Review Summary: One of the most original prog albums. Shows a different approach to flamenco concept.
“Fandangos In Space” is the eponymous debut studio album of Carmen and that was released in 1973. The line up on the album is David Allen, Roberto Amaral, Angela Allen, John Glascock and Paul Fenton.
Carmen was a British-American progressive rock band active from 1970 to 1975. Carmen was possibly one of the most original and strange prog rock acts you’ll ever hear. Their music combined progressive rock with a strong flamenco influence and it was all performed in a very fresh, energetic and powerful way. Added to their distinctiveness was the fact that during long instrumental passages, members of the band would dance on stage, adding those sounds to the instrumental mix. The instrumentation included vibes, castanets and lots of flamenco dancing. The sound is centred on guitar and the keyboards and is used subtly but with good effect. However, the keyboards are limited to some Mellotron and a spacey synthesizer work here and there. About their music, some vague comparisons could be made with some other prog rock bands, like Jethro Tull in their prog folk style, Mezquita with some of the Spanish themes and Triana with the flamenco/prog combination, too. So, the flamenco prog, apparently a pretty ridiculous idea, happened in 1973.
So, “Fandangos In Space” is the debut studio album of the band and was released in 1973. Carmen does have a bit of a similarity with Jethro Tull’s music, in general because of the folk influences, but not least because the bassist John Glascock who later switched to Jethro Tull and worked on albums like “Songs From The Wood" or “Heavy Horses”. Still, Jethro Tull fans should not blindly plunge into “Fandangos In Space”. The album might seem too Spanish to them. And I mean that literally. If instruments such as castanets or even “footwork” appear in a cast list, the direction can already be guessed approximately. The band's stage shows this direction was visualized through dance performances.
Not that “Fandangos In Space” is a pure folk album. Carmen definitely offers rock. But, the folkloristic influences are strongly felt by the processing of flamenco elements. Is this the arbitrary attempt to enter uncharted musical territory or music in its own right? An answer isn’t easy to be given. For my taste, Carmen compositions have a lot of ingenuity, complexity and sophistication. But, maybe that would be the same if the group didn’t commit to a “Spanish” style. Here, we are dealing with a special product that is tailored to very specific musical interests, really. Who likes rock and loves flamenco can strike here. Others may not understand the meaning of this music. Still, this is very original music.
“Bulerias” is a three-part song. It’s a roller coaster of sharp complex rhythmic prog and flamenco. Glascock’s bass playing is amazing. The piece establishes the main musical motif that will come back later in “Looking Outside” and on the closing track “Reprise”. On “Bullfight”, despite all the exuberant energy, a more rock component comes to the fore, which blends beautifully with the castanets. “Stepping Stone” is a psych ballad which gets full marks for inventiveness in a short time frame. The Mellotron ensures a pro-rock shimmer. “Sailor Song” is anchored in the traditional rock spirit and has a mainstream feel. It’s perhaps the most emotional and beautiful song here. “Lonely House” is a beautiful acoustic ballad. Despite the flamenco prog rock of the Spanish origin, it proves that they’re also committed to their Anglo-Saxon origin. “Por Tarantos” is a short traditional flamenco song. It’s an instrumental played with the acoustic six string guitar, proving that David Allen is an excellent performer on classical guitar. “Looking Outside (My Window)” has an emotional exuberance, almost a certain hit potential, and sounds as if it was taken from a musical. The listener is able to see a whole armada of flamenco dancers. “Tales Of Spain” manages to have an infinity of mini-songs. The male and female harmonies are amazing, while the guitar and Mellotron duet are great. “Retirando” is a nice short song supported by the tune of the title track. “Fandangos In Space” is a song with some complex multi-part harmonies and great chorus. “Reprise Finale” is another beautiful short acoustic piece played also on acoustic guitar by David Allen.
Conclusion: “Fandangos In Space” introduced to the world the one of a kind blend of flamenco music and progressive rock. It’s hard to point out any highlights here, because this is a very even album. But, some of the best includes, “Bulerias”, “Bullfight”, “Looking Outside (My Window)” and the title track. There are also some shorter and less progressive tracks, like the beautiful acoustic “Lonely House”, “Sailor Song” and the catchy “Stepping Stone”. Vocals are great and the harmonies are gorgeous. Overall, this is a worth listening album. In most of the time the compositions can be traced back to a rock solid element. The band was able to combine the traditional flamenco and the symphonic rock structures in an authentic and credible way. In conclusion, this is a very tasty and highly unique album, a must for all progressive rock fans, one of the genre’s unsung classics. It must be part of any progressive rock fans’ collection.
Music was my first love.
John Miles (Rebel)
