CD Recommendations?

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jpm2004

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Hello, I'm a musician and music scholar from the U.S. but living in Buenos Aires now. I'm trying to get to know a bit more about Argentine music, so I'm wondering if anyone here has specific CD recommendations of musicians worth checking out. Any style is fine (rock, tango, jazz, cumbia, classical, etc.). I'm familiar with the big stars, though I'd be happy to hear if there's a specific Mercedes Sosa or Pugliese CD that is particularly great and worth tracking Mostly I'd just like to hear what CDs of Argentine music you've really enjoyed.

I can start with a few of my own thoughts on two of the CDs I've bought thus far. "La Luz Del Ritmo" by Los Fabulosos Cadillacs is terribly overrated. Really, only a handful tracks are even passable, and nothing on this record is great. But I guess it may be worth listening to if only because it's pretty popular down here now.

"Aire" by Me Dara's Mil Hijos is a pretty interesting mix of a variety of different styles. If you don't like one of the songs, that's OK, because there are 14 others on the CD that don't sound anything like it, except for a general presence of horns and accordion.

Anyway, if any of you have CD recommendations, I would love to hear them!
 
Calamaro (Alta Suciedad)
Sabina (Phisica y Quimica)
Los Piojos - Azul
Babasonicos (Anoche)
Ricardo Arjona (not my liking but you can try)
Turf
Ratones Paranoicos
Miranda
Sodastereo
Charlie Garcia
Autenticos Decadentes
 
My favorites include the aforementioned Me Dara Mil Hijo's, but I think you really got to see em live, to get the full effect.


I really like the last couple from Juana Molina-
Son, and Dia.
http://www.juanamolina.com/

I am a big fan of Gaby Kerpel, and his Techno Folk Argentina, as well-
http://www.myspace.com/gabykerpel

I like the "Tango Crash" album by three Porteno musicians, who live all around the world-
http://www.myspace.com/tangocrash

Islas De Estados is very cool as well-
http://www.myspace.com/isladelosestados

Then there is Bryce Panic- he is back in the USA now, but he lived in Buenos Aires for years, and his partners are still there, his DJ and the other rapper in the group. I think he is pretty hilarious, accenting the previously unknown connection between Borges and the Beastie Boys. Intellectual smartass Jewish rap is actually not that alien a concept to Buenos Aires...
http://www.myspace.com/brycepanic

Rosal is moody and modern, I dig em-
http://www.myspace.com/rosalmusica

Recently XLR8R, the US electronic and dance music magazine, did a downloadable playlist of techno and dance music from the Zizek collective, a loose group of DJ's and musicians in BsAs- its pretty hip, if you like them beats-
http://www.xlr8r.com/podcast/2008/07/zizek-urban-beats-club

I gotta admit, I know I have to listen to Soda Stereo for educational reasons, but I am just not a big Rock en Espanol fan- arena rock leaves me cold, no matter the language.
I find the current crop of electronic/tango/postmodern vocal mixes much more intriguing.

Or, if you must reinterpret other musics in spanish, I think the mexican bands like KINKY, or Plastina Mosh are much more successful, reinterpreting Eno, Beck, and the Flaming Lips, instead of REO Speedwagon.
But thats just me.

I think live music in BsAs is totally where its at, though- by world standards, its cheap, plentiful, and high quality, and the liquor is cheap, and they usually will serve you wine in a real glass.
 
I gotta admit, I know I have to listen to Soda Stereo for educational reasons, but I am just not a big Rock en Espanol fan.
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I'm with you there Ries.

I appreciate Juana Molina for doing something different even if I'm not the greatest fan. She did a glorious encore for her gig here involving herself, her bass player and drummer, a table and three cups.

The La Plata band scene has consistently had something to offer - I'm not up on the new stuff but Sr. Tomate are one of my absolute favourite Argentinian bands.
 
Thanks for the recommendations, everyone! I'll second your praise for the live music scene in BA, Ries, though I am disappointed that there haven't been as many shows the last month (in whatever genre) as there were in November and December. Which seems strange to me since, at least in the northeast U.S., the summer is one of the busiest times for music. Hence one of the reasons I'm seeking out CDs right now, to tide me over!
 
Folkrock:
The Alamos - Cola de Cascabel (Album: La Emboscada)
video on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0Jv2igDmhM&feature=related

Pop/Rock/Electronic
Gustavo Cerati
Frontman of Soda Stereo, Argentina's most famous rockband also pursues a quite succesfull solo career. Since the early nineties he has released a few albums. His most recent "Ahí Vamos" is very Rock, while "Bocanada" is more pop/electronic. He also wrote a soundtrack for the movie "+bien".

For me personally the most fascinating aspect of Argentine (pop) music culture is it's link with football. Almost all of the songs sung by Argentine football fans are local popsongs, with adapted lyrics. But it also works the other way around: many fanclubs of bands imitate football-fans in their behaviour.
 
I really enjoy the CD's I buy from street musicians and street orchestras. The San Telmo Sunday market is a great source of live music and CD's.
 
Personally I prefer the Greats like Pugliese and D,Arienzo, but if you want live, new and exciting, look out for Otros Aires and Colour Tango.
Otros Aires can be seen occasionally at La Viruta (Club Armenia ) but now seem to prefer travelling, they somehow always seem to cross the Atlantic at the same time as me but always in the oposite direction.
Colour Tango are quite popular in many of the Milongas, as they are not as radical, but be prpared to wait, they rarely start before midnight.
 
jpm2004 said:
Thanks for the recommendations, everyone! I'll second your praise for the live music scene in BA, Ries, though I am disappointed that there haven't been as many shows the last month (in whatever genre) as there were in November and December. Which seems strange to me since, at least in the northeast U.S., the summer is one of the busiest times for music. Hence one of the reasons I'm seeking out CDs right now, to tide me over!
Click to expand...

That's because BA shuts down until beginning of March now. Live shows are out on the coast, along with most of the people. There's a few festivals that go on around Gesell / Mar de la Plata I think, and then DJs in Punta
 
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