Barrabas - Power (1973/2000)

Madrid's Barrabas followed the success of their debut -- due in most part to "Woman," a surprise hit that found a home in several American discos -- a year later with Power, an accomplished if unremarkable album that indicates the varied stylistic interests of the group. "Mr. Money" seems to temper the hard, organ-driven sound of Deep Purple with the rhythmic thrust of early Santana, but unlike those two groups, Barrabas pushes their guitars into the distance. After a pair of nondescript traditional rock numbers, the group temporarily slides into easy listening pop with "The Horse," an instrumental led by Tito Duarte's flute. Two of the album's strongest songs appear during the latter half. "Casanova"'s lyrics are a bit silly, but it shows the group's rhythm section at its dynamic and complex best, and the soft "Time to Love" closes the album out in a breezy fashion, displaying how Barrabas is at its best when it avoids aggressive rock trappings -- here, the band sounds its most natural.