jotaefe1987

"Cuentos de ayer y de hoy" is a great underground Spanish album from the 70s. Released in 1978, it seems like a Spanish version of the British supergroup UK (Wetton, Brufford, Jobson, Holdsworth). The use of violin in the first song 'Profecia' reminds me of Eddie Jobson's work in UK and early Roxy Music.

In just 6 songs we can hear the energetic and heartbreaking vocals of Jose Carlos Molina, with 'Preparan' being the highlight. Also note the strong guitar work in the song 'El Juglar'.

However, there are not only British influences here. Molina's lead vocals are accompanied by some nice flute work, as if he were Ian Anderson (Jethro Tull). The duel of violin and flute in… More

Many people say that 'Tormato' is a bad album, a wall in YES career. Obviously this album is not a masterpiece in the YES discography, but an adaptation of the YES sound to the following 80s. Tormato is an irregular and inconsistent album, rather than a conceptual one. But the highlights overshadow the shadows.

With the two main singles "Don't Kill The Whale" and "Release, Release" YES were about to enter their arena rock era and Steve Howe was preparing for his Asia adventure. As usual in the YES discography, the production is terrible and Rick Wakeman's keyboards sound too shrill and circus-orientated ("Future Times/Rejoice" and "Circus of Heaven").

But the album saves the best material for the… More

"Progressive Metal returns to the experimental hard rock era of the 70s and mixes it up.

When I first heard the single 'Celebrity Touch' I was a bit disappointed. A simple and direct catchy song with a 70s random sound. But when the album finally came out, I was pleasantly surprised. Yes, it had a 70's flavour, but also a fresh sound coming from an S.XXI music album. A good album with hard riffs, catchy melodies, complex structures and very captivating.

The lyrics are great and the concept of the album represents its time very well. The music is surprising, with many nuances. For me, the best song on S.O.N.G.S. is 'Deprived', which has all… More

Shake up your 70's dark influences, take two of the best musicians of the decade and you've got a modern masterpiece.

If you mixed Wilson&Akerdfelt, you might not expect an album like this. The two geniuses solved their restlessness by making a 50-minute song like a dark soundtrack. Not specifically a prog sound album, but yes, a prog concept album.

Where everyone expected a Blackwater Park-esque album, we got an underrated experimental soundtrack that reminds me of later Talk Talk albums.

What if Wilson&Akerfeldt had rescued Mark Hollis from the 'musical fringes' to lead vocals when he was still alive?

(Originally written for Progarchives website, 24-05-2012)