Dover "Complications"

Dover "Complications" (p)2015 Sony Music

It seems like it's nice time to return to where you came from. The last year marked the reunions of some remarkable loud rock bands from the nineties: Failure, Molly McGuire, Moist, to name a few. Among the ones who came back under the spotlight from post-death nowhere was the Chicago-based grunge quartet Veruca Salt led by the female singers/guitarists Louise Post and Nina Gordon who once let the personal tensions and complicated love/hate stories kill the band. Almost fifteen years later being fully recuperated, Veruca Salt has put out the new single "The Museum Of Broken Relationships/It's Holy" - two songs that sounded so fat and reach and vital that it was almost unbelievable for the band whose heyday was long forgotten not only by the fanbase but seemingly by the bandmembers themselves. I tell you about the current VS's activities not only because Dover formerly were - and now again are - something like the Spanish blueprint of Veruca Salt (four persons, two girls as a creative core, post-grunge roots). Mostly I tell you that because this entire album sounds like a successor to "Museum Of Broken Relationships" single. "Complications" also sounds fat and reach and natural - so natural it's almost unbelievable for the band whose two last albums (recorded 4.5 and 8.5 years ago) were electro-rock'y ones. Maybe it's reissue of Dover's breakthrough album "Devil Came To Me" (now under "Dover Came To Me" name) in 2013 and it's promotional tour what made Christina and Amparo feel like it's time to unleash their rock beast again.
Now here they are - the reinvented version of Dover. Honestly speaking, even the best releases of the band contained the tracks that could be considered mediocre. Arguably, "Complications" is the first album of the band that follows the 'all killer no filler' template. I suppose it's the right turn in the right time. 

The best tracks: Mystified, Like A Man, Too Late, Building A Fire

Los Bonsais "Nordeste"

Los Bonsais "Nordeste" (p)2015 Elefant

10 songs in 18 minutes. 18 minutes between the very beginning of 90's and the time that we live in right now. 18 minutes between twee and nugaze. Between pop and noise. Between Heavenly and Best Coast. Very simple music with very catchy tunes. If I was a Pitchfork reviewer I'd write a novel-like load of words which would juxtapose the narcissism of a writer with the lack of understanding what he'd speak about. But here you can simply say: 'A classic Elefant Records release' - and all is clear about it.

The best tracks: It makes no sense to name the exact best tracks on this album because it won't take a lot of time to listen to them all

Presentando las Bandas de... Records del Mundo label

Last Thursday night was a busy time for me because I was contacted by three labels in a row. I will tell about the latest releases of El Genio Equivocado and El Hombre Bala a bit later (maybe tomorrow), and now I'm going to make a short review of the tiny Madrid-based indie label Records del Mundo.

This label was created by a group of like-minded persons as a music-producing vehicle for three bands only. If you look at the lineup of these bands you'll find the common names - and these names are the core of the label. The key band of RDM is Atencion Tsunami. Frankly speaking, the label is built up around this band. The band formerly appeared on the Spanish indie scene as Healthcontrol in the beginning of 2000's and released its first longplay as Atencion Tsunami ("El Lejano Oyente") in 2009 under Estoescasa! imprint. Stylistically Atencion Tsunami made a junction of such the different music genres as post-'new rock revolution' indie rock and post rock. But time went on, the visions and horizons of the band members widened - so, the other two bands Incendios and Paracaidas have appeared.
Despite the similarities in lineups the music the bands are making is different enough. While Atencion Tsunami stays mostly on the 'space rock arrangements over the indie rock rhythmical textures' railway, Incendios make even more post rock-inclined music, and Paracaidas with their lush yet tight slowcore is the most quiet band of the three.
There are some points I should emphasize. The first is the genrebending music of all three bands is equally intelligent and innovative. The second is Records Del Mundo are the soul brothers of Barcelonian prominent indie label Foehn Records whose bands explore mostly the same moods and touch mostly the same strings of the soul (it's absolutely no surprise that Miguel Bellas, the spokesperson of the label as well as the member of all three bands, is also the participant in last year's fantastic Karen Koltrane EP).

Paracaidas "Pensamiento De Paz Durante Un Ataque Aereo" (p)2015
The freshest one of the three. It presents the sadcore/slowcore basis surrounded with the elegant electronica and weightless guitar arpeggios. The album consists of five songs and one minute-long excerpt from the emotional speech of somebody called Neil. Sometimes the music goes into the habitual territories of guitar-drenched post rock world like in "Pegamento" or in the final part of "Rompehielos" but mostly it is very quiet and intimate music. Very beautiful album with "Pegamento" and "Sans Soleil" as the standout tracks.

Atencion Tsunami "Que Le Corten La Cabeza" (p)2014
As a person who listened to the first album of Atencion Tsunami pretty frequently once, I feel myself absolutely comfortably within the frames of the band's artistical template being kicked and tossed by the rhythm section while having the bird's wing-like guitars floating around my head.
Mixed by Havalina's Manuel Cabezali, "Que Le Corten La Cabeza" sounds warmer and smoother (and apparently more mature) than its predecessor "El Lejano Oyente". The loudest moments of the album remind me of Nudozurdo, another spaceward-looking band from Madrid. The quiet moments (like the song "Cables", for example) are pretty close to Paracaidas. If this album could come to my hands a couple of months earlier it would make it to my TOP30 year-end list without any doubt.

Incendios "Un Cuerpo Humano" (p)2013
But the most shocking [in the good meaning of the term] is this 6-song album. I can't find much words about it except those: it is absolutely fantastic from the moment when the music starts to the moment when it stops. It's the 30-minutes long masterpiece that simultaneously holds your heart tight by one hand and tenderly pats your head by another.

Official RDM site

TIENDA

Muchisimas gracias a Miguel Bellas por contactarme y invitarme al mundo perfecto de Records Del Mundo.

Alborotador Gomasio "Los Excesos de los Niños"

Alborotador Gomasio "Los Excesos de los Niños" (p)2015 Limbo Starr

One of the first albums of the year, this melodic punk/noise pop effort is the sophomore [official] release of Alborotador Gomasio, now under Limbo Starr wing. You know, it's a cool record. For me as a fan of Maryland this is really cool record cos there are so much similarities in stylistics between the bands - except for the moments when the tousled jangle-pop is prevailing over the cohesive and massive guitar pop/punk attacks. Anyway, the juvenile and potential one, this album is brimming with melodies, and most of the songs most likely will stuck in your head for days and weeks.
The provocative video for the first single "Los Residuos de la Sociedad" contains the visual resemblances of such the emblematic female protesting acts as Pussy Riot (Russia, the coloured balaclavas) and FEMEN (Ukraine, the writings on naked tits).

The best tracks: 14, Si Te Matas, Los Excesos de los Ninos, Los Rastros de Nacho

Breis "14 Pla de Palau"

Breis "14 Pla de Palau" (p)2015 Sweet Song

"The way was nothing more than an illusion..."

(c) Breis "El Camino"

This is the fourth album of Manolo Breis released four last years in a row - and the eighth overall. With such the considerable artistic background, the Murcian singer/songwriter returns with his most complex work to date.

The album starts with more than six minutes long "Olfato, Tacto y Gusto", a song that showcases the whole album the best with its dark mood, the changes in tempo, the internal suspense and the thick layers of synths. The song structures are visibly more convoluted here than on the previous efforts. The arrangements as well are the lushest in Breis' history. With the heavy use of vintage sounding keyboards, the influence of 70's pop progressive acts (Procol Harum is probably the first name that comes to mind) is one of the major dominants in "14 Pla de Palau" sound. Taking into account the fragile voice of Manolo, at times the album sounds pretty similar in tone and structure with the final Elliott Smith's release "From A Basement On The Hill" - like if Elliott wanted to record it as a "soft progressive"/art rock album.

In the release notes Manolo Breis says that "14 Pla de Palau" is the closing part of the three album concept that started with "Invisibles" two years ago. So, the new album is the perfect logical successor of "Invisibles" and "Verna" not only proving the musician's ability to progress with every subsequent release but also making him one of the Spainish indie rock's best kept secrets.

The best tracks: Si Pudiera, Contigo Que Sin Ti, Olfato, Tacto Y Gusto, 5 de Mayo, El Camino

14 Pla de Palau in Bandcamp - you can download the album for free.

Alucinaria "La Ultima Rotacion Del Sol"

Alucinaria "La Ultima Rotacion del Sol" (p)2012 self-released

Love comes in mysterious ways. The great things seem to come out of nowhere. Some of them may be criminally overlooked because no one expects them to come out. Thou shalt not overlook because this is the real true gem.
Alucinaria are from Rosario, Argentina. Spearheaded by Pablo Comas, the singer/ the guitarist/ the primary songwriter, the band plays loud but intimate alternative rock with twists and turns. In terms of songs structures Pablo could be the 'divided at birth' brother of Mikel Izal, because aforementioned twists and turns (i.e. unexpected changes in rhythms and dynamics within the sole song) resemble me of the Madrid-based folk-rock reformators' modus operandi (taking in mind that Aluciarians are punching much harder). Despite the structural unlikeliness the songs of Alucinaria never lose the pop feel, and every one of them tightly keeps you safe within the realm of Her Majesty the Melody. Do the guys know some recipes of the local indigenous people's arsenal?

The best tracks: "Prende Y Apaga", "La Quimera", "La Fuente", "Bailarina Del Futuro"

Bandcamp - download the album for free

The 1st post of the year

Upon my return from 'dolce vita' of the holidays to the zombie-like cold hands of reality I must admit one important thing: the impact of the ruining Russian financial/economic system on the everyday life of one given Spanish rock lover is drastic - and is going to be more and more drastic during the newborn 2015. Gone are the generous crowdfunding donates and vinyl LP purchases - the only acceptable kind of the music purchase for me now is iTunes. Also, the growth (almost by 50% to middle-2014 indices as of now) of Rouble/Euro exchange rate kills all my intentions to attend more festivals in Spain this year (I'm forced to say farewell to PortAmerica, ContemPOPranea and Keroxen) - it all would be too expensive in roubles equivalence with my salary blocked on its current level. The alienation of Russia also has the psychological effect - for me as a person who always has pro-European vision it's painful enough to live within the society whose most part openly hates the ones like me. If the common proverb says that politics is dirt, then contemporary Russian politics is the pure shit. So, taking in mind the aforementioned, I should try harder to find something good in what the new year may propose to me.

Anyway, the 2015 has much to offer.

AMA, Pasajero, Alborotador Gomasio, Havalina, The New Raemon, McEnroe, Grushenka, Anni B Sweet, Dover, Dorian, Pumuky, Xoel Lopez - they're all going to release new albums this year. So it's gonna be the fantastic year in terms of amounts of the great new music.

The new cartel of Sonorama shows the first part of the bands confirmed - with Newman, Marlango, Zahara, Mucho, Supersubmarina, Xoel Lopez and the newly re-born Mercromina amongst them. So it's gonna be the great new edition of Sonorama.

And in addition I have the plans to undertake some 'rock espanol'-connected activities which would [probably] make me short of money and [most likely] never occur - but my hopes are high so I should keep my fingers crossed and my mouth shut.

Just look at the Sonorama poster - it's so cool, isn't it?

Some new songs to catch your attention: the pseudo chamber detective story of Anni B Sweet...


and Dover's foray into the territory of Veruca Salt: