PEACE PIPES

After great "Faisan Azul"-album Arco Iris didn´t continue making records in Discos CBS for some reason. Probably it didn´t sell enough for the record company. In 1985 they released again cassette "Condor". Two years after that they managed to get into Passport Jazz-label, that was sublabel of Passport Records. It was US distribution company Jem Records, that launched Passport Records in 1973, but they went out of business in the end of 1988. In this album there were partly same songs as in "Condor"-release, but probably they´re new recordings. Again band members had changed, only Ara Tokatlian, Danais Tokatlian and Julio Ledezma have stayed in the band after "Faisan Azul".

Album title song starts with acoustic guitar, that has soft phase effect. Soon comes pan flute. So far sounds great but then comes electric drum that is awful. Fortunately there are also "real" percussions. Anyway I like this very gentle piece. In "Caravan" continues mix of modern and traditional acoustic sounds but this time there isn´t anything irritating. Awesome piece! "I See the Light" starts with synth thunder sounds. Atmosphere changes after that into some kind of "eighties ballad", not bad, but after two really great instrumental pieces this band´s first English sung piece is a little bit wrong place. Also it´s quite mediocre. Luckily in "Camino Del Inca" albums mood changes back to the instrumental goodness.

After almost 20 years existence Arco Iris decided to make a version of "El Condor Pasa" that is tradiotional, very popular South-American song. The most famous is Simon & Garfunkel version. But have to say they made a good version! It starts very slow, band just plays first something else, then flute starts to play melody very quietly. This melody has always moved me! I really like this version, when it´s not becoming powerful even in the end. I think many versions suffers from pathos. "Sunrise Chacarera" is another awesome instrumental with very relaxing atmosphere. In the middle there is interesting brass and percussion part. Finally in "Algarroba" we hear Danas great vocals! I just began to think she hadn´t involved at all in this album. Anyway her entry seems to be lesser than in "Faizan Azul". "Soaring Over the High Planes" is quiet but beautiful ending of this awesome album!

Maybe this album is little bit weaker than "Faisan Azul". That predecessor has more intensity and depth, but on the other hand quiet relaxation of this album really moves me! So I have to give four stars also to "Peace Pipes". Instead of this almost instrumental album I really recommended "Agitor Lucens V" or "Inti-Raymi" to the beginners, but Arco Iris fans this album is highly must! Really it´s sad this band is so underrated and specially these eighties albums seem to be!