josephfranko

Archive Page 8

DJ Lengua

Published March 29, 2008 Cumbia , Electro Latino 3 Comments

We just released the 7 song debut ep from Dj Lengua on Discos Unicornio. Now Eamon is not only a business partner, but my best friend. So I think it would be unfair for me to write anything more about this. If anyone wants to take a crack at it, word!

Otherwise, I’ll just post my personal favorite tune on this ep and i’ll post turntable lab’s review of Dj Lengua’s efforts. Hit me up if you want a copy. It can also be found at turntablelab.com & unicorniorecords.com

Discos Unicornio

(From Turntable Lab) Killer debut from LA’s DJ Lengua, aka visual artist Eamon Ore-Giron. Lengua’s dropped some mixtapes in the past and is well known at the infamous Club Unicornio nights in the Bay, but this EP finds him really flexing his skills, foremost of which is the ability to fuse loops from traditional Latin tunes and cumbias with chunky, straightforward beats to create seriously infectious tracks. “Cumbia Squares(1)” ramps up with tasty, dusty drums and circular flute / xylophone licks before the repeated “cumbia cumbia cuuumbiiiaa!” chants and accompanying guitar coda seal the deal; the L Pacheco remix(2) sticks to the original’s blueprint, extending the track for your mixing pleasure while dubbing things out a bit. There’s a little boom bap, organ stabs and some deep percussive flourishes on the upbeat “L Dolor(3)” and some just plain lovely stuff in “L Pacheco(4),” but probably the most immediate track here is the guitar driven “Mi Camino(5).” Tucked away at the end, don’t skip the 7+ minute bloopy minimal electronic version of “Low Rider,” entitled “Lowrider Mambo(6).” 7 tracks; 30 minutes. Recommended.

–Chris Lemon-Red, Turntable Lab

Mi Cacharrito

Published March 29, 2008 Boogaloo , Garage/Rock 3 Comments

1. Manolo Muñoz: Mi Cacharrito

The song is a rendition of country singer/songwriter J.D. Loudermilk’s “Road Hog“. Performed by actor/musician Manuel Muñoz, El Esqueleto (The Little Skeleton). “Mi Cacharrito” (my little car) is basically a story about a guy who needs to get his car repaired so he can go pick up some girls.

Now Manuel Muñoz is considered by many as the godfather of Mexican Rock & Roll. From the late fifties he was cranking out tons of rock & roll cover songs until the end of his carear as a ballad/mariachi singer. I guess that’s where Mexican pop singers go when they’re through being popular, they become Mariachi singers. He also appears in numerous Mexican movies (he reminds me of the Mexican version of Jerry Lewis for some reason or another). Anyway, this is probably one of my favorite cover songs he did. Short and sweet with a garage rock feel to it.

2. Roberto Carlos: Mi Cacharrito

Another great version. Both songs seem to be emulating the sound of a car traveling with the rhythm of the music. And even though Brazilian singer/actor Roberto Carlos’s tune is a bit different than Manolo’s, both do share a slightly similar career.

The one legged (he wears a prosthesis) Roberto Carlo also started as a Brazilian pop rock & roll singer/actor and is considered by many as O Rei (the king) of that genre. He also is known for his romantic ballads now that he’s in the twilight of his musical career. Please not that it is common that Brazilian musicians sing in Spanish and even English (i.e. Nelson Ned, Caetano Velso, ect. ect.), maybe to obtain a larger listening audience.

“There exisits 1000 women who want to go out with me, but it is only becuase of my car”

Cardboard Houses

Published March 15, 2008 Boleros y Baladas , Queso 5 Comments

1. Los Bukis: Casas De Carton

I first heard this song while living in Nicaragua in 1993. At the time I probably would never have guessed that is was Los Bukis performing this song, let alone Marco Antonio Solis who wrote it.

It was the romantic ballad like their 1975 debut “Falso Amor” (a. side) which I am aware of, what made Los Bukis so famous in Mexico, and a style of music that became popular all over Latin America. But Los Bukis really exhibits a progressive side to themselves with the song “Casas De Carton” (cardboard houses).

This tune is a lament to the people of Mexico (and beyond) who live in shanty towns. Sometimes called ciudades perdidas (lost cities), the inhabitants tend to build their homes with anything they can find: scrap metal, plywood, cardboard boxes. And from what I understand of Mexican history, it was in the 1970’s where large metropolitan areas began to see this phenomenon on a much bigger scale. Irregardless, the song demonstrates a slightly revolutionary Los Bukis when they first began. The song starts out with the words; “You’ll never believe this, but there are schools for dogs where they recieve an education”

2. Los Bukis: Necesito Rosas

I threw this one in for good measure. It’s pre-banda romantic love sounds like this that made it for Los Bukis. This song is pretty tame compared to first one. I guess you can’t always be political. Necesito Rosas (I need roses) is an uptempo ballad about a guy who needs roses for his sweetheart. Where is the flower lady when you need her?