GUSTAVO MONTESANO - HOMENAJE - 1977

Montesano was the bassist and primary composer of Crucis, and his debut solo album Homenaje (Record Runner RR-0170-2) was made in the slipstream of Crucis' second album Los Delirios del Mariscal. The rest of the band contribute, as do many other notable Argentinean rock musicians of the time. Those who hold Crucis' two releases as the cream of seventies Argentinean prog will be disappointed by Homenaje, as it exhibits little of the bash'n'burn power jam style of Crucis particularly, opting for a more conventional and melodic symphonic sound instead. Myself, I prefer this album to anything by Crucis, for exactly the same reason.

The opening instrumental "Sinfonia Lunatica" and the subsequent vocal number "Cuando la duda se hace grande alrededor" are the album's highlights, full of lively melodies, sunny Mellotron and synthesizer layers and excellent guitar work from Pino Marrone which highlights the melodic side of his playing. I find the vocal parts on the poppy "La última barrera" and the piano ballad "Desde que te pude ver" a bit marshmallowy, even if the instrumental parts on the latter (including a real string section) are inspired. The rest of the album divides itself between two majestically droning instrumentals and the up-tempo rocker "Primer triunfo", which has Genesis-like penchant for driving yet choppy rhythms, leaping synthesizers and solid chords. The end result is a very accessible and immediate symphonic album, not very complex in structures yet rich in arrangements and melodies. Argentina has produced stronger progressive rock (e.g. Bubu's Anabelas, Pablo el Enterrador's first album), but unless complexity and intensity are what you are primarily looking for, you shouldn't ignore this satisfying little album.

Two short, previously unreleased Crucis tracks have been added as a bonus on the CD version. These are close to the second album in sound, but lighter and simpler in style. Nice and jazzy and they push the CD past the 40-minute mark, so no complaints there. -- Kai Karmanheimo
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