Artaud in Bloomington, MN

Although
Artaud
was officially billed as the third
Pescado Rabioso
album, the Argentinean group had actually broken up by the time it was recorded. It's essentially a solo effort by singer-guitarist-songwriter
Luis Alberto Spinetta
, with contributions from his brother, drummer
Carlos Gustavo Spinetta
, bassist
Emilio Del Guercio
, and drummer
Rodolfo Garcia
, the latter two of whom had played with
Spinetta
back in the pre-
band
Almendra
. If it's something of a progressive/psychedelic record, it has more to do with the juxtaposition of late-'60s and early-'70s styles on display than it has to do with the music itself. On various different tracks,
offers accomplished, sentimental acoustic-based
folk-rock
balladry (
"Todas las Hojas Son del Viento"
); languid jazzy San Francisco-styled mild
psych
(
"Cementerio Club,"
"Bajan"
) with quavering guitar;
with a touch of late-'60s
Lennon
-
McCartney
at their most romantic (
"La Sed Verdadera"
); a piano-backed piece that recalls early
Todd Rundgren
at his softest (
"A Starosta, El Idiota"
); and a taut Latin-flavored rocker vaguely reminiscent of early
Santana
"Las Habladurias del Mundo"
). There's a little weirdness here, but it's limited to just a few spots, like the gradual submersion of
under
ambient
restaurant-like white noise and howling wind, and the sudden detour of
into gloomy dissonant piano rumbles, weeping, along with a far-off snatch of
the Beatles
'
"She Loves You"
single. ~ Richie Unterberger