A MONTHLY COMPILATION BY CLUB FONOGRAMA ALL THE FOLLOWING TRACKS WERE FEATURED AT CLUB FONOGRAMA FOR FREE DOWNLOAD WITH THE CONSENT OF THE ARTIST AND/OR LABELS. ALSO INCLUDED, A HANDFUL OF TRACKS ORIGINALLY OPEN FOR DOWNLOAD. LABELS: GYPSY POP, CRACK ROCK, SUPERCREPUS, NACIONAL RECORDS, QUEMAS SU CABEZA, ASTROHUNGARO, HAPPI-FI, DELHOTEL, ESSOUNDS ET, THE PONI REPUBLIC. __________________________________________________________________________ FONOGRAMATICOS VOL.1 + BONUSES CLUB FONOGRAMA 2009 FORMAT: WINRAR HOSTING: MEDIAFIRE SIZE: 99.1 MB FONOGRAMATICOS VOL. 1 + BONUSES 01.ALIDA ST, Y LA BAMBA (USA) 02.DEPREDADORES, DOMINGO EN LLAMAS (VENEZUELA) 03.HIDDEN CLOUDS, NEGRO FLUO (ARGENTINA) 04.CHICA VIRTUAL, ARCANGEL (PUERTO RICO) 05.TERRORIZE YOU / DISCO FLOR, TURBOPOTAMOS (PERU) 06.TAMBOR, ENTRE RIOS (ARGENTINA) 07.LOS LAGARTOS, JOE CREPUSCULO (SPAIN) 08.PERVERT POP SONG, PLASTILINA MOSH (MEXICO) 09.PASAJERO, CONGELADOR (CHILE) 10.CAVE CAVE CAVE, UNSEXY NERD PONIES (MEXICO) 11.LUNES, ULISES HADJIS (VENEZUELA) 12.NO SE, ALEXICO (MEXICO) 13.INGENUO, EN VENTURA (MEXICO) 14.QUIEN MANEJA MI BARCO, HIDROGENESSE (SPAIN) 15.CYBERTRON, ZONA SEIS (USA) 16.CHOICES, YELLOW YESTERDAY (MEXICO) 17.LO SABES TU, LOS ROMANTICOS DE ZACATECAS (MEXICO) 18.KATY, MR. RACOON (MEXICO) 19.THE FLOW (TOY SELECTAH REMIX), QUIERO CLUB FT. MILKMAN (MEXICO)
SOHO RIOTS EP (THE PONI REPUBLIC, MEXICO) RATING: 64
This is an uneven release considering the great work the Poni has given us, but it’s not ultimately bad, just painfully alienating. This sounds like an album musicians would respect but not necessarily like, it’s intentionally messy and bumpy, thing is, the band is comfortable in its own skin and that’s part of its charm. For someone who loved last year’s works by Bam Bam and the Vivian Girls, this lacks a sense of melody and therefore becomes a hard one to digest. Plenty of distortions and steady beats, with vocals blending along, the first two tracks “Get Lost” and “Coffee Shop Devil” become almost tasteless if not because of their great intros. The second half is a great improvement, the mess gets some shape in “The Days of the Days” and then, an unexpected track pops up that makes one almost forget the rest. “Mr. Tambourine Man” is a memorable Bob Dylan cover worth to download.
There’s probably nothing wrong with this one, it’s just so plain and self-secured that it falls into the ordinary. Nahuer seems to be in a stable position, on a comfort zone that shuts down before envisioning the broader picture of simply offering distinction. This artist should’ve taken the risk and taken the album’s title more seriously, a fight would have been fun to experience. As musical form goes, it’s perfectly executed; a track like “Pleito” is produced so well it could be part of a Babasonicos album. Second track “Fin” has its ups and downs, while “1807” intends to be play with an acoustic setting but falls short. A three-track EP shouldn’t be enough to judge the artist itself; hopefully a next encounter gets to be juicier.
CALLE 434 – LOS DICIPULOS, LUNY TUNES (ECHO FUEGO, PUERTO RICO) RATING: 37
Three years ago, getting featured on a Luny Tunes compilation was a fulfilled dream for reggaeton and bachata artists, now it’s no big deal; it lost respect because as expected, followers have given up on the laziness their beats were getting, and many just lost it when RBD was the leading artist in one of their last albums. Back when they were preliminarily and erroneously called the latin Neptunes, they featured hot artists like Daddy Yankee, Wisin & Yandel, Ivy Queen and Don Omar, mostly with original material they would produce. Now all the magic is gone, both as producers and padrinos of worthy talent. Half of these tracks are as old as the explosion of the genre itself, perhaps they just decided to ‘revive’ a track like “Mirama” to include the big boss on the credits. There is a highlight here, Arcangel of course, who again, shouldn’t be hanging around these two, but luckily he participates with previous material of own. This is a great way to differentiate his potential to the rest; he makes the rest seem like a not very funny joke.
New weekly post, every Tuesday. What exactly is this about? Let me explain, I seriously listen to so much music, it’s a great honor to be able to access a big broad territory, this art follows me everywhere, as a college student it only makes it easier while walking on campus and getting the chance to write about it in between classes it’s a pleasure. Lately, I noticed I’ve been getting a big pile of CDs in the mail and a lot more on my email with digital releases, the labels or/and the artists dedicate time and money getting their music to me that it is only fair to at least dedicate a few thoughts on the albums I get to hear every week. If I really like an album and feel comfortable defragmenting its elements, it usually gets reviewed, if not I had been ignoring them. So this weekly update will be dedicated to a line of albums that fall short in my book to review them or feature for some reason or another, or perhaps I just can’t write about it extensively because of my lack to cultural awareness or something. My comments might not be as colorful as they usually are, but will always be sincere and I guess that’s why we’re here; it’s my way to let them know I appreciate their important role at Club Fonograma.
Expect my quick thoughts on a couple of 2009 releases tomorrow, and week after week. As you might expect, this will be a great place to comment on my latest devotion to the EP format and net labels. If I don't write about an album you've sent me, it's probably because I plan to celebrate it very shortly.
Ever since "Querido FBI" leaked and captivated the entire island of Puerto Rico, Calle 13 doesn't stop progressing its vision, we're fans from hell. "Electro Movimiento" from their latest Los de atras vienen conmigo is one of the best tracks in the album, and the video has just premiered on MySpace. It's their most colorful video since "Se Vale To-to."
There are certain artists that inspire this blog in one way or another, Spanish favorites Carlos & Genis have played a big part on how we envision music and its much needed balance with visuals at the time of presenting it to others. Hidrogenesse covers Remedios Amaya, with a song that participated in the Eurovision contest more almost 30 years ago. “Quien maneja mi barca” is like that beautiful song I once heard at church as a child, and it got stocked in my head regardless of how my beliefs have matured. This is part of project Rewind 2, a fun place where bands around the world pay tribute to an important song from the past, “a flight to the sounds of yesterday.”
BAILAR Y LLORAR, TELERADIO DONOSO Oveja Negra, Chile ****1/2 Rating: 93 By Carlos Reyes
To dance crying or to cry dancing, Teleradio Donoso makes a quick move releasing their sophomore album full of nostalgia and rhythm. In their latest album, The Killers talked about how America was raising a new generation of dancers, Teleradio Donoso’s approach to reach common ground inclines to individual change, about the joy of love and its painful desolation, and of course the physical manifestation of such broad feelings. They had shown signs of vanguard in their debut album Santiago, which placed them on a level of critical acclaim as high as that of fellow Chilean Javiera Mena, but I had no idea of this catatonic vision they now embody. From start, one must highlight the lead singer’s distinctive, arousing and affecting voice; coming from someone who sees voice as another instrument, leader Alex Anwandter is polishing his talent to create a real marvel. Bailar y Llorar is ultimately resonant to the idealism of gender and its urgent collision with age.
Captures the exceptional ideal to let feelings be known without regret, with such open margins, the songs expand to a range of pleasure and fears. It’s been a while since the first single “Amar en el Campo” hit the internet, it’s a touching piece that tackles on the moment one gets tired of humanity and needs to find some organic stability, one the metropolis can’t offer and so camping is the way to go. The trip might take a while, but life and everything has a cycle, eventually reaching the right moment to embrace a relationship. There is a great sexual vibe in “Cama de Clavos”, which associates a dancing practice, the rollercoaster of feelings love evokes, to the metaphysics of the supposedly magical trick of a bed of nails: where the body stands lay down on top of it, the nails are not able to penetrate the body as the weight is distributed throughout.
The album gives plenty of chances to exhilarate your pain or happiness, but most especially, it whispers into the ear that it is perfectly okay to let those feelings invade the body. In “Eramos Felices”, it warns the listener that this in fact is a “delicate balance” and remembers the beautiful moments of an unspecified past. It’s quite cynic and tragically honest, in stressful conditions like those of today, why not look back into a time of joy? The next track “Las niñas de la cuadra” resolves that question but unfortunately outcomes a depressing realization of time and gender. The song tells how as kids, it was perfectly fine for girls to come over to a boy’s house, as they grew up older, they become ghosts as the fathers and morality get in the way, “Era hora de olvidarse de los niños que son tristes.”
No one should ever make perfect songs, and no one should ever call on them, but “Granada” merits this distinction as it is a jaw-dropping hunting song I can hardly get out of my head. Here it goes: Get intoxicated until you see Jesus Christ, confront him, see if you can get over the ghosts you’ve been carrying around, dance along, cry along, destroy yourself, solve the puzzle, be a star and fly, if nothing soothes the pain get yourself a grenade and kill the fucking ghost with it, free yourself. This second half of the album is pure bohemia, like a healing process that concludes with “Yo no se nada del mundo”, the moment to put everything together, moment of realization before a new cycle of crying and dancing.
This album might be hard to get physically, it took long enough to get a proper release in Chile, the single was out about 6 months prior to the album’s release, which was officially presented last month, which in music blogging culture transcends as a 2009 album, and it’s THE pop-rock album to beat this year. We’re hoping a label somewhere in North America picks it up, it’s worth it.
Loyal readers will have noticed that the this blog is all about pop and its derivatives (alternative included), and it’s not because I’m not into rock, I love rock so much I become a blind bastard to even try to get lost in MySpace to ‘discover’ new bands out there. So usually the best rock music from south the border comes effortlessly to me, through either mail or MySpace. A friend request popped up a week ago and was able to put a smile on me; Los Romanticos de Zacatecas is a good, radio-friendly, “almost pop” a lo En Ventura or Vampire Weekend, but this one is easily digestible as the lyrics are direct. But one shouldn’t mind the easy and perhaps lousy lyrics; the band’s name should dissolve any sort of pretentiousness in that area, doubt what can be doubted as they say, and see what’s left, in this case a band to watch. For those of us who just can’t make sense out of teen pop bands (Panda, Finde, Insite, Don Tetto etc. etc.), these romanticos should be an indication of the a good path to take.
Club Fonograma Features: LOS ROMANTICOS DE ZACATECAS. Track: "Lo Sabes Tu" Album: EP Label: Unsigned Country: Mexico >>> MP3 MySpace
It’s only been a few months since I turned old enough to ‘legally’ drink, and yet this next feature makes me feel old. Alexico is part of the exciting new wave of acts from Monterrey Mexico, probably the most fast-tuned out of all. He took the risk barely two years ago; I feel this is one to keep an eye on. His EP Dios Es Lo Maximo is an experimental ride that breaths youth, and it’s as wild and mad as it can get. He will be releasing a new album later this year, meanwhile enjoy “No Se”, which oddly enough, I find extremely relatable. The video itself is a jewel; you can do so much with so little, or vice versa.
Club Fonograma Features: ALEXICO. Track: "No Se" Album: Dios Es Lo Maximo Label: Unsigned Country: Mexico >>>MP3 MySpace
NEGROFLUO, NEGRO FLUO Unsigned, Argentina ***1/2 Rating: 79 By Carlos Reyes
This is the first 2009 album we get from South America and a beautiful one. It had been a while since the word psychedelic had popped up while listening to an album, even having heard the latest masterwork by Animal Collective. This is my answer to emotional abstract music; it doesn’t need to complicate itself with vocal patterns or cosmetic lyrics. Negro Fluo is Jorge Nikliso, this Argentinean shackles into a grasping moment of post-folk, distorting a bunch of elements along its journey and ultimately bringing a quite fantastic first set. Negro Fluo sounds epic; something phenomenal considering this is a solo act, takes full advantage of its resources and accentuates passages that like the art cover, feel aquatic. Sure the music is at times sloppy, but with its position on both salvation and fatalism, it’s careless because it needs to be. A track like “El dia te llama” is surrounded by a futuristic force, a cold surface of expectancy. Meanwhile “Delirios en mi” it’s all about detailing a spectrum of new beginnings. It feels like the album bounces through locations with much sympathy, it wants to grab its listener to that physical or fantasized space and even if it’s not always able to acclimate, it tries to get there at an appropriate phase. Also fascinating is the artist’s idea of personifying music and its made-up characters, pretty much like the visualization of Mexico’s Austin TV but of course, a lot more lyrical. An instant highlight is “Hidden Clouds” (the only English-language song here), whose delicate vocalization evokes Cat Power and Juan Son, a very anthem-like track that is surprisingly very radio-friendly. “10 minutos para despertar” is dreamy and delicious, and a summary of how careful one has to be while listening to this. There are some weak spots especially on the second half of the album, which is not necessarily a fall but it becomes more alienating. I also recommend looking for his 2007 EP titled Arenero, which should be as pleasant as this.
You should know by now that Jonaz y Rosso and their Plastilina Mosh will transcend as one of the key projects that have made Latin Alternative music a progressive, dynamic and exciting movement to be proud of. Aquamosh already has its deserved spot as the radical project that turned classic for its acid lyricism, its brave take on political themes and its depiction of modernity. Throughout the years, their journey has only enriched their colorful and rebellious way of partying, like a distraction or escapism turned into a lesson of joy. Their latest release All U Need Is Mosh is simply hyper, and the singles have been so far steady. We’re gracious to feature their single “Pervert Pop Song”, which has to be their loudest single since “Peligroso Pop.” This song features Patricia Lynn and Ximena Sariñana, in that order, so don’t get it confused, it’s not that Ximena sounds different, her appearance vocally is minimal. We thank Plastilina Mosh and Nacional Records for letting us drop this marvelous song for you, we can’t wait for the upcoming video.
Club Fonograma Features: PLASTILINA MOSH. Track: "Pervert Pop Song" Album: All U Need Is Mosh Label: Nacional Records Country: Mexico >>> MP3 MySpace
LA INVASION DE LOS ULTRACUERPOS THE NEW RAEMON BCore Disc, Spain Rating: 65 By Carlos Reyes
Ramon Rodriguez is an interesting heck of a guy; two years ago he released L’Antartica which I still find mesmerizingly clever. His take on music gives romanticism a fair chance, but it’s mostly about the eternal leftfield sentiments any relationship brings. The music is generic but never stepping on comfort zone, in fact sometimes he even goes on a limb and inserts some humor or acid sarcasm into his lyrics, but never washing away a certain layer of elegancy present all along. What seemed like a transitional career full of change seems to be finally getting some deserved stability, which doesn’t always work, but in this case it indicates more records and that’s to be welcomed of course.
He had recently released the unanimously acclaimed A Proposito de Garfunkel. Surprisingly quick, a brand new EP with six tracks titled La Invasion De Los Ultracuerpos, which is almost a contrast of his last LP. This one is unexpectedly less emphasized in the songwriting, but it might just be his most personal set yet. Its intimacy will continue to be his greatest virtue, and actually, this had a very limited release in Vinyl only, about 500 copies or so, most of us still have a chance to his doors trough a digital release. With such a transparency in both lyrics and music, valuing his work becomes a major conflict as I am always wishing he would distort himself entirely, he is no Robi Draco Rosa or Sr. Chinarro but not one of many either.
As the leading voice of several bands, he has recruited valuable company; particularly in a track like “No Fastidies” they are the prime stars of the narrative and so take over what’s supposed to be a self-journey. Leader “Sucedaneos” talks about falling, how it not only hurts the victim itself but secondary bodies as well. If looking for a bright and witty pieces, this is a place to visit, if looking for anything else, say innovation, musical indifference or variety this will seem like an album full of limitations when it isn’t, it’s just ultra-personal to transcend.
From New York to the world, we are extremely happy to feature Zona Seis, which is quickly becoming one of our favorite urban acts out there. Electrifying hip hop with some great beats, they could be jumping into an easy route commercializing their music, but their electronic swag is taking them to remote musical areas that are rare to find among Latino urban acts. Not only do they set apart from the generic movement of bilingual radio, but these guys sound like a hybrid of old-school American rap and the European dancehall markets. This is bilingual and demanding urban music with lasers. Can they get any cooler? Yeah, they got an awesome blog that I will probably start utilizing as reference. You can currently download their mixtape Electronic Swag for free here (via Zshare). We are featuring the energetic and incredibly catchy “Cybertron”, it features Slay Back and was produced by England’ Elektronik.
Club Fonograma Features: ZONA SEIS. Track: "Cybertron" feat. Slay Back ; produced by Elektronik Album: Electronic Swag Label: Essounds ET Country: USA >>>MP3 MySpace
EL FENOMENO, ARCANGEL Machete Music, Puerto Rico / Dominican Republic ***1/2 Rating: 75 By Carlos Reyes
I think we saw it coming; Arcangel was for too long succeeding with a brave stance on his urban roots, but always looking up to be a pop star, in his words, always looking up to what Prince embodies. So who is this guy and why do we talk so much about him? Simply, he is the one individual with the virtue to give some progressiveness to reggaeton, a genre we believe in despite all the hate, believe it or not, it’s in its best moment on the hands of Austin Santos. Always criticized for aspiring to be both Lil’ Wayne and Michael Jackson, this guy won the respect of his peers because of his outstanding mixtapes, quickly becoming the one to have on your record, for years expecting a first album. 2008 was supposed to be his year, but the urban genre as a business was not ready for him, his record was said to be too alternative and bipolar to be addressed properly.
Arcangel, in an unexpected move, decides to upload his album on rapidshare for free download (extremely rare with urban artists), after a couple of million downloads (yes, millions) it quickly became the big revelation of the urban circuit. He had the guts to call himself “La Maravilla”, and indeed the album is a jewel, carrying the anger and softness to mediate and reckon his faith. And the tiraera was revived, there are full mixtapes of fellow reggaetoneros and rappers confronting him, the big names were interested, his fantastic appearance in both of Daddy Yankee’s “Pasion” and “Somos de Calle Remix”, his epic flow in the majestic “Algo Musical” by Nejo y Dalmata and finally the awaited first physical release of what I hesitate to call his debut but most will do so.
El Fenomeno features some of the big producers of the genre, which is not a good thing as the album falls into the ordinary more than we had wished for, not enough to disappoint but seems like his ambition is somehow got blurry, this at its best aspires to be a good Chris Brown album. I keep using American artists as reference, which speaks volumes of how unprecedented this guy is. I can’t think of any other artist on our circuit with such power at both raping and singing, and that was perfectly showcased on La Maravilla, this new album is way too romantically lousy for its own good, but he’s even great at manipulating themes to find some balance. One minute he is talking details about how to conquer love, practice sex, destroy his enemies and thanking god for letting him do so.
Some highlights of the new album are the electrifying “Ta’ Bueno el Ambiente”, the demanding “I Got Flow”, the club banger “Nada Malo” and the intimidating/aggressive “Agresivo Part 3.” Also included are six tracks from the unreleased album, which are all great, plus one of the most embraced songs at this blog, “Chica Virtual.” I stumbled on a forum somewhere where a person reproached the album was full of “reggaepop, electronic and weird things”, reminds you of someone, cough Calle 13 cough... no way am I comparing him with the consistency of Residente & Visitante, but just like them, he has dispatched himself almost completely from the genre he was supposed progress. But hey, I don’t mind listening to these tracks on radio, it would be great to see it taking over, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see success in the proportions of a Yankee or Flex. Even if the album has producers Luny Tunes on board, this is highly pleasing album that still sustains Arcangel as Reggaeton’s current MVP.
Want to hear the best track Don Omar has ever touched? Yes, there’s a good one, grab it.
It was a cinematic weekend, to extend it even more I'm posting a list of my favorite films of 2008 (I lost count on how many movies I watched, but it's usually around 130 or so), so here is the great chunk of them, which I had posted days ago over at Cine Azteca.
Eligibility: All films released in the U.S. and Latin-American films released in Mexico.
