Tag Archives: Costa Rica

LOS CRVELES!

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Get your ears round this- the new and completely unexpected release from Costa Rica’s finest Los Crveles! I wrote about them last year, and my obsession has never died down. It’s probably grown; in fact it has, thanks to this new release. It’s 6 noisy AF songs that will do everything in their power to leave you deaf and crying like a baby on the floor. It’s a real gnarly Garage Rock record, and it is loud in all the right places.

 The record came out yesterday and has been released via Istanbul’s Kafadan Kontak Records. They sure know their stuff, and it is worth checking out the releases on their Bandcamp page if you want more obscure and wonderful music in your life. These masked crusaders sure know how to wow you with their slick Garage Rock/Surfer feel, you can’t help but let yourself be thrown into the insane world they have created with their music. At times you feel like you’ve stepped into some Horror b-movie and you expect some odd creature with a slimy hand to grab you by the throat and launch you into the air. Basically, the creepy sound is incredible, and I love this band a lot. A hell of a lot. The scene in Costa Rica is something to really pay attention to, and there are several bands there who are making a beautiful noise and are worth devoting a lot of time on. Your ears will love you for it.

 

 

 These 6 songs were made to make you move, shake and throw things around. The instrumental songs on this record are completely off the wall and the songs where there are vocals? Even better. Even louder. The scream-like vocals sound like someone possessed and it just works so well. You step into this unknown world, and what you get from it is a lifetime of great music. There is no band out there quite like Los Crveles and they’ve this yet again on this release. They have a similar wild sound like The Mummies but there’s something else there, and it’s that something else that stops you in your tracks. I found this band by chance last year, and it was truly one of my favourite and best finds of the year. I just love everything they do, and how they have this unfiltered feel that makes you wish you could do it. But thank god we have Los Crveles doing it.

 Alvcarda Gogo sounds like it could be on a film- it’s such a perfect sounding instrumental number that has a Spaghetti Western feel to it, and you feel like you’re in that film and this song is the soundtrack to an important fight you’re about to take part in. As your enemy approaches in a cloud of sand and dust, you’re able to get a couple steps ahead and knock the fucker out- that’s what this song gives you, the attitude and freedom to be this tough person.

 

 

 

Get your ears round this ruckus record and play these heavenly songs as loud as you possibly can. And as often as you can, of course.

 

 

AVE NEGRA.

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Bands that you know zilch about are always fun to write about; you have no opinion formed, and the music is almost heightened because of this.

Ave Negra are another effortlessly brilliant band from Costa Rica, and the way they sound just has this almost enviable cool feel to it. Costa Rica has some amazing bands, that we know. Ave Negra are a band that you’d want to join and go on tour with, and trash hotel rooms with. The way they sound on record makes you believe that their shows are probably on the wild side. I think they’re in the middle of recording songs for a new record that could be out next year- so you can have that as one of your reasons as to why 2019 won’t suck that much.

The band have this Garage Rock sound that makes you want to pick up an instrument, make it your weapon of choice and just cause a wealth of chaos with the sounds. There is something truly special about the music that comes from Costa Rica, and Ave Negra are definitely up there as being one of the most exciting bands around. The only way to listen to them, is to do it loudly. And often, of course. They are songs that (even if you don’t know what’s being said, like me) you can just really enjoy. The music is nothing short of slick, the vocals are gnarly and powerful. They are just an absolute pleasure to listen to. I love how you can pick up a wealth of emotions in the songs, and the band have this admirable way of making you feel like you’re either at the front of the stage during their show. Or that you’re in the throes of them creating these songs- you’re like their guinea pig or some weird shit. I don’t know.

In all honesty, there’s no one I can compare them to. There’s no other band like this, and I don’t think that there has ever been a band quite like them. Their songs feel like a brawl that has spilled out into the street and gotten way out of hand. They’re a rowdy bunch, and that’s just part of the reason as to why I love them. Ave Negra are a band that I’d love to see play live. You can imagine the crowd going nuts to songs like Indio Comido (easily one of my favourites) and Vivo Por Mi. If you’re looking for a band to become obsessed with, and to get pangs for- Ave Negra are for you. You’ll listen to them, and you’ll be left wanting 2019 to hit us with some new music. After listening to the bulk of their songs, I can safely say that Ave Negra are a band that definitely need your attention. Sack off that awful task of buying Christmas presents, and just stay indoors and listen to Ave Negra. That’s all you can do, and that’s all you should do.

For me, I think Costa Rica is massively overlooked for the music they give us. They truly nail that Garage Rock sound, but they have this way of adding something to it that isn’t seen or felt anywhere else. Maybe it’s the drive, maybe it’s the passion- I don’t know. But I do know that some of the best bands around are from there. Maybe it’s time we moved our focus there, because they are evidently doing something right. Hell, it isn’t just right- it’s perfect.

LOS ESQUIZOIDES.

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My last band of the evening from Costa Rica are Los Esquizoides who have stated that The Mummies are an influence of theirs, so I am super excited to write about them.

There are three people in Los Esquizoides, and the way they scream on their songs and play with this boisterous energy makes you feel as if there is a gang of them. I love this big sound they have, and I’m just in awe of how great they sound. I love how they have taken all the elements of music that I love and have made something out of this world. The songs are fast and full of this energy that just grips you.

Goose is an incredible vocalist. He just lets his voice go out of control which is met with Paula on bass and Adrian on drums. Goose destroys the guitar also, and together they just have this amazing brutal sound that makes you want to join their band.

Something that I really admire about them is that they do not sound overproduced- they just let you hear them as they are. Utterly loud and unapologetically Punk. They have so much bite in their sound, and it just makes you want to make your own noise. I just love them and how they can truly take Punk and stretch it beyond our wildest imagination. They really have this ability to take something from the past and launch it into a time and place no one has been to yet. They are out of this world- are they human? I just fucking love them and how insanely talented they are.

I’m focusing a lot on their Mala Suerte, Es Viernes 13 record that came out in July. It’s a record that once you hear, you’re going to be hooked. You truly are, and once they get you- that’s it. The sound on this record is so good. It’s the kind of record that, if it was a person- you’d probably want to marry it or something. It’s got this sound that can shatter your bones and make you just want to move in wild ways. It’s just a record that you cannot get enough of. There is so much to talk about on this record, and I love that you can pick up on what influences them but by no means do they try and copy what’s been done before. There is something there that’s going to last longer than any of us on this planet. I love how Los Esquizoides just make you question everything you’ve ever listened to before and wonder why it took so long to find them.

Los Esquizoides are easily one of the most exciting bands around, and not just in Punk and Garage Rock. There is something about them that just makes you want to be totally invested in what they are going to do next. I’m totally enamoured by their sound and how brilliantly raw the songs are. It’s really obvious on the song I Know. I can’t call any of their songs as my favourite, every single one I’ve listened to has made me feel like I’ve discovered music for this first time. I just love them.

I love the song I Can’t Fit In. It’s got this real snotty Dead Boys feel about it, and maybe this could take the lead in being one of my favourites. I love the jangly sound with the fuzzy vocals. They’re just a band that make you immediately obsessed with them. They also have this hyperactive version of Surfin’ Bird that just makes you feel like you’re listening to someone who’s had way too much sugar. It’s a brilliant cover. Their demos are so good, and you cannot help but be in awe of these three people who make such incredible music- the demos are just as strong as their other songs. They’re just exceptional.

This is just the start of my love and obsession for Garage and Punk bands from Costa Rica. I know that there is more out there, and I cannot wait to delve further into it. But for now, wrap up your Saturday evening or start your day (depending on your time zone) by blasting out Los Esquizoides as loud as you possibly can.

LAS PYRAMIDES.

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Some of my neighbours are having parties and playing really awful dance music, but I’ve found some bands to block it all out with and play louder. Next up are Las Pyramides- an exceptional band to play whilst drowning out noise from others.

Of course, from Costa Rica this band are obviously great. They’ve been going around 3 years I think, and in July this year they put a really great EP out which I’m going to focus on.

The songs are strong Garage Rock songs that you’ve just GOT to play loud irrespective of if you have noisy neighbours. They make the kind of music you’d want to see at your local dive bar, they just give off such a beautiful energy with their music and I can’t get enough of it. I love how Fabian makes his guitar sound a bit like a chainsaw and unleashes his brilliant vocals at the same time. He makes his guitar sound like an intimidating weapon used to rip through the ears of anyone who listens to them. He’s an exceptional guitar player. Kevin has this really slick playing style which goes so well with Fabian, and you have Jose who just goes totally nuts on the drums. Together, these three have created something to truly move you and leave you wanting more and more.

Mente Perdida is my favourite song by them (I think it means Lost Mind) and it’s just under six minutes long. It’s a euphoric song that again, has this chainsaw guitar sound but the bass and drums are more relaxed here. I adore Fabian’s voice on this one, and like Kevin and Jose- this song truly shows how brilliant they each are as musicians, and together they just create such fascinating songs. Mente Perdida is the kind of song you’d hear in a bar when you’re just down on your luck and it unexpectedly makes everything alright. I love that then you listen to this song, you have no idea who it could be or when it is from. I really love when bands can make you feel like this because for me, it just shows how great they are and how powerful music really is.

There may only be three of them in the band but they give off this feeling that there’s about four others in the band. Their sound is huge, like really huge but not in an overwhelming way. They are exceptional musicians who make you just really focus on how well they sound together. I know I’ve mentioned it above, but Mente Perdida is a prime example of how effortlessly brilliant they sound together, and how great they are as musicians. Las Pyramides make music that goes beyond being Garage Rock and the style I love. They push themselves so much, and are unafraid to scare you with their sound or soothe you with their songs. They are a sheer joy to listen to, and again, I reckon they are a band that are just a pleasure to see live.

Las Pyramides are a band that just make your mind and body feel free, and like nothing matters- even if it painfully does. I love how they can just send you batshit wild with songs like Temprano En La Mañana- you just know that this is THE song that makes everyone go nuts in their live shows.

The band have this infectious energy that just makes you feel like you can’t enough of their wild sound. You can really sense the passion in their music and how they can just lead you into the unknown with their music.

LOS CUCHILLOS.

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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!

LAS YAKETS.

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I’ve been sent a few bands from Costa Rica to listen to, so my Saturday night is going to be spent listening to and writing about them. From the bits I’ve already listened to, I just know I’m about to write about some amazing bands who deserve to be heard. If like me, you’re scared of flying and have an out of date passport then let us both pretend we are at a Garage Rock show in Costa Rica watching the bands I’m going to write about.

First up are Las Yakets.

Las Yakets make 60s style sounding surfer rock that make you want to just totally lose your mind. Their sound is fast, annihilating and a joy to listen to. Their song Johnny Cash is so, so good. It’s one of the best songs that fall into that Garage/Surfer Rock sound. I hate the word, but Las Yakets make ‘fun’ music. They make you forget about your troubles and just make you have a really good time when you listen to them.

A couple of their songs are instrumental, and these songs are great. They make you feel as if you’re being hunted down in the desert and a gun fight is about to emerge. Before you know it, you’re being circled by a gang on horses pointing guns at you ready to take you out, or do some brutal damage. Then fight or flight kicks in, and you become the hero and you outrun them all. You stay on the run forever, however they will never get you. That’s what Las Yakets give you with their songs, especially the instrumental songs. This is where you can totally let your imagination go wild.

Las Yakets are another band that have been picked up on by Hero Records, and the music Hero Records has and is putting out is enough to bleed my bank account dry. I love how Las Yakets make every song sound like a drunk gathering. They make you feel like you’re at a dive bar surrounded by strangers but by the end of it, you’re best friends. They make you feel as if you’re out of control but in a good way. They ease any shyness or nervousness, and ease you in to this party feeling. You feel as if you’re in some dingy bar where closing time doesn’t exist and no one has any concept of time- it never ends. The music is enough to make you wish you could do this. Las Yakets are exceptional musicians and this most certainly shines on their instrumental songs, and definitely on the song Playboy (which is now my favourite because it’s just bananas!)

I’m not sure how long they’ve been a band but they do make you feel as if they’re a band that have been going for decades and are totally in control of what they want to achieve with their music. I love everything about them, and their music is make up of wild moments that just send you into a frenzy. Santananas is a minute and a half of screaming, which I just love and is definitely a great moment in their music for me. It’s a short song that just makes you lose your shit. Sometimes we all need that, and the screams help.

Their most recent release is the single, Dinamiat which came out just over a week ago. I think it’s taken from their new record which will also be out on Hero Records- I think. This song isn’t as nuts as what we were given last year, but you just know it is them and you know that this song live will be ridiculous. I love that they are a band that you know will put on a great live show; they create music that just needs to be blasted out in a live setting. You can imagine them just going crazy on stage, falling into the crowd and everyone being soaked in beer and sweat.

Las Yakets are such an exciting band, and one that is just a pleasure to listen to. If you’re looking for a band to sound track your social gatherings or to just trash your room to- Las Yakets are your go to guys. Their sound is wild, liberating and just so much fun to listen to. Scream the words with them and revel in their sheer greatness!

LOS CRVELES.

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What do you know about the Costa Rica Punk scene? Is it the same as me? My knowledge is piss poor, but I’ve just found an amazing band from San Jose and I’ve just got to write about how brilliant they are. They don’t sing in English, but who cares! Some of the best songs in the world are in a different language.

Los Crveles are a noisy band who can make you shit your pants with their exceptionally loud and earth shattering songs. They are out for your soul and whatever else you’ve got going spare. They have this wild ability to just mess with your brain, and I can’t get enough of it. I can’t compare them to anyone, and I wouldn’t if I could. However, if like me you’re a huge fan of The Mummies, then you’re sure as hell going to love Los Crveles. I love them, and I’m pretty sure it is going to turn into an obsession. I wish I was a millionaire so I could afford to fly all the bands I love over to the UK and get them some shows. For now, the records will have to do.

If I’ve researched carefully enough, then I think there are three of them in the band. They released Veneno Tropical in July this year and have two more releases prior. Their sound is incredibly addictive. I just want to listen to the screams and the excessively loud music on a loop. The way they make you feel like you’re in an old spaghetti western film, about to launch into a fight that began from a filthy look in a saloon bar is fucking insane. They’ve got this timeless sound. I don’t know what year I’m in when I listen to them, and I adore that about them.

Quema La California is one of their instrumental songs and if any song can capture a saloon bar brawl, it’s this one. It’s like the dramatic build up, and once it kicks in, you’ll have dust in your eye and gun smoke filling the air. It’s such a brilliant song. Sure it gives off some violent vibes, but there’s no maliciousness here. It’s just drunken cowboys having a good ol’ time.

Ritmo Infernal came out two years ago, and if you listen to that and put on Veneno Tropical straight after then you’ll totally see how this band have evolved their sound, and how they are undoubtedly one of the most exciting bands you’ll ever hear. Ritmo Infernal is only made up of five songs, but those five songs are just masterpieces. Again, it feels like you’re in a film. I don’t mean it in an atmospheric way- I mean it as if you’re in the film. You’re the villain perhaps, because being the hero doesn’t make it as interesting. Actually, be the underdog. Los Crveles are an absolute pleasure to listen to and to just have blasting loudly in my ear. Their songs are everything you’d want from a band that go against what is expected from a typical Punk band or whatever. They’re loud. Really loud but there’s more to them than that.

If you’re looking for a band that’ll make you think something has crept right into your soul and possibly possessed you, then Los Crveles are for you. They have so much power in their music, and it just deserves to be heard by as many people possible. I love how utterly fearless they are with their music and how they aren’t afraid to totally mess with the mind of anyone who listens to them. They’re loud, brutal and pleasantly demonic- it’s beyond Punk. It’s beyond any form of music genre. All I know is that I love them. A lot. I cannot wait to hear more from them, and I hope they just keep getting louder and louder.