THREEPHONIC

This is my first review, I've been a regular visitor of this site, but from now on, a new member. Here we got the third recording of Pablo el Enterrador, the mitic Argentinean prog band. Threephonic consists in 9 songs from the last period of the band, as trio format. The recordings dates are between 2004 to 2006, till the death of Jorge Antún, keyboardist and band composer. The first track , Marcha del regreso, is the only song that have a different style from the rest of the album, is in a strong ELP format. Always been a success at live shows, in the old times, but never recorded till now. The rest of the album have the early 80's Genesis style, with strong keyboards presence, plus some rhythm machines and real drums played by Marcelo Sali, and guitars solos and accurate vocals by José Maria Blanc. Best tracks: Marcha del regreso; Pasión, with fantastic lyrics and an epic finale; Caída Libre, instrumental, a dynamic and very well played tune, remind me Do the neurotic, a Genesis B side from mid 80's; and Encontraré un Lugar, a beautifull song, probably the best track, with strong lyrics and changing tempos, perhaps in a Genesis ? Duke style. As a closing era, this third album is a brillant effort. Here in Rosario, Pablo el enterrador origin, we know how they worked for this to see the light. Congratulation for the musicians, is a great album, 4 stars without doubt. Sorry for my english!

If you remember the 1970s, you might also recall how more than a year between projects of our favourites would call into question their continued viability. Not so now even among those rare artists actually signed to a "label", and certainly not among the majority of prog acts who are beholden to nobody but themselves and possibly their fans, given that many at this point either work for a living or are retired like a lot of us! Here is yet another sometime group, certainly better known than the pair I discussed recently but hardly household names. Formed in 1971 but first releasing in 1983, these Argentinians ended their second 15+ year absence in 2016 with "Threephonic", apparently a reference to their distillation as a trio, sacrificing the twin keyboards approach but remaining as key oriented as ever.

A year after these recordings were completed in 2004, Jorge Antun passed away, which might be partly responsible for the delay of over a decade in their release. What's baffling is how this sounds more 1980s than their 1980s work, and even more surprising is that, while it will never challenge their debut as a career pinnacle, it remains moored to the facets that anchor their legacy: rich romantic vocals, melodic keys, and occasional guitar flourishes. It all starts unconvincingly with "La Marcha Del Regreso" like so much bombast lacking conviction, while "Pasion" could have come from 14 BIS. It begins to build momentum with "Entre El Bien Y El Mal" and hits stride for the following 3 numbers, perhaps the best being the one that sounds most like the 1980s, the percussive reggae-ish "Los Cielos De Irak" offset by FRIPP styled leads, because I think this is where PABLO truly was at the time these tunes were compiled. Finale "Clave De Sol" closes the chapter most elegantly.

Since José Maria Blanc issued a solo work in 2018, it is likely that "Threephonic" will remain PABLO's final gift, but we might have to wait at least 12 years to be sure!