Vox Dei - 1973 - Es Una Nube, No Hay Duda

Vox Dei 

1973 

Es Una Nube, No Hay Duda

01. Es Una Nube, No Hay Duda

02. El Faisán Y La Codorniz

03. Es Así Y No Hay Nada Que Hablar

04. Loco Hacela Callar

05. La Verdadera Historia De "Sam El Montañés"

06. Prométeme Que Nunca Me Dirás Adiós

07. Por Sobre El Monte, Encima Del Mar

08. El Mañana Es Otra Historia

Bass, Vocals – Willy Quiroga

Drums – Rubén Basoalto

Guitar, Vocals – Ricardo Soulé

The genuinely earnest and infectious Es Una Nube, No Hay Duda combines the best qualities of rock, blues, and folk. Its rolling, melodic opener offers tender, soulful vocals that are immediately affecting even if one has no understanding of the Spanish language. The second track, "El faisán y la codorniz", is even more captivating and evocative, one that ushers listeners into a deeper, almost spiritual trance. Soulé, Quiroga, and Basoalto have such an undeniably strong, natural chemistry that most songs yield nothing less than incredibly moving music. If you want to hear what I'm talking about, take a listen to the dreamy and gorgeous "Prométeme que nunca me dirás adiós" or the yearning for lost love in the gently rocking "Es así y no hay nada que hablar". Despite a number of exceptional tracks, don't expect a perfect recording. If you're used to high sound quality and expert production, Es Una Nube, No Hay Duda may strike you as being more modest and DIY than professional. The two least-inspired songs are: "La verdadera historia de "Sam el Montañés" (too derivative of what British rock bands were regularly churning out in the mid-60s); and "El mañana es otra historia" (too simple and undeveloped even though it's the longest). Despite these two mediocre tracks, Es Una Nube, No Hay Duda warms the heart and captivates the soul.

1973's "Es una nube, no hay duda" is the first Vox Dei album for a major company, CBS, featuring the same three-piece line-up as in the previous LPs: Ricardo Soulé on guitar and vocals, Willy Quiroga on bass and vocals, and Rubén Basoalto on drums.

The opening title track, penned and sung by Quiroga is the highlight of the album, along with Soulé's bluesy ballad "Prométeme que nunca me dirás adiós", and the dreamy "El faisán y la codorniz", three great numbers with excellent vocal arrangements.

Among the secondary highlights, "Loco, hacela callar" reminds one of Uriah Heep, with its 'futuristic' sound effect and dramatic backing vocals, while "Es así y no hay nada que hablar" is a bluesy slow burner, courtesy of Ricardo Soulé.

Soulé also composed and sang "La verdadera historia de "Sam el Montañés"", a hard rocker, typical of this band, like a more sophisticated Grand Funk Railroad with Spanish lyrics.

The last two songs are pretty unremarkable: the forcedly anthemic "Por sobre el monte, encima del mar", and the 60s-like (Beatles-like) "El mañana es otra historia".