EDUARDO BORT

A minor but growing legend, Eduardo Bort is a passionate Spanish guitarist who spearheaded two records in the mid-1970s considered milestones in the then small Spanish art rock scene. This, his debut from '74, is a nifty if loosely-rendered bit of acoustic folk, heavy psych and the sounds of traditional symphonic rock. It pushes off with 'Thoughts' part 1&2, a meeting of humble songwriting and complex deviations carefully arranged by drummer/keyboardist Vicente Jimeno founded with Eduardo Bort's acoustic rhythms, electric leads and shrill vocals. 'Walking on the Grass' builds further on this motif, Bort's singing better with a Klaus Meine falsetto and a soulful performance from the Bort/Jimeno pair filled with impassioned solos from both and plenty of hot jams. The mellotron comes out for 'Pictures of Sadness', a drowsy spelunker ribboned with stoner riffs and drops of Floyd, and Eduardo lets loose on his ax. And 12 minute 'Yann' is a big syn-phonic number that takes to the air if only for a low and brief flight of passing glory, Vicente Jimeno's arrangements for keys and 'tron most impressive here as well as his knack for musical construction.

With its dated production, off-key crooning and quaint offerings of art, Eduardo Bort's debut surely will only please a small percentage of listeners, even brave ones. But in prog country that's a tiptoe through the tulips.