Träd Gräs Och Stenar - Ajn Schvajn Draj
Review by: ”hogfeldt” (StonerRock.com)
Label: Silence
Release Date: OUT NOW!!!
CD
The first original album in almost 30 years for these Swedish masters in psychedelia, drone and progressive rock. The Swedish musicscene in the late 60’s and throughout the 70’s (the ”Progg”-scene) was very political and quite a few of these bands knew their politics but didn’t know how to play their instruments which becomes more than obvious when comparing older material from Träd Gräs & Stenar with the records from a few of the other bands of this scene.
Some of you might have heard last years release ”Pärson Sound” (released on 2CD by Ti´llindien / Subliminal Sounds), if you haven’t heard it’s worth seeking it out if you like psychedelic drone. Pärson Sound, International Harvester, Harvester and Träd Gräs & Stenar is basically the same band, and even though they are best known under the Träd Gräs & Stenar moniker (or Trees Grass & Stones in English) you should really try to get a hold of the International Harvester and Harvester album as well (they were re-released here in Sweden a while ago).
Back to ”Ajn Schvaj Draj”... this album have a bunch of psychedelic drone tunes of the same high quality as what this band have recorded earlier on in their career... it’s like they never took a break. All the instrumental tunes were jams created the very moment they were recorded, which is really impressive.
The 74 minutes worth of music on this album is made up of 45 minute minutes of instrumental music and the rest is songs with vocals (mostly in Swedish)... I like the instrumentals the best, but a few of these songs are quite good as well.
The first song out is ”Alla Sover”, which is a song I’ve heard live so many times I thought it was an old song, but I couldn’t find it on any of the old TGS albums I have so I must´ve been wrong. ”Elden Är Lös” have a slight laidback Pink Floyd vibe, one of the better songs with vocals on the album.
”Under Korkeken” is the first of the instrumental tunes, something about it reminds me about Daniel Lanois... a laidback New Orleans vibe. ”Blixthalka” is the first of the more psychedelic intrumental tunes, and it’s good one... even better is ”De Förtrycktas Återkomst”, 10 minutes of just the kinda tripped out jazzy drone music I’ve come to expect from Träd Gräs & Stenar.
The titletrack, ”Ajn Schvajn Draj”, is a kinda offbeat tune that actually would fit in nicely on an Earthlings? album. There’s even a version of The Fugs ”Nothing” on this album... this version is translated into Swedish. This song is immediatly followed by another drone instrumental, called ”Ringring”...
Instrumental tunes like ”Blixthalka”, ”De Förtrycktas Återkomst”, ”Ringring”, ”Albatross Meets Lonely Sailor” and ”Utgång” is what I like best about this classic Swedish band, but most of the songs with vocals also works well (especially live). I have kinda gotten used to get disapointed with new albums from resurected old 60’s and 70’s bands, most of these bands are but pale shadows of what they used to be... so it’s refreshing with bands like Träd Gräs & Stenar, just as good now as they were then (especially live)...
I wouldn’t recommend this band to anyone who only like stonerrock, doom or sludge... this band/album is for the psychedelic and early progressive rock fans only...
Songtitles (Original (Swedish) / English):
1. Alla Sover / Everyone’s Sleeping
2. Elden Är Lös / Fire Out Of Control
3. Under Korkeken / Under The Cork Oak
4. Duvan / The Dove
5. Blixthalka / Treacherously Icy
6. En Enfaldig Mans Klagan / Lament Of A Simple Man
7. De Förtrycktas Återkomst (En Kärlekshistoria) / The Return Of The Oppressed (A Love Story)
8. Ajn Schvajn Draj / Ajn Schvajn Draj
9. Inget 1 / Nothing 1
10. Ringring / Ringring
11. Inget 2 / Nothing 2
12. Albatross Meets Lonely Sailor / Albatross Meets Lonely Sailor
13. Utgång / Exit
URL: http://www.tgs.nu
