Las Resenas Casuales. Bel Bee Bee "Still Unstirred"

Bel Bee Bee "Still Unstirred" (p)2014 The Note Company

As you cam clearly see, I have a bent to Canarian indie rock. Bel Bee Bee is another Canarian-born act with one young girl named Belen Alvarez Doreste behind this moniker.

"Haven't you ever had a burning shower, and when you try to see yourself in the mirror, you need to reach out your finger and draw until you discover yourself again? That's it." - it's written on the band's Facebook profile to describe the modus operandi. A gifted singer, Belen has chosen the path of trip-hop to share her vision with the listeners. So, musically "Still Unstirred" derives from such the sources as her Canarian semi-compatriotas Fuel Fandango or British female-fronted trip-hop combo Kosheen, with the rhythmical patterns more convoluted then ones ever created by both of the aforementioned. Belen plays with her voice masterfully, adding the tracks of backing vocals in their right places. Additionally, the track "Balai Lama" resembles the avant garde pop experiments of Anni B Sweet.

Generally speaking, Bel Bee Bee sounds on this album like a full-fledged international act that seems to be more mature than the girl who in fact has created it.

FYI: The last track - and probably the best - on the album is named after the Sakha-Yakutia (Russia) based village which is known as the Northern Hemisphere Pole of Cold.

The best tracks: Astrays Sculpture, Trust (Serendipity), Oymyakon, I'll Stop This Role Playing

Las Canciones Ocasionales. We Are Standard "Jesus In Her Eyes"

#CaminoAlSonorama. Sonorama Ribera 2014

It's only 3 weeks remaining before the next edition of Sonorama Ribera fest in Aranda de Duero, province of Burgos. 10 months ago I started this blog with the report on Sonorama 2013. The previous edition was my first experience of travelling to a foreign music festival, and it was so nice one! This year we're gonna return to Aranda (in fact, we are already in the 'ready/steady/go' position) and our expectations are to achieve even higher level of pleasure there - especially if taking into account that last week we were granted two VIP tickets to the fest. 

Yani Como (#25 in my 'Los Treinta Principales' thread) is probably the best and most well-known rock band of Aranda origin. The band's leader Javier Ajenjo is the 'showrunner' of Sonorama as well. A couple of weeks ago Yani Como started a crowdfunding campaign to produce and issue their next album "Tu Nunca Te Aburres". I've contacted them on certain details of the campaign, and than received the message from Cesar Quero Garcia, band's guitar player who was really surprised of how far their music might go. Cesar was so kind offering me to upgrade my tickets to VIP - that proposal I accepted sin duda.

Yani Como crowdfunding project

This year Sonorama would be much larger venue than the previous years, with over 80 participants and the lifecycle of 4 days. The main point of attention would be, arguably, Los Planetas - the definitive Spanish indie rock band recently has returned to concert activity after almost 3 years hiatus. Also, there would be the huge number of other great bands and musicians. I'm looking forward to it!

Las Resenas Casuales. Oso Leone "Mokragora"

Oso Leone "Mokragora" (p)2013 Foehn Records

Now I regret purchasing the vinyl turntable a bit too late. I did it this year's May, but it was March when we (my couple Tanya & me) were visiting Barcelona. During this visit I purchased the CD version of this album right from the hands of Marc Campillo, the head of Foehn Records. I'd better think twice before as  this album is clearly of that 'sit and listen' kind that perfectly fits for the vinyl.

The Mallorcan band plays the structurally complicated cinematic sadcore that incorporates other genres like avant-pop, folk, acid jazz or psychedelia. The album's name corresponds (I don't know why) with the Serbian village of Mokra Gora while the songs are named after various species of plants - from well-known ficuses or cactuses to more obscure clivias and monsteras.

It may sound pretty strange, but from the first listen I had a feeling of "Mokragora" as of being fully instrumental. The songs have their lyrics but the vocals are here not for words and meanings - they're here for sounds and feelings. Just imagine yourself stepping into the forest at the dawn carefully moving the cold branches apart to pave your way, and occasionally touching the spider's web with the drops of water condensed at the corners of the web, and they fall over you... Oso Leone create such the ethereal constructions with their music, and the words are falling from above like the raindrops, so these hypnotic landascapes are rather rainy ones.
"Mokragora" washes over you leaving you covered by the thick morning fog. Inventive and truly original, this album is definitely one of the best albums of 2010's.

The best tracks: Ficus, Alcaria, Monstera

Las Resenas Casuales. Cabeza Borradora "The Jack Nance EP"

Cabeza Borradora "The Jack Nance EP" (p)2014 no label defined at the moment

The former alternative dance Canarian outfit Cabeza Borradora returned to activity with the series of concerts that took place the last year, and now their return is marked by the new release: "The Jack Nance EP" named after the late actor starred in the David Lynch first feature-lenght movie that gave name to the band (Spanish 'cabeza borradora' means 'eraserhead' in English). So gone is the mix of danceable Jesus Jones-like post-Cool Britrannia as well as the trippy left-field electronica the band was known for previously in their active years before almost 15 years long hiatus. Here we have the music as quiet as nervous, creepy, noisy and scary. These four tracks of total 30 minutes long could be the perfect soundtrack to any of the convoluted and frightening Lynch's masterpiece. 

"The Jack Nance EP" on bandcamp

Las Resenas Casuales. Dulce Pájara de Juventud "Dulce Pájara de Juventud", "Faithful Songs EP"

Dulce Pajara De Juventud "Dulce Pajara De Juventud" (p)2012 BCore Disc
Dulce Pajara De Juventud "Faithful Songs" (p)2014 BCore Disc

Another band from the brilliant #BCore roster. 

On their 1st full lenght [initially it seems like] these young Barcelonians play driving indie rock in the vein of Superchunk or Sebadoh. From the first glance it might seem to be not so original now in the second decade of 21st century, but their juvenile passion and honest attitude could make you fall for them. The first three songs are (or rather could be) the potential smash hits but then the canvas of the album is somehow torn in pieces by the tracks like segue-like "Nacer 3" or almost speechless "The Fear" or 'Blur-meets-any californian punk' "Junior VS Death". What follows this rather unexpected consequense is another Superchunk-inspired song "Dulce Pajara", and you may think that it rails the album back on the track that was drawn by the initial songs. But this disc is not about obvious decisions, so you'll surely get some surprises until the end.

The new 3-song EP is a bit more experimental in terms of song structures and dynamics (with the latter sometimes travelling somewhere in the fruitful meadows of the post-hardcore rhythmical textures). The lead track "Evelyn Fuck Machine" (I suppose the name of the song should somehow relate to the EP's sardonic cover) is a killer track. The  next "Faithful Songs" consists of the sequence of at least six non-cyclic melodic progressions that combine such the different styles of indie rock as noise or chamber pop. The last song "Benjamin" is a relaxed one but it also contains some twists and turns in itself. Under the bottom line, this EP is a great appetizer. I hope that the sophomore full lenght release of Dulce Pajara De Juventud is underway.

The best tracks:

from "Dulce Pajara De Juventud" - Feel, Gigalove, We'll Fight Them On The Peaches

from "Faithfyl Songs" - Evelyn Fuck Machine

To listen and/or buy please HAZ CLICK AQUI.
Or AQUI.

Las Resenas Casuales. Cuello "Modo Eterno"

Cuello "Modo Eterno" (p)2014 BCore Disc

Cuello have produced the second LP in last two years, the 10 songs of the fast melodic punk rock. Unusually for punk rock, these songs are not of 1.5 - 2 minutes long. The band has the close ties with the avant garde hardcore reformators and labelmates Betunizer, and through some moments you could see this fact clearly: the members of Cuello are experimenting with the rhythms and dynamics sometimes stepping into the convoluted sonic fields of post-hardcore but never falling off the major course. The best track on the album is probably "San Balon" which can remind you of the best moments in the life of Portland, OR band Pond - one of the most harshly underrated bands of the grunge era. But the furious "Tu Fuego De Luces" or simple but catchy "Campeon" could equally challenge this. Finally, I'd like to prevent you from messing the 'melodic punk rock' and 'pop punk rock' terms: "Modo Eterno" is by all means melodic, but it's definitely not pop.

The best tracks: San Balon, Campeon, Tren De Poder, Tu Fuego De Luces