Control Machete - Artilleria Pesada, Presenta (CD)

Control Machete = Brilliant!!

By Yahoo! Shopping User  Mar 2, 2005

Pros: Stylish, excellent beats; rhythmic lyrics; unique voice.

Cons: None. Period.

Featuring 2 additional tracks not listed on the lineup as well. I am NOT at all close to fluency in Spanish, which probably just accentuates the rhythmic street-poetry flavor of the lyrics. However, as I break out the Spanish-English dictionary, I ha...ve so far been pleased that not only is this disc sheer pleasure to listen to, these guys actually have something to SAY! It's one of the best albums I have heard in years (I write this in 2005... hey, what can I tell ya... Spanish language rock/hip-hop, or any Spanish language music for that matter, is not easy to find out about or to come by up here in Michigan...) To give you a frame of reference, my favorites include: NIN, Portishead, Modest Mouse, Radiohead, Johnny Cash (especially the American recordings with Rick Rubin), Tool, Gillian Welch, Eminem (the beats, not so much the lyrics), Stevie Wonder (the early to mid '70s soul period), Morphine, Stereolab, Bjork, and The Country Gentlemen (bluegrass). In fact, I might never have had the pleasure of listening to this incredibly tight album if I had not happened across a Mexican record store in Kalamazoo and, seeing a copy of the film "Amores Perros", picked it up and suddenly remembered to ask "Quien cantar "Si Senor"? To which the instant reply was the lovely young Mexican woman behind the counter walking over to the row of CD's and enthusiastically handing me this disc. So, you can also consider this review a raving endorsement for "Amores Perros", which I would give 4 3/4 stars out of 5 stars... that lost 1/4 star only because there is a short period in the middle chapter of the story that drags a little. It is an extraordinary movie ... inventive, compelling, with complex & interesting characters, tragedy & redemption, and a street-smart, hip, edgy style somewhat reminiscent of "Pulp Fiction", "Lock, Stock, & Two Smoking Barrels", or "Snatch", with plenty of visual richness, and a twist of the sensuality, humanity, & introspection of "Sex & Lucia". Overall, one of the top 10 movies I have seen in ANY language in at least the last 4 years. Read more Less