ARCO IRIS

'Aurora Del Sur' is very beautiful, but sad instrumental where most of the melodies are played by sax, but there is also great flute playing. In 'Dai Moneda' the album mood changes, it's almost too cheerful to me. But it has also some really great melodies. In 'Blue Jay' direction changes again back to the same as in the first piece. Really touching instrumental track! 'Desde El Jardin' is sounding traditional Argentinian piece with very modern production. Sadness & beauty continues in 'Danais'. 'Nubecita' is again very positive piece and can be too much for the people who hate typical South-American folk music. I like it! 'Desde El Silencio' is really impressive, there you can imagine to be in the middle of Amazon! Next 'Tatunu' continues in a same, really moving direction. In 'Tierras Colorades' we go again into positive moods, but this time music hasn't got so much typical South American feeling, but very relaxing and melodic. What a sad, moving melodies then in 'Para Que Jueque Jo'! Also this piece has some great rhythm changes. In 'La Flor Del Ceibo' you can imagine to lay in some peaceful shore. 'South- American' mood comes back in 'Te Digo Si Te Digo No', where sax leads it to jazz direction. 'Ven Amada Ven' is absolutely profound ending into this album! Can't help tears come into my eyes!

I really love this instrumental album as every other Arco Iris records I have heard! But have to say production is a little bit clean and cold sounding and that was the reason at first this great music didn't achieve me. As the most of Arco Iris albums, this is all the way folk prog, not at all jazz rock / fusion. Well yes, sax is the main instrument playing in a very virtuoso way. Anyway to proglovers I recommend to listen 'Agitor Lucens V' instead of this album, because 'Desde El Jardin' is one of the lightest albums of Arco Iris. These songs can easily put for example in elevators, they really don't irritate in any way. But naturally quality of 'elevator music' would rise a lot! I believe this album work well to the last album just before sleeping time. If this really will be the final Arco Iris album, it is a good swan song from the magnificent band!

And then is this album. A fusion beast that needs to be pùt among the best albums of history. The musicianship is impressive, original, catchy and eclectic. Imagine the pastoral passages of Premiata Forneria Marconi, and the Canterbury fusion of Bill Bruford, add some Pink Floyd emotional guitar work and sound experimentation and you will have Arco Iris.

Extremely recomended.

The album shows also a nice sense of flow and continuity overall, with each track preparing the listener for the following, gaining momentum and rewarding the listening of this record as a whole.

There's in addition some nice acoustic folk moments, for example 02 Vasudeva, and 07 Mañana campestre, two of the best known Arco Iris' songs

Packed with short 2-to-3-minute long, folksy instrumentals, this masterpiece could be described as a concept album in a similar vein as The Snow Goose by Camel. These short bridges build up to two epic jazz suites, Obertura and Hombre, my two favorite songs from the album.

Since I do not understand any Spanish, especially the lyrics, I cannot say much on what this album represents, except for the titles. From what the titles translate to, I assume the album describes some sort of spiritual journey that the main character (probably the person singing) experiences. In the first segment of the album, the protagonist learns what he needs to know in order start his journey (is his name Nahuel? is that a different character? who knows) from his "maestro" (teacher). The second segment entails the character's journey along with the pilgrims, whom he follows to "las colinas" (the hills) with his master. Correct me if I am wrong.

Overall, there is not much more to say about Arco Iris' magnum opus, though I wish there were a sequel (unlikely).

The star player here is Gustavo Santaolalla, frontman and main guitarist of the group, though sax-master Ara Tokatlian deserves credit too. As it stands, this would be their last major collaboration under the Arco Iris name; following the completion of this album Gustavo, tiring of the strict demands of the mystical commune Arco Iris lived in (led by their muse Dana), would exit the band. Further departures would follow, and in the long run this would lead to Ara and Dana relocating to the US and taking the group in a New Age/jazz fusion direction.

As it stands, then, Agitor Lucens V finds the original form of Arco Iris at its peak of development.

"Aconcagua (Amanecer)" is almost instrumental, but has some non-lyrical vocals. It starts with pan flute, but soon there comes also electric instruments. I have never been in Argentina, but I can imagine to be in Argentinian forest, when listening this piece. Really cheerful piece! Very traditional Argentinian folk music feeling mixed with jazz continues in next "Chacarera Dance". It also has very personal and glad vocals from Ara Tokatlian and magnificent flute playing! It carries really great way it´s whole ten minutes length. "Danais" has really mystic atmosphere with really powerful vocals from the bands female member. It sounds as the night has come into that Argentinian forest. Same very natural and beautiful atmosphere continues in the title song, where the intensity rises in the end. This piece also carries it´s whole ten minutes. In "Gob" album mood changes into carnivalesque direction. Like there comes some parade in the middle of forest. Again piece has very interesting playing in it´s whole length. "Aconcagua (Atartecer)" is short, funny ending of this intensive album!

Although this album doesn´t fully achieve the greatness of the bands early albums, it´s anyway really strong effort when thinking what kind of music was mostly made in the eighties. All the way this is really balanced and meditative album and I really love it´s acoustic nature. I think this band has put into wrong category in Progarchives. It should have been progfolk, only true jazz fusion album is "Los Elementales" as far as I know. Well, I hope progfolk fans will find this really awesome band! I think it´s little sad this band seemed not found as much international attention as for example Los Jaivas or Os Mutantes. Really it deserves that!

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!

To me this interesting formation from Argentina sounds like a kind of answer to famous Chilean prog folk band Los Jaivas, blending folk with progressive ideas. Their story started early 1970 when Arco Iris made impression on a music festival in Buenos Aires, especially with the legendary composition Blues De Dana. Things started to roll and the band delivered a serie of wonderful and acclaimed albums. Arco Iris disbanded in 1975 when a part of the group went to California for a musical adventure (between 1977 and 2003). In 1997 this 'USA Arco Iris line-up' was awarded for their fine contribution to the culture in California during twenty years.

This review is about their live album En Vivo Hoy from 2000, it contains tracks from their album Peace Pipes (1987) and Peace Will Save The Rainbow (1998), and the abovementioned Blues De Dana as an 'encore'. Arco Iris delivers a New Age-like blend of prog and folk, it sounds wonderful and very pleasant with a wide range of (mainly acoustic) instruments: lots of percussion (conga, bongo and djembe), flute, saxophone, acoustic guitar and many flutes, including the panflute. In comparison with the studio-albums Arco Iris sounds more powerful, dynamic and also progressive on stage, due the extended live versions featuring more shifting moods and soli.

This is wonderful melodic and harmonic, often mellow New Agen inspired prog folk.

My rating: 3,5 star.

"La Divina Madre" has some powerful organ to start as the guitar begins to solo tastefully over top. It calms right down after 2 1/2 minutes as the organ stops but it will return late. "La Morada De Los Dioses" has this relaxed beat with strummed guitar and laid back vocals which are in Spanish(and throughout this recording). I really like this song. "En Las Cumbres" is really something with that atmosphere, bass and picked guitar. The vocal melodies 2 minutes in are deep and add so much here. Percussion too. "Bas Bus" is a short uptempo horn led piece. "Si El Senor" continues with the horn driven music but we get vocals this time. Harmonica to the fore then vocal melodies before the sax and vocals return. "Bas Bus" is a reprise with some huge bass lines this time. "Aurora Boreal" is a folky track with reserved vocals. "Las Luces Eteras" is led by vocals and organ with some harmonies as well. Relaxed sax after 3 minutes during the instrumental section that will continue for over 10 minutes! Check out the guitar solo that seems to never end even when you think it has(haha). It starts 7 1/2 minutes in and man he lights it up at times. So good! "El Regreso Del Pajaro Dorado" is so impressive with the organ and guitar taking the spotlight.

"La Nave Madre" has a good beat with prominent bass as the flute starts to play over top. Some flashy keyboards will come and go as themes are repeated. "El Arcangel Miguel" has male vocal melodies in a relaxed and sparse soundscape. Some haunting vocal melodies follow which is so cool. It brightens though late to end it with multi-vocal melodies. "Agitor" is a slow paced piece with floating organ, cymbals, picked guitar and more. "Sendero De Marcahuasi" has what sounds like mandolin, bass and a beat as the vocals join in. Flute a minute in as the vocals stop but they return as contrasts continue. Sax then leads and it turns dissonant at times. Nice. I'm not sure about the song titles of the last three songs on my copy but the next song features a dark mood with bass, atmosphere and more. Vocals before a minute as it brightens some and the contrasts will continue. Great track! The next tune has upfront drumming and plenty of guitar before the tempo picks up 1 1/2 minutes in. The synths that follow are so uplifting. The final tune is really dominated at times by the sax and it does get dissonant. Some laughter and crazy vocal expressions 5 minutes in.

An album I really enjoy despite the issues I have with my copy. Some consistently good music that brought early FLOYD to mind more than anyone else, although as I mentioned earlier the music is quite varied.

"Sudamerica" is a rock opera telling the mythological tale of a young man named Nahuel, who is commissioned by divinity to travel around the continent with various companions, and all of the adventures that ensue. But what makes the album so effective is that, unlike many of the rock operas and concept albums being made back in the UK at the time, the album doesn't lose any of its power when you don't follow the lyrics. As a non-Spanish speaker, all that I know about the narrative comes from reading synopses online. What I do know, though, is that this album is every bit of an instrumental marvel as it is a lyrical one. An eclectic brew of jazz, psychedelic rock, Andean folk and other ethnic South American musical styles, "Sudamerica" offers a unique, transporting listening experience that stays fresh, dynamic, engaging and vibrant the whole way through to the final notes.

Certainly an album to be on the lookout for, a timeless, progressive gem. The fact that this kind of album, so very unique and full of identity, exists is what makes me love prog. 5 stars.