Agnus - Pinturas y Expressiones (Reiissue) (1980/1996)

It was the year 1973 a group of kids from Santa Fé, a province located 475 kilometers from Buenos Aires in the low mountains decided to form a Progressive Rock band inspired mostly in the Italian Symphonic bands like PFM and Banco del Mutuo Soccorso.
They were leaded by the excellent guitar player Luis Saéz who had already been member of a straight Rock band called Dapalu. Soon they started to gain fame with their own effort and almost with no sponsors, it's said that they promoted their concerts using only the telephone, so one fan called another one until they had sold the tickets.
But this system worked for them because this fan base was so loyal that they followed AGNUS wherever they played, mostly in Buenos Aires, the center of the cultural and artistic scenario.
They tried to release a cassette in the mid 70's with their own label "Marvus" and even when they didn't succeeded, the experience gained was valuable for their career. After almost seven years and with only one original member (Luis Sáez) AGNUS was able to release their first and only LP called "Pinturas y Expresiones".
Despite they were not as famous as "LA MAQUINA DE HACER PÁJAROS" or "MIA", the album deserved more success, the delicate Italian Symphonic style works perfectly with Sáez atmospheric guitar clearly influenced by the sound of Pink Floyd, but that's not all, the additional flutes (Cacilia Glaria and Laura Fazzio) plus the violin played with great skills by Enrique Shussler, gave a touch of Folk reminiscent of Jethro Tull.
The keyboard, correctly played by also by Laura Fazzio is not the lead instrument but contributes to add that unique and dreamy atmosphere characteristic of the Italian and early Argentinean bands.
It's also important to mention that the vocal work mixing male and female voices is simply delightful.
After the release of "Pinturas y Expresiones", Agnus made some tours and disbanded, but Luis Sáez formed a couple of short living bands "Agnus Verde" y "El Bando" but in 1984 he forms "La Naranja" a Latin music project with which he is still involved.