Ym-Stammen - 1994 - Ulv! Ulv!

(50:35; Apollon Records [2022 Edition] )

Track list:
1. Budbringere 3:54
2. (Vi Blir) Fisk 4:38
3. Atland 4:40
4. Min Brud 3:51
5. Ulv! Ulv! 3:41
6. Det Springende Punkt 4:12
7. På Taket 2:10
8. Spøk 4:12
9. Hevner-Kvadet 9:44
10. Endelig 4:26
11. Solbeven 5:07

LIne-up:
Andreas Eriksen - percussion, Berimbau
Jo C. Langeland - guitars, percussion, vocals
Trygve Mathiesen - vocals
Tarjei Rønnow - bass, lute, clarinet, vocals
Torstein Kvenås - flute
Kai Lundewall - drums, spoons, vocals
Øyvind Rauset - violin, keyboards, vocals
with:
Bernhard Seland - saxophone
Kåre K. Westrheim - organ
Are Hofstad - saxophone
Geir Lysne - saxophone
Marit Nord - vocals
Per Platou - vocals
Trude Eick - vocals, French Horn


Norwegian band Ym-Stammen were active from sometime in the early 1980's and until the tail end of the 1990's, releasing six studio albums along the way and being a fairly attractive live band at home as well as abroad from what I understand. Their albums have long been out of print, and this year at least two of them will finally be reissued. "Ulv! Ulv!" dates back to 1994, and has now been reissued by Norwegian label Apollon Records.

It is actually rather challenging to describe this album, as this production is one that has been a part of my own life ever since it was released. Hence trying to describe it in an objective manner is a bit daunting, and I rather suspect that no matter what I write or how I write it there will probably be fans and possibly band members eager to point out flaws, faults and mistakes in my writing.

The most striking aspect about this album for me, when listening to it in a more professional mode, is to how great an extent subtle, funky details define so many of the songs here. Usually provided by the guitars, but with bass and reeds also taking charge on occasion to provide the songs with this playful and uplifting vibe. Elements from what may or may not be dub find their way into a song or two as well, and the same is the case for reggae, and on 'Solbeven' this latter aspect helps lift this classic song up to majestic heights. Occasional chamber music orientation is another aspect of the total experience here, complete with both violin and harpsichord unless I'm much mistaken.

Folk music elements are obviously a part of the total experience too. The angular, chant style lead vocals and vocal harmonies all make use of older folk music traditions, and we get plenty of inserts and interludes along the way with more purebred older style folk music, as well as a liberal amount of motifs and melody lines that draw upon the folk music legacy. And on 'Hevnerkvadet' we get a purebred epic ballad of the kind that was popular in medieval times to enjoy as well. The lyrical topic explored strikes me as fitting, and was presumably a hot topic back in the time when songs in this style were popular.

"Ulv! Ulv" is a solid album that, to my ears and my mind, has managed to stay interesting also through the ravages of time. Something of a timeless, playful and expressive blend of rock music and folk music traditions back when it was made, and it is still both playful and expressive, and rather difficult to pigeonhole into any specified subgenre of music too in my opinion. Playful rock with funky undercurrents and liberal amounts of folk music seasoning is what we have here, and an album very well worth having a go at if that sounds like an interesting mix. For many, myself included, this album is something of a modern classic.

Olav M. Björnsen, February 2022

Links:
https://www.facebook.com/Ymstammen-395448207284576/
https://www.apollonrecords.no/