среда, 29 марта 2017 г.

Leon Benavente "En La Selva"

Leon Benavente "En La Selva EP" (p)2017 Warner
As per Abraham Boba's recent interview, "En La Selva" pairs "2" the way as "Todos Contra Todos" paired the eponimous Leon Benavente debut. Despite the apparent similarities, there are some differences here. Hardly a mere song from "Todos Contra Todos" could be named high point for the band, or a fan favourite. Taking this into account, TCT seemed like an optional addition, an attempt to tell a bit more about something that was untold (or told insufficiently) on the main album. Here we've got at least two tracks - "Maestros Antiguos" and "Se Mueve" - that stand tall amongst the band's best. Moreover, "Siempre Hacia Adelante" adds the new colours to the Leon Benavente's pallette, as the band has never created something like this before. 


вторник, 21 февраля 2017 г.

Viva Belgrado, 04/02/2017, Moscow

I thought it would be some kind of a sausage party, but there were some pretty chicks in there.

I came to Vermel Club not too late to see the first Russian band of this night performing. The band was called -1 (just try to google it). After I did a double pint of beer they started to sound much better than before. The next Russian band Mayak followed the path of -1. The only difference is that I never listened to them ‘before the beer’. For me them both sounded cool and, frankly, I expected less from Russian bands. Before the Viva Belgrado set I’ve managed to find myself some good place to stay at the right side of the stage (if I stayed at the center it could end up in hospital for me as the people moshed and slammed and crowdsurfed there – and I was not prepared physically for such actions).

On the way to wardrobes someone before me noticed that the wi-fi connection in Vermel Club was down, and this was commented sarcastically by a semi-drunken guy standing aside of the queue: “That’s because the Moscow hipsters just need to learn something about the band they’ve come to look at”. Anyway, though the audience was more familiar with the songs of Russian bands, Viva Belgrado were treated as the stars of the night ‘by default’. Songwise and soundwise it was predictable as the songs of Cordoba-based combo were definitely more detailed, more sophisticated, more spacious than those of their local peers. They presented the tracks from "Flores, Carne" and "Ulisses" in equal proportions. Throughout their gig I was all happy headbanging to the familiar sounds.

Right after Viva Belgrado finalized their set I came close to the stage to greet Candido (vocals, guitar) but when I started to talk to him he seemed like he didn’t even get that I spoke his native language. Maybe it’s because there were other persons speaking to him in English, and he never expected to meet Spanish-speaking guy amongst them. Or [more likely] I was just too tongue-tied. Later I met Alvaro (drums) in the hall and talked to him a bit more. He was really nice guy to talk to.


пятница, 17 февраля 2017 г.

Con X The Banjo "Solo III EP"

The americana/indie rock trio from Tudela makes it clear that you really need no banjo in the band to put the 'banjo' in the name. I had a chance to learn more about this band in 2015 when they performed on Sonorama but it took a year and a half more to get acquainted with them. The vocals are sweet, the melodies are distinct, and the arrangements are roughly sandpapered with the 'contemporary Nashville' style on this lovely little disc. Additionally, the band is brave enough to put 6+ minute track on the forefront of the album. With the songs structurally less ("Raros") or more ("Historias Extra-Ordinarias") conventional Con X The Banjo are mixing well-known sounds of old school down-to-earth folk rock with the modern alt-country tricks adding something of their own - and they are absolutely natural at what they do. There's no any overpressured artificiality in their music.


The best tracks: Raros, Siempre, La Imaginacion Es Sabia



***BANDCAMP***

P.S. This is the post #200 in this blog. Hurrah.

воскресенье, 12 февраля 2017 г.

Clara Plath "Yes' I'm Special" (p)2017 Flor Y Nata

I had an intention to take a break from listening to the new music cos the preparation of last year's Top50 (in fact Top105) has made me quite exhausted. But the begining of the year 2017 is filled with events, and it makes taking a break some kind of a crime.

My dearest murcianos Clara Plath have released the new album less than two years ago since "Grand Battement" LP that performed perfectly in my annual 2015 chart. Frankly, "Yes, I'm Special" sounds much more refined than their debut just the way "Celebrity Skin" sounded more refined than "Live Through This". The harsher production of the previous album has its own advantages but standing in the way of progress is rarely a good choice. So now one of the best guitar-driven acts of the Spanish 'classic indie' sub-world have perfected their methods to create the record more diverse melodically and more intricate soundwise. If you did yourself a favor and fell in love with "Grand Battement" (the thing you'd better do), you'll not gonna miss this one for sure.

The best tracks: Inside You, This Lonely Boy, I'm Special



***BANDCAMP***


среда, 18 января 2017 г.

Best of 2016. 5 great albums more

Now it's time to shift the point of attention from the dead and bloated corpse of the year 2016 to something more recent and fresh-smelling - but it's not the way the poor slowpoke-minded me wants to go right now as I don't want to leave the unprocessed residues here. So there are 5 albums more to add to the 'best of year' section. I totally missed these albums when I was in process of Top50 preparation but they shouldn't go along underappreciated.

05. Desperanza "El Tiempo Destruye Todo" (p)self-released
The hard-boiled indie rock that fits perfectly for the 90's indie rock lovers like me.
The frontman of Desperanza Enrique Billy contacted me via Facebook mesenger in the very beginning of 2016 but the message was filtered off, and I found it almost over a year since the moment it was really sent...

04. El Imperio Del Perro "El Imperio Del Perro" (p)Green UFOs/ Lunar
First I noticed this name on the sleeves of Ninos Mutantes' tribute "Mutanciones" where El Imperio Del Perro masterfully revised one of the Mutantes' multiple hallmarks "Naufragos". This should make me eager for the releases of the band but somehow this intention was overshadowed by more urgent events, and it was only 2nd week of 2017 when I brought it back to mind. Better late than never.

03. Os Amigos Dos Musicos "Os Amigos Dos Musicos" (p)Gran Derby
Folk rock, roots rock, americana and slowcore born and bred in the valleys of Ribeira Sacra.

02. Belgrado "Obraz" (p)La Vida Es Un Mus
The post-punk combo from Barcelona is obsessed with Serbia. Even the lyrics are Serbian. Cold and machinery-like at the first glance, "Obraz" evolves into something more soulful and warm with every consequent listen.

01. Cro! "Mounstros" (p)Metamovida/ Nooirax/ La Choza de Doe
The fourth album of the Vigo-based experimental rock band. A lot of genres - at times quite disparate - are mixed here, but the final result is the solid and cohesive blast of spazzcore in the vein of Unicornibot (mentioned here) and Betunizer.

Previous entries:
Top50. Albums 01-10
Top50. Albums 11-20
Top50. Albums 21-30
Top50. Albums 31-40
Top50. Albums 41-50
Top10 - EPs and mini albums
Honorable mention #1
Honorable mention #2

четверг, 22 декабря 2016 г.

Best of 2016. Albums 1-10

Today I've tried to count up the money I spent on purchasing the new music this year but quickly understood it was an impossible task. And what is more important - it was totally senseless. No matter how many Euros it took - it was the best investment ever. However many hours I spent listening - it was the best thing I could do. 

Previous entries:
Top50. Albums 11-20
Top50. Albums 21-30
Top50. Albums 31-40
Top50. Albums 41-50
Top10 - EPs and mini albums
Honorable mention #1
Honorable mention #2

10. Joan Colomo "Sistema" (p)BCore Disc
...Joan sounds absolutely organic and natural in every direction and every land he steps on...

09. Poomse "This Is How We Fail" (p)Espora
'Less dramatic, more Centro-matic' I wrote on "This Is How We Fail" 3 months ago, and I wrote it for the following reasons: 1) the new album doesn't contain such tragedy-filled tracks as "Daily Bread", and 2) the sound of the album is so perfectly shaped that you almost can imagine the room where it was recorded - the same thing as for Denton, TX uncrowned lo-fi kings' records (though Poomse are quite far from lo-fi now). I'd consider this album less obscure in comparison with "Poomse vs. the Kingdom of Death" and in many aspects more refined, so to speak.

08. Atencion Tsunami "Silencio En La Retaguardia" (p)Records Del Mundo
These men are the chameleons. If you ain't familiar with Records del Mundo family, I'm going to tell you they are same people who created the astonishing "Sillas Voladoras" under the name Incendios and "Pensamiento de Paz Durante Un Ataque Aereo" under the name Paracaidas last year. These projects differ considerably one from another in everything but the team. Different names, different genres - the band is the same. "Silencio En La Retaguardia" is the most unpredictable work of the troupe. Visually both legs in contemporary danceable indie rock, Atencion Tsunami manage to jump 3 miles higher what you may think about while seeing 'contemporary danceable indie rock' tag.
07. Lost Tapes. "Let's Get Lost" (p)Mushroom Pillow
I thought it could be just some good companion to La Habitacion Roja's "Sagrado Corazon" LP when I ordered the latter from the Mushroom Pillow online shop. I had a fear that the single LP might be damaged while travelling 4000 km alone and felt like I needed to choose something more to add some durability to the mail package. So I've chosen the debut album by LHR guitar player Pau Roca's side project LostTapes. All hail the small momentary decisions! This record doesn't even try to hide its influences but wears them proudly instead. Post-shoegaze Cool Britannia's (The Boo Radleys, Wedding Present), the 2000's indie pop (The Radio Dept.) along with the evergreen classics (New Order and Tears for Fears) are mixed in this palette to produce the colours of unique brightness and rare authenticity.

06. Sr. Chinarro "El Progreso" (p)El Segell De Primavera
...the melodic intuition of Antonio is flawless, and we can only pray for this perfection to be prolonged on the subsequent Sr. Chinarro releases...

05. Sorry Kate "Haven Hood" (p)Foehn
...during the first couple of tracks you have to adjust your mind and auditory nerve fibers to embrace the sound, and then sound embraces you...

04. Trinidad "Karma" (p)El Hombre Bala
...lo-fi? No, mostly it's no-fi. Fuck Wavves, fuck Hinds. It's the real spontaniety and the real sincerety transmitted to this world through the mind and soul of the real riot grrrl...

03. Berlina "Desertico" (p)Grabaciones A Montones
"Desertico" made me to dive into the dreampop whirlpoop this year. It may remind you of Catherine Wheel, it may remind you of Rufus T. Firefly, it may remind you of Havalina (it's no surprise it is co-produced by Manuel Cabezali) - with all components in right proportions and right places. "Desertico" is about the textures and thin atmospheres, about slow moves and 'where would they cruise at within the next seconds?' wonderings. "Desertico" is like the puzzle. Just try to solve it.

02. Linda Guilala "Psiconautica" (p)Elefant
With the shiny melodies and a lot of segues that interconnect these shiny melodies into one solid blast of noise pop/shoegaze majesty, with the stunning hooks you will be humming for months, with the wall of sound and the intricate guitar work the Galician band took a giant leap ahead on the new release. It's a conceptual album, and its name probably relates to drug consumption (I don't really know, but for me the word 'psychonaut' is a romantisized synonym for 'junkie'). Initially I wasn't up to listen to it because I thought it might be some kind of psychedelic indie pop. But then I decided to listen to literally EVERYTHING, and it turned out to be really great with all these aforementioned shiny melodies, stunning hooks and the wall of sound that could make Kevin Shields proud.

01. Viva Suecia "La Fuerza Mayor" (p)Subterfuge
The last night of Sonorama'2016 I placed my feet at the first line before the Carson Сamping stage, and from my left side there were three cheeks who looked like, you know, classic teenage Love Of Lesbian fans. For my eyes and ears Viva Suecia were far from overwhelming popularity due to the fact the music of Murcia-based quartet is introspective and slow-burning and visually has no connections with the pop side of the world. And it was kinda real surprise for me to see these gurls beside me knew all the verses and all the names of bandmembers. And they were not alone! It was a real surprise to see this band ready for crowds as I thought Viva Suecia could be just the subject of a small cult following. Now the band is seemingly one step before the indie sub-world stardom, and I hope they'll take this step without making concessions and the major pitch, roll and yaw corrections.


вторник, 20 декабря 2016 г.

Best of 2016. Albums 11-20

I have to speed up the process to finalize it before Christmas. Hurry up, man, hurry up!

Previous entries:
Top50. Albums 21-30
Top50. Albums 31-40
Top50. Albums 41-50
Top10 - EPs and mini albums
Honorable mention #1
Honorable mention #2

20. El Petit De Cal Eril "La força" (p)Bankrobber
With the help of his colleagues from Seward and Animic, Joan Pons (one man behind El Petit De Cal Eril moniker) has created the album that is short in timing but large in senses. From Jose Gonzalez/Isasa-esque tiny acoustic renditions to more upbeat tracks with full instrumentation it's easy to fall in love with these songs. Thanks again to iCat.cat radio for getting me acquainted to this band and this album.

19. El Tercer Semestre "33 1/3" (p)Aloud Music
Born on a merge of math rock, free jazz and post rock, "33 1/3" is the vessel full of extreme beauty and fascination.

18. Kasparov vs Deep Blue "The Flare" (p)self-released
Read this.

17. Big Summer "Trigger" (p)El Genio Equivocado

16. Monte Del Oso "Existen Moscas Que Se Relajan Durante El Vuelo" (p)Farmway
Read this.

15. Leon Benavente "II" (p)Warner
Though not being the same sensation as their first longplay, the sophomore album of Leon Benavente is the work of magnificient quality. In equal proportions it is divided onto the cold and angry El Columpio Asesino-like post-punk rockers ("California", "Gloria", etc.) and the melodic bittersweet songs ("La Ribera", "La Vida Errando") but the best results they got when they unite the both ("Aun No Ha Salido El Sol").

14. Viva Belgrado "Ulises" (p)Aloud Music
Read this.

13. Las Ruinas "100% Maximum Heavy Pop" (p)El Genio Equivocado
I'm not sure this is 100% pop, but if it's really so this pop is 100% heavy. The trio spearheaded by Edu Chirinos (Edu Ruinas) continues their 'an album in a year' run with one more brilliant effort. "100% Maximum Heavy Pop" is one of these records that you may dance to, party to, get drunk to, laugh with, drive in a car with, travel by the train with, or do anything else with (or to).

12. Power Burkas "Llarga Vida Al Taranna" (p)BCore Disc
Read this.

11. Homeless "Solidos Platonicos" (p)self-release
The last album to enter the top list (to be honest I kept one blank spot for them till the last moment), Homeless' "Solidos Platonicos" was released the 1st of December, and from the first listen it was clear for me that this album deserves much. The only question was: how much? To find the answer I needed listens number 2 and 3. And then 4. And then in a week I had more listens of "Solidos Platonicos" than most of the albums in a year.
I'm still in love with their previous album "La Ciencia Lo Sabe". The new record differs soundwise (as it incorporates now the elements of the guitar player/producer/sound engineer Juan Antonio Mateos' parallel project The Magic Mor) - but the satisfaction is the same. And it's nice to know that the band doesn't tread the same path over and over again.