Dávila 666 - "Pa Que Vives"

Dávila 666 were, hands down, the most popular kids in our yearbook. Puerto Rico Indie did a pretty good rundown (and interview) of their accomplishments last year: rave reviews from every relevant publication out there, an oblique presence in the music festival circuit, a Taco Bell commercial, and a Jack White-produced live album. We would add the fact that they were also responsible for the year’s indie rock hit across the Iberoamerican region. The uncouth, six-member band was so irresistible that even Hollywood actresses like Scarlett Johansen and Kristen Stewart were spotted shoegazing at Davila’s urgent, lubricated vein. Indeed, 2011 will be remembered as the year that witnessed the blossoming of Dávila 666 from a garage boricua band to a universally acclaimed force of nature.

As the band heads down to Mexico to play at Festival NRMAL in March, they have released a gorgeous, 600-unit 7’’ vinyl through Oops Baby Records. A Puerto Rican flag vinyl version of the disc sold out on pre-order. The front single “Pa Que Vives” and its B-side (“Sera Sera”) aren’t exactly new. Both songs were recorded in 2007 and are part of an ammunition of songs that lacked proper publishing. When we asked the band for the file of the single (for your streaming pleasure) they sent a .wma file, which pretty much tells you about the appraising of “Pa Que Vives” as a wax spinning experience (the main reason why I’m holding back on any critical annotations for now). In the meantime, the band is still prepping the recording of Que Viva El Veneno, the band’s forthcoming second album with In The Red Records.