Folque - Kjempene på Dovrefjell

Artist: Folque
Album: Kjempene på Dovrefjell
Year: 1975
Label: Record Runner
Country: Norway
Style: Progressive rock.
Genre: Prog-folk, folk.
Format: ape (image) with cue, log, full artcover
Size: 216 Mb (5 % recovery)
Source: My cd collection

This Norwegian folk outfit started out in the early 70s mixing acoustic instruments (fiddle, mandolin, banjo and piano) with the electric guitar, bass and keyboards. They created an earthy music made up of playful, catchy melodies with male/female vocal interplay. Despite important personnel changes over the years (their first-rate lead female singer was replaced, among others), they have managed to remain true to their sound and have churned out over ten fine albums between 1974 and 1998. In 2004, they reunited to play a gig at the Norsk Folkemuseum and don't seem to show any signs of slowing down.

Folque's second album is the logical follow-up to their debut but it seems that this would be a concept album. I use the word "seems" because I do not speak or read Norwegian, therefore I am unable to grasp much except judge on the musical qualities of such an album.
And that music is actually still quite folk asa in pure folk with rock beats at times, and the longer tracks hold enough interplay to be at least entertaining to most progheads, but I did not find this album very progressive (at least compared to Comus , Algarnas Tradgard , Spirogyra). This seven piece combo seems to take the early Steeleye Span attitude (mainly traditional folk than give it a rock beat) but sometimes reaching out to Fairport Convention (circa Liege and Lief era) and also a bit of mostly-Scottish Incredible String Band.
As interesting the comparison I just made above , most proghead should approach Folque with much caution because this group is rather borderline for the scope of the ProgArchives. Howeber , should you want to investigate this , You might want to start with this album or its follow-up Vardoger.
Sean Trane for progarchives

In my own opinion a very good prog-folk album.



Tracks:
1. Stev
2. Jarlen av Murray
3. Halling
4. Heming og Harald kongjen
5. Eg vil ingjen Spelemann ha
6. Huldra og'n Elland
7. Inn kom'n Tore
8. Hr. Verner i fangetårnet
9. Den gode grønne skogen
10. Brurgangar
11. Kjempene på Dovrefjell

Line-up:
- Lisa Helljesen / vocals
- Lars Helljesen / vocals, guitars
- Trond Villa / fele
- Morten Bing / vocals, guitars, mandolin
- Eilf Amundsen / banjo, guitar, bass
- Trond Øverland / bass, piano
- Morten Jakobsen / drums