Next up my Costa Rican musical journey are Los Cuchillos. If you ever wondered what The Cramps would sound like if they were from Costa Rica- listen to these guys.

Los Cuchillos have been going for well over a decade I think, and they still have this raw excitement to their sound. I love how their music just makes you feel good, and makes you just want to have a fun time. They have this great ability to make you feel like you could be anywhere in the world at any time with their music. They don’t sound like a typical “now” band, which is part of why I love them.

Just like The Cramps, these guys are ahead of their time. I did say they are like The Cramps, but I mean it in a gentler way sort of. There is definitely that haunting horror b-movie feel to the songs- you can sense a monster in slime about to emerge and chase you when you listen to Los Cuchillos, and it’s such a pleasure to listen to them.

Something I really do enjoy about them is their 60s Garage Rock sound. It’s a bit like The Count Five meets The Vagrants mixed with something else I can’t work out just yet, but I love it. Their song Monster Twist is probably my favourite right now. I love how the vocals are really gruff, but you don’t feel threatened at all, you just feel like you’re at some wild party where everyone is going bananas to the music. Los Cuchillos are definitely a band that you can totally let loose to and lose your mind to. I love their way of taking a style of music from decades ago and make it sound like something we’ve never ever heard before. You’ve just got to play these guys as loud as you can handle and let it go through you, and take over all of your senses.

For a band that a well into their career, they still make such exciting music and the kind of music you’d want to use as the soundtrack to your daily life. I love their record from 2014, Isla Macabro! It’s such a fantastic record and all eight songs are just so wonderfully performed and put together. You feel like you are right there with them when you listen to this record, like they are taking you by the hand or the scruff of your neck to go on this wild trip with them. I love the spookiness in this record (it came out on Halloween 4 years ago) and how it can creep you out in such a brilliant way. You’ve just got to keep on playing this one loud and let it take you out of this world. You really do. You won’t feel unsafe, but you’ll be pleasantly weirded out at times, and that’s just part of the charm of Los Cuchillos.

One song in particular I’m drawn to is Tarantino. It’s an amazing instrumental song that could have easily been used in Kill Bill vol.2 I love how their instrumental songs can really make you conjure up wild scenarios in your mind. I’ve gone back and forth with their discography, and I’ve really enjoyed hearing how their sound has evolved. I might be wrong, but I think Tony is the only original member of the band (forgive me if I’m wrong!) but don’t let that make you think that this isn’t a band without a vision. They truly do have a vision, and their music is a fascinating experience to have.

I love being able to hear how Los Cuchillos have grown with their sound, and although they’ve been going for around 13 years you just know that there is something else in them that we have not heard before. They are a band that are unafraid to really go for it and test themselves to create these Garage Rock masterpieces. Some bands you just cannot get enough of, and Los Cuchillos are 100% one of those bands.

Play loudly!