The worst aspect of this album is the cardboard case. It's innovative, and I applaud the lack of plastic. But instead of a booklet, one finds no fewer than 14 tiny sheets of paper - including one for the lyrics of each of the 11 tracks. Artistic, yes. But how many of these pieces will still be with the CD in a year? Fortunately, when you pop in the CD, the brilliant music will banish such complaints from your mind. I don't really know what to call this music - it's got a touch of Manu Chao anarchy, a little Radio Tarifa multiculturalism, and tons of hard work and imagination. Parra has recorded songs on all four of Spain's official languages (Castilian, Catalan, Galacian, and Basque) and explored musical traditions from all over the Iberian peninsula, seeking lost or endangered sounds. From the rapping speed-talk on the baile-juego (dance game) "Galandun" to the bagpipe-led sheep-shearing song "De Esquileo," Parro has created a work of wonder that should send many digging deeper into the musical offerings of Iberia. Parra has recorded songs on all four of Spain's official languages (Castilian, Catalan, Galacian, and Basque) and explored musical traditions from all over the Iberian peninsula, seeking lost or endangered sounds. From the rapping speed-talk on the baile-juego (dance game) "Galandun" to the bagpipe-led sheep-shearing song "De Esquileo," Parro has created a work of wonder that should send many digging deeper into the musical offerings of Iberia.
segunda-feira, 13 de setembro de 2010
Eliseo Parra "De Ayer Mañana"
The worst aspect of this album is the cardboard case. It's innovative, and I applaud the lack of plastic. But instead of a booklet, one finds no fewer than 14 tiny sheets of paper - including one for the lyrics of each of the 11 tracks. Artistic, yes. But how many of these pieces will still be with the CD in a year? Fortunately, when you pop in the CD, the brilliant music will banish such complaints from your mind. I don't really know what to call this music - it's got a touch of Manu Chao anarchy, a little Radio Tarifa multiculturalism, and tons of hard work and imagination. Parra has recorded songs on all four of Spain's official languages (Castilian, Catalan, Galacian, and Basque) and explored musical traditions from all over the Iberian peninsula, seeking lost or endangered sounds. From the rapping speed-talk on the baile-juego (dance game) "Galandun" to the bagpipe-led sheep-shearing song "De Esquileo," Parro has created a work of wonder that should send many digging deeper into the musical offerings of Iberia. Parra has recorded songs on all four of Spain's official languages (Castilian, Catalan, Galacian, and Basque) and explored musical traditions from all over the Iberian peninsula, seeking lost or endangered sounds. From the rapping speed-talk on the baile-juego (dance game) "Galandun" to the bagpipe-led sheep-shearing song "De Esquileo," Parro has created a work of wonder that should send many digging deeper into the musical offerings of Iberia.