Las Resenas Casuales. Guerrera "Mauna Loa"

Guerrera "Mauna Loa" (p)2014 Matapadre Discografica

Krautrock and "Farfisa" from the Galician supergroup.

This album delivers the audio collages where the vintage ritual psichedelia meets black voodoo happening soundtracks. Hitting Birth, TchKung! - these names came into my mind first of all, and while Guerrera definitely did not aim to distinguish the drug-infused primal angst of the first mentioned as well as the shattered semi-unconcious state of mind of the second (I suppose los componentes de la banda have never heard about TchKung! at all) the music is convoluted and adventurous enough to be pretty uneasy listening even for the ones prepared. 

The album is divided into two parts of 18 and a half minutes long compositions consisting of the deep instrumental layers of endless guitar passages, sound effects, spasmatic octopus drumming and rare reverbed vocals all shaken but not stirred.

It is absolutely impossible to mark out the best tracks in here due to the fact that there are only two tracks and both are amazing.

You may grab the album on the 'name your price' basis FROM HERE (Matapadres's bandcamp page) if you'd want to.

Las Canciones Ocasionales. Garamendi "Colores"

A song by Antonio Garamendi, the singer/songwriter from Bilbao.

Las Resenas Casuales. Blusa "¡Toca breakbeat, perro!"

Blusa "¡Toca breakbeat, perro!" (p)2014 Sello Salvaje

In my high school years I always wanted to start a post-rock band. If I did, my band would be 15 years old to this moment. The guys from Blusa really did. And their post-rock band is almost 15 years old now. Despite such the considerable (for any band) age "¡Toca breakbeat, perro!" is only the sophomore full lenght release this instrumental quartet from Sevilla has brought to life. Accidentally this is the second post-rock album that came into my hands for the last couple of weeks - this is really large numbers for me taking in mind that I was 'cold turkey' with post-rock for... I don't know... 5 years or so. The first ring has rung for me last autumn when I received my order from B-Core Disc and they added a labelmates compilation named "Sound Of Barcelona" as a present for me, and there were a couple of post-rock bands on the list. Listening to it sitting on a passenger seat in the car that my wife Tanya drove I was thinking something like 'What the fuck! I completely don't get it why I so abruptly quit with post-rock! I have to return to it!' And now the Universe tells me the same.

So, returning to the subject... I'm not so familiar with internal sub-trends of the genre and due to this fact I'm not able to classify Blusa to one category or another like any stratification junkie would do. But the only category I'd want to put this band is 'cool things'. The music of Blusa is winding and rhythmically diversified (did I use 'rhythmically diversified' word sequence almost in every review? I should stop doing so) within a song. Also it is far from boring... 

Let's stop for a second - I just recalled why I quit with post-rock: the answer is because it became so common place that I started to find it boring. Sorry for this escapade. Ok, I'm ready to resume to "¡Toca breakbeat, perro!" 

It also has some sharpness that made me feel like this album would sound best in the empty uninhabited houses with rough walls and total absense of soft or fluffy things - it seems like the three-dimensional system of coordinates constructed by the band's rhythm section will fit the non-residential spaces the best. Within this system the guitars are swirling and flowing back and forth and coiling inward in the pre-orgasmic thrill that never rises up to scullcrushing crescendos that made A Place To Bury Strangers or God Is An Astronaut famous but never falls down to disconnected mumbling as well. Despite the sound isn't that thick and rich it doesn't seem like an issue cos Blusa's music is uplifting and driving enough to satisfy the listener without additional grease and glance, and it also has some positive vibe. Summarizing my impression I should admit that I've listened to the album two times in a row - and it was not because the player was cycled and I just missed the moment when the second cycle has started. No, my player was not cycled. I've finished the album and then started it again because this was my intention.

The best tracks: Facenda, Montebello, Acroflecha, Aruba

To listen and/or buy click HERE (Bandcamp)

Los Treinta Principales. #20. Niños Mutantes "El Sol De Invierno"

#20. Ninos Mutantes "El Sol De Invierno" (p)2002 Astro Discos

What we can hear now on the current albums of Ninos Mutantes ("Las Noches De Insomnio" and "Naufragos" and possibly the next "El Futuro") is not what the band did 12 years ago. In the beginning of 2000's the music of the Granada-born mutant children was more upbeat, more loud and more driving. And "El Sol De Invierno" was a quintessence of these past years containing plenty of great songs which considerably differ one from another but never fall off the plate.
"La Ultima Vez" meets the listener with the 'quiet-loud' scheme worn out by grunge but here it sounds pretty fresh due to the catchy melody, the curling guitar passages and total absence of drug-infused gloom. In "En La Tierra" you could almost hear the echoes of Placebo's definitive album "Black Market Music" - but without this band's trademark depression and self-loathing. "El Corazon Es Un Cazador Solitario" easily flows two thirds of its timing like quasi-americana ballad and then dentro de nada explodes with guitar bursts. Even the electronic "Sigue La Luz" is strong enough to be not just a throwaway intermediate segue. The only misstep is "Algun Sitio, Algun Lugar" which is a bit too repetitive to work well.
I can't tell you that this album is inventive or something like that. But here the band had upgraded 'good' to 'perfect' adding to the scheme their melodic gift and attention to details and all this prevented "El Sol De Invierno" from being "Super 8" 10 years late derivative.

I don't know exactly what kind of splash this album caused - maybe none. Maybe it just promoted the band from the second league into the top indie bands of the state. But I suppose that the impact should be in setting the new standards of the powerful and catchy guitar-driven pop rock in Spain.

The album was produced in two formarts - standard and extended with 3 bonus tracks. Two of them - "Ser Feliz" and "Manual De Autoayuda" - are amongst the best tracks of the album.

The best tracks: La Ultima Vez, Gente Normal, Sigue La Luz, Ayer (cancion alemana)

Las Resenas Casuales. Lula "Viaje A Marte"

Lula "Viaje A Marte" (p)2013 Lucinda Records

Lula is the power-pop trio from town of Castellon led by Spanish indie rock longstay Patricia Escoin who made her name in the end of 80's fronting the band called Los Romeos. The previous albums of Lula (this one is the fourth) were partly spoiled by the songs which might be described as' filler'. But "Viaje A Marte" is absolutely free from this type of trouble - all the songs here are catchy as the fisherman's hooks. Additional fine feature: Pat Escoin has very clear and beautiful voice and she uses it masterfully.

This may not be the most original genre in the world of rock music but it's really well-structured and made with passsion so there's no reason to wrinkle your nose in disgust: "Viaje A Marte" is the kind of album very easy to fall in love with, and if you don't - the chances are you're a snob.

The best tracks: L, Universos Paralelos, Desde Lo Negro and any other song on the album

Las Resenas Casuales. Vetusta Morla "La Deriva"

Vetusta Morla "La Deriva" (p)2014 Pequeno Salto Mortal

I suppose that after the computer game "Los Rios De Alice" minimalistic instrumental soundtrack that Vetusta Morla released the last year no one really knew exactly what to expect from the band on their third studio album. The continuation on its predecessor "Mapas" ideas? Something new? If so - what new? Now it is clear that one of the possible correct answers is 'the new details'. Really, in terms of general direction while being much more diversified rhythmically "La Deriva" stands not so far from band's astonishing debut. But though it starts like a twin brother of "Un Dia En El Mundo", the first album of Madrid-based sextet led by charismatic singer Pucho, what follows next may surprise the listener. Not only because at least one song - "Fiesta Mayor" - is definitely something Vetusta Morla have never done before. Not only because "Golpe Maestro" is the fast rocker-type of song which is rare in the band's back catalogue. And definitely not because they have changed their trademark font on the cover. But the first and the third albums of the band are divided by 5-something years, and these were very busy years - which means new experience, new knowledge, new tricks and methods. And the band have learned the lessons. You almost feel the difference in the tips of your fingers but it's hard to explain where this difference really lies in. Maybe in new drum sequences. Maybe in new sounds. Maybe in new instruments used. Maybe in none of the aforementioned.

In comparison to "Mapas" which deserved more thinkful listening and which had its own fire inside but this fire was rarely visible, "La Deriva" (which means 'leeway') uses more accessible and easily understandable approach. The fire of "La Deriva" is not hidden, it's here right in your face.

The best tracks: La Grieta, Fuego, Golpe Maestro, Cuarteles Del Invierno

Los Treinta Principales. #21. Sexy Sadie "Onion Soup Triturated by Big Toxic"

#21. Sexy Sadie "Onion Soup Triturated by Big Toxic" (p)1997 Subterfuge

It's time to return to the list of 30 albums that I like the most and I don't give a fuck about someone elses's opinion I consider the best in Spanish indie rock history.

Sexy Sadie were the loud rock band from the Isle of Mallorca (in fact, they ARE the band from Mallorca as long as they returned to musical practice the last year) led by Jaime Garcia Soriano. Grunge, post-grunge, even the elements of post-hardcore were mixed with clearly visible pop sensibility in their music. "Onion Soup" originally produced in 1996 was the second full lenght in their back сatalogue, and despite really strong moments in there it was not absolutely free from the issues. One of such issues was that some songs sounded a bit disjointed like they were written and recorded at different times and in different places. So it was kinda happy decision to team up with electronica producer Big Toxic who helped the band to rethink the songs and reconcile all the shortcomings of the former album. Here all the songs were led to one denominator by the pulsing beats and decorated by the iridescent 'indietronic' modulations produced by Big Toxic. Successfuly, these manipulations didn't cut short the energy and melodic potential of the original songs.

Two tracks from "Onion Soup" were totally discarded, and one new song "Needle Chill" was added to the plate (later this one also made it onto the next Sexy Sadie album "It's Beautiful It's Love" which is commonly considered as the band's best effort). Also, the quasi-smash hit 'Mr. Nobody' was presented in two renditions the last of them sung in castellano. 

It seems like the album was considerably underappreciated at the moment it was out but now - or should I better say 'even now'? - it still sounds pretty fresh and interesting.

The best tracks: Sr. Nadie, Rock'n'roll Fear, Needle Chill