Viva Suecia "Otros Principios Fundamentales"

Viva Suecia "Otros Principios Fundamentales" (p)2017 Subterfuge

Within the last 1.5 years they rose from relative nonames to one of the country’s best live acts jumping by the way from local indie imprint Clifford to the much more renowned label Subterfuge. The last year’s perfect “La Fuerza Mayor” was the demonstration of abilities. The new album should become the confirmation of the high-level stability. Is it so? Definitely yes. But could there be something more to it? 

Sure. As a listener, I can’t say I’m satisfied the same way I was satisfied by “La Fuerza Mayor”. Even trying to eliminate the impact of novelty effect which was present a year ago, I can’t deny the fact that there are some questionable moments on the album. For example, the track "El Nudo Y La Esperanza" sounds like it’s penned and recorded by Second. I mean, exactly like Second, you can almost hear the voice of Sean Frutos as your mind automatically replaces the voice of Rafa Val with Sean's. The next track “Nunca Estamos Solos” sounds like it’s a Pumuky’s “Plus Ultra” companion. The track #5, in its turn, has the roots somewhere in "Una Semana En El Motor De Un Autobus" area. And that's exactly where I see the problem.

One of the strengths of “La Fuerza Mayor” was its unity. Well, it’s obvious that you can make 6 songs within some tight stylistic frames – but you can’t put 11 tracks inside the same frames without making the listener bored. This threat the band happily avoids – there’s nothing to be bored on here. But the side A tracks being set together are somehow blurring the first impression because they differ. They really differ. And I can’t escape the feeling something could have been done better just by simple change of the song sequence as the side B is pretty close to perfection. 

Anyway, it’s not a subject of ‘sophomore slump’, or any overestimated expectations. This is the competent work of the well-trained band with the big choruses, walls (and waves) of sound and palpable emotions.

The best tracks: A Donde Ir, Nos Ponemos Con Esto?, Hemos Ganado Tiempo, Aprendemos A Nadar