LA TRANSFORMACION

Argentinean MAGMA took three years to release their second album LA TRANSFORMACIÓN (The Transformation) but pretty much continues down the path laid out on their debut "Canto Para Una Consagracion" however the band slightly went in a more accessible direction. All the attributes of the debut are in full play here. We still have Alberto Felici doing his falsetto acrobats stealing the show. We still get the quirky mix of jazzified piano, surreal synth and guitar all accompanied by sweet flute runs and nice thoughtful percussive performances but on this second album it seems that the songs may have tried to hang on to the melodies a tad more and focus on the overall sound instead of the meandering effect of the debut.

This is a double edged sword for me because it was the strange unpredictability of the debut that got me hooked in the first place but this second release certainly has a more instantly gratifying quality to it so in effect it's a nice balancing act going and for those who felt the debut was a bit too unfocused will surely find this to be a more satisfying display of eclectic Argentinean folk gone wild!

I would also say that the Andean folk music elements are more pronounced here and more recognizable as is the increased use of jazz inspired elements which still lend an exotic feel to this brand of folk music but at least not as alienating as album number one. Whereas the debut album was consistent in its dream state vibes always flittering half way in the familiar while flaying about in one's subconscious in a strange way, LA TRANSFORMACIÓN is much more the music of musicians who have awakened towards attaining an agreed upon goal and as a result the instruments play together in a more cohesive manner.

There are also a lot less vocals on this album with a lot more emphasis on instrumentals. Gone is the bizarreness of the debut which made it so unique and now we are treated to a sort of jazz light South American version of The Weather Report or something of the sort. While i do find this second release to be a pleasant listen it doesn't conjure up the same unique and wild ride that the debut did. This TRANSFORMACIÓN seems about being more accepted by a wider audience and given the state of progressive music in the early 80s it's not hard to understand why a band would want to be going in that direction at a time when band's like Genesis were raking in the dough by diving headfirst into the pop rock arenas of the music industries.

At the end of the day, i do like listening to this one but it pales in comparison to its predecessor. The magic of the dream state has been shattered and this one is merely a nice collection of accessible jazzy folk tunes that allow a little more of the ethnic influences to unfurl in an untainted manner. While this isn't bad by any means, it doesn't rise to the same level of creative furtiveness as did the debut. Despite my not liking this one as much it does turn up the tempo a bit compared to the debut. There are more periods where it rocks out more although in the most mellow definition allowed while still being classified as rock. The band would go on to release a few more albums but never really caught on and is obviously from their eclectic proclivities to be destined to remain in the world of obscurities only appealing to those who want to hear something that falls between the cracks (like me!) This one is pretty good but less satisfying than "Canto Para Una Consagracion" simply because that was mind-blowing while this one is much tamer.