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Показаны сообщения с ярлыком The Bright. Показать все сообщения

среда, 29 августа 2018 г.

5 años. 5 Albums More

The year 2018 marks the 5-year jubilee of this tiny music-related blog. So I'm in the process of making of kinda 'special issues' to celebrate this. The fourth of them is right here right now, and it's dedicated to 5 more albums (this time without ranking) I’d like to put emphasis at – reasonably, but without one common reason for all of them.

Tania de SousaTaniatank” (p)2014 Talka Records
This album was recorded with the help of Correos’ frontman Fermin Bouza and one-of-a-kind Fermin Muguruza. The additional amount of attention should’ve been attracted to it by this mere fact - and it did some splash at the moment of release, I recall. But the initial buzz was not prolonged for more. As the album sounds better than any given pop punk band’s ‘the best of’ compilation I could only express my regrets that it doesn’t seem to receive some continuation cos it looks like Tania quit making music now to pursue other interests in her life.
Sin RumboForma Parte Del Espectaculo” (p)2012
My Spanish isn’t as fluent as I might want it to be. There are moments when I speak quite easily, and otherwise there are moments when I stuck like a dumbhead with no words in my mouth. This August I talked to Pablo Rodriguez-Salinas (guitar) twice, and both times were of the latter kind, to my self-depreciation. I tried to explain him that the whole Sonorama thing has started for me with Sin Rumbo’s performance back in August 2013. That performance was mostly based upon “Forma Parte Del Espectaculo”, so this album itself is a milestone in my own history of interactions with rock español.
Moriran Todos!Saltar” (p)2015
I bet you’ve never listened to Moriran Todos! cos the band ain't pretty active on the mainland of Spain. They’re from Canary Islands and “Saltar” is their first LP. This album has the right feel. It’s not overproduced. It’s not intended to be taken too seriously. It’s not that case, you know, when you can physically feel the burden of the commercial expectations (or expectations of any other kind) in every song. It’s kind of lighthearted album. Even if it was born too far from music epicenters – it’s hardly a reason for discarding it. The term ‘cool’ was intended for the albums like this one, and coolness never depends on place of birth.
Mi Pequeña RadioDonde Esta Lo Que Un Dia Fuimos” (p)2012 Bohemia Music
From my point of view, for this album the gap between the attention it deserved and the attention it received is the greatest of all. It seems like I am the only person (apart from its auteur David Tabueña) who still understands how good the album is. I recommended it to my friends, to my facebook and twitter followers. I put it in the 2nd place of my 2013 annual Top30 list. It all never seemed to work. The band put out another EP (which was great as well) and then quietly disbanded. As of now David plays guitar in Cycle. For him it’s all Ok today, but I still feel some kind of guilt about Mi Pequeña Radio’s ill fate.
The BrightLineas Divisorias” (p)2015 Subterfuge
Definitely it is the most frequently listened album for me through the last 3 years. I may return to it in different moods, in different places and in different situations. This is my constant choice when I ain’t up to listen to something new. This is my constant choice when I don’t know what I want to listen to. Frankly, this is my constant choice - whenever.

среда, 23 декабря 2015 г.

The Best Of 2015. 3x3


Is it a coincidence or a new trend? When Russian Red released her "Agent Copper" last year turning her face from mostly acoustic singer/songwriter folk to the vintage pop wrapped up in all these 70's sounds and the smoke of Nancy Sinatra's cigarettes - did any green light flash out somewhere as a sign? Or some ribbon was cut?
The three presented albums are standing in a line with "Agent Cooper", and, fortunately, still it doesn't look like a fashion trend because though these albums are pretty close in aesthetics, in details there are less similarities than differencies. The one thing is common anyway - these are the works of true beauty and overwhelming perfection.
One more common thing is that Ana Lopez, Zahara Gordillo Campos and the duo of Miryam Gutierrez and Anibal Sanchez considerably shifted their stylistic approach with the new albums. But what I'm really trying to say is that this shift means something more than a course correction or just the three great albums at a time. I mean, globally speaking, there is a larger sense to that: right now, right before our eyes something is happening - and it's the birth of Divas.



среда, 21 октября 2015 г.

The Bright "Lineas Divisorias"

The Bright "Lineas Divisorias" (p)2015 Subterfuge
14 months ago two of us were standing before the Plaza del Trigo stage waiting for the first full day of Sonorama 2014 to start. Then The Bright - the band I knew nothing about - came onstage and pretty easily made our lives brighter (additionally, after their set I caught them backstage and asked for the photo, and they didn't decline).
On the new album "Lineas Divisorias" (again under Subterfuge wing) Miryam Gutierrez and Anibal Sanchez have done the same trick that Zahara or Russian Red did before them: they have abandoned their former country/folk roots in favor of [at times] loud guitars, [at times] danceable rhythms, [at times] vintage-sounding synths and [almost everywhere] absolutely timeless melodies. These songs might've been written now or 30 years earlier - the only visible difference is just the quality of production (this time arranged by renowned indie mastermind Paco Loco).
Dunno 'bout the lyrics but the music itself provides you with the freshness of the seaside breeze and the spotlessness of young souls. For me the best tracks off the album are the quite moody "El Final Del Amor" and "Tarde", but there is a lot of more lighthearted hymns of youth and beauty - including the first single "Aire" supported by delicate-yet-provocative video - that can add some splashes of bright colours to the grey everyday life.

The best tracks: El Final Del Amor, Tarde, Aire, Visceral


среда, 20 августа 2014 г.

#SonoramaRibera2014. The Report. Day 2, 14.08.2014. The good vibrations and everything like that

The second day of the festival had much to offer us. The Plaza del Trigo stage was fully dedicated to Subterfuge's 25th anniversary showing the present day of this definitive indie label. The band that was chosen to open the program of the day was The Bright. Built around the creative forces of Miryam Gutierrez (she) and Anibal Sanchez (he) the band plays tight and catchy songs within the spectre from alternative country tracks in the vein of Amy MacDonald to more rocking songs which have less in common with the 'classic' country sound. Their show was impressive and very positive. An hour later I met Miryam and Anibal backstage and asked them for a foto - they didn't decline my request. Nice people.
Me and The Bright
Right after the show of The Bright we successfuly managed to move our bodies through the crowd to Red Bull stage where the band Bestlife (Under Your Seat) was playing at that moment. The end of their set was interesting enough, I'd like to see their full performance if there'd be a chance. Then we decided to return to Plaza del Trigo but to drink a cup of calimocho before. In the bar where we intended to buy us a drink named "Tapas Copas Bar" Tanya asked a girl behind the counter for a permission to take a photo of her cos she was really nice and colourul. I mentioned that we're from Russia. Then it's revealed that this girl knows about my blog. It's unbelievable - to occasionally run into a person who knows about my blog! The only thing that still makes me worry: it seems like I didn't pay for the drinks correctly and underpaid to her 1 Euro or so. I'm sorry for that, really.
After such the pleasant encounter we finally returned to Plaza del Trigo being a bit high on calimocho and catched the second half of Bravo Fisher!'s show. This electronica-based dance rock band really made the whole squareful of people jump and dance to their songs, and were welcomed with the great enthusiasm. After Bravo Fisher! finalized their actuacion we stayed on the square waiting for the Joe La Reina

The Donostian band spearheaded by somber-looking vocalist/guitarist Lucas Malcorra issued their debut longplay called "Bailamos Por Miedo" earlier this year. I've purchased it via iTunes and now wanted to see how these songs would sound on live. Their stylistics I'd describe as art-folk. The songs of Joe la Reina are more like tales - with all these twists and turns and changes in dynamics and tempos. The band looked and sounded great. Especially their drummer catched our attention cos he was very into what he was doing.
The band
The drummer
After the band started to disconnect the gear I noticed backstage Javier Ajenjo, a director of Sonorama and simultaneously the leader of the cool band Yani Como

Again we moved to Red Bull Tour Bus. The punk band Margot were playing there. Margot did not impress us so we stayed there to think it over where to move our feet, when my mobile phone told me that Facebook chat message just arrived. I should say that there was free access to wi-fi in the central part of Aranda. The message was from Javier Ajenjo. My legs almost refused to function. "Hi Mikhail", he said, "Do you have a mobile number to call you?" "Yes, I got one but it crushed" replied I - yes, earlier in the morning my mobile provider had disconnected me unexpectedly - "I saw you 5 minutes ago on the Plaza del Trigo backstage", I told to him. "Come here, I'm still here", he said.
I should put it clear - it was not some kind of an usual situation for me. Rather it was some kind of unbelievable. We met with Javier and all the cool nice people around him. It was visible that these guys really felt good about some strange bloke from hell knows where likes what they're doing. Now being in Moscow deeply drowned into post-fiesta depression I should say to all of you: my friends, I love you and everything you're doing!
Finally Javier asked us to be there again tomorrow by 2 p.m.

Meantime, back on Red Bull six-piece Proyecto Solaz played. They sounded cool, and I've ticked a checkbox against their name in my mind.

La M.O.D.A
In the evening we were a bit late and run like hell to catch La Maravillosa Orquestra del Alcohol (or simply La M.O.D.A), the band rom Burgos. They make music in the vein of Mumford & Sons but their version of bluegrass-based pop-rock is more driving and humorous. They were furious and funny onstage, and have shown the ability to catch the attention of anybody who even wasn't much into that kind of music.
After them we came to Future Stars stage to see Baden Bah! (I reviewed their new album called "Aleph" earlier). The show of this Salamancan indie (true indie) band was painfully underattended by the audience. The lack of people before the stage visually did not disturb the musicians, and they were playing for 15 of us like they're doing this for 200+ crowd. You may read in the review of "Aleph" what I think of their songs. To put it short: they're great.
Baden Bah!
When Baden Bah! ended up we started to float over recinto ferial between David Fonseca, Refree and the VIP zone where we were offered with good red wine (1 cup for 1 Euro) waiting for Ninos Mutantes. 20 minutes before their show we placed our bodies right at the security bars at Ribera del Duero stage. Right after we came here the mature women with the blue t-shirts saying "RAPHAEL" started gathering there. Yes, this year the organizers of Sonorama invited traditional pop crooner Raphael to the fest. Some said it was great business idea that could attract a lot of new attenders, some said it was a betrayal. I didn't lean myself to either of these rivaling camps - I just didn't know who Raphael was/is. Anyway, Ninos Mutantes made a performance that I described as "It was the best concert in my whole life". On my favourite song "Errante (Cancion Mutante)" (yes, deep inside my self I'm a good pop song loving guy) I almost broke my voice. The band was more rocky then on DVD "15 anos mutando" where they sounded like the Spanish Travis. The songs from new album "El Futuro" were cool on par with the earlier hit singles like aforementioned "Errante" or "Naufragos". The band finalized the show with the cover version of Raphael's "Como Yo Te Amo" making the bridge to what would come next.
Ninos Mutantes
We had no intention to see Raphael so to kill some time before Ivan Ferreiro we looked at Elefantes (another heroes of the past who returned to activity last year) and drank more wine in VIP zone.
Meantime Raphael came onstage.
It was a torment. Or fury. Or... I dunno. I'm not talking about his appearance onstage or his singing. No, I'm talking about the sea of people before the stage. I thought that the crowd of Xoel Lopez one year ago was huge. No - THAT was huge. Young people, mature people, old people - they all were mixed in one swirl of adoration. Me and Tanya were just sitting aside drinking wine and looking at that. To put it honestly, Raphael made a couple of steps from pop tradition towards indie rock world: he was supported by Miss Caffeina musicians, he sung with Alberto from Miss Caffeina, Juan Alberto from Ninos Mutantes... He even crashed a mirror with the chair.
Regarding the prolonged performance of Raphael the set of Ivan Ferreiro was delayed for almost a half of an hour. The occasional damage of this time shift was our inability to attend the Doble Pletina show in the Future Stars.
Ivan Ferreiro presented to us the same song set as it was on Contempopranea. But most of the songs were played a bit louder with more energy. So Ivan is one of my all time favourite musicians and for me he is always great. Especially having in mind that 14th of August it was his birthday - his band congratulated him in the end of the last song of the set.
Ivan Ferreiro
Under the bottom line, this day of Sonorama 2014 was absolute winner for us. The only disappointment for me was the missing show of Doble Pletina. All the rest was great.