As I said last week, nowadays I'm not browsing used record shops looking for the familiar, but rather for those records that slipped through the cracks, especially during the 70's. So OK, an unknown (to me) Spanish-language album from 1982 merits a listen on the stores' record player. I decided I liked what I heard enough to ignore the bad state of the cover (heavy ringwear, as you can see on these photos) and take it home. Truth be told, if it came from UK or the USA, I probably wouldn't have bothered but I'm always interested in how the rock experience was perceived outside the Anglo-Saxon world. Espiritu formed in Buenos Aires in 1972, and released two highly regarded symphonic rock LP's: Crisalida (1975) and Libre y Natural (1976), then disbanded. By 1981, singer Fernando Bergé and guitarist Osvaldo Favrot were working together again under the name Aspid, when a record company approached them, offering them a record contract if they considered reviving the name Espiritu. They recruited three younger musicians, including Ángel Mahler, whose keyboards, both classical-style piano and new wavey synthesizer, came to be this record's most prominent feature. Opener "Antes Tal Vez" belongs clearly to the symphonic rock genre, utilizing both aforementioned keyboards as well as melodic vocals and electric guitar. "Policolor" is more upbeat and pop oriented - somewhat strangely for a song dealing with war and culminating with alarm sirens. "Nacer" is a pretty ballad with nice sax, followed by a strong melodic prog piece; at 7+ minutes "Lento Juego De Luces" finds the time for some Renaissance-like symphonic rock with great keyboard and guitar solos. Side 2 opens with the largely acoustic "Toma Un Tiempo". "Elemental" is a more pop oriented song which reminded me of Asia's prog/new wave hybrid. "Un Viaje Por Los Recuerdos" is a sweet song with jazz rock leanings and great musicianship, especially on the piano and acoustic guitar. Instrumental "Guardianes En Pie" is even more progressive, reminding me of jazz rockers Weather Report. The musicians all shine here: the guitars and keyboards, of course, are consistently great, but Claudio Cicerchia's funky bass steals the show. The band had arranged a big stadium gig for the presentation of their album, but unfortunately the sirens of "Policolor" proved to be prophetic, and the outbreak of the Falklands War between Argentina and UK would divert people's attention elsewhere. Contemporary reviews were also not very positive, as prog rock had gone out of style and the album was deemed to be backwards-sounding. The band released one more LP (En Movimiento,1983) before calling it quits, while Favrot led a completely different lineup on the band's last studio venture Fronteras Mágicas (2003). Espiritu III finds the band in a crossroads between their Yes/Genesis- influenced symphonic past and a more modern (for the 80's) AOR sound. It may also be interesting to note that for the first time their record consisted of a simple collection of songs, as opposed to a concept album revolving around a single theme. While the musicians' playing is excellent, I find that the compositions are pleasant but lacking in either originality or power, while the vocals are good but a bit soft for my taste. Nevertheless, it's a worthy LP whose provenance from the Southern hemisphere and use of Spanish language make stand out among other similar albums of the period.
**** for Antes Tal Vez, Lento Juego De Luces, Guardianes En Pie
*** for Policolor, Nacer, Toma Un Tiempo, Elemental, Un Viaje Por Los Recuerdos
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