This collection culls 78-minutes worth of material from
Turid's first three LPs: 1971's Vittras Visor, 1973's Bilder, and 1975's Tredje Dagen. The Swedish
Joni Mitchell (there is even a physical resemblance), best-known simply as
Turid, appears here as a typical flower child. Her songs have aged well, retaining the spirit of the late '60s/early '70s without losing their original charm or personality. Similarities can be drawn to
Joni Mitchell,
Joan Baez (especially in
Turid's choice of folk covers),
Linda Perhacs,
the Moody Blues, and early
Fairport Convention, but
Turid's music has its own sound. Some songs are sung in English, most have Swedish lyrics. If some tracks seem to rely heavily on lyrics that will be lost on most listeners, a large percentage of the songs feature melodies and arrangements that are strong enough by themselves to appeal to any fan of progressive folk.
I Retur cleverly opens with "Song," one of her strongest pieces and most striking vocal performances. It immediately establishes the
Mitchell/
Baez/
Perhacs frame of reference, a frame
Turid will often sidestep in favor of more Nordic folk directions and occasional rock leanings (the eight-minute "Låt Mig Se Dig" features electric guitar, drums, and a touch of Mellotron). Her warm voice, heavy vibrato and rich, creative melodies catch the ear on first listen. Highlights include the aforementioned "Song," "Tom I Bollen," the exquisite ballad "Vargen," the
Moody Blues-esque "Crystal Shade of Loneliness," and the voice/double bass duet "Tintomaras Sång," the album's most pastoral moment. Fans of great female voices and memorable folk songwriting should try to locate this CD collection, especially if you don't mind the language barrier. Recommended. ~ François Couture