Karma Rec. Hippieology vol.1: Den Lille Prins / Foreningen Til Livets Beskyttelse DK,1971/1972,re.2005)***°/**°
Denmark knew a hippie scene, is something which already proved many of the previous Karma Music related releases. Lots of this seems to have been influenced by the Scandinavian scene, with a kind of jammed atmosphere.
The album ‘Foreningen Til Livets Beskyttelse’ (or ‘Society For The Protection Of Life’) was nothing but another hippie record, but with a (psychedelic) folk fundament this time, mostly. While the whole band seems to be in some kind of developed deluded state of being stoned, the reciting or singing front girl, Susanne Hamilton, who was presented to the group via the "producer" from the records label Spectator, more or less keeps the logic together.
The music is song based but sounds rather improvised from a hippie atmosphere, arranged with piano, electric bass, bells, violin, drums, all repeating notes while flowing and changing at the same time. The violin changes to country violin on the second track, while jew’s harp is added. The electric guitar on the third track makes this sound differently psychedelic. On the sixth track it becomes bluesy psych, with additional harmonica and such. The 7th track is again more acoustic and has a fairy tale reciting atmosphere. The last track on the album falls back on some funny to hear hippie nonsense with kazoos and such, and where everybody is speaking through one another.
Song titles in English : 1: The King of the Elves, 2: (police)Officer Larsen, 3: Ulster, 4: Illusions, 5: Flea Cirkus, 6: The Seagull's Tale, 7: Rary, 8: Full Moon - With Rainbows inside your head, 9: The Government/the senate.
The second LP, I assume, is music based upon what is related with some theatre performances from “le petit prince”, the famous illustrated book from Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. It is more seriously arranged song music by the same band when in a more clear minded state and being without Susanne. Most songs are slightly different in style references as starting points like serious rock, a nice acoustic song ("Den Lyse Nat"), a blues song and a folk dance. One of my favourite tracks is “Elmers Favorit”, an improvisation with piano, drums, bass, flute, electric guitars, great percussion, violin and sax, prog/psych rock in a rather Ruphus Zuphal style. Very nice is also the medieval dance folk flavoured song “Nokkevisen”.
