In an unusual but imaginative (and brave) move, Rock's best kept secret,
Breed 77 have released an album of the Spanish language versions of the "hits" from the first three albums. The result is '
Un Encuentro' (An Encounter).
This Gibraltarian, multi lingual band's unique and flamboyant fusion of rock, metal and flamenco might just be a little too arcane, a bit too non conformist to win fans in any significant number. But for those who have tuned in, there's a wealth of innovative rock music to be heard.
The hulking
'Sombras' (Shadows), the opening track from the debut sounds just as powerful, just as heavy now as it did then. Spanish is a beautiful, romantic language. Accordingly, it takes a skilful vocalist to charge the songs' lyrics with threat or menace. Paul Esola achieves this by simply filling his vocals with emotion, filed down to a sharp edge where necessary, or pumped up into a blunt instrument to suit the circumstances.
The brooding, sensuous
'Rompiendo El Silencio' (Breaking The Silence) - restlessly rhythmic and ultimately explosive - encapsulates
Breed 77. Even in the more subdued moments it's alive with pent up emotion. It eventually ignites, capturing all the spontaneity and urgency of a red blooded flamenco...intricate percussion and fluid movement...while adding the adrenalin rush of huge guitars and big chords.
'
Petroleo', a powerful polemic that opens inauspiciously, with high speed handclaps and the rude strum of acoustic guitars, soon cranks up into loud, abrasive electric action, quickly accelerating headlong into a fabulously wordy, lethargic chorus. It's unarguably one of '
Un Encuentro's killer cuts, along with, and no surprise here, '
El Rio' (The River). This was the standout track (and almost a hit!) from the '
Cultura' album, and it still stands tall.
'La Ultima Hora' (The Last Hour), again from
'Cultura' happens to be a personal favourite. This song's merge of ethnic musicality and hard rock riffs transcends language barriers, managing to achieve that most difficult of feats - remaining true to its geographical roots while sounding international at one and the same time.
Fine album.
Written by
Brian Tuesday, July 10, 2007
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