FIVE SUNS

Not much can be added to Chris Gleeson's excellent review, but I will try anyway! But Since he was quite thorough in his description of the album and i agree with his point of view (bar the 5 stars rating to which I correct to 4 stars). I will talk about side issues.

This is the first album of the toptally different Guapo having lost all of their frontman and only keeping this fabulous duo of Thompson on bass and Smith on drums. And what a team they are! They are joined by a younger KB man O'Sullivan that plays mainly Fender Rhodes but also Mellotrons , organ, harmonium (although in concert , this is Thompson playing that one )but I must say that guitars are very discreet. Since Fender rhodes electric piano is OSullivan's main instrument , one can hear some Mike Ratledge (Soft Machine) influences but not overbearing.

Among the younger groups Guapo can be likened to would be Quebec's Pangee, France's Nebelnest and vmore recent Djam Karet albums. Also sometimes , I was brought to think of early Anekdoten.

In concert , last Sunday in Brussels, they turned in a stellar rendition of Five Suns but also most of their new album Black Oni which sounds very similar to this album. Thompson provided a very pedestrian show but all three are very expressive while reproducing their music. Actually , this is the best concert I've seen so far this year.