TITLE: Gran Pecador
LABEL: Barbes
Cumbia is the current common language for South and Central American popular music -- this rural, retro rhythm is being retrofitted in various ways by urban hipsters across the continent and isthmus. In Chile, Chico Trujillo are the kings of nueva cumbia and perhaps the country’s most popular band right now. Their take on cumbia comes right out of their ska-punk roots – it’s loving, nostalgic and brassy, but it has rock ‘n’ roll’s sensibility, urgency and most certainly tempo. It’s only appropriate that the band’s two American releases are on Barbes Records, whose owner Olivier Conan fronts Chicha Libre, perhaps the USA’s closest analogue to Chico Trujillo. This disc is an excellent if brief introduction to the Chico Trujillo sound – punchy horns, sing-along choruses, and tropical rhythms played a lot faster than originally intended (track 2 is a great example of their approach). Cumbia is the predominant rhythm, but they also slip in a little fandango (track 4), norteno (6) and rumba (8). A fine, fun record from one of the world’s great party bands.
TOP TRACKS: 2 4 6 8 10
ALSO RECOMMENDED: 1 3 5 7 9
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