Coachella 2011 Lineup

After an all-star lineup last year, Coachella has now announced the official band list that makes up 2011’s lineup. The three-day fest celebrated on April 15-17 is leaded by Kings of Leon, Arcade Fire, Kanye West and The Strokes. It’s now a regular thing to include Latin acts, we can always expect a few, and this year isn’t the exception. The big name among the Latin bands is Caifanes, the legendary Mexican band had been rumored for a while, it’s now official (they will also perform at this year’s Vive Latino). Colombia’s Bomba Estereo & DJ Erick Morillo, LA's Ozomatli, PuertoRican-American Omar Rodriguez Lopez, Chile’s Los Bunkers, Brazil’s Cansei De Ser Sexy and Spain’s Delorean are the other bands listed from our region. Congratulations.

Fuerza Chile, Nacional Records' Chile Benefit Compilation

Chile suffered yet another intense earthquake today, we can't find more appropriate words for that nation than Nacional's latest release title 'Fuerza Chile.' It's a compilation album featuring some well known, an rising artists from Chile. From the legendary Los Tres and Los Bunkers to Nacional's latest inductee Anita Tijoux. Club Fonograma favorite Javiera Mena appears in the album in a collaboration with Diego Morales, covering Violeta Parra's "Ausencia", which happens to be Javiera's best moment outside Esquemas Juveniles. 'Fuera Chile' is out now on digital outlets.

Vive Latino: Sabado II

Despite not having Telehit on my TV the guys from Union Rock (whoever they are, thanks), had a live feed broadcast of the channel, so I got to see many of the performances and went back & forth from Telehit to Reactor, they both focused on the main stage (Escenario Verde) but had recordings from the highlights of the other stages. As far as I know Telehit didn't show Hello Seahorse! at all, I was really hoping they would just to see the people singing "Bestia", but if they want ratings Zoe will give it to them, so that's understandable.

I wasn't planing to say this, but Jaguares was pretty good, mostly because their set included way more of Caifanes (who I loved) and few Jaguares (which I respect but don't excite me much). Juan Manuel Torreblanca's coverage is coming in a few minutes, but here is one of my favorite performances I was able to catch, Los Bunkers are a Mexican favorite by now, so much that they could headline the festival in a few years without a problem. Also check out this performance of "Matenme Porque Me Muero" by Jaguares and Zoe's Leon Laguerri. And to end this post, a request for all those YouTube users uploading the fest into the web, Telehit supposedly showed a piece from GEPE! we all want to see it!

Barrio Estacion, Los Bunkers

BARRIO ESTACION Los Bunkers, Chile
UNIVERSAL MUSIC MEXICO



by: Carlos Reyes

In very few years Los Bunkers have proclaimed a status in the still developing rock scene in Chile. They are part of an interesting clan of talented rockers that are still trying to fix the decomposition La Ley left on the Chilean music industry. In an ambitious move to expand their popularity the band is now based in Mexico, which oddly but not surprisingly has tripled their recognition throughout Latin America. Barrio Estacion is their latest album; the premise is interesting to say the least. That almost blinding yellow cover is misguiding to the actual content of the disc. If you know Los Bunkers already you know a rush of dark misfits follows them everywhere.

The first single is “Deudas” is a conflicting track that took me a while for it to have an emotional reaction towards it. “I’m a bunch of bills that in life I won’t be able to pay”, a song about self actualization, self demoralization and emotional crisis. “And I have left my feet behind without knowing where they’re headed”, Los Bunkers go from the safe rock band revealed on their previous albums to actual musical consciousness. Generic rock exasperates my hearing, alternative music is like a consequence of Darwin’s law, now rock & roll doesn’t sound right, but I do wish all standard rock albums would have this level of lyrical perception to cover for the damaged genre.

In musical provisions Barrio Estacion doesn’t offer anything new from the band, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Los Bunkers just like their fellow Chilean band Lucybell have developed a trademark; we are still waiting for them to destroy every little piece of it. And they do show some effort in two unconventional tracks: the post-jazzy “Capablanca” and the risky reggae-oriented “El tiempo que se va.” Lead vocalist Alvaro Lopez has a distinctive voice that functions especially well through the bohemia of songs like “Me muelen a palos” and one destined to become a single: “Una nube cuelga sobre mi.”

Los Bunkers are working on a league of rock en español that seems to know where it’s headed, it’s a blurry vision that may take a few more years to fully mature and reproduce but Barrio Estacion portrays a sparkling confidence, and that’s its greatest virtue. We would like to see Los Bunkers working in contravention, just like the LA-based rock band Pastilla was able to achieve with A Marte. The album is available digitally, it might not be as accomplished as their acclaimed Vida de Perros, but it really deserves a U.S. release from either Universal Music or their adapted parents at Nacional Records.

Numeric Rating: 73/100

Key Tracks: "Deudas", "Me muelen a palos" and "Capablanca"