MP3: Suave As Hell - "Talvez"

Suave As Hell - "Talvez"
Track from: Suave As Hell
A couple of Mexican publications included Suave As Hell as one of their favorite Latin albums of the year, so apparently, the anticipated full-length album by Guadalajara’s Suave As Hell is officially out. Their first release wasn’t virtually known (or as acclaimed) until it was properly leaked, so their new one might need that kind of viral push. The band unveiled two tracks of the album, the leading single “Maravillas” (download here) and the wonderful “Tiger in a Cage" (released on Matinee As Hell's third compilation).

They’ve just liberated a new goodie titled “Talvez”, perhaps their most accomplished track yet. They make every sound bit float with an effortless, almost psychedelic edge. Hardly as sing-along as “Controlling the Sun” but it’s innocent and meticulously reflective, a tale of gullible love. Oh and, whoever is doing the art for the new album deserves a medal of honor.

♫♫♫ "Talvez"

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MP3: Suave As Hell - "Maravillas"

We learned via Me Hace Ruido about the new single from Guadalajara’s Suave As Hell, probably the last band that had us debating over the Bands Singing In English dilemma. Sorry for bringing it up again, but for us, “Controlling the Sun” was the perfect example of a band making worthy music regardless of the language, as we applauded last year, “this is an extension of the globalized skill.” We’ve seen this pattern repeat itself over and over, bands with English-language debuts come back with a more diversified project, and yes, singing in Spanish too.

“Maravillas” is the title of their upcoming self-titled album. The single’s first act is quite sublime (on the best of Jumbo and Furland), but when the chorus arrives, it goes downhill on a very distressing melodic extension, and a very noticeable downgraded lyricism. Yes, it's an uneven track, but still, the band manages to pull out an affectionate pastiche of the sounds coming out of both, Mexico and the international arena. "Maravillas" is available for free download through bandcamp.

This Is Our Home Please Come In!, Volumina

THIS IS OUR HOME PLEASE COME IN!
VOLUMINA
Peppermill Records, Mexico
Rating: 78
By Carlos Reyes

“You keep seeking while I hide in darkness”, Volumina rolls around to this theme with much glibness, and it’s got enough bells and vitality to make its way into both psychedelic electronica and children’s music. In this sense, I’m not far out in saying their first EP This Is Our Home, Please Come In sounds like Sizu Yantra’s Bienvenido al Sueno, or even the paternal solo projects of los Aterciopelados Andrea Echeverri and Hector Buitrago. I don’t know if the mind behind this project is a parent, but even if an actual experience was not to be its impulsive force, the imprinted sensibility in these eight pieces go beyond a measure of cuteness, these are daring moments of expectancy that never really cease to sound indifferent in order to disclosure what they really want you to hear. It only takes a few seconds of the introductory passage of “Twist” to notice their ability to embrace transitions; the song goes from cute fairies, to a moment of suspension in silence, and ends on a disconcerting lapse in which a monster awakes and wants to play. Volumina definitely belongs to the sound coming out of their native Guadalajara, specifically the subtle pop of Suave as Hell, Carrie, and Hey Chica! They all sing in English, and are not very creative at it, now in terms of musicality, Volumina is a triumph. While it struggles to fully dispose its mind-set in songs like “Love” or “Old Family Photo Album”, the musical accompaniment helps to keep things simple enough that the easy lyricism fades into a precise conduct. “The rock & roll space band” it’s a marvelous piece, rarely has Mexican pop explored the space inviting us along. And in a way, Volumina does give its album a truthful title; these songs are insightful and in conjunction, build up an open invitation to their home, it might not be the most distinctive and magical house to find yourself in, but it’s an honest tale that will at the very least, remote you to that lure of unoccupied space that still holds some innocence within you.

♫♫♫ "Hide and Seek"
Download EP
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"Controlling the Sun", Suave as Hell

Like I mentioned on yesterday’s Indie-O Music Awards post, my friends don’t like Suave as Hell (from Guadalajara, Mexico), honestly, I don’t know much about them and it’s only been 2 weeks since I got my hands on Well Well Mr. Whale, it’s doing pretty good on my iPod, but here is a response I got from my dear friend Gus: “I don’t like them because their pretension takes them outside the musical boundaries, there are hundreds of bands out there that sound just like them, plus they don’t even feel confident enough to reference anything to their homeland, not in language or emotion.”

I’m one of those who think people should do things they way they feel it, but it’s always a challenge to read the honesty behind any art. Therefore I don’t mind bands singing only in English, in fact, I think it’s an extension of the globalized skill. This discussion reminds me of Noche Pasta’s review for Carrie’s gleaming 1981, which questioned among other things, if Carrie was ashamed of her nationality. It’s all about identity and the stimulating force that makes an artist want to share his vision. Truth is, writing in English is so damn easy, that most people would assume the singing in English is a marketing tool … or a sellout.

One thing is for sure, I’m loving “Controlling the Sun” for all the reasons people don’t like it. What do you think?

♫♫♫ "Controlling the Sun"
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