BUBU

Leaving The Anabelas

Bubu was perhaps the best Progressive Rock/Avant-Garde band from Argentina, a creative collective of great musicians led by musical genius and multi-instrumentalist Daniel Andreoli. In 1978, Bubu released their masterpiece, Anabelas. The record was highly acclaimed worldwide. Anabelas was widely performed, and its music was even used by a successful ballet company in Buenos Aires, with performances across several countries in Europe, North America, and Asia.

Despite all this recognition, Bubu never made another record, and Andreoli seemed content to rest on the recognition and success of their one-of-a-kind masterpiece.

Then, 38 years later in 2016, Andreoli revived the band, re-emerging with a fresh group of musicians and reigniting their constant creative search. The comeback began with an EP, Resplandor, influenced by the band's signature avant-garde style. Bubu embarked on a tour, performing both Anabelas and their new EP, marking a second life for the band. Andreoli took a bold step, preparing for a new full-length album to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Anabelas?a risky endeavor.

After the 2016-2017 tour, Bubu returned to the studio. Although Andreoli tried to reincorporate old members, the band now sounded more in tune with the present, and Bubu no longer needed the original lineup. In 2018, on the 40th anniversary of Anabelas, Bubu released their second full-length album, El Eco Del Sol, with Andreoli still at the helm and a completely new lineup. The record represents a fresh version of the band, with a modern, heavy sound. However, this reinvention comes with its drawbacks. Bubu left behind some of the magic of Anabelas and became a completely new band?a great one?but not the Bubu we knew 40 years ago. Anabelas was so remarkable that it was impossible to match its grandeur.

With that in mind, if you listen to El Eco Del Sol as if it were from a new band, it stands as an excellent progressive avant-garde record with a heavy, modern sound. For fans of great music or for romantics who want to revisit the spirit of Anabelas, El Eco Del Sol is a great album?but it is not Anabelas. It is the new Bubu.

"Resplandor" A compact, energetic track that sets the tone for the album. It reintroduces Bubu's avant-garde essence but with a modern twist. The dynamic instrumentation recalls the intensity of Anabelas, but the pacing is tighter, leaving less room for the sprawling explorations of their earlier work.

"El Eco Del Sol" The title track is a sprawling piece that captures the grand, epic ambitions of the band. Its length allows Bubu to explore various musical textures, moving between delicate, atmospheric moments and heavier, more aggressive sections. It's a great balance of old and new Bubu, blending their signature avant-garde stylings with a more contemporary sound.

"Ariel" This shorter piece has a more melodic and accessible structure, giving a glimpse of the band's softer side. With clear, flowing melodies and a lighter touch in the instrumentation, "Ariel" contrasts well with the heavier, more experimental tracks on the album.

"Omer" One of the album's more intense offerings, "Omer" features intricate, syncopated rhythms and complex interplay between the instruments. It feels more in line with the experimental nature of Anabelas, but with the added punch of modern production. The layers of guitar, winds, and strings create a powerful, immersive soundscape.

"Cielo Negro" A dark, brooding track that lives up to its title ("Black Sky"). The atmosphere is tense and foreboding, with dissonant melodies and unsettling harmonies. It's one of the more avant-garde tracks, pushing the boundaries of progressive rock with its eerie, otherworldly sound.

"Penas" This song leans into a more emotional, melancholic vibe, with lush instrumentation and a haunting melody. The strings are prominent here, giving it a cinematic quality. "Penas" feels like a reflection on the past, which might resonate with long-time fans who miss the old Bubu sound.

"Por La Mañana" The lightest track on the album, "Por La Mañana" feels almost like a breather. Its upbeat tempo and bright melodies stand in contrast to the darker moments on the record. It brings a sense of optimism, adding a layer of complexity to the emotional landscape of the album.

"La Vaca Roja" Closing the album, "La Vaca Roja" is a complex, multifaceted piece. It starts with a slow, mysterious build before evolving into a powerful, energetic finale. The track showcases the band's ability to fuse progressive rock with avant-garde elements in a seamless way, and it leaves a lasting impression. It's a fitting conclusion to the album, wrapping up the new Bubu's identity in a way that feels bold and confident.

El Eco Del Sol may not reach the grandiosity of Anabelas, but it shines in its own right as a bold and powerful work. Andreoli and his new lineup breathe new life into Bubu, and while this reinvention leaves behind some of the magic of the past, it delivers a progressive and modern sound that stands on its own.

This album is something else. I went into this album without any research around a year ago, and I was completely blown away by it. And still to this day I am still shocked at how some unknown Argentinians from no where can create one of the most impressively complex albums I have ever listened to and then disappear for a couple of decades. For me, it's no surprise that they needed eight band members and seven session musicians to pull this off. Speaking of the musicians, for me the most impressive members were their violinist Sergio Polizzi, their saxophonist Wim Forstman, and their bassist Edgardo Folino. The other five musicians are also incredibly accomplished on each of their respective instruments, and the songwriting is top notch. It would sadly not be until 2018 where only one of these incredibly creative men would get the band back together for their sophomore album, El Eco Del Sol.  

Moving onto the actual album, it opens with the sidelong instrumental suite El Cortejo de un Día Amarillo. This suite is split into two parts, the first of which is Danza de las Atlántides. It begins with quiet percussion until we hear a noise close to nails on the chalkboard, but it actually adds a lot to the overall feel of the opening. The band all of a sudden has a sudden burst of energy with the band creating this loud, bombastic, and screeching noise with their instruments. They eventually come to a climax and tone down the song with a simple drum part and ascending guitar part. And when the horns join in, it becomes much more ominous, with the song speeding up into a fast paced King Crimson sounding guitar solo. The guitar seems to change again as it becomes more deep and the music gets more and more intense before the horns get louder, the violin becomes more aggressive, and the guitar's pitch gets even lower. The musicians take a well deserved break and calm down from the insanity that was the first couple of minutes. This is when the dynamics of the volume and intensity fluctuate a lot, with most of the musicians having their own solos. The music finally plateaus at a tune similar to Exiles by King Crimson, with some very soothing guitar parts by Petty Guelache. After that, the music falls apart and slowly melts into this forest ambience and eventually finds its way at this quiet drum and bass part. The small bursts of the guitar and with the violin and the flute sound in the background add a lot to this part. The section is also what I believe is the first point we hear some of the musicians sing chants in the background. They transition into this thundering interlocked playing style, and it creates some of the best parts in the album, in my opinion. Sadly, this great passage of the song comes to a quick end. After it, the band plays some more easy listening music, and the band shows some of the more classical and chamber music influences, with there being no traditional rock instruments in this segment. We now move into the second part of this song, Locomotora Blues. It begins with more chants and a classical piano, with Eduardo Corbella slightly tapping his cymbals to add to the atmosphere. I noticed that in some moments on this song sound similar to the blues (the name sort of gives it away), with the guitar and bass rapidly becoming more and more powerful until, at the absolute highest the song has gotten, it completely stops and proceeds to have a reprise of certain parts from the beginning of the album. The music once again dies out and falls deeper and deeper into this void, until it finally hits a wailing ending.  

Side two opens with the song El Viaje De Anabelas, which begins with some great haunting and isolated chants. When the band starts playing their music, it comes close to jazz territory with some similar qualities to Miles Davis' more fusion style music and King Crimson Mark three, sort of like a mix of the two (all though I will say the King Crimson influence is much stronger). The vocal parts are much softer than the rest of the music in this song, and I believe Rogatti is strumming an acoustic guitar in this part, but I can't tell for sure. Afterwards, the band breaks into a military march sounding theme, with there seeming to be some story line to it. I know there isn't one, but the emotion in this middle section of the song really makes it seem like there's one. The singing in this part easily makes this one of the many highlights of the album. Bubu goes on to put an end to this, however, and Polizzi proceeds to do one of the most beautiful violin solos I have ever heard, with clear inspiration from David Cross' solo on Larks' Tongues in Aspic. The song ends with many changes in the rhythm as the band attempts to reach a crescendo, which, when they hit, makes a great ending for an even better song.  

The next song on side two and the last one on the album is Sueños Di Maniquí. It starts with a piano piece similar to the opening of Bitches Crystal by ELP before once again leaning into a more fusion sound. The speed of these guys during this song is incredible, and the fact that they manage to do it in such a small time frame is jaw-dropping at the least. After that madness, they play a slower reprise of the vocal sections of El Viaje de Anabelas, along with sudden bursts of energy from Tenconi, and Forstman makes this disturbing setting within the song. The band then does this cool trick with the song in where they reach a high volume that should signal an ending, but they keep the song going. They quickly reach the volume they were just at after a quick violin solo, and the album ends the same way it started with an almost acid twist to the rapture of the instruments and the fiery experimentation.  

And with that comes the end of this masterpiece. This is easily my favorite album from South America (although many great ones come close) and one of the most innovative, underrated, and eclectic albums in the whole progressive rock genre. Between the ways the band stays connected the entire album, surprises the listener with every song, keeps the intensity at an all time high, and extends their compositions into so many unique ways, I can say without a doubt that Anabelas is a must listen for progressive rock enjoyers. Easily a 5/5.

El Eco del Sol is their first release in 40 years! My interest was of course piqued as I became familiar with their first, Anabelas (1978, to make it clear), frankly a near-unsung essential in second-wave Prog. Reformed in 2016 with new membership, this Argentinian band then released a 3-song EP, its contents all available here.

Grandiose, angelic vocals introduce the album on "Resplandor", not unreminiscent to me of Yes harmonically, but also making me think, especially as the song moves around minute 1, of modern Zeuhl beloveds Universal Totem Orchestra. I'm really looking forward to this. Excellent song. Dark, complex, featuring horns and strings, not to mention once more the epic group vocals.

Of a softer tone, "El Eco del Sol", near-cognate for 'The Echo of the Sun', builds within the first half. Great, classic track. The quieted shift around the midpoint is a definite highlight. Around minute 6 is yet another shift. Great beat, great melody--likewise at its end.

"Ariel" was lovely. What else is there to say? haha. Appropriately followed by the at first even-more-mellow "Omer". Feels like light Van Der Graaf? The song then picks up with the whole ensemble. Very nice. The middle section is very modern yet timeless. All the more lovely in my opinion.

The low mix for "Cielo Negro" is a very odd choice. Sticks out like a very muddy sore thumb. Very tense instrumentation set atop a rolling bassline. The sax solo around minute 4? Very nice. The song itself is quite good; I love the composition. Just odd production-wise... Perhaps never remastered for the LP release (as this is one of, and the last of, the 3 tracks originally on the aforementioned EP).

No comment on the title "Penas"... Although, I guess me introducing it so is a comment in itself haha. It means 'Penalties' in Spanish, and indeed, rightly tense to fit that theme. Indeed, the first 3 minutes are a soft build driven by bass and a steady rhythm on the ride. The build and the tension is worth the wait, as it breaks at minute 3 (exactly?) to intense groove. Given its more static composition, I'm delighted to say this is a favorite for me, first listen. Specifically, in the second half, there is a riff that rolls, exchanged by the guitar, violin and sax to produce a wonderful effect.

"Por la mañana" is another that delightfully mixes older progressive idioms with freshness. Excellent composition, excellent melodies once more. Especially as it builds to end. And finally is "La Vaca Roja", a song of shifting feel and shades. Certainly a phenomenal closer.

I wasn't necessarily expecting more, so I was very pleased with this latter-day album. I'm just excited to see what else they may do in the coming years, as it's already been 3+ years since this release.

Best progressive rock album from south America; paired only by Los Jaivas "Alturas De Machu Picchu"

Argentina is a country that I was easily able to fall in love with. Going there twice, feeling the wonders of Buenos Aires´s winter, there was also opportunities to taste the best wine in the world, paired again by Chilean ones and to appreciate high level soccer and some of the most beautiful folk in the world as well.

After talking about good wines, let´s see a bit about progressive music. It took a long time for myself to be in touch with "Anabelas", from a band named Bubu, and immediately I saw that Argentineans are very good in music and beyond names like Carlos Gardel as well. This album is clearly a strong masterpiece of progressive music. Let´s point out reasons for it

1 ? Reading other reviews, prior to listening it, there was a fear of seeing it as kind of derivative, something just trying to emulate giants like King Crimson. NO, NO, NO! Bubu is a band with very consolidated bright and signature of its own. Hearing "Anabelas", you can develop a perception that gives you rapidly conditions to distinguish its sound from any other band.

2 ? The epic. Oh, the epic! There are two qualities very important for me to consider an epic as a well stablished piece of music. The most important is that it cannot be just the grouping of songs just slightly related among themselves in order to achieve an epic; which unfortunately happens lots of times. The other one is it must have musical complexities that leads the listener to uncountable visits until considering the album appreciated and known in a proper way. You can be sure, "El Cortejo de un Dia Amarillo"more than to match, clearly surpasses those criteria.

3 ? Musicianship. The diversity of instruments used and the way they are played here has the quality for sustaining a masterpiece of progressive music. The favorite of mine are the bass lines we can hear, they not only achieves its obligations in rhythm issues but also adds A LOT of beauty to the songs.

For me it is the best album of progressive music in South America. Better than "Alturas de Macchu Picchu", sorry folk in Chile; in a way of compensating this tonight´s wine will be Chilean. It is also better than my favorite progressive album from here in Brasil, "Influencias", from Marco Antonio Araujo, already reviewed by me. Three albums that must be present well appreciated in a collection of any prog music lover.

A complete madness. Being Argentine I am proud of this work and happy to have known it. It has an extremely symphonic sound with details and arrangements of Yes, King Crimson, Gentle Giant and perhaps some passages that can be directly related to the RPI. A fascinating circus trip with disorderly sounds and with a strong and extravagant role of wind instruments. Every few minutes vocal parts appear that do not seem to have a specific meaning but are still an important detail in the concept and in the album itself. It has a sound so compelling and so defined that it is impossible for me not to give it the 5 stars. I also have to add that, to date (1978), no album in Argentina has sounded so symphonic and with such powerful wind instruments. My respects to the members. They have created a timeless work.

For some reason Bubu likes to release their albums after everyone, they were late to the scene by releasing their first album in 1978 and now going back to business 10 or 15 years after so many bands have released a comeback album, this is of course not a complaint regarding the high quality of both albums. Anabelas in spite of being released late and coming from south america justifiably gained a classic status and have always been a much appreciated release between prog fans around the world. El Eco Del Sol shouldn't be any different since the band have managed to come up with some excellent material, the sound is different now but you can certainly hear the old Bubu spirit here. As I don't usually go for comeback albums because a lot of them are disappointing this was quite a surprise of how good and powerful it is. An EP titled Resplandor came out of the blue in 2016 and gave us a tease of how the band sounds today, I was immediately impressed of the new music and sound and knew the full album was going to be something special. Unfortunately no one from the original band appear here except for Daniel Andreoli the main composer and visionary, in spite of that the music is still in the same direction, I guess Andreoli's influence is very prominent on the band, one example would be again the use of a choir which works perfectly. By the way all 3 songs from the EP are included here.

Now the biggest difference between the albums is the sound, as Anabelas's sound was dominated and driven by saxophones, flute and violins and by that sounded jazzier, this time guitars, bass and drums come to the fore, making this album to sound much heavier and punchier. Sax, flute and violins are still present throughout the entire album and adds to a well balanced and fuller sound. I'm happy to see Bubu haven't lost their energies on the contrary just check out the album's opener Resplandor, it looks like a lot of aggressions were built inside Mr. Andreoli and had to come out, with less than 4 minutes the band explodes with this bombastic and powerful short progy tune. There's a lot happening here actually, half way through the song changes from a fast rocker to a calm slower atmosphere where the tension slowly begins to build until it breaks again into the original theme, a very promising beginning. Besides of being heavy their symphonic elements are still present with the use of violins which takes a big role in the music, check out Penas, Omer and El Eco del Sol for their outstanding ideas and interesting development. Not only the material is well written the playing is also very good I love the interplay between all instruments, it sounds wonderfull how saxophones, flutes violins and an upfront rhythm section goes together. The performance is tight and every track shows a high level of creativity and mature kind of songwriting.

So fans of the band's debut, although the sound has naturally changed all the main characteristics are still there and in full power. The album also works for anyone looking for contemporary prog due to it's updated and fresh sound. 4 stars.

Bubu and Banana from Argentina share the honour for having arguably the worst name for a progressive rock band.

Bubu's Anabelas is one of the most unique albums to come out of Argentinian progressive rock movement and still quite original at international level, too.

The strongest influence is born by King Crimson from years 72-74, there are Argentinian folk traits with violin and flute, dissonant and avantgarde moments full of sophistication. Some moments in the first track I could even attribute to Anglagard, in the flute and dissonant parts.

The only three tracks are go so well together after each other that you won't notice the end and start of each other.

Most of music is instrumental, thankfully, for the vocal is pretty average.

The first, the longest track, is the best one and very well developed. Chorals remind me of another Argentinian band, MIA.

The third track is played at fast pace for its first half before getting into a more reflective sung parts followed by instrumental cresciendo.

A very good and packed album although not representative of Argentinian 70's prog-rock.

Anabelas opens with the nineteen-minute "El Cortejo de un Día Amarillo," comprised of two subtitles: "Danza De Las Atlántides" and "Locomotora Blues." According to Google, this means "The Courtship of a Yellow Day (Dance of the Atlantis / Blues Locomotive)" "El Cortejo" can also refer to an entourage or a procession; indeed, at 8:15 the group plays "Pomp and Circumstance," the beautiful melody played as a processional at graduation ceremonies, at least in the US. I wonder, though, if the title is a play on "The Court of the Crimson King;" indeed, as has been repeated many times, there is a definite King Crimson influence here, especially on this first song. But I'd not go so far as to characterize this as a Crimson tribute. There are also hard-rock/fusion elements, and at least one section I'd refer to as either avant-garde or experimental. "El Cortejo" is largely instrumental.

The second song is the eleven-minute "El Viaje de Anabelas, which Google translates as "The Journey of Anabelas." I've been skeptical that "eclectic" is really a subgenre of any type of music - - it's just a description in my book - - but this song is eclectic per se, sounding a bit like Van Der Graaf Generator one moment before moving into a more avant garde section, then back to a more conventional motif. I'm pretty familiar with traditional Irish music, and "El Viaje" even has some parts that sound Irish to me. In the middle of the song is a theme that sounds like it was written for a marching band, and later they break into what could be the theme to a Spaghetti Western. "El Viaje," whose title comes from the same word as the French "voyage," begins with a relatively slow intro played on acoustic guitar and violin, with saxophones moving from the back to the forefront as a drumbeat becomes increasingly insistent. There is then a vocal part before the eclecticism takes over. Around nine minutes in, there is a break, and a plaintive solo violin enters, followed by some soft guitar accompaniment. A choir appears about a minute later, signaling the return of the winds, reeds, and percussion for a brief coda resolving on (what sounds like) a major chord.

The last song is "Sueños de Maniquí" ("Dreams of a Mannequin" or maybe "Dreams of the Mannequin"), which is a little like a rock interpretation of "El Viaje." The vocal section comes in the second half of the song, which devolves in its last minute into a freakout finish. One aspect of "Sueños" that distinguishes it from the other songs is the use of studio effects and what sounds like a bit of synthesizer (I didn't see any indication of this in the credits, although both the guitarist and bassist are credited with "effects" as well as playing their instruments). In a few places on "Sueños," as well as on "El Viaje," it almost seemed as if vocalist Petty Guelache was interspersing some English words here and there among the Spanish lyrics - - somewhat like Falco, the German new- wave singer, used to.

The sound quality of Anabelas is fair: nothing special, and somewhat limited compared to much of the progressive rock I'm used to hearing - - i.e., either remastered editions of older records or recordings of a much more recent vintage. The performances on Anabelas are good, though not outside of the normal range for this type of music. Meanwhile, the quality of the compositions is above average. This is especially true in the segues that tie together some rather disparate musical passages. I can't comment on the lyrics.

I had a little trouble in settling on a rating for this album. Ultimately, I decided that Anabelas is better than a three-star album. Despite the exaggerated claims of undue King Crimson influences, this is an original, adventurous album.

Where have these guys been for 40 years and why now?! This is an amazingly mature, diverse, and creatively fresh album of progressive rock songs in the very best sense of progressive rock. The integral use of full vocal choir on three of the songs is especially enjoyable.

1. "Resplandor" (3:49) choral voices singing over some very intricate and tightly performed symphonic prog music. The song has two significant parts to it, two different paces and dynamics, both very different. I think I like the first half best despite the somewhat discordant conflict between the choir and the rock music. (9/10)

2. "El Eco Del Sol" (9:05) jazzy, chameleonic Neo-Prog quite like Italy's LA COSCIENZA DI ZENO. After the intro period, the breakneck speed is quite impressive for the band's overall unity. It is, in fact, the more slowly drawn out vocal track that distracts and disturbs the latter, though, fortunately, the vocals are quite sparsely used throughout. Nice use of woodwinds and strings within, in front of, and outside of the overall weave. Quite a cinematic song with some very Bond-like "action" sections. The more Latin-flavored section that begins at the eight minute mark is unexpected but then smoothed over by the vocals that are consistent with earlier appearances. (18/20)

3. "Ariel" (3:45) a smooth and gentle instrumental with full band participation in the interlude-like weave--until, that is, the 1:45 mark when a heavier intensity is brought in with double-timed guitars and rhythm instruments. This "chorus" is, however, fairly short-lived as we are soon returned to the opening theme for the second verse--which plays out until the end. (9/10)

4. "Omer" (6:49) opens with a very gentle, spacious soundscape--full band all contributing to the subtly constructed tapestry. At 0:50 the music shifts into a second gear--a structure to support the entrance of the vocalist--but then it ramps up into third gear with some very busy bass work while the many layers provided by each of the band members steps in line to support the alternation of horns and vocals. Things begin to reverse their pace and complexity in the fourth minute, breaking down to pretty but much simpler tapestry in the fifth. The guitar solo and accompanying music in the sixth minute sounds like it's straight out of LYNYRD SKYNYRD's "Free Bird." This plays out till the end with some vocal support at the very end. (8.5/10)

5. "Cielo Negro" (5:41) opens like a theme to an old suspense/spy film's chase scene. Everybody is participating on this one (save the chorus). The structure and melodies feel very 1960s while the horns, electric guitar sound and stylings as well as the organ solo sound very early 1970s. The slowed down interlude in the third and fourth minutes are interesting--especially for their classical feel--reminding me of 1970s Québeçois band CONVENTUUM. Things ramp back up for the final two minutes as organ, sax, flute, and lead guitar take turns with their leads while noodling along in support throughout. Interesting song. (8.5/10)

6. "Penas" (7:25) notes the return of the chorus as well as the flute and saxes in lead roles--this time with the chorus's inputs being much more intricately orchestrated and dispersed. The complexity and slow development over the first three minutes combined with the seamless transition into the full-fledged song thereafter leads me to call this my third favorite song on the album. Great melodies, too! I especially enjoy the subdued yet real duet/duel between the lead guitar and violin in the sixth minute, which is then seemlessly handed off to sax and flute. Bass- filled stop-gap at the six minute mark is rather unexpected and interesting--especially as it ends up playing out (decaying) to the song's finish! (9.5/10)

7. "Por La Mañana" (3:52) opens up like a sad ballad for its first 30 seconds before bass and drums effortlessly elevate the song into a very comfortable grooving drive. Before the first minute has even passed a multiple guitar riff adds another layer of high tension and congestion before disappearing to allow the re-establishment of the cool groove. Then at 1:46 an orchestra-like slow down opens up the song to a lone solo guitar playing its arpeggi. This is very soon joined by orchestrated support to play out till the end. Wow! What a song construct! My second favorite on the album. (9.75/10)

8. "La Vaca Roja" (7:39) another song that begins with a soft, soulful, full band "orchestral" fusion before shifting into second and, later, more angular, Crimsonian third gear--all within the first three minutes--before cycling back to the heart-strings-pulling beauty of the pastoral opening. Just as one is getting used to the peaceful reverie of floating on a country river things begin to thicken and ramp up, and then, just before the beginning of the fifth minute, everything just disappears leaving "far away"-sounding cymbals, congas, and, soon, violin to paint a picture of late night streets. Then the equally distant activities of chorus and other independent and seemingly disconnected instruments appear and meld into a kind of neighborhood polyphony--to end! Very unusual and creative. I love it! My favorite song on this surprising album. (15/15)

Five stars; a masterpiece of progressive rock music. Excellent sound engineering with very mature songwriting (though sometimes showing a style that feels dated), there is very little "fat" or "slough"--as well as many surprising twists and turns--in any part of any of these songs.

As the 21st century churns on it's amazing how popular classic progressive rock has made somewhat of a renaissance with some bands like Gentle Giant finding surging sales of their ambitious musical gems that have been surpassing the sales of the initial releases of the 1970s. As the public tires of simple and uninspiring musical mediocrity and turns to the more complex constructs to get their fix, they will ultimately find themselves scouring the classic years to see what they've missed out on. While many a band struggled to stay true to their musical vision, most folded under the financial pressure and zero record company backing. However despite the hardship they endured, many managed to release some of the absolute best music ever laid down to any musical format.

While one can point to England, France and Germany as having the lion's share of classic prog, they were hardly the only game in town. While lesser known Argentinean prog may not have been as popular in terms of world interest, this South American country which is more famous for the tango than prog has indeed generated some top notch progressive rock with the Buenos Aires based BUBU possibly ranking as the best the country after having dished out their classic 70s prog in the form of their masterpiece "Anabelas." While the band was active from 1975-79, they only managed to crank out the one album and then disappeared into the ethers never to be heard from again. Well?.

?.until the year 2016 when founder, composer, bassist and band leader Daniel Andreoli decided he should jump on the bandwagon of prog rock's upsurge in world popularity and resurrected his classic band to catch the new prog wave hitting every corner of the globe. So resurrect it he did, however this is not a typical reunion of past members but rather Andreoli rounding up the talents of a whole new younger generation, whipping them into shape and showing them how prog was done in the good old days. While this may sound tantamount to herding cats in a tuna cannery, somehow his efforts on the 2016 comeback "Resplandor" were quite satisfying.

"Resplandor" was quite the teaser. Seemingly emerging from nowhere with no prior warnings, BUBU was back which offered the prog world an initial gasp of excitement only to be quashed by the fact that this was just a three track EP that hit the fifteen and half minute mark. While no guarantees were given that this was a teaser prognosticating a bona fide comeback album, it was a satisfying return to form for this Argentinean outfit so beloved by many a proghead around the globe. Well, lo and behold, it was an omen indeed that the great BUBU was back for a second run and finally in 2018 we see the release of the long awaited second album EL ECO DEL SOL (The Echo Of The Sun) a full 40 years after "Anabelas."

Yeah, many a classic prog band that released a single album has made a comeback in years past only to disappoint beyond belief including the greats like Maxophone, Gnidrolog and Cherry Five just to name a very, very few. What sounds like a great idea to latch onto the current trend of retro prog doesn't always pan out as many bands seem to lose the mojo that made their music great in the first place, however BUBU thankfully still got it! Yep, Andreoli has lost none of his prog chops in the least bit and even though he's working with an entirely new generation of musicians, he successfully ekes out all the required ebbs and flows that made "Anabelas" so utterly brilliant.

If you were expecting something radically new from the BUBU of 2018 then you shouldn't bother. EL ECO DEL SOL faithfully picks up exactly where "Anabelas" left off and i would imagine that Andreoli has been working on some of these tracks for the past 40 years and perfecting them until they shimmer in the sun like a diamond. BUBU retains its core essence in every aspect. Eclectic as ever, the new rendition of the band returns with all those beautiful progified riffs and rhythms laid out symphonically and augmented with flutes, saxes and violins. Once again the choirs are back in full effect and Andreoli has lost none of his magic regarding the dynamic and mood shifts that made "Anabelas" a classic of the ages. One little disappointment of EL ECO DEL SOL is that it contains two tracks from the "Resplandor" EP, namely the title track and "Omer" but since they are such great track i guess i can't complain.

Unlike "Anabelas" which contained two sprawling tracks and a third shorty at a near 8 minute running mark, EL ECO DEL SOL exhibits eight shorter tracks but they all run together quite remarkably giving the album an overall unified feel. There is nothing on EL ECO DEL SOL that sounds out of place or derails the beautiful feeling that only BUBU can provide. Once again, BUBU dish out all the expected influences ranging from King Crimson, Genesis, ELP, Focus and their classical hero Tchaikovsky. The music runs on symphonic prog mode but adds touches of jazz, classical and occasional bursts of rock energy. The album is noticeably less aggressive and bombastic than "Anabelas" and drifts in a more ethereal mode yet retains a heavy presence of rock instrumentation. While Argentinean, BUBU's closest musical lineage sounds like they would easily fit into the Rock Progressive Italiano scene of the 70s as there are no tango tributes or anything tying the band to their geographical homestead.

As far as prog comebacks go, EL ECO DEL SOL is a smashing success and delivers everything i could want from a classic 70s prog band. While it does not outdo it's classic predecessor in intensity and compositional prowess, it does nevertheless deliver the goods as a brilliant sophomore album that in all honesty sounds like it truly could have come out two years after the debut "Anabelas." This album easily captures the zeitgeist of the original timeline of BUBU's first rendition and although some could deem that too safe for its own good, i would argue that i'd rather hear an anachronistic album that is done brilliantly than something half-baked that the band was trying to capture and had no realistic ability to pull it off. Andreoli knows his strengths and on EL ECO DEL SOL he nurtures them well making BUBU's long awaited comeback an effort well worth waiting for. Do expect a mellower album than "Anabelas" in the overall scheme but the compositional constructs exude the classic vibe that made that album so great.