CRISALIDA

Like so many non Anglo releases from the mid and late 1970s, Espiritu's debut doggedly schleps around baggage from the early 1970s. While classified here as symphonic, it's really an eclectic blend of symph, heavy, folk and pop/psych, often within spitting distance of each other, and that's pretty much the effect as well.

All 8 tracks run together, but if they shifted the boundaries near or far I would be none the wiser. I'm not sure when post-it notes were invented but am a bit surprised they aren't in the credits. I wish they had channelled every ounce of energy into one engrossing number and the rest be damned, but instead beckon the listener to wade in the reeds for the occasional inspired moment strewn about willy nilly, the sort of thing one might search for again in vain. Really, there was this killer 5 seconds and I'm sure it was in track 4.5 somewhere! Oh well, back to that LA MAQUINA album I guess, or better yet TRIANA.

Gobs of spirited play notwithstanding, this effort lacks cohesion and focus, but perhaps they prioritized this and emerged from their chrysalis in subsequent releases. I am in the minority here in any case so by all means give this a whirl if the opportunity presents itself and my criticisms seem like trifles to you.