In one of the interviews in the book that comes with the …Ungefär så här boxed set, Thåström talks about how he still reimagines the running order for the Mannen som blev en gris album. I’ve always felt that he has a very acute eye for sequencing and track listings, and this particular album is no exception.
The album opens with Släpp aldrig in dom. Thematically it sets the tone for the entire album, I think. Alienation, yet a desire to be left alone. Facing your own reflection in the mirror and knowing that you have to fight the fight by yourself. You’re alone, but far from weak or defeatist. You know that the outside world won’t do you any good at this point, so you soldier on. This is accentuated even further in track number 2, …Ungefär så här. You’re getting roughed up, but… Låt dom aldrig få se dig skaka, låt dom aldrig få se dig gå ner. And by track three, Höghussång, the self confidence is almost Gallagher-esque: Det är min värld, det här. Ni får komma hem till mig.
Its centerpiece is the outstanding and devastating Kaospassageraren. My favorite song of all time, and the greatest piece of poetry ever to be used as song lyrics. In another interview, Thåström said he wanted the song to have the ambience and atmosphere of a Tarkovsky film, and I think he succeeds magnificently. It’s music to be listened to whilst searching for the Zone.
The album closes with the epic Aldrig nånsin komma ner. A classic crescendo- building closer of a song. Makes all the sense in the world as the last song of the album.
The other five sits perfectly where they are. Mostly. To follow the lengthy and slow ambience of Kaospassageraren with a fast paced (and Mayakovsky referencing) rocker like Bara när jag blundar is sensible. To precede Kaospassageraren with another rocker, Ännu mera gift, builds momentum. To follow Bara när jag blundar with the moody yet heavy Hål makes sense when it’s followed by the even moodier, and terribly vicious, Sån.
The only instance when it gets a bit…iffy is around track number 9. The Garbochock cover Så kall, så het was record during an earlier session, and there is no mistaking. It has a different vibe, a different tone, a different sound. Another Garbochock cover, the atmospheric and moody Repulsiv, was recorded around the same time, and would have made much more sense on a coolly dark album like this.Or why not settle for nine tracks?
So all in all, I can’t say that I agree with Thåström regarding the running order of this album. I would love to hear him elaborate on it.
Buy this underrated dark gem of an album from cdon.com, and listen to it on Spotify.
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