ANABELAS

4.5 stars. BUBU were a seven piece band from Argentina with an additional guest piano player making it eight for this record.The sound is so rich and varied as they take us through different climates and moods. This is complex yet melodic as we go from ANGLAGARD / SINKADUS like passages to dark haunting soundscapes to jazzy energetic passages to experimental avant-gard sections. This is all over the place yet it is so seemless. Simply brilliant. The vocals bring the Italian classics to mind,while the guitar lights it up at times and at other times is angular ala Fripp. Violin,sax and flute are prominant and there are female vocal melodies as well. I have to give Logan a thankyou because i read his glowing appreciation for this record on one of his posts which caused me to put it to the front of the line sort of speak.

"El Cortejo De Un Dia Amarillo" is a killer side long suite. It opens with some impressive jazzy moves as bass, flute, drums and sax lead the way. The sax is dissonant at times. It changes quickly 1 1/2 minutes in to a section that left my jaw hanging open as it sounded so much like SINKADUS and ANGLAGARD. Yet this was before those two bands ever existed. The guitar then takes off blazing it's own path as bass continues to throb and drums pound. Awesome sound ! I'm pinching myself at this point seeing if i'm dreaming or not. The sound is so rich as sax, violin and flute add to the pleasure. After 6 minutes it is so uplifting and emotional. The tempo then picks up with flute then violin leading the way. Sax takes a turn as it rips it up. It settles down with some angular guitar before 8 minutes. We get some chamber music after 9 minutes. It starts to build before 12 minutes as vocal melodies join in. Flute and sax lead the way for a while then a calm before 13 1/2 minutes. Powerful vocal melodies a minute later with acoustic guitar. Nice. Sax comes in and it's incredible. Next up is the guitar as the sax stops. This guy can play as he fires off some blistering melodies. The drums and bass are fantastic as they both become more prominant. The flute is back 17 1/2 minutes in before guitar returns.

"El Viaje De Anabelas" opens with vocal melodies before an outburst of drums. This happens again before flute, sax and violin come in beautifully. The violin recalls MAHAVISHNU ORCHESTRA after 1 1/2 minutes. Vocals before 3 minutes with bass and acoustic guitar is outstanding. Flute and sax a minute later as vocals stop. Violin comes in. Guitar comes and goes. Vocals return before 8 minutes. Mournful violin before 10 minutes with vocal melodies taking over quickly. Then check out the dark, angular guitar as sax joins in. "Suenos De Maniqui" opens with piano then reserved vocals. A heavy, dark mood arrives with angular guitar crying out as piano continues. The song kicks in after 1 1/2 minutes with flute leading the way. Then the guitar takes the lead as drums pound away. This is uptempo with sax also involved. It settles down with sax, flute and angular guitar then speeds up with violin. The tempo shifts are frequent. This is such a display of both band interplay and incredible instrumental work. Vocals are back before 5 minutes sounding very Italian. Vocals and this section end 7 minutes in and are replaced by an intense passage of guitar, violin and sax as vocal melodies come in. Sax gets dissonant to end it.

Perhaps the greatest recording to ever come out of Argentina.