BIHOZKADAK

I have had this one-off Basque project for a couple of decades and have probably listened to it decennially. Though classified as crossover, I've always considered it to be kith and kin of the prog folk music from that unique region. That movement got a late start because of Franco's repression and thus many late 1970s Basque albums play like early 1970s non Basque albums.

KOSKA can be compared to any or all of ITOIZ, ENBOR, MAGDALENA, SAKRE and LISKER, sometimes all at once, but unfortunately quality wise sit at the lower end of that range, substituting inspired wholeness with occasional piecemeal flashes of inspiration. It's fairly anonymous Mediterranean rock for the most part. While "Esnaera" and "Xurgatu Egin Zituzten" weigh in more favorably, it isn't until the closing number that they really hint at what might have been, doing their patriotic motives justice, and ending with the same measured heartbeat that began and christens the disk. Awesome acidic lead guitar here by the way.

Unless you are a Basque music sympathizer and need to have it all, I wouldn't beat a path to your nearest dealer in obscurities to corral this one.