Their were a quintet featuring violin, flute and mellotron in addition to
the usual guitar, bass, drums and keyboards. The seven songs are
very heavy, driving and energetic works. The closest comparison I can
immediately think of is Tarántula's
heavy second album, but with violin and flute. The flute style brings to
mind the early, blues-based Jethro
Tull though the guitar playing is much heavier (I'm reminded of Uriah
Heap, surprisingly). Ñu doesn't play a very complex style of
progressive. Instead they emphasis the ROCK! The violin and guitar
never let up except for occasional quiet passages. There's not much
in the way of keyboards or synthesizer though there are a few nice
mellotron passages. Not bad but not great either.
(?)
I think that they never were a real progressive band, but Molina has
always tried to make his own personal kind of music, although some
comparisons to Jethro Tull have been unavoidable due to the use of the
flute. On the other hand, the music of Ñu has always been much
more hard, heavy or even folk, mixing and fusing those styles.
(Alfonso)
Good Tull-influenced group with generous use of flute and violin.
Slightly on the heavy side but with symphonic passages as well.
Vocals are in Spainish. After teh second album they degenerated into a
generic hard rock band. They are still active and apparently popular in
Spain. I remember seeing a lot of their CDs on my last trip there (Spring
94). Their first album is very nice, but not great. (Juan Joy)
If you can tolerate the hyperactive vocals, sort of Geddy Lee-ish at his
most manic, you'll find Cuentos de Ayer y de Hoy a vastly
rewarding musical experience. By using both violin AND flute and
mating them with searing hard-rock guitar, they create something that
is at once symphonic and intense, something few have come even
close to attaining. Add the odd mellotron or synth and you have near
perfection. An excellent album. The nine-minute "Paraiso de Flautas"
(Flute Paradise) is quite incredible!. (Mike Ohman)
Other webs about Ñu:
LINK
Review of the record "Cuentos de Ayer y de Hoy" (in spanish)
The Spanish Progressive Rock Encyclopedia![[sorry]](/img/ar12.jpg)
dlsi.ua.es
and the entry will be updated. Thanks for your collaboration!
