Exposé Online banner

Exposé Online

Not just outside the box, but denying the existence of boxes.
Covering music from the fringes since 1993.

Reviews

Los Jaivas — Aconcagua
(Columbia 5 099750 710920, 1982/2004, CD)

Los Jaivas — Canción del Sur
(EMI 710 - 831250, 1977/1994, CD)

by Mike McLatchey, Published 2000-05-01

Aconcagua Cover artCanción del Sur Cover art

If ever there was the perfect introduction to one of the world’s longest running bands, Mardel X’s two-on-one reissue would be it, with of two of Los Jaivas’s best releases. These are their fifth and eighth albums. Canción del Sur follows on their fourth album Todos Juntos (which is actually an incomplete reissue of their second album La Ventana with extra tracks) and shows a band starting to move into the peak of their career. In Canción del Sur, Los Jaivas may have recorded their most impressive statement, which is saying a lot for a group that put out about five or six essential albums. Combining Andean folk and symphonic rock, Los Jaivas created one of the most vital fusions ever produced. The sounds of a wide variety of acoustic instruments are blended into a rock base, and anchored by two keyboard players who churn out a vast variety of organ, piano, Minimoog and other tones. The results are overwhelmingly original, created by musicians with a high level of skill.

Aconcagua follows on another of the group’s signature albums, Alturas de Machu Picchu. It was recorded in France and also released there, although the Mardel-X version is the same tracking as the one released on Sazam Records in Argentina, and includes new versions of “Todos Juntos” and “Corre que te pillo.” This is probably the band’s most progressive period, although the traditional influence is higher on Aconcagua than on Canción. Two albums of this quality on one CD? The only downside is that they are taken from the LPs, while the single CD versions are from the masters. As they say, run, don’t walk.

Filed under: Reissues, Issue 19, 2004 releases, 1982 recordings, 1994 releases, 1977 recordings

Related artist(s): Los Jaivas

 

What's new

These are the most recent changes made to artists, releases, and articles.