TRIANA (EL PATIO)

This band is truly a legend in Spain. One can acknowledge this while viewing the DVD that gets along with Sé De Un Lugar. A very good compilation released recently. But this will be reviewed later.

This debut album is quite a daring project. Remember that in 74, Spain was not an open country to new ideas and rock music in general. The political context was rather difficult, and to have released such a record in those days is quite astonishing.

This Andalusia band is brilliantly mixing their own folklore with prog sounds. And the result sounds very attractive. The opening number is a fantastic journey into these roots. It is varied, melodic, well constructed and offers a beautiful and bombastic finale full of great electric guitar.

Sé De Un Lugar shows a more dramatic, theatrical Jesus de la Rosa (their leader and emblematic member). His vocals here are probably somewhat exaggerated but it doesn't harm too much. The guest's work on the electric guitar (the band is a trio and only features flamenco guitar) is again excellent.

I particularly like the middle and truly symphonic part of this very good track. The aerial keyboards are so smooth, so melodic. This is the second highlight of the album but Todo Es De Color is the only dispensable track (but also the shortest).

The bombastic aspects are not alien either during the emotional Luminosa Mañana. The keyboards sounds are invading your ears beautifully and the little acoustic guitar touches add such an originality!

After an ordinary Diálogo, the band reverts to his best inspiration when opening En El Lago. It is a more rock oriented song which breaks a bit the overall flamenco feeling (even if it is slightly present as well).

The closing Recuerdos De Una Noche is heavier and more electric, but the vocals are drawing you irresistibly back into the flamenco influence of the band. At the end of the album, it might seem a bit too much; but this is how Triana sounds like.

This album is very original, Triana sounds like no other band and therefore I rate this album with four stars (although seven out of ten would have been my real feeling). Arriba España!