I discovered the excellent Spanish folk metal band Mago de Oz last year when I took a chance on their 2007 album La Ciudad de los Arboles. Since then I've been grabbing every Mago de Oz disc I could get my hands on, the latest being their 1994 self-titled debut.

Listening to the band's earliest album makes me realize just how far Mago de Oz has come in their career. Comparing this album to the band's latest (and absolutely stunning) live release Barakaldo D.F. (CD/DVD) is like comparing a clumsy toddler to a skilled athlete. You can still hear the trademarks of Mago de Oz's unique sound - the flutes, horns, accordions and Celtic melodies over a straightforward hard rock base - but it's very rough, unrefined, and a mere shadow of what was to come. The vocals are rougher and the instrumentation was a lot less tight than I'm used to from this band. The Spanish language version of the Spencer Davis Group hit "Gimme Some Lovin'" is a trip though.

I love this band and am glad I picked this album up, if only to hear what they sounded like in their early years. Still, if this had been the first Mago de Oz CD I listened to; it probably would have also been the last. If you're not familiar with this band and are thinking of starting at the beginning, I'd caution against that. You'd be much better off starting with their newer releases and working backwards.