Hard Rocktober Part 2!! Union Carbide Productions---In The Air Tonight---Time To Get Some Kicks!!

So this post is a continuation of the Motor City mojo diaspora I spoke about, but this time the musical migration was to Sweden. In The Air Tonight is the first slab recorded by Union Carbide Productions a hard rocking 5 piece from Goteborg, Sweden. I remember that there was some indy buzz in the states in 1987 when this album was initially released. These days they are probably better known as the precursor to the 60's steeped group The Soundtrack of Our Lives, who have achieved some success in the independent rock circuit. There is something really nice about this particular recording; the feeling is loose and wild--it feels like they are banging out the songs in the studio.

Three Mile Eye

Lots of energy here: angry leather lunged crazed vocals by Ebbot Lundberg; big heavy riffs and psychedelic wah wah guitar courtesy of Bjorn Olsson and Patrik Caganis. Additionally Olsson and Lundberg  play sax on the album, adding some of that Steve Mackay Stooge-style free jazz runs. Per Helm on Bass and Henryk Rylander on drums round out the lineup. Like the Monarchs album I recently wrote about, it sounds like these guys are having a blast--listening to this music long enough and your clothes will probably turn to leather. Maybe not much originality here, but they do what they do so very, very, well. Fantastic album!!

Right from the start they do the music justice with Ring My Bell, simple, over the top. If you like Mudhoney, then you will love these guys. The sarcastic Financial Declaration is another stunner... a song about the corrosiveness of Greed, about never getting enough of the pie. Not about the things, but the urge to get them.
Another noteworthy tune is Cartoon Animal, which I guess is about the humanity of homeless people.



This album came out 25 years ago, but some themes manage to hold up, such as their song Teenage Bankman.

I'm sitting on Wall Street and I can smell the smog...
I look inside my wallet, there's a lot of money in it
And then I think that I'm the richest man in this town.
I was born that way, and I'm there when all things come around....


....Don't Accuse Me, it's not my fault......
I'm Sooo happy!!

Love this album a lot. They have a great philosophy about the after life, if the lyrics of  their epic final song Down On The Beach are any indication.

If you are going to heaven, you have nothing to worry about,
and
If you are going to the other place
You will be so busy shaking hands with old friends
That you will have no time to worry....


So Why Worry???



You've got to love it. These guys should work for a greeting card company. So in my final analysis, if you want to pick up a nice album to shake your head to, I think this would be a very good choice. The potential loss of brain cells is more than compensated by the sonic enjoyment.  I really think that these guys did put their own unique insanely Nordic stamp to the proceedings. Check this one out and be amazed.