Psiglo ~ Uruguay

Psiglo II (1974)

Psiglo II picks right up where the debut left off, with a noticeable production improvement. The muddiness of the debut is mostly absent here (though still far from perfect), and the guitar solos have more bite. As with the debut, Psiglo have a certain outlook similar to the Italian scene from the same era. So for this album, Psiglo starts off in a more conservative manner and track 2 'Construir, Destruir' is squarely in singer songwriter mode (complete with flute). Track 3 'No Tiene Razón de Ser' appears at first to be going into the same direction, but it's a head fake and begins to introduce more complex ideas. From here on out, this one has it all for progressive rock fans - dizzying tempos, inventive structures, psychedelic instrumental sequences, dozens of ideas. Final two lengthy tracks are near masterpieces! Psiglo II is more classic Italian sounding than, for example, Argentina's Los Barrocos, a band they share many similarities with.

Psiglo's second album was originally recorded in 1974 in Argentina, escaping the repression from their home base in Uruguay. Argentina was no bastion of freedom either, and the album remained in the vaults until 1981, where a small pressing eked out in Uruguay before being erased from the market landscape. As such, originals of the second album are rarer than the debut. The album was finally rescued in the 1990s by the CD age - with no further restrictions from more tolerant political regimes.

Ownership: 1997 Record Runner (CD)

2006; 2008; 8/12/12; 9/1/19 (review)

Ideación (1973)

Psiglo's debut starts out in a rather typical fashion for the 1960s (noting this it is from 1973), with straightforward blues based psych rock tracks and hippie styled vocals (in Spanish). 3rd track 'Catalina' is a pleasant ballad with organ and orchestration. By track 4 'Vuela a mi Galaxia', the drugs must have kicked in as the band experiments with wild sounds on the organ and guitar. Not to mention the phasing and other studio effects. Side 2 opens with the instrumental 'Nuestra Calma' and perhaps not surprisingly is the highlight of the album. Album ends on a fine note with the aggressive Deep Purple styled number 'Piensa y Lucha'. Overall the album reminds me somewhat of the very early Italian post-psychedelic / pre-progressive bands like Il Balletto di Bronzo on Sirrio 2222, Formula 3's Dies Irae, or maybe Gigi Pascal e La Pop Compagnia Meccanica. A short, but fun, album. BTW, the missing track on the CD is currently on YouTube, so be sure to check it out if you haven't heard it. It's a varied piece that combines big band, free jazz, and blues rock to mixed results.

Ownership: 1997 Record Runner (CD). Worth noting that while the Record Runner CD combines both of Psiglo's albums, it does exclude the track 'Es Inútil' from the debut which, at close to nine minutes, is a pity. However it does add the 1972 single 'Gente sin Camino' (6:07), which is arguably a better composition. There isn't enough space to include both unfortunately so they made the hard choice to go with the single. The CD also features all the lyrics, band snapshots and a newly written short essay in English. Acquired in 2008.

2006; 2008; 8/12/12 (review)

8/12/12 (new entry)