Best of 2016. Honorable Mention #2

This could be the good Top20, but it's only 'honorable mention' because music-wise this was hugely successful year.

Previous entries:
Honorable mention #1
Top10 EPs and mini albums

A Por Ella Ray "Turista" (p)self-released
BANDCAMP
A Por Ella Ray is the new name for me (as well as for the most of us). They play music that has a lot of influences: Egon Soda, Los Piratas, Vetusta Morla - but the band definitely has its own face.

Brian Hunt "Love/Unlove" (p)self-released
LOVE UNLOVE
Two sides of this rare format (double EP) are divided by the mood. The 1st side ("Love") is sweet and sunny power pop/americana, while the other ("Unlove") is gloomy and painful experimental rock.

Familea Miranda "Radiopharm" (p)BCore Disc
BANDCAMP
Wordless psychotic hard-punching psychedelia born in the ovens of Bcore.

Holograma "Gemini" (p)Foehn
BANDCAMP
This album was released by Foehn Records. Listening to the Foehn's releases always adds +2 to your intellectual skills.

Joana Serrat "Cross The Verge" (p)Loose Music
SPOTIFY
The part of Joana's soul definitely lives somewhere in the Nashville suburbs and befriends the likes of Amy Stroup and Katie Herzig.

Julieta 21 "Alerta" (p)self-released
SPOTIFY
Another Sonorama'2016-inspired discovery for me. Good songs, rich sound - but I believe it could perform much better if it was a bit less polished.

Keiko "Within" (p)El Hombre Bala
BANDCAMP
Massively diversified double album (2nd half is instrumental) incorporates many genres of guitar music - from blues to abstract experimental guitar noodling. An adventurous listening.

Lazaro "Soles Y Pinguinos" (p)self-released
SPOTIFY
One more cool band to follow. I know nothing about them, and it's definitely my fault cos this album is almost entirely great.

Love Of Lesbian "El Poeta Halley" (p)Warner
SPOTIFY
Now I like this album much more than at first listen, when I liked just a couple of tracks. But I still consider some songs ("Cuando No Me Ves", for example) sent in the wrong direction. That's why LoL are not in Top50.

Marcos Cao "Oceano Caos" (p)Marcos Cao/Sony Music
SPOTIFY

The debut solo release of the former La Sonrisa De Julia frontman. Sweet and beautiful semi-acoustic songs.

Moriran Todos! "Saltar" (p)The Borderline Music
BANDCAMP
This album of the melodic danceable indie rock in the vein of The Right Ons is full of potential hits.

Nocturnos "Hemos Visto Lobos" (p)INUIT Produciones
BANDCAMP
The 2nd LP by Nocturnos cant't decide what to choose: to be the guitar-driven indie pop record ("Fantasia Liberal") or to be the fashionable indie electro album ("Rey Absolutista"). Despite this dychotomy the songs are great.

Postman "Life Can Change In A Moment" (p)Keroxen
BANDCAMP
It's the release #2 by the newly born Keroxen label. Postman (aka Abstract Groove) is one of the most prolific electronic producers of Tenerife. He explores mostly drum&bass/abstract techno/broken beats territories. Reminds me of my techno-infused university years. Funki Porcini, Plastikman, something like that.

Siloe "La Verdad" (p)Mushroom Pillow
SPOTIFY
This is the great album with great songs that stuck in the head for weeks, and there's only one problem: 75% of it sounds like Vetusta Morla. You know, EXACTLY like Vetusta.

Speaker Cabinets "Requiem For Atlas City" (p)Formula Free
SOUNDCLOUD
Loud, fast and furious dance rock from Barcelona. They say it's like the 60's psychedelia mixed with electronica beats, but you can easily recognize the influence of the multiple dance-related English bands from Jesus Jones to Klaxons as well.

Stay "The Mean Solar Times" (p)Rock Indiana/Picture In My Ear
BANDCAMP
With the help of Owen Morris and Andy Bell the Catalan psychedelic britpopers have recorded an album that is much better than the most of the contemporary British britpop.

Temas Incomodos "Alicia En Ningun Lugar" (p)RockCD
OFFICIAL SITE
This album of good-to-great songs lacks cohesion, as some tracks sound like if they were done by different bands.

The Lazy Lies "The Lazy Lies" (p)Right Here Right Now
BANDCAMP
Read this

The New Raemon & McEnroe "Lluvia Y Truenos" (p)Subterfuge
SPOTIFY
This record of double authorship wears the Ramon Rodriguez and Roberto Luzon identities on its sleeves and is able to add new colours to their well-known pallettes. But 'the slowest Raemon record and the fastest McEnroe record', as told by some reviewer in Spain, at times falls in between. 

We Were Heading North "We Were Heading North" (p)El Hombre Bala
BANDCAMP
The intelligent Canarian post rock's tiny healing protuberances will slightly touch the wounds of your soul.

Sonorama 2016. The Report: The Best Of... Part Two

The Prologue
The Part One

What about my Assorted Selection? 

Copiloto (Thursday 11th, 19:50, Burgos). For me it was the consistent show, but for the better effect I would like to see some elder songs (such as "Moleskine" or "Marta Y Los Escaparates" from "Un Segundo Luminoso").

The Trunks (Friday 12th, 12:00, Plaza del Trigo). This was amazing, really one of the best shows of this Sonorama! Very loud, very melodic. Rodrigo Valiente is the great showman, and this show was the perfect confirmation of his abilities. Add to that the appearance of 1/2 of Igloo (Beni & JuanMa) onstage for one song, while Berto and Julian were backstage, depicting what was happening there with their mobile phones. One thing about The Trunks I should point out especially - the band sounded live MUCH better than on album. The album ("Bipolar" (p)2015) seemed to me quite overproduced, smoothed down to some kind of the averaged 'rich' alternative rock sound - but live the same songs were the delight to my ears. The songs became really alive.

Papaya (Friday 12th, 15:45, Charco). Yanara Espinoza and her small band were set to perform in the lovely place by the river. We were running as hell from Plaza del Trigo trying to catch her show and quickly found ourselves accompanied by other people that trod the same way. The audience was rather limited but it looked totally devoted. The music was apparently groovier than on the album, it got that vibe that would make you dance to it even if you had no such intention. 

Detergente Liquido (Friday 12th, 18:00, Carson Camping). This cool band didn't manage to gather much people as well, but it's not their fault at all. They were all what I expected from them in the best possible way. 

Amatria (Saturday 13th, 12:00, Plaza del Trigo). Joni started his concert from one of the best tracks of 2015: "Me Falta Algo". In seconds it made all the people on the square go dancing. It was pure fun with all these tracks like "Buhardilla", "El Golpe", "Chinches"... Closer to the final of the latter the members of popular dj duo ElyElla Djs appeared backstage with the pneumocrackers in their hands to make things brighter - and they surely made it as evidenced by the photo below. 

Paciente Cero (Saturday 13th, 19:00, Burgos). This band is hard to market. They play the alternative rock for sure - but their alt-rock has got this twist (some kind of Dredg's quasi-prog twist, I think) that makes them separated from most of the peers. So the passionate music of Paciente Cero hardly can be categorized as commercially viable - but it's ready for the cult following. The songs like "Mentiras", "Llevame" or "Solsticio" could be the hits on the 90's college radio stations - and live they sounded great.

Under the bottomline, I'd like to say the following. The post that I wrote on these bands (the link is above in the header of the section) quickly became the most frequently read post of this blog - this means that it's an interesting topic. To see such bands live is always the most interesting part indeed. Moreover, incidentally finding out the new cool bands is stunning process. It's star-crossed, it's godsend. Please never neglect the opportunity to see something new, and please remember that Sonorama is not about Miss Caffeina and Love Of Lesbian only. The most part of the line up is the bands you might have never been learned about. There's a lot of great stuff amongst them. 

Big Names:

Miss Caffeina (Thursday 11th, 15:00, Plaza del Trigo - concierto secreto). The big names are also important. The first of them appeared before our eyes on the Plaza del Trigo stage. The band played 9 songs including 3 main hits from their 3 longplays: "Capitan" from "Imposibilidad Del Fenomeno", "Hielo T" from "De Polvo Y Flores" and "Mira Como Vuelo" from "Detroit". "Detroit", the last album of Miss Caffeina, more than flirts with electronica - but live the songs sounded more guitar-oriented. For me it was OK.

Love Of Lesbian (Friday 12th, 15:00, Plaza del Trigo - concierto secreto/ Friday 12th, 00:25, Ribera del Duero). The most important thing you should know about Love Of Lesbian - this band got imagination. Their current status allows them to do everything they want. For their concierto secreto appearance they decided to turn themselves into The Cure cover band. It was funny and looked natural for LOL because they're always up to arrange something funny (apart from the cases when they choose more sad and bitter-sweet program to perform). 

For the main stage performance I expected them to be concentrated on songs from their latest LP "El Poeta Halley" but it was rather like '50% Halley/ 50% 1999 & La Noche Eterna...'. There was the huge crowd all around, and for the next 24 hours I thought I knew what band is The Most Important Band Of The Moment. 

After that performance I came to one important understanding: nothing could ever make me to dislike them. Even themselves.

Mucho (Saturday 13th, 19:40, Ribera del Duero). The band recently fronted by Marti Perarnau has oficially turned into 'Marti Perarnau and his friends' band. Does it make them worse? I doubt that, because there's no band in this world can be worsened by addition of Victor Cabezuelo. From my point of view, that show confirmed Mucho's ability to fulfill the later timeslots on the main stage.

Delorean (Saturday 13th, 02:50, Ribera del Duero). It was impossible for us to omit the show of the band most well-known outside Spain. Their sunshine electronica generated the happiness and warmth in our hearts, and what I remember the most is that I was smilling all this hour through standing there on the first line before the Ribera stage. Music's got a hold on me, it's shaking the ground where I am...

The pure bliss.

Cult Favourites:

Nino de Elche (Thursday 11th, 19:40, Ribera del Duero). We missed his performance. We tried to catch at least one last song running from Carson Camping after Clara Plath's set - but we didn't manage to do so. This is my only disappointment from this Sonorama.

Nudozurdo (Friday 12th, 19:00, Castilla Y Leon). After the secret concert of Love Of Lesbian we accidentally run into Clara and Roberto from Clara Plath. They were standing by the wall and drinking whisky with cola. "Are you going to see Nudozurdo this evening?" they asked us (Roberto already was in Nudozurdo's t-shirt), and we replied 'Sure!' 

I still consider "Tara Motor Hembra" one of the best albums Spain ever produced. Frankly speaking, I can't tell the same about their latest effort "Rojo Es Peligro" but I was pretty sure that live they would be louder and edgier than on "Rojo...". And it was exactly so. The plaintive vocals of Leo were supported by his intricate guitar work and the groundbreaking rhythm section of Meta (bass) and Ricky (drums).

Maga (Saturday 13th, 20:25, Castilla Y Leon). Newly reformed band celebrates now the fifteenth anniversary of "Maga (blanco)" and got this album re-recorded with participation of some of the most renowned musicians of local indie community (Ivan Ferreiro, Julio de la Rosa, etc.) These 15 years didn't make the songs like "Diecinueve" and "Agosto Esquimal" worse, and I believe in the next 15 years they will still sound fresh and cool.

La Banda Especial:

Shinova (Wednesday 10th, 0:00, Carson Camping/ Saturday 13th, 14:00, Plaza del Trigo). When Javier Ajenjo announced Shinova's appearance on Plaza del Trigo stage, he named them 'the future of Spanish music'. But before they had their scheduled gig on Plaza, Shinova performed in the General Guttierrez park on the opening night. Both times the Basque band did it very professionally, very emotionally and positively driving. Their kind of melodic alternative rock has got the potential, but what is more important - it has got soul.

Just to remind you: three years ago Izal walked exactly the same way, and look at them - who are they now? The indie superstars. So why not to repeat this?

#Contempopranillo. Contempopránea 2014 en Badajoz, 6-7 of June. Day Two

The second and the last day of the fest should bring me one the most heart-wrenching experiences en mi vida taking in mind that earlier in my life I'd missed all the chances to see my favorite musicians live: Elliott Smith just died before I learned about his mere existence, and Smashing Pumpkins had already fallen from grace when they came to Moscow last year. So to see my current Most Favorite Band for me it's like.... I don't know what it's like, really. So all the day I was waiting for the moment. We might walk the perfect narrow streets of Badajoz, or feed the ducks in the parks, or look at the turtles in the waters of Guadiana, or have the drinks in cafeteria - everything was just a prelude.

The program of Contempopranea this day offered us the young band Happy New Year as the appetizer, then the English indie starlets Veronica Falls with their tiny variations on jangle pop and twee. The next persons of interest should be El Columpio Asesino, the Pamplona-based band that I've never tried (but always wanted) to fall for. I've never liked The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart so I haven't intended to go and see them, but Mercury Rev, who should follow, were one of the main focuses of attention for me. The renowned indie superstars who are spending the last years in semi-hiatus would came to Contempopranea with the one and only gig in Europe this year. Just the possibility to see them playing - no matter what - it was already giving me goosebumps. And then - Love Of Lesbian. I've never thought about trying to stay alive at the moment when they would leave the scene, so Fuel Fandango who would be the last band playing on the fest intentionally would not fated enough to catch our attention.

El Columpio Asesino

Right before the start of the Day 2 program we decided to take some rest instead of catching the shows of Happy New Year and Veronica Falls. So the Contempopranea Day 2 started for us with El Columpio Asesino. This band play quirky and harsh post-punk with strong melodic pieces that could be easily drowned in noise or in fractured rhythms - thus the pop hit potential of their songs is at least a moot point but creatively it makes them the band that is best loved by the other bands' members.

When we came in to the place the band was already playing. And they rocked. El Columpio Asesino live are like the good slap in your face. Or like bulldozer gone mad. The bursts of noise, the thick fog of shoegaze, wall of sound, you name it. The vocal duties are shared by Cristina Martinez (guitar) and Albaro Arizaleta (drums). The sound is three times louder than on albums. The kind of music that could make you sweat even if you just listen to it standing aside without a move.

The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart

In fact, I've never listened to The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart. I was enough with their first eponymous LP which I considered one of the worst albums ever praised in 2000's. So they should be only the intermission for me - you know, the good time to go and have a burger and a pint, or to stand the queue to the WC. But we came to the show only one band earlier, and at the moment we did not want to drink or eat or piss, so... So we were there standing right at the scene in the crowd. Kip Berman (yes I've managed to learn his name now) and his guys and a chick walked onstage, standed in line before us and then just fired full throttle. No, they were not more groundshaking than El Columpio Asesino - I suppose it's almost impossible - but fuck, the band that I neglected just turned my opinion on themselves absolutely down on the upside. Sometimes the things are changing in the good way.

Mercury Rev

After The Pains came off the stage some guys came onstage. Fuck, said I, this one with the mic seems to be Jonathan Donahue. And it was really Jonathan Donahue. The seminal 'indie rock meets pop psychedelia' band with over 25 years history just came in without pomp or anything and started connect the gear. Unlike their closest peers The Flaming Lips, Mercury Rev in the last three or four years silently disappeared off the radars but their radiosilence didn't mean the dissolution. The godfathers Donahue & Grasshopper with the guys just took a break from busy recording and touring lifestyle. Contempopranea was their first European gig this year. When everything was ready to start Jonathan came onstage with the bottle of wine (he'd gonna drink it up till mid-concert). His voice was a little bit late and returned to him only on the second  half of the second song of the set. So, Jonathan sang, Jonathan drank wine, Jonathan acted like a heron, Jonathan died and revived like a phoenix, Jonathan hardly stood on his feet. From my point of view and hearing I almost had no idea what Grasshopper was doing there on the far side of the scene. The sound was rich yet subtle and translucent - and the large part of thanks for it should go to the rhythm section (Anthony Molina and Jason Miranda). These guys were fucking great, incredibly great!
I shouldn't wish more when Mercury Rev finished but the main impression was still ahead.

Santi Balmes

Love Of Lesbian have so wide range of songs that one could easily compile a number of concert sets that would be greatly diversified in tone and mood. This night the band decided to show us their foolish side. The set included all the songs that I disliked the most, like "Miau", "Me Amo", "Pizzigatos" and especially "Si Tu Me Dices Ben, Yo Digo Affleck" (to put it correct, the band played these songs the way that they sounded much better than their studio versions). The most strange and foolish songs in the band's back catalogue were accompanied by a) the sometimes strange sometimes foolish videos on the backstage, and b) the stage behaviour of the band members. During the songs Santi Balmes faked the autocastration with the huge pink scissors, Joan Ramon Planell (bass) acted like he's Axl Rose (just take in mind that Joan Ramon Planell is two times heavier than real Axl)... But all this was not important for the crowd. The crowd roared, moaned, squalled like it was a million-mouthed Godzilla in her early puberty. Love Of Lesbian has really large fanbase, and the huge part of it are the young girls. I might be somebody's dad there in this crowd, really. Despite all the aforementioned we were having fun. It became even more funnier whan Santi came to the crowd right before my nose. I just touched him with my index finger, he was real.

Of course, to the moment when Love Of Lesbian's show was over we were not able to stand one more show, so we walked off to fall asleep in the hotel room.

En el Camino A Contempopranea

Los Treinta Principales. #26. Love Of Lesbian "Cuentos Chinos Para Ninos Del Japon"

#26. Love Of Lesbian "Cuentos Chinos Para Ninos Del Japon" (p)2007 Naïve

After a short (not so short, really) break caused by my vacations now I'm back on the track.
The presented album was some kind of a milestone for me. If Deluxe opened the gates into rock en espanol scene for me, Love Of Lesbian were the ones who proved my then-yet-to-be-fledging affinity real.
There's a lot of subjectivity in this review (and in this position as well). I do understand that the 2nd part of the album fails a little bit - the first six songs on this disc are really the best ones. But this fact never spoiled my attention because this album means so much to me.
It is the second LoL's album sung en castellano, and if "Maniobras De Escapismo" had shown that the band received additional valency with the use of the native language, than "Chinese Stories For Japanese Kids" became the major step forward in terms of melodical progressions and stylistic diversity. The trip-hop of "Universos Infinitos" befriends here the upbeat pop-rock tune of "La Nina Imantada", the gorgeous "Los Colores De Una Sombra" flows into the acoustic "Un Dia En El Parque", and the family Christmas singalong "Villancico Para Mi Cunado Fernando" neighbors the Krishnaite-like chanting of "Shiwa". Add to this pallette the simple and funny "Me Amo" and the tragic slowburner "La Parabola Del Tonto" - and just try to imagine how to complete the cohesive album out of all of these songs.

The album spawned 5 videos (which is almost unbelievable for an indie band) and started the creative cooperation of Love Of Lesbian and young female director hiding under the alias Lyona.

The best tracks: Universos Infinitos, La Nina Imantada, Noches Reversibles, Las Colores De Una Sombra, Villancico Para Mi Cunado Fernando