Customer Reviews

Fabulosos Calaveras

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

...these guys only get better with age. It only seems natural, as these guys have been around so long, that they expand their musical flavourings. The ska and salsa of their youth still vibrates with energy, but does not allow for the depth of songwriting that began to appear with their forays into different types of music. Thankfully, where most bands fail by trying new things, these guys only get better. One need only listen to the beautiful smokiness of A Amigo J.V. or the spartan Hoy Llore Cancion, with its fantastic harmonies and percussion, to appreciate that these guys bleed music. And if you're jonesing for some of the good old stuff, just put Calaveras y Diablitos on repeat (get Hola for a killer live version, mixing in some Desmond Dekker near the end). This album makes me want to move to Buenos Aires, because there is obviously far more interesting things going on down there than there are up here.

decir que este disco de los cadillacs es malo por el simple hecho de que no suena como vasos vacios(el cual por cierto es solo una recopilacion) es tener una mente cerrada y no quererse abrir a las posibilidades que la musica ofrece como decir que este disco es malo despues de oir las letras de canciones como sabato, el surfer calavera,el muerto, niño diamante o piazzolla que los cadillacs despues de este disco ya no son los mismo estoy de acuerdo pero no creo que ese cambio haya sido para mal sino todo lo contrario para mi este disco es el mejor que han grabado aun y cuando no sea el mas popular ya que dejaron a un lado las complacencias y se pusieron a experimentar con una musica la cual nunca habian tocado el resultado una excelente combinacio de ritmos variados que van desde el surf hasta el trash pasando por el jazz y el hardcore en general este disco es magnifico

This CD is very controversial among those who call themselves great fans of Los Fabulosos Cadillacs, a group which may be the most innovative of this century besides the Beatles. People who loved "El Leon" "Rey Azucar" and other amazing CD's by the Cadillacs feel betrayed that the band took a new direction away from more dancable hits like "El Matador", "Mal Bicho" and "Maunuel Santillan" or that in this CD is not as filled with the passionate political messages that had been characteristic of Los Faulosos. Almost enirely gone are the Ska roots of Los Fabulosos and left is a more mature, more complex and introspective work. Granted this CD is not filled with hits that will fill the dance halls and it may take several listens to capture the full brilliance of the music. This is not a collection of songs but an album which is as collectively sound as "Sargent Pepper Lone Heart's Club" was in the 60's and powerful as Nirvana's "Nevermind" or "In Utero" in the 90's.
This is a work as complex as any by Motzart or Beethoven and like them, it will still be held in high regard 200 years from now. If you listen to the album for 200 years it will still find a way to amaze and surprise you with new complexities and interpretations.

I'm a bass player, and I can say, this is more than rock en espanol. The notes, the whole coordination of the music, the great Gabriel voice... Incredible. I won't say just buy it, I will say LISTEN TO IT

A los pelotudos(as) que opinen que este disco es malo que se vayan a jugar con tierra; es buenísimo, te demuestra la riqueza con la que contamos los sudamericanos, te hace salir(¿entrar?) a ver otra cara de los sentimientos lo cual ,muy difícilmente,una producción en inglés(no es por desmerecer)puede lograr; es algo así como agridulce, y si no te convencí, esperá, que ya sacan su próximo trabajo que según se sabe, vuelve un poco a su esencia original. Igual.. si podés, compralo; pa' mí, valió la pena.Chao indios (eso es de cariño) si quieren pelear conmigo, escríbanme pelaos..

Kind of a latino version of Mr. Bungle, but not as warped. In their latest insanity, The Fabulous Cadillacs reinvent themselves as a schizophrenic, hard rocking punk ska acid jazz wack-a-tacka funk rollercoaster. Naturally, and appropiately, the album is centred mostly around death and mourning, often slowing down to more haunting than ever song writing. But things never get down and blue for too long. Tracks Like "El Muerto", "Surfer Calavera", "Calaveras y Diablitos" quirk things up in virtuos fashion. Huge change of pace, surely the Fabulosos have proven they go beyond the reach of ska, and as such, are truly talented musicians.

I BELEIVE THAT IT IS A SHAME THAT THE CADILLACS FINALLY GET ATTENTION AND ADMIRATION FROM THE AMERICAN MUSIC WORLD (ROLLING STONE) AFTER MORE THAN A DECADE OF GREAT MUSIC. WHAT BOTHERS ME THE MOST IS THAT THE CD THAT IS RECIEVING SUCH LAUD IS THEIR (WITHOUT A DOUBT) WORST! CRITICS SHOULD HAVE ACCLAIMED VASOS VACIOS. THE LATTER ALBUM IS WITHOUT A DOUBT ONE OF THE GREATEST SKA/ROCK ALBUMS EVER. (INCLUDING ALBUMS IN ENGLISH). FABULOSOS CALAVERA IS SIMPLY OKAY. MY PERSONAL OPINION IS THAT THEY SOLD OUT THEIR FANS TO GO FOR A "DIFFERENT" STYLE. THAT "DIFFERENT" STYLE HAS MADE THEIR LATEST ALBUM A FEW TIERS LOWER THAN VASOS VACIOS.

This album marks a turn for the different, neither better nor worse, in the geniusly intense career of what is perhaps the greatest rock band to emerge on the music scene in any language over the past 20 years. My summation of this band for those not familiar with LFC would be a hybrid of Phish meets Rock en Espannol, meets existential gloominess amidst the exhuberant shouts of carpe diem inherent in Latin Culture.

There are those that will criticize LFC for not producing more anthems, more (mas y mas) songs like Matador, Radio Criminal, Mal Bicho. But this album does have its political commentary, it simply comes in not-so-obvious forms. The listener has to look for it, figure it out. That is the gem of this album. It opens more and more on each listen.

Granted, the songs above are LFC standards, and are part of what make this band so great (the fact that they ARE politically conscious). But they are also able to combine the "poco serio" stance of countrymen Bersuit Vergarabat (another great Argentine band!) with the rabid socio/political criticism of the former and a seriousness a la Molotov all the while backing it with sound musical talent. Flavio (the bassist) is arguably one of the best bassists and the interaction of the band members is top notch. This album is innovative, literate ("Sabato" is homage to the Argentine writer, Ernesto Sabato, and perhaps, an interpretation of his masterpiece, Sobre heroes y tumbas) and at times, gloomy with a healthy dose of Argentine profundity and old world heavy temperament, backed by a group that, doubtless, enjoyed themselves making another stellar album.

This album is a great mix of punk, ska, rock, and Latino sound that in my opinion is the best album I have ever bought in my entire life. Since I bought this I have been on a maddening pursuit to find more music like this.

Hace tres años que me compre este disco y hasta el dia de hoy no me he cansado de oirlo. Los Fabulosos Cadillacs siempre fueron tremedos musicos, pero Fabulosos Calavera fue un episodio experimental donde los integrantes de la banda exhibieron su ilimitada capacidad como compositores para crear musica que a demas de ser variada y original, es de optima calidad. El disco recibio criticas variadas. A pesar de haber ganado un grammy y de ser alabado por una serie de revistas populares, muchos de los fans que crecieron con la banda quedaron decepcionados. Aun que Fabulosos Calavera no es una representacion musical de la prototipica asociacion que existe de los Cadillacs, el disco no deja de ser exelente. Ambos fans viejos y nuevos deberian desarrollar el oido para la musica de este disco.