Carmen - The Gypsies/Widescreen

Where on earth did Carmen’s heyday go?

This Spanish-influenced 70s rock combo from LA, based around brother and sister David and Angela Allen, had their first two Tony Visconti-produced offerings reissued last year. Their third and last effort, The Gypsies, closes the book. It’s teamed with a much later flamenco project from David Allen, which is instrumental and best regarded as a bonus disc.

The Gypsies was recorded in 1975 after the band lost both their Visconti link and record contract, and its release on Mercury was a US-only affair. In many ways it was the last unsuccessful roll of the dice to regain their status as the Bowie-approved ‘band most likely to’. There are elements of Queen (still in their infancy, so unlikely to have been a factor) and Jethro Tull (with whom they had toured, and would steal bassist John Glascock) in the music and arrangements, but the nearest musical comparison is Babe Ruth, who tried to create a similar Spanishrock sound. Now, with Hispanic Grammies and the like, The Gypsies might have found a wider audience. Back then, it stiffed.

Some elements of the music, such as the lame lyrics of Shady Lady, are very 70s, but Carmen were, in the main, genuinely trying to be different. Santana fans could do worse…

Angel Air | SJPCD 225

Reviewed by Michael Heatley
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