ARGENTO

Mario Barbaja has released five solid albums over the years, and all of them are pretty different vibes from each other. His debut album is no exception. Released in 1971, a year prior to his breakout sophomore album Megh, Argento does not sound like the growing RPI movement had influenced young Mario quite yet. There are hints, for sure, but this album sounds much more like other soft singer-songwriters of the day: Nick Drake, early Cat Stevens, Donovan, and Vashti Bunyan. This album is mellow and quiet and completely acoustic-guitar driven. It sometimes sounds like Mario is whispering and playing softly to friends in one room of the house so as not to wake up the parents in another room. Kidding, of course, but I did have that thought at one point.

The folk music dynamic is there as well as a mixture of components that make it sound more Italian than English, but it is still not hugely RPI-sounding beyond the Italian vocals. In addition, we have the romantic flavor of the songwriting, sometimes a more classical feel, sometimes a bit of light psych. There are some female co-vocals at times and a fair amount of expressive flute. Several songs employ sitar and hand drumming for an exotic Eastern component. The overwhelming net effect of Argento is as a piece of music to play late at night when one is looking to relax and chill out. It is truly a lovely work to own and likely very sentimental for Mario and his old friends, but for my taste, I much prefer his saucier later albums. I would not recommend this title unless you are a big fan of the four artists I mention above. If you are an RPI fan looking to check out Mario, go for Megh instead. If you like art rock, check out his New York Bazaar album. All five of his releases to date are solid though. There are no duds in the Barbaja collection.