks), Nighthawks At The Diner (Waits’ rough, sweet and very charmful delivery live), Small Change (Tom Traubert’s Blues is a start almost on par with Ol’55, Waits again in fine form), Foreign Affair (ok, not bad, but not spectacular. A Sight For Sore Eyes is sweet).

Dave Godin’s Deep Soul Treasures - Taken From The Vaults - Vol. 3  - Various Artists (part three in a wonderful Deep Soul-series. Superb liner notes as usual, great, but not as great as parts 1 & 2, but  plus for the conscious highlight Is It Because I’m Black).

Lars Winnerbäck: Daugava (monsterhiten Om Du Lämnade Mig Nu med underbara Miss Li finns med här, tillsammans med flera andra fina låtar. Ett album som bär med och inom sig höstsäsongens djupa melankoli// Monsterhit Om Du Lämnade Mig Nu with wonderful Miss Li is here, and some other very fine songs. An album that carries the full Fall season melancholy inside, at heart).

För Amnesty: Various Artists (ett välgörenhetsalbum för Amnesty, som samlar ett strålande svenskt artistfält för ett utmärkt, lovvärt skäl. En bra, men inte strålande, samling och bland de bästa höjdpunkterna Peter Le Marc, Jennifer Brown, Freddie Wadling// Benefit album for Amnesty International. Valuable, excellent cause, great Swedish artists, good but not excellent compilation, among the highlights Peter LeMarc, Jennifer Brown,  Freddie Wadling).

Paleface: Helsinki-Shangri-La (Old time ”ralleja” vibes combined with contemporary hiphop makes a fine musical brew and title song Helsinki-Shangri-La and the two A Whiter Shade Of Pale-melody versions in Finnish are excellent. Not a typical Finnish hiphop-album and actually all the better for it).

Refugees Welcome - Gegen Jeden Rassismus: Various Artists (Great and important Benefit Compilation with 22 fine songs from the Left of the Dial alternative German music scene. Much hiphop, punk, alt indie, electro, even surfpunk… and all so very, very good).

Plutonium 74: Pasilasta Kallioon (From Pasila to Kallio, a title about moving between two known Helsinki districts. A fine and interesting Finnish rock album that includes both hiphop influences and sentimental ”tijuana” horns, and more, in the soundscape.

Iron Maiden: Flight 666 - The Soundtrack (2 CD:s of live cuts by the six-piece Maiden, from different venues in different cities. Always a great live band, but the ultimate live album for all the older cuts is Live After Death from 1985, this is a nice complement).

Eläkeläiset: Humppakonsertto (Fun, cult band playing trad Finnish humppa music - with some rather surprising song translations to Finnish humppa - live, with a contemporary swing. Viina Hanuristille sets the tone for a long live album - 75 mins pure 21st Century humppa, with Kiitokset humpasta as a definitive highlight).

The Lord Of The Rings - The Fellowship Of The Ring - The Soundtrack (Howard Shore’s majestic music accompanied the stories in the Ring-trilogy, and this is where it begun. It’s a musical journey in landscapes filled with different moods and feelings, plus two fine songs written by Enya).

Air: Pocket Symphony (Smooth and chilled signature Air sound electronica, song title Somewhere Between Waking And Sleeping says it all. Sunday morning chillers, no dance floor killers).

J. Karjalainen ja Mustat Lasit: Kookospähkinäkitara (Blues, baby, with instant groove and horn section. Jii made better albums later, but this one has charm and include some very good tunes too).

M1, Brian Jackson & The New Midnight Band: Evolutionary Minded - Furthering The Legacy of Gil Scott-Heron (bought in a record shop off Prenzlauer Berg, Berlin, advance copy promotion-cd, don’t know more than it’s recorded 2012-2013, but, superb, mean, concious funk and hiphop, first rate featured voice input  and sounds from Bobby Seale, Chuck D, Gregory Porter, Abiodun Otewole, Airto and more).

The Ransom Note Mixtape - Various Artists (DJ Green Lantern mix, with cuts from Eminem, 50 Cent, Obie Trice, and more. You can tell it’s an Eminem camp mixtape, and it’s alright, not brilliant. Cost me only 1€ in a record shop).

Jaco Pastorius: Truth, Liberty & Soul (2 CD) (superb live recording from June 28th 1982. First record is amazing throughout, with perhaps Soul Intro/The Chicken as the highlight, well, there are many. Second record is almost equally good, with a 14 mins long bass and drum improvisation. Jaco Pastorius is to bass what Hendrix was to guitars. Master class. Awesome Big Band concert, ending strongly with Fannie Mae. Superb booklet also included).

Searching For Sugarman - The Soundtrack (possibly the best music documentary ever made, telling the unbelievably gripping story of Rodriguez. All songs on the soundtrack are by Rodriguez too, and it is a fabulous collection of songs. Sugar Man was the first song I ever heard of Rodriguez, but all songs here are awesome, with wonderfully groovin’ I Wonder a personal favorite, among so many other favorites. Essential).

Dead Kennedys: Give Me Convenience Or Give Me Death (Fine compilation of DK cuts, including first two, great, singles and very inspired live cuts. This hardcore band certainly could play and write amazing punk anthems. California Uber Alles, Holiday In Cambodia, Too Drunk To Fuck, Police Truck, fine live cut Pull My Strings, are all here. It’s political, it’s fun, it’s witty, and always provokative. This superb album and the classic career-high 12” EP - In God We Trust, Inc. - is a far out start. Next you will need the rest of the discs by this super-competent punk group, because all great DK songs are not included here.

Ultra Bra: Kroketti (Bonus version) (Ultra Bra is really ultra good on this album, where biggest hit and, in my opinion, best song Sinä Lähdit Pois is included, together with many other highlights, including anti-racist anthem Suosi Ulkomaista. Ultra Bra’s best album, and in this Bonus version four additional good songs are added. Found it two days ago for 2€  in a fleamarket. Nice).

Musiikkia Elokuvasta Kenen Joukossa Seisot - The Soundtrack - Various Artists (found this two days ago for 2€ in a fleamarket. The soundtrack to a very interesting and well-produced documentary about the Finnish progressive music movement in the 1960-70’s. The soundtrack is also great, with samples from a time and movement that is no more. The title song is an awesome start and the album ends with Pedon Merkki by Mariska which was contemporary with the film (2006). Oppimisen Ylistys, a highlight of the whole movement, is here in a remixed, updated 2006 version. It’s nice but the original from 1974 is actually better. The only drawback is that the album is only 38 mins on CD. Such a shame, it’s 38 great mins, but more could have been included.

Mauro Scocco: Dr Space Dabok (Ännu ett lopptorgsköp för 2€. Albumet med Till Dom Ensamma och Det Finns, två av Scoccos bästa solospår. Precis som det på Ratatas album alltid fanns några bra spår med. Från 1991 och lite daterad ljudbild idag, men mycket bra svensk tidig 90-talspop// Another fleamarket buy for 2€. The album with Till Dom Ensamma and Det Finns, two of Scocco’s finest solo songs. Like on Ratata albums, there’s always some great cuts included. From 1991, with a slightly dated soundscape, but it’s very good Swedish early 90’s pop.

Public Enemy: Revolverlution (awesome fat hiphop compilation from the great hiphop heavyweights Public Enemy. Live cuts mixed with remixes, studio recordings and two great short service announcements (warning against drugs, and promoting learning about black culture), celebrating first 15 years (1987-2002). Chuck D, Flavor Flav & company deliever. Fitting celebration for one of the most important and pioneering hiphop crews.

Noice: Flashback # 12 Compilation (Flashback-seriens Noice-samling är bättre än den officiella som Peo Thyre’n plockade ihop. Bredare överblick, med alla de bästa godsakerna och lite mera udda spår inkluderade, och förstås den fantastiska singeln En Kväll I T-banan/I Natt ’E Hela Stan, som också fanns med på debut-albumet. Suverän samling över ett strålande, men tyvärr alltför kort-livat popband. För pop för att kallas punk. De var verkligen Bedårande barn av sin tid// Flashback series Noice compilation is better than the official band compilation that Peo Thyre’n compiled. Wider scope, with all the main goodies and some deep cuts included, and of course the superb single En Kväll I T-banan/I Natt ’E Hela Stan Vår, that were also included on their classic first album. Too pop to be considered punk. Fabulous compilation of a great but sadly too short-lived pop band. They really were ”charming children of their time”.

The Housemartins: Now That’s What I Call Quite Good (the title is a direct travesty of a, then, famous pop compilation series. The combination of groovin’ and swingin’ irresistible guitar-based indiepop dancefloor favorites and tender, sweet and well-performed ballads with some angelic chorus song were Housemartins’ trademarks. Happy Hour, Build and Caravan Of Love, says it all, really, but it is far from all highlights here. Great band, great album, I’ve had this on vinyl since it was released in 1988. Bought the CD for 1€.  A bargain for a 78 mins praiseworthy album. 

That’s 40 CD albums listed above, thus far in 2026. Perhaps it can inspire you to check out your own collection and sweep the dust off some old favorites or find the box with old albums you hid or cleaned out some time again, but that are still lying around somewhere in storage? Time to check them out now, perhaps get some new and fresh memories from them. Give a party, dance, chill, remember, let music take you back, or put you in the present moment and again inspire for the future. 

My list both include albums I bought recently and haven’t heard before, and albums I have had for ages, but not listened to, for ages. It was high time now. And I’ve enjoyed it.