Video: Ave Negra – "CSI"

By now, many of you (may) know that apart from being talented musicians Ave Negra’s Felo, Russel and Fede are also quite a formidable goofball team. Maybe you’ve seen the bit they did recently in their debut video “Tengo una Nenita,” where the trio commits petty theft to achieve their dreams about starting a band. Or maybe you’ve seen it in their live performance. Either way—with a little digging—it’s not hard to tell has become big and heavy but still quick enough on its feet to entertain us with their weirdness.

Ave Negra definitely has a penchant for strange but inventive music videos, and this one is no exception. The latest video from the costaricans accompanies "CSI", off their upcoming debut LP due probably next year. It's a typically goofy, VHS-style clip, starring the group in La Patria’s empty pool, skating and dancing along with druggy and bizarre visuals by Pollux. The video was produced by local well known collective Super Legitimo and S3R Audiovisual. What’s impressive is that even though the duo ventures into a juvenile video, the knack for catchy melodies and heavy riffs improves, making this both true to their roots and indicative of huge maturation.

Ave Negra - Enamorados...

Costa Rican revivalist duo Ave Negra may sound dusty and cluttered, but their latest maxi-single (mini EP?) finds them surveying the emotional circuit of platonic love. This is an ode to those punch-drunk moments when sensations of youth (first love, rejection, remorse, heartbreak) sweep over our sanity. Side A “Esto Es Amor” makes a direct statement of everything we feel when that first realization of being in love arrives. With witty and corny lyrics like “soy ese que tu mamá escogería para vos,” or something bolder like “esos ojitos me dicen que te coma toda,” the band makes it pretty hard to resist singing along. The drum progressions here are reminiscent of The Ramones’ “Do You Remember Rock ‘N’ Roll Radio?,” guys who knew their way around platonic love songs.

The single comes with B-side “Vos y Yo,” where Ave Negra makes good use of raspy and whining guitar strings. The slowed-down tone and melodic push remind me of those glorious times when Los Saicos stepped away from the demolition to instead write love letters to that infamous lady named “Ana.” Although it’s a tiny release, Enamorados… is a solid set of two punkishly polished love songs that feel immediate and that should provide the band with plenty of momentum until that first full-length record arrives. Download Enamorados... on the Bandcamp player below.

Ave Negra - Sensaciones Juveniles

Sensaciones Juveniles, Ave Negra
Independiente, Costa Rica
Rating: 75
by Andrew Casillas

To (poorly) paraphrase Jon Landau, I have seen the future of Costa Rican low-fi surf-inspired rock and roll, and its name is Ave Negra. This two-piece rawkact ain’t ever going to be confused with Bruce Springsteen, but dammit if they don’t seem capable of melting a stack of Chrysalis records from time to time.

Razor-thin sounding, white noise-laden rock has made a big comeback over the past five years, but not many of these acts quite grasp the concept of thermodynamics. Sensaciones Juveniles, the band’s latest EP, sustains a breakneck pace for 10 full minutes without coming up for air because air is ostensibly for pussies. Not that this is rock and roll filtered through machismo—I mean, we already have one Davila 666. Instead, Ave Negra plays pure garage rock with the liberation of a thousand teenagers. This ain’t no place for the real world or anything.

Of course, these two aren’t The Hives either. Instead of using lo-fi techniques to sound like 2,000 men, Ave Negra disappointingly sounds like two. The sound quality lacks in spaces, and none of the songs really HIT. There’s certainly potential that they’re bound for a Nuggets-worthy gem one day, but none of these exactly match up with The Remains’ “Don’t Look Back.” But, for now, “Quita Penas” and “Tatatata Yayaya” will make for great block party cookout jams. The future, however, may be all theirs for the taking. 

Tatatata Yayaya by avenegra