Description

Mendoza is a jazz-prog band from Sweden from the 1970s. Members included Lennart Palmefors (keyboards, vocals), Rolf Öhlin (guitar), Arne Gustafsson (guitar, flute), Björn Larsson (trumpet), Anders Hogman (bass), and Anders Östryd (drums). The band released their debut album in 1972, an album that feels very much like 1970s American roots rock where some of the songs comes with psychedelic overtones. Most of the album is heavy pop rock with strong melodies, excellent playing and soulful vocals. There’s flute, a bit of Lesley vocals, driving guitars, wah wahs and loud pounding bass. Had it been released in the US or in perhaps more fittingly in the UK in 1969, this would have been heralded as an undisputed classic. But, as things went, this came out in Sweden where Pugh had changed the language of rock lyrics to Swedish, Fläsket Brinner pointed out new directions with their debut album the previous year, and Mendoza were two years behind on Arbete & Fritids innovative blend of jazz, drone, folk and rock. Why would anyone care about an album so blatantly advocating the sounds of yesterday? Forty years later, such things don’t matter. Today it stands out as an excellent piece of work. Hadn’t it been for the braindead cover of Jambalaya, the only non original track, there wouldn’t have been a single inferior track on this album. It might be that choosing Jambalaya as the only 45 from Mendoza killed the album completely. Very bad career move. Exclude Jambalaya and you have an album that’s a genuine pleasure to listen to all through.

Track list:
1. Jojk
2. Steamship
3. Hello, Hello
4. Sinful Man
5. The Grateful Salesman And Co
6. The Land Of Little Rain
7. Summer Days, Winter Cold
8. Jambalaya
9. Green Bamboo