Havalina "Islas De Cemento"

Havalina "Islas De Cemento" (p)2015 Origami

When Ignacio Celma who played bass for Havalina since 2009 decided to quit the band an year ago it made me curious about the band's future because it seemed like Ignacio was the ideal kind of supporter for the Havalina frontman Manuel Cabezali's complicated ideas trapped within the power trio format (the drummer Javier Couceiro remains the second constant of the band's lineup since 2004) with its natural limitations - in the numerous videos like the ones which Havalina made along with Bandalismo or Acordes Urbanos you may see how the guitar player and the bass player interact within the songs to support one another through the songs' unusual structures. But despite my fears the band quickly found the replacement in Jaime Olmedo - and the substitution was so trouble-free that it hardly impacted the band's ability to construct the sound of their own. So, flowing along in the vein of melodic stoner rock - the template the band is mantaining for the last five years - "Islas de Cemento" sounds like the continuation of two previous successful releases ("Las Hojas Secas" and "h"). But it goes that way only until the track #9 starts. 7 minute long "Cementerio de Coches" is by far the heaviest song ever performed by Manu Cabezali and his allies. It steps over the border and walks away from the Kyuss-penned cult classics like "Gardenia" or "Asteroid" into the sad and depressive territory of doom metal. Moreover, this earcrushing machine is followed by the rain - really, the next track is called "Lluvia en el Cementerio de Coches" - almost 9 minute long "La Pared" or "Musica Para Peces"-type of song that rises from relative quietness to the short circuit thunderstorm making these paired compositions the album's logical centerpiece.

Under the bottom line, the good news about "Islas del Cemento" is that the band still moves ahead and finds the place to evolve, as well as to apply new elements to their core sound. Another nice feature of this album is that the tracks "Islas de Cemento" and "Luces" could successfully compete with "Desierto" from "Las Hojas Secas" and "La Antartida Empieza Aqui" from "h" as the catchiest Havalina's songs since Manuel decided to abandon the Smashing Pumpkins-inspired alt-rock in favor of the thick layers of stoner/southern gloomy fog.


"Islas de Cemento" in Origami Records

Grushenka "La Insoportable Levedad Del Ser"

Grushenka "La Insoportable Levedad Del Ser" (p)2015 El Genio Equivocado

If Grushenka sounded like the noisy version of New Order on their first longplay "Tecnicas Subversivas", then on the newest effort "La Insoportable Levedad del Ser" (which means "The Unbearable Lightness of Being") the quintet sounds more like any of that famous C86 cassette inhabitants. Throughout the songs like the title track or "Viaje Lisergico" you can almost see the frontman Xavi being haunted by the spirit of Bob Wratten (The Field Mice/Trembling Blue Stars).

As a massive Trembling Blue Stars fan I can only recommend this album to anyone who's into the quiet and intelligent indie pop/jangle pop with a bit 'who cares'-attention to the drums sound.

The best tracks: Nueva Era Existencial, Nos Encanta Hacerlo Todo Mal, La Procesion Va Por Dentro

To buy/listen: Bandcamp

Les Sueques "Educació Física"

It's only the middle of February but there already are not less than six releases from the burgeoning Barcelonian label El Genio Equivocado. So let's start with Les Sueques.

Les Sueques "Educacio Fisica" (p)2015 El Genio Equivocado

The band consists of three chicks and a guy. They're together for at least 4 years (dunno how much time they spent before releasing their first eponymous EP in 2011), and "Educacio Fisica" is their sophomore LP.
The songs here rarely exceed 3 minutes, and the rhythmical patterns on the most tracks are simplified enough, what - in addition to repetetive lyrics (my hands upon the notebook's keyboard want to use the term "cryptic" - I really feel so but I hardly understand a single word here cos the singer/bass player Blanca sings in Catalan, so I'm not sure) and angular guitar riffs - makes you feel like this band got vibe. It's nothing about some druggy conditions, it's about you got your chin nodding and your feet stomping without your intention to most of the songs.

In fact, for the person who seeks for a singalong the longest two tracks are the best ones here, especially the potential indie hit "I Apologize" - amongst these dadaist minimalist and surrealistic post-punk pieces this song with the catchy chorus is by all means the true gem. But the rest o' the tracks are anyway pleasant and satisfying.

The best tracks: I Apologize, Tot S'havia Acabat, Bromes, Ara Es Aqui

To listen/buy: Bandcamp

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