CANTURBE

Yes, there's a strong ballad atmosphere on most tracks. But I find the album entity also dynamic enough to recommend it for anyone interested to hear mellow late-70's prog sung in Spanish. Something not so every-day stuff, right? The lead vocals of Jorge Garacotche are tender and clean, a bit like Don McLean on his highest, and the harmonies work well. The instrumentation favours acoustic guitar, and I wonder if this could be categorized as Prog Folk as well. On some songs piano does a great effect as the lead instrument. There's also at least one instrumental track (understandably I can't go into track-by-track details as I'm listening the album from YouTube).

The key word is mellowness, no doubt of that. Forget this if you're searching for edgy and complex prog. If you're fond of soft, pastoral and emotionally oriented Crossover or folk-oriented prog with light arrangements, I bet you'll have lots to enjoy here. 3½ stars rounded upwards.

The music in the 13 songs sound a bit subdued but very pleasant. A strong element is the warm, sometimes melancholical Spanish voice. And I am very pleased with the wide range of instruments, wonderfully blended into the songs. Like the distinctive bandoneon (strong interplay with the volume pedal electric guitar in Eternidades and Contrasenas) but also the vibraphone (Odiseo Por Buenos Aires), violin (Guarderia Para Melancolicos), saxophone and panflute (Tiro Al Argento) and acoustic guitar (beautiful soli in Guarderia Para Melancolicos and Una Mujer En Buenos Aires).

At some moments Canturbe their music evokes 70-77 Genesis, due to the lush keyboards, like the opener Tarde Ensayos and the dreamy final track Tarde Para Ensayos ' Instrumental. The composition Volando En Una Linterna even sounds like 24-carat symphonic rock, featuring a fluent rhythm and wonderful work on the electric guitar and synthesizers.

Canturbe their music is blended with strong musical ideas, emphasizing the captivating eclectic sound by Canturbe, this is an interesting comeback.

My rating: 3,5 star.

Canturbe played some sort of song-based Soft Prog with guitars on the forefront, light Psych influences and a huge dose of romantic vocal lines.Many compare them to the Italian Prog scene, but the truth seems to be that their sound is closer to compatriots REDD.Very relaxing material, bordering to pure background music, with an alternation between calm acoustic textures and light electric guitars, sometimes with a district Fusion touch on the delivery.Anyone expecting the participation of Garcia would made a huge impact will be extremely dissapointed, as the album contains sporadic and very mellow keyboard colors throughout.The majority of the tracks have a strong ballad atmosphere and lack any kind of dynamics, still the vocal arrangements of Garacotche contain some nice emotion.Unfortunately one will have to search hard for some decent adventurous themes, exciting musiciaship and even more some needed energy...and these are contained only in the long ''En virtud del obcecado'' with its fiery second section, where keyboards and guitars eventually make some noise.

Not an album I would dare to recommend to fans of any kind of energetic Progressive Rock music.This is a release, which will please only fans of soft Acoustic Prog or anyone searching for a good album for his forthcoming rendezvous.

Slow to mid-paced compositions with piano or acoustic guitar providing the dominant themes and motifs is what's offered, with a gentle symphonic backdrop as an almost ever present feature. A few instances of guitar riffs used to provide darker textures will be found, while what sounds like an accordion is used often and to great effect to add some variation to the proceedings. A select few jazzy passages are added to good effect as well.

Residing somewhere in the twilight zone between gentle adult oriented rock and the lighter side of the art rock universe, this disc should be a pleasant experience for those looking for mellow art rock crafted with an emphasis on distinct moods and strong but pleasant melodies.