Diablo Swing Orchestra - Sing-Along Songs For The Damned And Delirious

Combining extreme metal with symphonic arrangements is not exactly something new. If besides we're talking about a Nordic band the thing seems really predictable. However, this is not the case of "Sing-Along Songs For The Damned and Delirious", second album from the Swedish band Diablo Swing Orchestra who deliver 10 amazing songs in which they manage to meet all symphonic metal canons (from demonic voices to string arrangements, and from crushing riffs to the "break-a-glass" soprano voice) while at the same time they pass through swing, Balkans music and even some Latin touches. Thus, while most of their colleagues look for the operatic exquisiteness and grandiloquent classical arrangements, Diablo Swing Orchestra goes trough burlesque, theatricality and joy, with songs like the opener "A Tapdancer's Dilema", in which power chords engage to swing jazz, or "Lucy Fear The Morning Star", a song with afro-latin percussion in which we just don't know whether to make some headbanging or to shout "Azucarrrr!" while (Oh! gothic-metalhead sacrilege!) dancing deliciously. Demonstrating that there is always an exception that proves the rule, Diablo Swing Orchestra delivers a very good symphonic metal disc. Anti-solemn and exuberant. Sabor! -CORANNIEIT-

Diablo Swing Orchestra, Sing-Along Songs For The Damned And Delirious

Sensory Records, 2009

Links:
Official Site
My Space Site

madhatteR - Universal Thinking Stops Time

In a so fucking arid scene, as the national rock is (i'm talking about mexican rock scene), an effort like "Universal Time Stops Thinking", from the Queretaro's band madhatteR, should be, at least, a remarkable occasion. Unfortunately works like this, away from commercial standards and which did not originate in Mexico City, Guadalajara or Monterrey, often go almost completely unnoticed. Moving between post-rock, progressive rock and post-metal accents, "Universal Time Stops Thinking" (by the way, it can be downloaded from the band's site on last.fm) is a record composed by 7 pieces, almost all of them instrumental, in which madhatteR runs over the same roads of bands like Mogwai or Indukti making music in which a punchy and intricate bass is guiding powerful guitars, that in songs like "God Hates Ugly Music", acquires a dark and sinister touch, approaching, keeping all proportions, to the style of the masters of Tool. On the other hand, the quartet also shows its friendly face in light themes such as "Anderson Council" while in "Daemonieke Reprise" they experiment with electronic music. Perhaps just with vocals as weak point, and despite the limited studio production, madhatteR delivers a cerebral, well done and full of good moments record. -CORANNIEIT-

madhatteR, Universal Thinking Stops Time

madhatteR-Indie, 2007

Links:
My Space Site

Los Campesinos! - Romance Is Boring

Asserting itself as one of the most prolific bands nowadays, Los Campesinos! presents "Romance Is Boring", their third album in just 2 years (plus a couple of EPs), which includes, for if this were not enough, 15 tracks. While the quantity and, it is fair to say, the quality has never been problem for this guys from Wales, perhaps some thing that is beginning to be noticed is the lack of variety. Though "The Sea Is a Good Place To Think Of The Future", an excellent song that was published on their website in October last year, led us to expect a record a little bit more "profound" and ambitious, "Romance Is Boring " still maintains intact the style of the band featuring, once again, funny, energetic, partying music. Spontaneous and effusive rock/pop with accelerated rhythm guitars here and there, splashed with some violin and the pampered interpretations of Gareth Campesino!. Plenty of catchy & irresistible melodies, almost with a single on every theme, "Romance Is Boring" does not contain any innovation but, in some way, it patent the "Campesino" sound which, after all, is not bad...not at all. -CORANNIEIT-

Los Campesinos!, Romance Is Boring
Arts & Crafts, 2010

Links:
Official Site
My Space Site

The Flaming Lips - The Dark Side Of The Moon

The (often over-rated) Flaming Lips have fulfilled his threat and present their version of one of the Pink Floyd's masterpieces. Signed in conjunction with Stardeath and White Dwarfs, Wayne Coyne's nephew band, and with the participation of Peaches and the iconic punk Henry Rollins, who practically opens the album (perhaps some kind of reconciliation between the punks and Floyd?). Somehow Wayne Coyne and company shown them selves conservative and in a general way they respects almost entirely the original version changing just some things that "lighten" the sound of the work. So, the relaxed and trippy tone of "Speak To Me / Breathe" is now presented as an accelerated introduction with a frenetic bass and spectral guitars, "Time", with the unforgivable omission of gilmourean solo, becomes a sweetened interlude between "On The Run" and a reprise of "Breathe" which follows "The Great Gig In The Sky" in which Peaches, keep the hot style of Clare Torris, but adds a gritty, visceral tone. It is from "Any Color You Like" when the Lips take a little "risk" to close the album with flashes of psychedelia and funk touches. Without the trippy sound of "Dub Side Of The Moon" or the originality of "Dark Side Of The Moon A Capella", this "Dark Side ..." sounds too cautious and is saved more by greatness of the original version than by the Coyne and company work. A plain good version. -CORANNIEIT-

The Flaming Lips, The Dark Side Of The Moon
Warner Music, 2009

Links:
Official Site
My Space Site