BIOMASA

Phenomenal sophomore album by one of the most interesting prog-jazz bands to hail from Europe in the last few years - "Biomasa" is undisputed proof that Planeta Imaginario is a band to pay real close attention to. Compared to the debut album "¿Qué Me Dices?" (another one that I can't praise enough), "Biomasa" shows a band with a more powerful sound and a more accomplished tightness in its functioning as an ensemble. The album kicks off with a cosmic speech (literally!) voiced in a surrounding of spacey synth layers (very much in the early 70s TD vein). I didn't expect this krautrock- oriented opening, but it is effective. Abruptly segued into 'El Francotirador de Washington', when the aforesaid track settles in, Planeta Imaginario displays a clever, agile mixture of Canterbury (Nucleus, Gilgamesh) and Weather Report. 'Capture' is more humorous, weird in a Zappa sort of way (something like "Waka-Jawaka'-meets-"One Size Fits All"): it even includes some funny falsettos that enhance the sense of whimsical weirdness. Near the end, things get more lyrical and playful at the same time in a typically Canterburian note (this time, Hatfield & the Norht is the obvious reference). The 11 minute long title track follows, being a relaxing exercise on soft jazz, closely related to what you may identify as a melancholic mood, although I feel that it is mostly meditative. When things get slightly spiced up, the band shifts to an African-inspired fusion jam, not really furious, but intense in partially constrained fashion: the rhythm section works beautifully as a constantly reliable source of rhythmic evolution. For the epilogue that fulfills the track's last 2 minutes, the band returns to the initial motif. 'La Caja Negra' is another long composition, this time clocking at 12 minutes. The first 6 ½ minutes are focused on a well-structured jazzy jam very much in the Hatfield-meets-Nucleus vein, until things turn toward a different ground, one of Gong-related space-rock featuring sounds of airplanes rising up and crashing down. As usual, the band chose to retake a portion of the opening motif as a coda, completing a full circle of organized sound. Brilliant! 'El Teatro de los Faranduleros' is a lovely, yet weird exercise on soft dissonance that finds the piano, acoustic guitar and various horns orchestrating a delicate set of counterpoints (it reminds me a bit of Picchio dal Pozzo's first album, actually). Track 7 is the second cosmic speech (literally!), which stands in contrast with the highly melodic 'Hoy Es un Nuevo Día'. This one starts as yet another revision of Gilgamesh's heritage, until a piano motif starts a section that might as well been a Watkins' leftover for an old Happy the Man album. 'L'estiu' starts as a deepening into the reflective vibe that had been prevalent in the preceding track, but eventually the track leads to a funk-oriented jam. Anyway, this shift doesn't kill or replace the previous mood, but takes it to a more extroverted notion. A favorite resource of Planeta Imaginario's is the reprise of the initial motif for the coda, and this piece is no exception. The album's last 9 minutes are occupied by 'Trastornos Ópticos del Oso Polar', which is perhaps the most energetic track in the album. The composition bears a Crimson- like sense of tension to it among the Zappa "big band-era" chops. At times, the keyboardist explores some extravagant spacey sounds. But nothing is more extravagant than the closing section, with the guitar phrases stating heavy-RIO lines, the brass section going berserk, the full band flirting with chaos. The funny circus-like coda, instead of relieving the tension, adds more madness in a Dadaist manner. The guys of Planeta Imaginario master the art of honoring their favorite influences and instilling a series of refreshing moods into the resulting sound. "Biomasa" is a really great prog-jazz treasure of 2008.

PLANETA IMAGINERIO are a fairly young band out of Spain and this is their second release from 2008. An 8 piece band here with two sax players along with trombone, trumpet, bass, drums, guitar and keyboards. By the way the keyboards include Fender Rhodes, Hammond organ, piano and synths. As Chris Cutler has excaimed publically, these guys know how to compose and arrange songs. A very talented group.

"Cosmic Speech From The Imaginary Planet" is a short atmospheric intro with Spanish spoken words. "Washington Sniper" kicks into a Jazzy mode right away. Piano comes to the fore after 2 1/2 minutes as the bass continues to throb. Horns then guitar take turns leading then the tempo picks up after 4 1/2 minutes. "Capture" features relentless and prominant bass. I like when the guitar leads as the piano and drums help out.Horns to the fore after 2 1/2 minutes. Some crazy and funny vocals a minute later then the organ comes in when the vocals stop.The tempo starts to speed up late. "Biomass" has a relaxed sound with acoustic guitar, bass and drums. Horns follow then vocal expressions after 3 1/2 minutes. Horns replace the vocals then intricate guitar replaces the horns. Nice. Vocals join in after 7 minutes then the horns return.We get that relaxing sound from the intro back before 10 minutes.

"Black Box" is my favourite. It kicks in after 30 seconds with horns but the tempo will shift often. Some nice electric piano, guitar and bass before the organ starts to float in and out. Great sound 6 minutes in. Sampled words before 7 minutes with an intense soundscape. Some ripping guitar before 10 minutes then a jet flies over and crashes.Just a killer track. "Farandulero's Theatre" opens with piano as acoustic guitar joins in followed by sax as it slowly builds. Spoken words can be heard at one point. "Cosmic Speech" is a short piece with spoken words and atmopshere. "Today Is A New Day" is jazzy, bright and uplifting. It settles with piano after 1 1/2 minutes then picks up 3 minutes in with the piano leading. It's bright again to end it. "The Summer" opens with piano and drums as horns join in before 3 minutes. It's fuller 3 1/2 minutes in then the horns lead a minute later. It's the guitar's turn then it calms down before 6 1/2 minutes to end it. "Optical Delusions Of A Bipolar Bear" opens with different people talking then it kicks in fairly heavily. It settles with intricate guitar after 1 1/2 minutes then kicks back in at 3 1/2 minutes. It's heavier 6 1/2 minutes in. A little dissonance as horns and clapping end it.

These guys mix it up just enough to keep me interested. An enjoyable Jazz / Rock album.