Almendra - 1970 - Almendra

Almendra
1970
Almendra

101. Toma el tren hacia el sur
102. Jingle
103. No tengo idea (Edelmiro Molinari)
104. Camino difícil
105. Rutas argentinas
106. Vete de mí, cuervo negro
107. Aire de amor (Edelmiro Molinari)
108. Mestizo (Molinari/Spinetta)
109. Agnus dei
110. Para ir

201. Parvas
202. Cometa azul (Emilio Del Guercio)
203. Florecen los nardos
204. Carmen (Del Guercio)
205. Obertura
206. Amor de aire (Molinari)
207. Verde llano
208. Leves instrucciones (Del Guercio)
209. Los elefantes
210. Un pájaro te sostiene
211. En las cúpulas

All songs by Luis Alberto Spinetta except where noted otherwise



    * Emilio del Guercio: Bass, Organ, Piano, Effects, Vocals
    * Rodolfo García: Drums, Percussion. Vocals
    * Edelmiro Molinari: Guitars, Organ, Vocals
    * Luis Alberto Spinetta: Guitars, Piano, Vocals

On 19 December 1970, Almendra (a.k.a. "Almendra double album") was released, along with a new single taken from it. The 2-LP set included only traces of the unfinished opera but was full of songs that previewed what the members of the group (noteworthy Emilio and Edelmiro) would do next. Although Luis Alberto Spinetta was the main composer of the first album and most of the singles, it was clear that his fellow musicians had their own ideas as well. The brilliant double album is, thus, pretty heterogeneous. The music is more complex and has much organ and guitar playing.

Side A begins with "Toma el tren hacia el sur" featuring a great Edelmiro guitar solo. Next to the short and simple "Jingle", a Molinari powerful guitar composition ("No tengo idea") follows. "Camino difícil", written by Emilio, would fit in any Aquelarre album. The steady rock of "Rutas Argentinas" (a very popular song on live shows), the dark "Vete de mí, cuervo negro", and another two Molinari compositions: "Aire de amor" (advancing the Color Humano style) and the excellent "Mestizo" completes this side. Side B features the chirping hard-psycho 14-minutes-long "Agnus Dei" and the cute "Para ir". Side C includes the powerful "Parvas", "Cometa azul", "Florecen los nardos", -all with great guitar work- and Del Güercio's rhythm ballad "Carmen". Side D begins with "Obertura" (obviously the ill-fated opera’s overture), followed by the country-folk "Amor de aire" and "Verde llano" (both written by Edelmiro). This last side continues with "Leves instrucciones", a nice tune sung by Emilio & Luis Alberto and the outstanding "Los elefantes". "Un pájaro te sostiene" -a rock number written by Del Güercio- and the great Spinetta’s guitar oriented "En las cúpulas" close this highly recommended album.