EN LIBERTAD

This album is a mix of existing songs and some new ones. Four out of nine come from their latest release (Un Jardín Eléctrico). Fortunately, these are the best ones (but the album as a whole was only average).

Still, a song as La Luna reminds me of their good and early repertoire and Campanas features some convincing and smooth vocals. No shouts here; no flamenco extravaganza. Just sweet singing with fine acoustic guitar. The last two minutes though offer a very good contrast: upbeat and rocking. A good song.

The third best one from this previous album is also featured: La Jara is really worth thanks to the fine vocalize work from Juan Reina. While the other songs were a carbon copy of the ones available on Jardín, this version is longer by two minutes. But these are made of a blank section followed by some piano: not a big deal to be honest.

The five new songs (to my knowledge) have no special feel: the mellow En Libertad that fades into Misterio (which is truly its continuation) sounds as a sad complaint which is not particularly essential. The more upbeat Ten Confianza is only valid thanks to its second half which holds some flamenco sounds, but the lyrics are really poor. The last one is Que Màs Da: a honest rock and melancholy ballad.

This album is part of a collection of two. The follow-up is some sort of Return Beyond The Grave. It features some songs found on cassettes after the death of their leader Jesús De la Rosa. The Fab Four did it, Queen did it. And Triana as well. No jewel are available on there either. It would have been a good idea to combine both volumes onto one CD. The length was not an issue.

To come back on this Volume 1 I rate it with two stars. There aren't any bad songs in here (three being even good ones) but I wonder why it was necessary to put such a release on the market. Two stars.