Confusions | ms

THE CONFUSIONS have now established a reputation as one of Sweden's cleverest pop exports. A fistful of fine albums has more than convinced any doubters. The band's album "Everyone's Invited" was perhaps their breakthrough, acclaimed throughout the pop press as one of the very best albums of the year. With its quirky ideas, strong melodies and inventive playing, the album is a delight: check out "Steroid hearts" or "Cornflake King", both of which did well as singles. The latter was rotated on the French equivalent to MTV, MCM International. The album wasn't short of fans around Europe. Several of Britain's...

The Confusions were from Madras (India) and featured in the 1970 All India Simla Beat contest, organised by the India Tobacco Company. These battle-of-the-bands were held annually and the 1970 and 1971 contestants were featured on EMI subsidiary LPs. These two LPs were re-issued as a double album in 1997. Earlier a single compilation called "Strangers From A Strange Land" had been issued in 1971. This is about as obscure as garage gets. For two years, 1970 and 1971, a cigarette company in India sponsored some kind of battle-of-the-bands competition, with the winners going to Calcutta to record for compilations...