BIZI BIZIAN

Errobi's third album (some sources relate this one coming out after their third studio Ameritsen) is a live one, but offering a selection of tracks from their first two albums, but rocking them up also. Although sonically imperfect (feedbacks and such), this album should give you an idea of what sounded Errobi in their earlier stages, with a more traditional folk rock sound than Ameritsen Bidea

Fortunately for all Non-Basque speakers, the political texts/lyrics are translated into Spanish and French on the Cd reissues, and one can see how fervent and patriotic these guys were, often citing the injustices their communities were suffering. Most tracks have enough progressive qualities to be quite charming and some are dramatic enough to describe the Basque fight for freedom. The goal of this review is not to be partial for one or the other side, but to tell the proghead that this album is likely to please them regardless of the lyrics, but knowing that this album is political makes it that much more powerful, pro or con. Musically , their sound is not that far away from Italian groups (singing-wise) or an English folk tinged with Iberic touches. Having discovered Errobi only recently, I have no idea if these guys ever collaborated with ETA (most likely not) with such a Basque spleen, no doubt they were also seen at the forefront of the autonomous movement, but clearly they were profiting from a young democratic regime, letting its people enjoy liberties they did not have for quite a long time.

Maybe not as powerful as their next album, this album is just as essential to the prog folk fan.