Vosotros – Mala Vida
There are few countries that are more excited about exotic sounds and places than the U.S. It tends to move cyclically, so expect a brand-new obsession for all things Australian, Japanese or South Korean in the next few years. It happened before, and when it did, you could feel it in fashion, music, and, especially, movies. And because the U.S. dictates what pop culture means in the world, those elements became global concerns.
With that in mind, I still find it bizarre that while there are more than 40 million native Spanish speakers in the U.S. and while Central America is only a couple of hours of flying from Florida, most Americans speak not a word of this language, nor show much interest in the culture of their Southern neighbours. This is fine and a matter of preference, of course. But instead of looking halfway around the world for something exciting, vibrant, and different, they may cast their ears and eyes closer.
Vosotros’ “Mala Vida” is an ambitious rock song that blends the intensity of post-hardcore bands like At the Drive-In with the tension of post-punk and the music ideal of prog-rock. It’s an intriguing and dense 4-minutes of music, and what it shares most is with Latin-American and Spanish bands. This puts Vosotros in a novel position where they can make American rock while cleverly selecting some of the most alluring Latin elements to go along with it. I don’t see why this wouldn’t be thought of as “exotic” or why it wouldn’t be very successful in, at least, the U.S.A.
Aderyn – Hangxiety
People willing to dress up, catch a cab downtown and pay a couple of bucks to see your B-level band in a musky basement are the ones keeping modern music alive. I’d like to thank them for all of the wasted nights and sweet, unwarranted compliments.
But while they are doing the Lord’s work, you do have to wonder if their time wouldn’t be best served elsewhere. You have to be amazed at these people’s ability to power from one party to another afterparty on a semi-daily basis. And, sure, human curiosity makes you wonder just how much time they spend doing makeup on a regular week.
“Am I wasting my life or having the time of my life.” That’s the hook of Aderyn’s “Hangxiety,” the line that will stick in your mind and the focal point of one of the great songs about being out and about. Being part of a music scene is no less exhausting than joining a cult or the firefighters and probably requires more wardrobe choices. Aderyn pushes through her internal crisis using punk and pop sounds that have melded together like sheets of metal after a traffic accident. It’s great stuff, and dare I say it, it’s something to think about.
