LHO - Vendeltid

Review by Underivedkolonist uik

Vendeltid by LHO: A Wild Ride Through Prog Rock and Avant-Garde Jazz (1987) Let’s cut to the chase—Lars Hollmer’s Vendeltid is one of those albums that feels like it was beamed straight from an alternate universe where accordions are cool, jazz doesn’t take itself too seriously, and progressive rock has a sense of humor. Released in 1987 via Krax Records, this Swedish gem blends genres with reckless abandon, creating something both bizarre and oddly comforting. Think of it as your eccentric uncle’s record collection come to life. The album kicks off with “Spanska Trappan,” which translates to “Spanish Stairs” if you’re into that kind of thing. It’s got this quirky accordion riff that worms its way into your brain faster than you can say "prog rock." The track builds layer upon layer—Sven Aarflot’s saxophone wails in the background while Olle Sundin’s guitar adds just enough crunch to keep things interesting. What makes “Spanska Trappan” unforgettable isn’t just its melody but how it dances between chaos and cohesion. You’ll find yourself humming along one moment and scratching your head the next. Classic Lars Hollmer energy. Then there’s “Eyeliner,” because who wouldn’t want a song named after makeup? This tune feels like what would happen if David Bowie and Frank Zappa collaborated on a jazzy fever dream. Mårten Tiselius’ drums shuffle around like they don’t have anywhere important to be, while Hollmer’s keyboards tiptoe through scales like they’re trying not to wake the neighbors. Halfway through, everything dissolves into what sounds suspiciously like someone sneezing into a melodica. Is it pretentious? Maybe. Does it work? Absolutely. What stands out about Vendeltid is how unapologetically weird it is. With Hollmer playing nearly every instrument under the sun (accordion, piano, bells—you name it), the album feels deeply personal yet wildly experimental. Credit also goes to Olle Sundin for bringing his balalaika game strong; nothing screams avant-garde quite like Russian folk instruments showing up at a Swedish prog rock party. But here’s the kicker: despite all the genre-bending madness, Vendeltid never loses sight of fun. Tracks like “Karusellmusik” sound like they were composed for a carousel designed by Tim Burton, while “Gitarette” closes the album with a flourish of flamenco-inspired guitar work that leaves you wondering if you accidentally traveled to Andalusia. In the end, Vendeltid feels less like a traditional album and more like a scrapbook of musical ideas stitched together by sheer willpower. Sure, some parts might make you go, “Huh?” But isn’t that the point of art—to challenge expectations and maybe even confuse us a little? Final thought: If this album were a person, it’d probably wear eyeliner, quote Dostoevsky at parties, and insist on driving you home in a car decorated entirely with accordions. Love it or leave it, Vendeltid demands attention—and frankly, we could all use more records like that in our lives.

Artist: LHO
Album: Vendeltid

Sweden

1987

Rating: 4.67

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Download

Filename: lho-vendeltid.zip

MP3 size: 42 mb
FLAC size: 419 mb

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Tracks

Track	Duration	Preview
Gitarette	1:40
Spanska Trappan	5:53
Through Glass (Faust - Glass - Gretchen)	4:40
Misery	6:00
Karusellmusik	3:38
Vendeltid	5:10
Experiment (On Tour)	2:36
Eyeliner	3:16
Snögång / Klocklåt	3:51
Utflykt M. Damyckel	4:50

Video

Lars Hollmer & Looping Home Orchestra (1987 Sweden) - Vendeltid - Track: Misery

Images

Catalog Numbers

KRAX 5

Labels

Krax

Listen online

lyssna på nätet
online anhören
écouter en ligne
escuchar en línea
kuunnella verkossa
online luisteren
ascolta in linea
lytte på nettet
ouvir online

Formats

Vinyl
LP
Album
CD

Companies

Role	Company
Phonographic Copyright (p)	Ding-Dong Records
Copyright (c)	Ding-Dong Records
Pressed By	Ljudpress
Printed By	General Printing AB
Recorded At	Chickenhouse
Mixed At	Chickenhouse
Mastered At	Polar Studios

Credits

Role	Credit
Accordion	Lars Hollmer
Piano	Lars Hollmer
Keyboards	Lars Hollmer
Melodica	Lars Hollmer
Voice	Lars Hollmer
Bells	Lars Hollmer
Written-By	Lars Hollmer
Lyrics By	Lars Hollmer
Edited By	Lars Hollmer
Bass	Olle Sundin
Guitar	Olle Sundin
Balalaika	Olle Sundin
Bassoon	Sven Aarflot
Saxophone	Sven Aarflot
Flute	Sven Aarflot
Drums	Mårten Tiselius
Glockenspiel	Mårten Tiselius
Layout	Lars Hollmer
Mastered By	Peter Dahl
Mixed By	Lars Hollmer (tracks: A1 to B5)
Painting	Jacek Malczweski
Painting [Window	Eino Haapala
Accordioncarpet]	Eino Haapala
Photography By	Gerd Axelsdotter, Kerstin Karlsson
Translated By	Peter Sedlovche (tracks: B6), Wolfgang Salomon (tracks: B6)

Notes

Recorded October 1986 to November 1987 at Lars Hollmer's home and at The Chickenhouse.
Mixed August to December 1987 at The Chickenhouse, except track B1, mixed at Urspårs Mobila, and track B6, which is a cutted version of six different livegigs in September 1987.
Mixed August to December 1987 at The Chickenhouse, except track 5, mixed at Urspårs Mobila, and track 10, which is a cut version of six different live gigs in September 1987.

Barcodes

Label Code: LC 8433
Matrix / Runout (Side 1): KRAX 05 A LP 880204 PD-POLAR
Matrix / Runout (Side 2): KRAX 05 B LP 880204 PD-POLAR

About LHO

Name Vars

Members

Lars Hollmer
Eino Haapala
Sven Aarflot
Lars Krantz
Mårten Tiselius

Interesting fact about Album

Did you know that the album *Vendeltid* by LHO is like a one-man masterpiece? Almost everything on it—writing, playing, mixing, even the layout—was done by Lars Hollmer. He played accordion, piano, keyboards, melodica, bells, and even sang! It’s wild how one person can wear so many hats. And get this: the album blends prog rock, jazz, and avant-garde styles, but it still feels cohesive. Oh, and there’s a track with lyrics translated by two different people—Peter Sedlovche and Wolfgang Salomon. Pretty cool, right?