La Malasangre – Jaque Al Rey / La Rebelión
Genre: Psychedelic Rock, Latin Rock, Alternative Rock
Similar artists: The Mars Volta, Puscifer, Alewya, Hiatus Kaiyote, Royal Blood, Måneskin, The Marias, Zeal & Ardor
Progressive rock is like a person with bad debt for the entirety of their life. So much so that they are forced to change their name once every fear just so that they can come back into town. Still, the reputation that’s been earned involves drastic and unfair punishments.
Prog-rock, too has to change its look, its name, and some of its sounds every few years. It always gets left behind by the times. It’s not been in fashion since Yes were selling out arenas in the early 1970s. Yet, for all of its perceived faults, it is still the home of the most gifted, versatile, and technically proficient musicians.
La Malasangre’s Jaque Al Rey / La Rebelión plays like a prog-rock Latin novel. Sure, it’s a complex piece of work that will require you to strain your attention in order to grasp it fully. But, there is also tragedy and sweetness to this piece, and even an attempt to import pop elements into this musical style meant to project grandeur.
Foreign Air – Night At The Zoo
Genre: Alternative Rock, Alt Pop
Actors usually know from what angle they should be filmed and photographed. Knowing your good side, for them, means earning a paycheck. This level of self-knowledge, however, does not extend to all forms of entertainment. Many will play a part that is not right for them for the vast part of their careers.
Most musicians are this way. For many, it is simply because they are intimidated by the plethora of musical styles and constantly changing trends that they must follow. For others, their very best musical ideas were had when they weren’t yet able to play an instrument and fully articulated their thoughts. It is very likely that the band that they would have started, provided the correct tools were supplied as a child, would be vastly different from the version that they have come up with as an adult.
Foreign Air’s Night At The Zoo is a song that sounds as if it was made by an indie-pop-obsessed toddler. The melodies, the arrangement, and the music video glisten with childish innocence. However, this is not a work of a naive artist. Night At The Zoo is crafted to excellently incorporate high-end production strategies and a likable bluesy theme. Few people can say that their 8-year-old self would like them as adults, but Foreign Air are some of those that can.
