Video: Pedropiedra - "Para Ti"

Pedropiedra has made the weirdest choices picking the promotional singles from his third record, Emanuel. “Para Ti” is perhaps the least hipster-friendly track the Chilean artist has ever made. Despite the obtrusiveness of those gipsy chords and choruses, “Para Ti” is still witty enough to work as an attraction. While the single (anti-single?) will hardly earn Pedro new fans, it's a song that's hard to overlook. Bernardo Quesney (who took the top honor on our Best Music Videos of 2013) has helmed a beautiful meta-clip about that has made the track much less alienating (hence the universal attraction of fútbol). The amount of subjects, stories, and film techniques Quesney has effortlessly transfixed here is truly remarkable. The singer fondness to the competitive human spirit and the director’s fixation with the struggle/physicality of sports add up to one very pleasing visual piece.

Pedropiedra - Emanuel

Emanuel, Pedropiedra
Quemasucabeza, Chile
Rating: 70
by Carlos Reyes

Juan Manuel Torreblanca opened his review of Pedropiedra’s self-titled debut inquiring two questions: “Que le pasa a Pedro? What’s wrong with him?” Pedropiedra’s sudden emergence provoked this kind of reaction. It was the result of a collective concern that attempted to understand how a man could sound so equally miserable and grateful. Almost five years later, we found ourselves right at home immersed in the Pedropiedra experience. Cripta y Vida was a harder swallow than anyone could’ve predicted (as we saw Pedro’s songcraft going into content territory), yet it offered what’s arguably his best single to date (“Vacaciones en el mas alla”). Emanuel, his third album, doesn’t contain such a hit single and struggles to depart from the comforts of its predecessor delivering what’s Pedropiedra’s most abrasive music box yet.

Despite being right in the middle of it, Pedropiedra’s burgeoning in the industry is rarely associated with the Chilean pop stamp. His anti-hero (almost antagonist) temperament and unmeasured humanism still make him sound like an outcast in Emanuel. “Yo no se sonreir, ni mucho menos llorar,” sighs Pedro as he verges his themes from atypical to subversive. “Pasajero” is an odd choice of a first single (it’s in fact, a winking anti-single). The song’s tempo is buoyant and the lyrics are candid, but, like the traveler in the story, the melody never really gets where it’s heading. It’s confined and displaced, something that not even the album's mentalist/cleansing intro and album cover can prepare us for. Pedropiedra’s against-the-grain tenor is far better realized in the quieter moments of the album. Particularly in the gorgeous “Eclipse Total,” where Pedropiedra forgets about granting privilege to subversive lyrics and instead goes for the kill servicing from what he does best: vocal harmonies. I still get goose bumps whenever I remember those few seconds the world got to listen to the chorus of "Ay Ay Ay" at the Golden Globes as part of La Nana's soundtrack.

Sometimes vocal harmonies make all the difference. Very few songwriters have the gift for cascading, restraining, and releasing vocals the way Pedropiedra does. This compositional device is ultimately what saves Emanuel from sounding mundane and turns it into a self-sustaining album. Those aerodynamic vocals in “Granos de Arena” (featuring Gepe and Delaselva) and that optimistic blooming whistle in “Lima” are in full command of melodic timing. Pedro is at his best whenever he personalizes song structure and makes it as important as any lyrical fixations (that "Nazi Nazi" wordplay in “Más Rápido Que Tú” is disastrous, yet the mirroring synth crescendos in “Noche de San Juan” are worthy of the highest praise). In the end, it's the material, and not the actual narrative what keeps the album at middling terrain. Perhaps it just needed more time to cook. Emanuel is a defiantly difficult album to grab onto, yet it’s in its own failures and triumphs that it manifests its unfulfilled rage. Even at its most understated hour, Pedropiedra proves to be auteristic and earnest.

Vive Latino 2012: Day Three

by Claire Frisbie

While Saturday at Vive was all about the new class of Latin American musical innovators and something of a serious continuous musical high, Sunday was very much (though not entirely) the opposite. I’m not sure how they determined the lineups for each day, but Fatboy Slim was the “headliner” on Sunday. ‘Nuff said.

Unfortunately, we got there just after the one actually relevant mainstage act (Hello Seahorse!) had played. Word has it that Denise got very emotional and cried while she sang and jumped into the crowd at one point. I also missed Tropikal Forever, whom I would have loved to check out, but a gal needs her beauty rest and chilaquiles.

So after some Balkan bouncing around in the sun to Gogol Bordello, we hit up a very full Carpa Intolerante for some cumbia cósmica from Toluca. Sonido San Francisco had people moving. Alternating between Colombian-style cumbia mixed with electronica to something of a rebajada rock fusion with matching psychedelic visuals, they were tons of fun. Unfortunately we left early because I insisted on catching Illya Kuryaki and the Valderramas for some reason.

I feel like I need to justify myself somehow. IKV was very much a part of my adolescence. Knowing all the words to “Abarajame” was like a rite of passage. I understand they’re ridiculous—they always were (funk meets kung fu movies meets “hip hop” and an eager libido? Che, why not?). But “Coolo” is an awesome party song, and “Jennifer del Estero,” my favorite, is hilarious. Plus, I was a huge fan of Emmanuel’s solo pop effort a couple years back. My expectations were unreasonably high.

Illya Kuryaki’s entire set felt like a painful throwback. None of us needed to go through that. Leather pants with white fringe, never-ending guitar solos, unsexy pelvic gyrations, mediocre sound, unjustified ego. They seemed to play all their “obscure” songs that no one knew—including a new track (they’re baaack!) that was thoroughly forgettable—, so by the time “Coolo” came around, we were all so relieved that we danced, more out of bored nostalgia than actual enjoyment of the performance. Dante and Emma, I love you guys, but this was not a good idea; some music should just remain in one’s adolescence along with braces and unfortunate hairstyles.

After the IKV debacle, I really needed something to cleanse my palate, and Spanish experimental pop outfit Manos de Topo did just that. I wasn’t familiar with their music at all, and I’m still not sure if I could really listen to it on a regular basis, but I definitely appreciated it. Singer Miguel Angel wails all the lyrics in a desperate, shrill crying voice (how do you say “chillar” in English? ‘cause that’s what he does), apparently mocking super sappy pop music. It’s almost performance art, and I was impressed with how many fans they had because, frankly, it’s really weird. In a good way.

We got so caught up in the Manos de Topo bizarreness that we almost missed Pedropiedra, who had drawn quite the crowd over at la Carpa Intolerante. We got there just in time for "Vacaciones en el más allá," which had all eight black and red-clad band members owning the stage. Gepe played drums. I developed a serious girl crush on the back-up singers. Everybody was dancing. They closed with Pedro and Gepe's song "Oh Oh," and we all sang along. Pedropiedra's generally not my cup of tea, but I really really dug this show. Refreshing!

After a much-needed break, we mosied on over to the Escenario Indio Blanco for some Austin TV, who are always a treat. They ended up starting about twenty minutes late—the first delay in the entire festival for me—, and finally appeared on stage in all-white with what looked like big marshmallow samurai ghost bobble-heads, which mostly came off after the first song (making them look a tad klan-like in the white pointy hoods they wore underneath, eek). But they were all about positivity and love, urging us to “sing along” to their moody instrumental rock however we wanted to, and to make sure we made at least one new friend that night. Good vibes, good vibes. Their set was solid, with a pretty significant crowd, which they were clearly very appreciative of, given Molotov was already playing on the main stage.

We too felt the need to catch the massivity that was the Molotov performance and headed back to the main stage to take it all in from high up. It was just about as packed as the night before, with a lot more testosterone in the air. Everyone was super into the show, moshing and chanting along, fists in air at all the right moments for “Gimme Tha Power,” “Voto Latino,” and “Frijolero” (etc.). Decked out in matching denim vests and looking a wee bit past their prime, the Molotov dudes seemed kind of like a parody of themselves. But I suppose in a way they always have been? The whole show just seemed a bit stale and irrelevant, although not lacking in rockstar bravado. Even their attempts at being political seemed almost farcical to me. My own cynicism and jadedness aside, though, the roar and energy of the crowd was undeniable ("Puto" felt like a an aftershock from Tuesday's temblor), and perhaps a little Molotov does a body—or soul—good, given the current political climate.

Molotov would have been a weird way to have ended my Vive Latino weekend, and Fatboy Slim even weirder. Luckily, much of the overflow from Molotov ended up at the smallest stage of the festival, and everyone was dancing as Mexico City rockabilly group Rebel Cats rocked out like it was 1955. In pompadours and matching sequined red blazers, the three young guys and a dad (!) put on quite the show, standing on top of the upright bass and jumping down into the crowd. I didn't catch any of Fatboy Slim's set, but I think it's safe to say that the Rebel Cats had a better dance party going. This was definitely the right way to end my Vive weekend.

And so, as cleanup and disassembly crews arrived at Foro Sol to take apart the festival, we made our way home, ears ringing, feet sore, musical appetites satiated. Almost two weeks later, I think I've finally recovered.

Video: Caravana - "Sigue Sus Ojos"

Melodic resonance is best appreciated under minimalistic frames. “Sigue Sus Ojos,” one of the most heartfelt tracks of last year, has finally been given the single treatment. This song dips deep into the laws of attraction, piercing emotions on every hook. Luciano Rubio has crafted a monochrome video that celebrates the analog formation of Caravana, balancing the dreamy haze of instruments with the stark silhouettes of their musicians. Caravana’s Rodrigo Santis is accompanied by an all-star band comprised by Felicia Morales, Fernando Milagros, Gepe, and Pedropiedra (all looking gorgeous and wearing awesome sweaters). Caravana will be performing on the first day of Vive Latino at Carpa Intolerante (March 23rd), in what’s one of the not-to-be-missed performances of the entire three-day fest.

Video: Pedropiedra - “En Esta Mansión”

When CF writer Pierre Lestruhaut wrote about Pedropiedra’s sophomore record, Cripta y Vida, as a departure from his debut’s comedic hubris, he also did a fine job highlighting what have since become the album’s singles. Lestruhaut described third single “En Esta Mansión” as a track that “delves into that old human incongruity through which wealth and boredom are often strongly related to each other.” The idolization of wealth as means of contentment by the working class has been a recurrent thematic source for Pedropiedra, whose involvement in Sebastian Silva’s La Nana might have added to the craftsmanship of psychotic characters that linger between tragedy and absurdity. When Pedropiedra wonders if boredom is a feeling (or state of mind) derived from foolishness, he turns to clip director Pedro Vial and a varied army of wildlife figurines, only to find out he’s been self-absorbed and self-resolved all along.

Pedro Piedra - Cripta y Vida

Cripta y Vida, Pedro Piedra
Quemasucabeza, Chile
Rating: 72
by Pierre Lestruhaut

Being a music fan is a little like being a child with multiple Christmases a year. Everyone can remember how much they always anticipated that exciting day where they would finally find out if they got those amazing things they’d been craving to have for months, yet there was always some kind of uncertainty, that small chance of having a difference between what a toy or video game looks like in its box and the actual experience of playing with it. It’s roughly similar to how music fans build a huge excitement, perhaps too easily sometimes, every time an artist drops a truly awesome lead single, thinking that this inherently means a stunning album is awaiting them.

But without making this a reflection on how we perceive music in the internet era, Pedropiedra’s lead single for Cripta y Vida, the amazing “Vacaciones en el más allá”, had indeed everything to make us think that a great follow-up to that amazing debut was headed for us. While not displaying much of a stylistic change in comparison to pretty much everything on Pedropiedra, “Vacaciones...” was yet another captivating exercise of how Pedro Piedra embraces the traditional approach of the singer-songwriter or “cantautor” style, without resigning to show his great skills as a pop song craftsman, always putting together small pieces of separate musical styles in an irrational manner. And it’s through that irrationality that songs like “Vacaciones” and “Inteligencia Dormida” truly excel, in how Pedro Pedra puts his rap roots to the service of great storytelling and rhyming over a funky base on “Inteligencia Dormida”, or in that out-of-nowhere synth line in “Vacaciones...” which would seem to fit more in a Justice record than in the lead track of a chilean pop album.

Yet when we finally started to discover the rest of Cripta y Vida, it actually seemed to lack significantly on that ability in song-crafting that would make Pedropiedra a CF favorite. In fact, many of the songs see him being content of settling for either a troubadour-like acoustic performances (“De Quien”, “Occidental”), or for some average efforts falling easily under the clichés of “rock en español” (“La Cripta” and “Se Fue”), while abandoning some of the more appealing aspects of his debut such as the self-aware and comedic storytelling, the fearless genre fusioning, the stunning vocal arrangements. Cripta y Vida does feature some very stimulating tracks though, think the awesome “Uyuyuy” with its beautiful chord progression and that great vocal harmonization around the “Uyuyuy ayayay” repetition in the song’s chorus. And think also “En Esta Mansión”, a pretty good Cerati-reminiscent track that lyrically delves into that old human incongruity through which wealth and boredom are often strongly related to each other.

In spite of the few great tracks Pedro Piedra offers in his sophomore album, I think I’ve made it clear that the feeling around this album is pretty ambivalent, kinda like waking up on a Christmas morning finding out that what you were anticipating so much isn’t quite what you were expecting, and there’s that feeling that something is missing, that there was a lot of potential for something much better. Like Carlos Reyes said to me: "it’s not a bad album whatsoever, it's just a modest follow up that first phenomenal record."

Video: Pedropiedra - "Vacaciones en el más allá"

2011 is becoming a very interesting year for sophomore records. Many breakthrough bands are making a comeback after delivering knockout debuts, and it's exciting to see how their body of work will be collected into that always challenging (and full of expectations) second record. After delivering one of the best indie hits in years (and a stellar first album), Pedropiedra is ready to overcome the "Inteligencia Dormida" ghost with the release of his new album Cripta y Vida. "Vacaciones en el más allá" is the album's leading single and it's as freaky and mind-twisting as its video (helmed by Vicente Subercaseaux). This is a sort of Mediterranean pop song that literally takes Pedropiedra's 'cantautor' skills to the graveyard (and boy do they insert life into that place). Yet another song for the end of the world, or at least, of momentary escapism.

Video: Pedro Piedra - "Al Vacío"

During this year’s Golden Globe awards ceremony the world got a chance to hear a few seconds of Pedro Piedra’s “Ayayay” as it was the main theme of the Chilean neo-realist comedy La Nana. The director of the film is on charge of Pedro Piedra’s latest video “Al Vacío”, the third single following “Inteligencia Dormida” and “Las Niñas Quieren” from his numinous debut Pedropiedra. Well, this video is strange to say the least, starting with the fact that the clip starts with the singer masturbating to some old woman fetish (at least on the uncensored version of the video). But the really weird stuff happens later on with a failed attempt to put on a performance by men dressed as bees. Well, it’s cute to say the least.

Pedropiedra, Pedropiedra

PEDROPIEDRA, PEDROPIEDRA
Oveja Negra, Chile ****1/2
Rating: 90
by Juan Manuel Torreblanca

¿Qué le pasa a Pedro? ¿what’s wrong with him? Well, judging by his debut solo album, I could offer three answers. Número uno: not one thing. Número dos: a worrying lot (of tragic proportions). & número tres: just enough for him to be able to write his way successfully into the high realm of enduring songwriters. Enough for an exceptionally bright and deeply human mind to pour some poignant everyday poetry into the molds of huge pop songs, filling them to the brim masterfully. And enough life experience (and resilience) to find a slow-paced but true (and certain) way into the hearts of those who still give music (and lyrics) the time they need to reveal their subtly hidden treasures and joys. This year I arrived at the conclusion that 10 songs might as well be the perfect number for an album to allow itself to be heard from start to finish, to give you all it’s got, no more. But sometimes, some longer albums (when they’re as good as Pedropiedra) make me reconsider. Here we’re offered a generous collection of 13 songs. Complex but appealing songs. Funny and silly here, thought provoking and quite rebellious there. It’s challenging, but what the hell! Maybe it’s that only albums as good as PEDROPIEDRA deserve to have us devote an average of 45 minutes of our hectic lives to them over and over and over again. & the more I listen to this one, the more I know it’s worth it. & I remember that every now & then we’re lucky enough to end up getting more than we thought we would.

Anyway, I bought this CD at a little chilango venue after hearing Pedro open for Gepe here in Mexico City, and as soon as I heard it I knew I was listening to something special and so rich in detail that I wouldn’t grasp all of it immediately. I offered to write a review and suddenly I was stuck for words. Sure, I loved the album, but I didn’t know where to begin. I didn’t want to find myself floating over a shallow pool of abstract praise. And I didn’t want to get lost in the winding story of how this record was finally made; no matter how intense, exciting and unbelievably miraculous the story itself is. Especially these days. (If you are or you become interested, you can find all of that with just one simple search). So, I have decided to focus on the songs and write some notes about –almost– each one (knowing that it’ll take a bit more space than usual, but also being convinced that it deserves it) and hopefully the resulting big picture won’t be as torn as those done for the album’s artwork.

"inteligencia dormida"
The first single is a fantastic introductory piece to the album. It exposes many of its traits: a warm & timeless sound; vocals that are impeccable, real (thank you!) & soulful, and just an awesome production overall; plus a delightful arrangement: sparkling pianos, funky & spacey keyboards, guitars, drums, a big fat bass, yummy & groovy percussion, etc... (most of these played by Pedro himself) nothing out of the ordinary, but everything in its right place, everything fresh and juicy, so juicy that I also have to commend Arturo “Turra” Medina’s job as the recording and mixing engineer for his success in achieving a surprisingly clear and powerful mix of so many elements. My first impression was: wow, this is a really elegant but nonetheless daring endeavor. Brilliant. And when it came to paying attention to the lyrics, Pedro’s genius shone maybe even brighter: the agile narratives of his long phrases (a knack probably polished during his rapping days with CHC), the visual imagery, the mix of lighthearted humor, literary playfulness (exploring the multiple meanings or possible placing of words), with melancholy and sincerity. Like a good movie, or a 1-2-3 boxing combo that will knock you out every time: first it makes you laugh, then it makes your heart ache, and then you end up saying: that’s so true, that’s exactly how I feel!

"al vacío"
Good example of his melodic craft, of his fusion of a brit pop influence with latin american rock. The chorus apparently floats higher and higher with each turn, and I get a feeling that this is also a bit of a trademark. I’m beyond enjoyment, astounded by the moving depth of his words. It seems to talk to me about those really difficult moments (of emptiness or sadness) when you can do nothing other than let go, and hope that by surviving the fall you’ll come out wiser or stronger. But it’s not pathetic, the music is so upbeat and beautiful, it’s almost… happy. Don’t we love that contrast?

"hasta el final"
A catastrophic and existentialist list of everything that will (one day) cease to be. The punchline is Pedro saying: I understood all of that since I was a kid, but nobody told me what to do with the loneliness. There’s something of a benchmark like the Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds here (in the vocal arrangement as much as in the philosophical musings). My favorite part is when the bass joins the drums on a lazy line that draws the circle Pedro’s singing about, the line that separates you from the distant world, that reminds you: you came alone and you are alone until the end.

"si somos salvajes"
Hot song! Great song! Mindblowing vocal harmonies (with help by Jorge González, frontman of classic Chilean rock band Los Prisioneros & more recently of Los Updates, and pretty much honorary musical ambassador for Chile in Mexico City)! Fantastic lyrics, they remind me of that old Soda Stereo song “entre caníbales” but I’d dare say this song (without losing any erotic prowess) is deeper, it has opted for a more narrative (than purely poetic) approach and (through a brilliant use of irony and sense of humor) it’s bigger, badder and more fun. Not just a relationships/romantic song. No one leaves this one without a scratch. But we’ve been warned (or is it adviced?) If we’re wild, let’s be so at all times and at all places. “También el presidente y el santo arrastran los pies como tú y yo, las lecciones que nos van dejando no sirven de nada en el mundo.” Heavy stuff! Dirty stuff! One of my favorites.

"sol mayor"
I swear I see the sun, the waves and the beach when I listen to the intro (even though the title could also refer to the key of G major… & just in case you were curious: the song is actually on the key of A major). This warm, easygoing tune might be the best song off the album. It could even be one of the best in Andrés Calamaro’s repertoire, but I think Pedro dares to draw a much more raw, naked and bittersweet picture of human nature and relationships than Andrés would. This one has brought me close to tears more than once. Beautiful.

"historias de terror"
Isn’t it incredible how some specific musical harmonies can make us feel spooky or imagine ghosts, Halloween stuff etc? This song has that combined with a childlike bounce that makes it sound almost like a half-joking-song… but if you pay close attention, its lyrics are some of the most serious in the album; they poetically bring to the table all of our historic true horror stories: war, shameful crimes that go unpunished, (and it’s awful to think such a thing can become normal to many in so many countries –el pan de cada día) like the dead women in Juárez, like all the violations to human rights during Pinochet’s military regime or like those disappeared ones that “Las madres de la plaza de mayo” still mourn. We don’t want to keep on eating that daily bread.

"soy el ring"
I doubt there’s another song that deals with the presence of the light and the shadow within (personified as God & the Devil) that can make you laugh so hard. The way it evolves and flows from beginning to end, I can’t believe it’s not butter. And I love how much you can feel he enjoys singing.

"mi mama"
A brief, upbeat, early Beatles reminiscing ditty that joyfully tells the story of some ghostly visits that a dead mother’s been paying the narrator. It breaks my heart how he asks her, like a child: why did you have to go and die? And then he finishes the phrase with a lovely and enraged little curse: tonta.

"ayayayay"
This lament is the title of another sad song, a ballad in a ¾ meter (a walz) that dances everything away, a last goodbye. The irony is present in the chorus that sings “te vas te vas te vas te vas…” as if it were a corny melody for the Festival Oti, you can almost see José José back in 1970 wowing the audience with his rendition of “El triste” but that moment’s already gone as well.

"cuarto oscuro"
The poppiest of the songs. A gorgeous upbeat tune about… depression (or something like that, mixed with a chosen uncertainty). The main character is waiting in a dark room, like a photograph about to develop. Its tongue-twister delicious phrases are sweetened by the voice of Leon Polar (who,by the way, lent his studio for the recording of the whole album). This could be a 40 principales hit hidden within the album, but it’s not an odd-one-out; its gloomy wit makes it blend in perfectly.

"obrero mundial"
Guitars plucked in arpeggios that dance between the light and the dark weave the mood for lyrics as heavy as the chains of modern-day slaves (those who might never climb out of the marshes of poverty that our global economic systems are working dutifully at covering but not erasing)… amazing. Really amazing. I hadn’t heard new music that was so full of meaning in a long, long while.

♫♫♫ "Sol Mayor"
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Gepe + Alex Anwandter

The news of a project from Gepe and Alex Anwandter (Teleradio Donoso’s vocalist) make us really excited, they’re two of the most talented personas in pop and if you’ve been to one of their shows, or take a look at that picture above, you can already see this is going to be insane. Gepe is by now a well respected singer-songwriter who turns folk into pop in effortless beauty, while I’ve been saying that Alex Anwandter is the ultimate modern popstar of the Latinamerican song. I’m guessing we’ll have to wait a bit for an actual release, considering Gepe is ready to discharge hi latest LP which if the rumors are true, include several collaborators among them Pedropiedra, Francisca Valenzuela and Javiera Mena. Watch Gepe talk about his new album at Paniko.CL

Video: "Inteligencia Dormida", Pedropiedra

Pedropiedra is along with Valentina Fel the year's most lauded breakthroughs in Chile. You might recognize him if you attended Vive Latino and got to hear Gepe performing, he is the guy that travels with him but if he gets his due, he will have to form a band of his own. The self-titled first album by this singer-songwriter sees the light after a long period of uncertainty, he recorded it in Mexico but had little hope of it getting distribution so he went back to Chile with an album he should be proud of (review coming soon via Juan Manuel Torreblanca), I'm thinking it will be a matter of time before he comes back to Mexico as I smell Reactor-hit all over "Inteligencia Dormida", the first single that's got so much charm in its intent to be the anti life lesson that it ends up being.

Don't forget to download Fonogramaticos Vol.4, you'll find his song "Sol Mayor" among a bunch of cool moving tracks.