Detailed Reviews [Las Orejas Y La Lengua - 2003 - "Error"]

Las Orejas Y La Lengua (Argentina) - 2003 - "Error"
(52 min, Viajero Inmovil)

Prolusion. "Error" is the second album by Argentina's Las Orejas Y La Lengua (LOYLL hereafter). The review of their debut album: "La Imenencia Inobjetable" is available on Progressor and can be read by clicking >here.

Synopsis. Proudly swinging the banner of Fifth Element, LOYLL continue exploring the new musical spaces they've entered into right at the start of their activity. Unlike the band's debut however, "Error" is a full instrumental album and doesn't feature any 'research errors', i.e. short tracks-makeweights consisting exclusively of effects. Everything here is submitted to compositional and arrangement disciplines, and I am sure that such an ever changing, yet, always coherent sound substance as is presented on this output can't be created and played without an excellent knowledge of notation in music and canons of all (okay, both) the kinds of Academic Music. The album will confront you with a very unexpected sound exceeding the bounds of everything you've known of Prog before. Another new music dimension is discovered, but you'll have at least a few successive listens to comprehend this. This time, it's not the case when it is easy to investigate a UMO (unidentified musical object) and define its characteristics. And nevertheless - at least in a general way: Genre: Fifth Element. Type: Metamorphic. Sub-type: Polyphonic. Determined constituents: Symphonic Art-Rock, Classical and Avant-garde Academic Music, RIO, and also: Jazz-Fusion (on the first three tracks), and Space-Rock (on 7, 8, & 9). Level of complexity: high. Intervals: odd. Instruments: see above. Performance peculiarities: the parts of contrabass performed with the bow and remind of those of violoncello (everywhere there they are), some of the bass solos are pulsating (on 5), the use of male and female voices (on 10). Perceptible features: immediate attraction (throughout the album), hypnotism (on 4 & 5). Familiar moods: absent. Stylistic exceptions: a fifth-elementary acoustic Art-Rock (6).

Conclusion. The hero of this review is an outstanding masterpiece, which however, I can't recommend to everyone. I won't err by saying that "Error" is destined for ProgFessors, and this stratum of music lovers doesn't usually recognize any genre borders. Even though I've heard not all the South American bands, I doubt there are any on that continent whose music would be as innovative, strong, and interesting as that of LOYLL.

VM: September 16, 2003