My Album of the week

Ries

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Lately I have been really into Terraplen- the Argentine band, not the Chilean metal band.

http://www.myspace.com/terraplenfolk/music/songs/tabla-rota-65831318

This is the latest project of Gaby Kerpel, and it strikes me as quintessentially Porteno- it is the mix of Latin American and European, emotion and intellect, skill and spontaneity that I love about Buenos Aires in general.

Seeing these guys live, at first you think they are a heavy metal band, with the smoke machine and dramatic spot lights- and then they start playing Andean pan pipes and goatskin drums, and you go- okay, its really the South American equivalent of Americana- not "new country", but "new peru".
Thats when they whip out the electric guitars and lay down some Rock Nacional.
After that, to confuse you farther, they all three sit down at laptops, in their thick glasses and knit chalecos, leaving you thinking maybe they are "Math Tango".
At which point the two female singers come out, teetering on 6" heels, flashing cleavage and legs. And those two women just WAIL. La Yegros, the significant other of Gaby, looks and sounds like she is the Brazilian reincarnation of Bessie Smith or Aretha, except she is from Moron, a homegirl.

Its very typical Argentina- It isnt european, it isnt really Latin American- its some crazy hybrid, intellectual classical influences and sweaty dance music, with ethnic folk overtones, mixed in a way that can only exist in Buenos Aires.

Gaby himself composed the music for De La Guarda and Fuerza Bruta- so he is no stranger to showmanship, but all three of the guys in this band are amazing musicians and composers, with Gustavo Santaolalla producing.
In fact, between the three of em, they pretty much know everybody, and have played most any kind of music.

Theoretically, they are unsigned. But in typical Argentine style, I have in my hands an actual CD I bought. I have no idea how that works. You cant prove the CD exists if you google it. But you can buy one in BsAs. Sometimes.

If you get a chance to see them live, do it.
 
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