 Release:
Wild Kingdom / Sound Pollution
14.06.2024
Info:
A renaissance rocker diggin out some nuggets from his mine and delivers an extraordinary double album adventure!
Sulo Karlsson is probably most well known as the frontman of the long serving Swedish glam boogie rockers Diamond Dogs but he's far more than that.
Besides forming bands with UK guitar legend Chris Spedding (The Piggyback Riders) and former members from The Clash and Sham 69 (The Crunch) he has been releasing numerous of solo albums. Albums that almost touches every genre like country , soul and pop but never leaving his roots in classic English 70's rock and where he collaborated with artists such as Paul Young, Maria Mckee, Terry Reid, Janis Ian etc.
A well kept secret and a lost pearl in the collection have been his first ever solo album "Rough Diamonds" that came out in a limited edition in 2003 and since the been out of stock for a long time and never released on vinyl or as download. Until now!
The complete debut including 13 tracks recorded between 1997-1999 at the legendary Sunlight studio and produced by Tomas Skogsberg (Hellacopters/Backyard Babies etc) will now be re-released together with an extra album of 12 never before released tracks. With guest like Nicke Andersson (Hellacopters), Dregen (Hellacopters) and his old band mate Boba among others "Rough Diamond" is a distorted display of Punky glam numbers that really points out the future for Sulo's career. From the original recording of "Weekend monster" through the singalong glam anthem "Vegas vamp" and the sticky chorus of "Ba, Ba, Ba" to the power poppy "Love me, hurt you" and the self biographical "inflammable 69:er" it's rock n roll from a man that wears his heart on the sleeve. To run through the 13 tracks is a furious and breathtaking journey back the days when rock really mattered.
But it wouldn't be Sulo if the double didn't include some surprises to show his wide spectra of music knowledge. On the extra album "Rare Gems and Rowdy Tracks" we get to know why Sulo is considered to be one of Swedens most prolific songwriters.
The opening "Linger my love" is a blue eyed soul song guested by Brian Robertson (Thin Lizzy) and it really sets the pace for the album. Countrypop follower "Lonely street choir" where Sulo shares the vocals with Nashville country star Crystal Gayle is another proof of his capacity both as a singer and as a songwriter. He opens the door to Chet Baker land on the cool jazz flirt "In case you fall in love with me" and delivers a modern gospel together with UK singer Laura Critchley (Robbie Williams) in the irresistible "Greater than gold". Sulo sums up his talent and his curiosity for new musical landscapes in "Write a song" that well could have been a Lennon/McCartney composition if they released Abbey Road around the millennium.
All together these 25 tracks spread over a double album presents an artist that feels no barriers and that will keep on moving forwards, looking backwards and beyond to add new chapters in an already extraordinary catalogue of songs.
Tracklist:
CD/LP 1 - Rough Diamonds
01. Weekend Monster
02. Inflamable 69er
03. Rough Diamond
04. Living Legens Dyin' Hearts
05. Ba Ba Ba (The Word Is On The Street)
06. R'n'R Declaration
07. Vegas Vamp
08. Love Me, Hurt You
09. In Your Cave
10. I'll Be Your Monkey
11. Dullsville Girl
12. Gravity Blues
13. Golden Trash
Produced and recorded by Tomas Skogsberg at Sunlight studio.
CD/LP 2 - Rare Gems and Rowdy Tracks
01. Linger My Love
02. Lonely Street Choir
03. Roll On
04. In Case You Fall In Love With Me
05. Stay Away From Me
06. Glory And Grace
07. I'll Be Your Star
08. Seems Like Heaven's Out Of Angels
09. Greater Than Gold
10. It Must Be Spring
11. Write A Song
12. Under My Wings
Produced by Kevin Poree at Berry Street Studio London, by Otto Wellton at Kingside Studio, by Chris Laney at Polar Studio and Stefan Bellnäs at Studio Underground.
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