AQUELARRE

One of the earliest progressive rock acts in Argentina, AQUELARRE emerged from the ashes of Almendra when the prolific tour de force band leader Luis Alberto Spinetta decided to move on and embrace a multi-band work ethos that propelled his bands Invisible and Pescado Rabioso to the top of the prog scene in Argentina during the 1970s. After Almendra's first run ended after releasing two of the earliest examples of proto-prog in Argentina, members drummer Rudolfo García and bassist / vocalist / flautist Emilio Del Guercio decided to start their own progressively infused rock band and once the final lineup that included guitarist Héctor Starc and the bluesy keyboardist Hugo González Neira was complete, the then band with no name enjoyed a number of live performances before finally settling on the name AQUELARRE.

The band's eponymously titled debut appeared in the summer of 1972 and featured six tracks that added up to about 38 minutes of playing time. With a sound that was characterized by a bluesy 60s style of heavy psych that was animated to higher levels courtesy of the dualistic one / two punch of Starc's feisty guitar performances and Neira's energetic organ deliveries, AQUELARRE attracted a loyal following. Starc's famously delivered a distinct guitar tone courtesy of the pleasing distortion obtained through a tweaked Les Paul. The mix of 60s heavy psych and the more contemporary powerful riffing and soloing of hard rock offered a unique bridge between the two eras in early 70s Argentina which was a few years behind in the timeline when compared to its European counterparts and the more developed prog that followed. Likewise the organ runs delivered the same hybridization effect of 60s psychedelia along with the more proto-prog leanings of transitional bands that permeated Europe around the 1969-70 timeline.

While based heavily on 60s style songwriting styles, what made AQUELARRE stand out were the extended composiitons and sparing use of off-kilter time signature deviations. The album delivered somewhat of a jamming style of improvisation that offered feisty guitar riffing and ripping licks and leads. While the songs themselves (sung in the Spanish language) were more steeped in 60s heavy psych, the instrumental prowess of the musicians was up to speed and ready for prog prime time however that would have to wait until the band's second album "Candites." The compositions were built around the guitar parts therefore that instrument dominates the album however both bass and drumming aspects delivered not only impeccably tight rhythmic drives but also offered enough variations as to elevate them above and beyond the call of mere rhythmic duty.

This style of early prog was quite popular in Argentina, especially the Buenos Aires scene and AQUELARRE attracted a large following with ease with a large number of sold out concerts after the release of this album. The heavy psychedelic sound was the perfect gateway drug to introduce the nation to the more advanced prog technicalities that were being churned out on the European continent in a glut of overabundance. While considered an early form of progressive rock, what ALQUELARRE delivered on this debut was more of a transitional sound between the earlier works of Almendra and bands like Pappo's Blues and the more sophisticated Argentine prog that wouldn't take off until the mid-70s. The band evoked the heavy psych sensibilities of the American and European 1960s more than anything but offered enough progressive elements to attract those who embrace those in-between types of albums.

Overall i find AQUELARRE's debut to be a nice enjoyable slice of early 70s heavy psych with prog leanings but not as captivating as the fully developed prog that the nation developed in the latter half of the 1970s by top tier acts such as Bubu, M.I.A, Arco Iris or Alas. The strength of the album is the richness in tones, timbres and general flow of the musical deliveries with nice instrumental interplay and pleasant to the ears lyrics sung in the Spanish language however on the down side the album sounds a bit anachronistic for 1972 and plays it too safe leaving the progressive parts feeling a bit unsatisfying and gimmicky rather than fully integrated into the band's overall cohesiveness. This album has become somewhat of a classic over the ensuing decades as the wealth of music from Argentina has become known to a wider world audience. For my liking however it's a nice competent and decent listen but doesn't quite get my juices flowing like other Argentine acts of the same era.

3.5 rounded down