LOS MÚSICOS DEL CENTRO, VOL. 1

I have a really happy memory of the first and only time I went to a concert by this band. That happened one lovely sunset at an open, square-type space, with the massive set of equipment and instruments gleaming under the yellow-orange-red bath of dimming daylight. Not only felt, but also sounded like a ship leaving Earth. There wasn't much thunder, anyway, it was rather a matter of the magic of something so big sounding so subtle.

Now, forced by honesty, I have to say that the vinyl record we are talking about doesn't match such an expansive aural experience, but it comes close enough in terms of subtlety, tight musicianship, excellent songwriting and great taste for soli and harmonic setting, let alone the rythmic intricacies that suits so well a natural-born fusion creature like this. And in addition, there is not a beat left to waste, with each detail coming in precise time and form to round a music of personal and evocative colour.

The album opens with the only vocal track on sight (there is another one where vocals play a choral role, without lyrics). This is sung by guest Litto Nebbia, who does a fine job out of it indeed, perfectly fitting the overall mood and atmosphere of the entire work, with a great electric guitar fill coming close to the voice at the end of the chorus, rounding an original harmonic solution, and giving way to a terrific solo. From there on, you will find a distinctive arrangement for each and every nice melody, which are many, and tend to stick to aural memory with such a pleasurable hook. Not one track sounds trivial, however, even for a moment.

In case you wish to refer to a specific moment to have a general look of style and sound, then go to track 3, Siracusa, possibly the best loved track in the batch, which jumped the airwaves back in the day.