Like A Fine Wine...
Patrick Monahan | Vancouver, BC | 07/08/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"...these guys only get better with age. It only seems natural, as these guys have been around so long, that they expand their musical flavourings. The ska and salsa of their youth still vibrates with energy, but does not allow for the depth of songwriting that began to appear with their forays into different types of music. Thankfully, where most bands fail by trying new things, these guys only get better. One need only listen to the beautiful smokiness of A Amigo J.V. or the spartan Hoy Llore Cancion, with its fantastic harmonies and percussion, to appreciate that these guys bleed music. And if you're jonesing for some of the good old stuff, just put Calaveras y Diablitos on repeat (get Hola for a killer live version, mixing in some Desmond Dekker near the end). This album makes me want to move to Buenos Aires, because there is obviously far more interesting things going on down there than there are up here."
Dejen de quejarse tanto ... Quit your complaining
dosgatosazules | USA | 05/19/2004
(4 out of 5 stars)
"... Critiques on this site seem to be polarized into one or the other direction: either they love this CD and rail against anyone that didn't like it, or they hate this CD and rail against anyone who did. In my opinion, as a fan of LFC (I also own Rey Azucar and Vasos Vacios) I can say that this album is good in a different way than either of those. This album is much
more trippy, less danceable, and more wide-ranging in styles than
any of LFC's previous work. I agree with an earlier reviewer that
it's a shame their political content has disappeared for the most
part from this one - this album has no "Matador" or "Quinto Centenario", both brilliant lyrically and musically. And not all the tracks grabbed me equally- I often skip "Surfer Calavera", but replay "Hoy Llore Cancion" enough to turn the neighbors homicidal. (The more hardcore/punk influenced stuff isn't my cup of tea anyway.)But really, this is a hell of a listen - a journey into all kinds
of musical possibilities, and tons of fun, even if it is a little sad to miss some of the more old-school danceable tracks
and the righteous political anger of earlier LFC. For those minor drawbacks, I gave it only a 4 out of possible 5.
My advice would be to own BOTH this and Vasos Vacios, to have the full Los Fabulosos Cadillacs experience."