BARRACUDA, KINKYKin-Kon/Nettwerk, Mexico ***
Rating: 68
By Carlos Reyes
Kinky is the most accessible good alternative band to Hispanic listeners in the U.S. They are probably the only cool act that actually gets regular programming at MTV Tr3s so their popularity is high rocketing. Their self-titled debut Kinky was stellar, sophomore album Atlas was passable, Reina was awesome and yet their fourth album feels incomplete. Experiencing Kinky in concert is exotic and especially energetic; Barracuda is like the shy kid of a family of highly tuned dancers that overshadow its existence. Don’t worry they have not lost their delicious brand yet, but a couple of tracks do feel a bit to lounge even for foot stepping. There is very little intervention of the norteño accordion & brass support, and unlike Café Tacvba in Sino, Kinky’s horizon is a bit blurry. We can already see huge masses of followers dancing to “Avion”, the first single, the perfect reflection of the band’s eye for electronica and rock. As time goes by, Kinky is loosing its strings from the music made by Monterrey, reminds us of Plastilina Mosh’s liberation with Hola Chicuelos. As I’m spinning through the record, “Masacre Sonica” is freaking addictive, one that jokes “this is the day I lost the beat”, one destined to become a single. “Hasta Quemarnos” is the catchiest song here, runner up being “Those Girls” which features Randy Bright from Molotov. Expect to hear some song intros and climatic passages on any TV show, commercial or cinema like on the previous productions. Mexico is the only country where Barracuda will be released physically, the rest of the world is stuck with digital format.