speed of dark

If you are as attracted as I am to music led by strong women (Chrissie Hynde and P.J. Harvey spring immediately to mind), you'll want to add the 90's Swedish band Salt to your list. Salt was a trio consisting of singer/songwriter/guitarist Nina Ramsby, drummer Jim Tegman, and bassist Daniel Ewerman. Ramsby's powerful vocals and suffer-no-fools lyrics were the driving force in the band.


The single 'Bluster' from their first album, my treasured Ausculate, received rather extensive airplay when it was released in 1995, but my favorite has always been "Honour Me" with its steely descending chords and dominatrix-on-a-rampage lyrics.

"I won't leave until I'm done with you
Trust me
You will need me too...
I won't leave until you're close
You won't leave until I say so"

At the last minute, I had to include the blistering "So I Ached" that contains these favorite lines:

"Lovely fine head of yours,
Little tiny will of yours"

"So" is another big favorite that shows a slightly softer side, but the entire CD is fierce and excellent. According to Salt's MySpace site, both albums have been rereleased and are available for sale. Go there and stream other songs from these CDs.

From Ausculate (1996)
Salt: Honour Me
Salt: Bluster
Salt: So
Salt: So I Ached

The band members went their seperate ways around 1997 after releasing their second full-length recording. Nina Ramsby has been involved in other bands Baxter and Grand Tone Music, and she currently records as a solo artist.

MySpace | Nina Ramsby's Website | Nina's MySpace | Also: Grand Tone Music
Buy at Amazon, and Skivhugget (international)