Conjunto Podenco, Lullavy "Garabato"

Conjunto Podenco, Lullavy "Garabato" (p)2020 Repetidor

This is not that sort of homogenous split album. United by the imprint (Repetidor) and the recording space (Las Palmas de Gran Canaria's La Caterva Grabaciones) sound-wise the bands - Catalan three-piece Lullavy and Gran Canaria-born combo Conjunto Podenco - differ a lot. 

While listening to Lullavy's lone LP "Ruina" (which is completely perfect for my taste) you might apply such tags as 'ethereal' or 'hypnotic' to their 2nd wave emo/post-hardcore odes, but this time the band took different approach to make the stripped-down 'flesh-and-bones' record like if it was produced by Steve Albini. So the result is considerably harsher than "Ruina". When Saul Ibañez sings here you can almost feel his vocal chords are bleeding. The songwriting is still great, "Si No Lo Piensas" is one of the best tracks that saw the light of day this year.

Conjunto Podenco is a tough subject to describe. The band consists of the persons more than well-known within Canarian music community: Fajardo (psych-folk singer-songwriter with successful solo career), Jose A. Lopez (owner of aforementioned La Caterva Grabaciones, recording engineer and producer of multiple local bands) and Angel Clavijo (head of local event agency Conexion Canarias). Based on this info it's hard to predict what their music would sound like before you start to listen to them, right? It's strange, but it doesn't get easier to debrief what you have just listened to afterwards. Like the most of the Canarian bands, Conjunto Podenco act beyond all possible limitations creating the music that seems completely uncategorizable. You may call them post-hardcore but please take in mind that they use post-hardcore angular rhythm base only as a thin layer below all and everything they place on top of it. You're hardly gonna define a cake by the glossy cardboard pad you put it on, ain't you?

BNDCMP

Lullavy "Ruina"

Lullavy "Ruina" (p)2017 self-released

Sometimes you need just a few seconds to fall for something so i fell in love with the Lullavy's "Ruina" within the first 5 seconds of "Quien Este Ciego Para Ver". 

Just to put some reference points: if you ask me what albums released within the new millenium I consider the best then I'd tell you it's Rival Schools' "United By Fate" for years 2001-2010 and The Jealous Sound's "A Gentle Reminder" for the years 2011 to-date. These albums are closely related to post-hardcore, and despite being, you know, 'radio-friendly' in certain terms they represent successfully what this genre has converted into since its early times.

"Ruina" is not radio-friendly (if we're not talking about iCat.cat - for this radio station it surely is a piece of pie) but it shouldn't scare you off cos it has the distinct emotion through rawness - the same emotion the early records of The Appleseed Cast or Braid had. It's so fucking great when the band you know nothing about builds the song and sound of such the natural greatness that it knocks you off and stomps you down. There's nothing about lush production, there's nothing about experementation in experementation's sake. The trio uses quite minimalistic approach to create the melodies that are burning inside while being locked within the 3-4 minute guitar-driven song - sometimes harsh and loud, sometimes tiny and subdued.

By the way, it's totally my fault that I wasn't learned of Lullavy before as a) the band has 'the family ties' to WANN whom I like alot, b) the album was recorded by Frank Rudow (of Manta Ray fame), and c) the album was mixed and mastered in the Canarian La Caterva Grabaciones where some of the great albums (for example, Pumuky's "Justicia Poetica") were baked.

The best tracks: Este Silencio, Intruso, Quien Este Ciego Para Ver, La Contencion

FCBK

BNDCMP

P.S. When I tried to find a video to any of the songs from the album the youtube's 'artificial intelligence' has led me then to the videos by Jawbox, Jawbreaker and Sunny Day Real Estate.

P.P.S. When I come into the Ultra-Local record store in Barcelona the next time I will wear the "Catalan post hardcore wanted" plate across my forehead.