Tuesday, August 21, 2007

Circo - "Cursi" + Nacotheque



This was sent to me today:

http://www.endi.com/noticia/musica/flash!/atrapado_por_la_cursileria/266146

Fui para conocer las distintas escenas de música alternativa y electrónica que hay en Manhattan. Allá me encontré con un grupo de jóvenes de todas partes de Latinoamérica que están haciendo unas fiestas que se llamannarcotech’ y me estuvo muy curioso que celebran lo cursi por medio de ‘remixes’ modernos que hacen los DJ de canciones cursis clásicas de los 80, como de las Flans y Gloria Trevi”, afirmó el histriónico músico.


The first time I ever saw Fofe/Circo was in my parents living room sometime in the late 90s.. maybe early 00's. My mother had signed up for some shady cable service that broadcasted several unheard of spanish/hispanic/latino (whatever the fuck) channels that oddly enough turned me into a lot of music and films I still love today. In fact, that's where I first discovered the likes of Zoe and Lucybell for the very first time.

One afternoon, right after the Jerry Springer show (back when they were getting more ratings than Oprah AND showed fights), I was flipping around channels and suddenly stopped at the sight of a moustached, trendy, cholo looking dude singing "ya no estas mas a mi lado corazon..." into a disco ball-ish bullhorn. "WTF is this?" I said to my doubtful teenage self. Once the video was over, plain white letters ala MTV cleared it up for me; it was Puerto Rico's very own Circo.

Circo has always been a ridiculously underrated band. They're very solid and dudes know how to write catchy well-crafted tunes.

Last year, Nacotheque had the pleasure of having Fofe as a guest dj. He spun some raw demos from what would ultimately become "Cursi", their new LP. And not cause he plugged us or anything, but they sounded reallyyyy good. Right away I noticed a more electronic sound compared to their previous stuff. He told me they started to write new stuff and that it was due out sometime this year. That was last year. LAST YEAR! It feels like it was soooooo long ago. However, just a month ago we had Fofe & Egui do a very special Nacotheque-only mini performance where they performed one (and only one) of their new songs. This was during LAMC week at the Zoe afterparty. I must say the crowd took it in quite well. How could they not? besides good songwriting the band has a great live show. Definitely a lot of energy from both the crowd and half-Circo (the whole band didn't perform).

Now that the Noelia sex tape scandal is finally dying out, my attention is back to where it should be, osea, on the lookout for new amazing music. And thanks to my "sources" I've gotten a listen to most of the Cursi demos (not the final recordings) and shit, they sound GOOD. Just as good as I remembered them sounding at Fofe's dj gig. Cause you know when you listen to something at a club and you think it sounds really good but then you listen to it a home and you're like "um, it's ok. I guess it sounded better at the club?!" - well this isn't one of those times. They are good songs period. Definitely keep an ear out for this one. Some of the better stuff I've heard so far in 2007.

- M

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