14 DE ABRIL

A very nice surprise. I have never heard about this Spanish band before and it is a pity that this is their only proper album. Another one of these one hit wonders. Or hit is maybe the wrong word.

GOMA blends the likes of SOFT MACHINE with KING CRIMSON and YES. Fusion meets Symphonic Prog. Add some strong Spanish flair in the likes of the lyrics and some flamenco. The end product is very appealing. The end of the song Madre Tierre is a good example. Bombastic, avant garde fusion with symphonic prog passages and flamenco thrown in. Very enticing ! The next song Un Nuevo Abril Sin Sal is very much in the SOFT MACHINE vein (the fusion period) with some strong injections of KING CRIMSON in the song. The first song Aqui Y Ahora is very much in the YES landscape, with some hints of fusion. The final song Shooting Up has some very strong THE BEATLES influences. Again with KING CRIMSON and SOFT MACHINE as guest musicians. The result is very majestic and memorable. Very interesting indeed and the best track on the album.

Music wise, the sound is dominated by the saxophone and the keyboards. There is not much guitars and bass here. The vocals are good and so is the drums. The problems with this album is the lack of really killer ideas and tunes. I like the overall concept and I wish more bands could do the same style. But where SOFT MACHINE and KING CRIMSON has some great tracks; GOMA is sadly lacking.

3.75 stars and a recommended album.