EL BUFO DE LA CORT

Obscure catalan band, the project of Enric Pascual (main composer, vocals, keyboards and drums) and Conrad Dube (bass, keyboards and vocals) and 3 guests providing guitars and additional keyboards (these by Jaume Moncusi ex-member of Metamorfosis whose only album Papallones i Elefants I have reviewed).

Imagine a more pop-oriented version of early Marillion (from Marquet Square Heroes to Fugazi) and you get an idea. Most verse and chorus sections are quite poppy, melodic, easy- listening 4/4 melodies, but they manage a neo-prog sound by the lush keyboards with arpeggios reminding of early Mark Kelly, tempo breaks now and then, and extended instrumental passages in which guitar solos a la Steve Rothery abound (these being among the best in the album). The choice of keyboard and guitar sounds also contributes to the early neo-prog feel.

The album title means The Jester Of The Court adding to the early Marillion references, and the lyrics of the first and last tracks are about the jester's feelings, but less acid and poetic than Fish's. The rest of lyrics are rather trivial.

The vocals are not great but not annoying either, the bass just does the job without being outstanding and the drums are the weakest instrument, playing rather simple and not helped by the equalization of the different pieces of the drumkit. This album could have been much better had they hired a really good prog drummer. Anyway keyboards and guitars are good and form the main body of sound.

The first 2 tracks remind of Market Square Heroes and Chelsea Monday respectively, after that the compositions get more personal. The short instrumental Estacio Pirenaica is fine but consists of two different sections which do not seem to flow together. The closing 11-minute title track is the proggiest, a really good song.

Far from essential and surely not for fans of highly challenging, complex prog, but recommendable for those who enjoy light, easy-listening melodic neo-prog and who enjoy discovering obscure rarities.