Rodrigo y Gabriela (with Bonus DVD)

Rodrigo y Gabriela | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 3, 2006)
• Original Release Date: 2006
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: ATO Records
• ASIN: B000HKDEE2
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (217 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #328 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #1 in Music > World Music > Latin Music > Tango
  • #1 in Music > World Music > Mexico
  • #1 in Music > World Music > Europe > Eastern Europe > Gypsy

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

How did two Mexican-born heavy-metal enthusiasts end up at the top of the Irish charts? The story begins back in their homeland, where Rodrigo Sanchez (lead guitar) and Gabriela Quintero (rhythm and guitar-top hand percussion) met as teenagers. Following years of fruitless struggle, they settled in Dublin, working as street entertainers, eventually wandering as far afield as Denmark and Spain. But over time, their virtuoso duo-guitar instrumentals garnered them a following, which in turn led to indoor engagements where they no longer had to freeze their hands off. And no wonder -- their eruptive mixture of Central and South American folkways, with its propulsive rock rhythms, plus grooves reminiscent of The Gipsy Kings' crowd-pleasing Catalan rumbas, is incredibly infectious. Yes, their frisky yet spot-on covers of "Stairway To Heaven" and "Orion" may goad some listeners into purchasing the album, but believe it or not, the original tunes are even more mesmerizing. "Ixapa," in which the pair are joined by noted Hungarian Roma (Gypsy) fiddler Roby Lakatos, has a wicked, pan-European swing, while the impossibly fleet "Juan Loco" should delight all comers -- once they catch their collective breaths! Produced by John Leckie (Radiohead, The Stone Roses, Muse), the USA release includes a DVD containing interviews, live performances and other extras. --Christina Roden

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Product Description

The sleeve photo of a crocodile's eye with a faint image of Rodrigo and Gabriela superimposed, suits the artists' desire for something which didn't shout "Mexican guitarists" or "Couples." "It reminded us of Tamacun, the famous Mexican eccentric who is in Ixtapa where we lived for a while".

Tamacun -"Tamacun's message is to teach kids to respect nature." He handles crocodiles, and tourists come to photograph him.

Diablo Rojo - Inspired by a wild rollercoaster called 'Red Devil' at a theme park in Copenhagen, Denmark. Three rides in a row, each.

Viking Man - Another Danish inspired piece. The Viking Man was a homeless guy who encouraged Rod & Gab to tough it out on the streets, busking in minus zero conditions at Christmastime. John Leckie adds radio static.

Satori - Experiencing self doubt shortly after arriving in Ireland, Rodrigo y Gabriela were at a low ebb. No money, poor English and a deep sense of uncertainty. Only an unshakeable faith in perseverance kept them going. Satori describes the Zen - like moment of enlightenment they felt when they came through the storm.

Ixtapa - "Ixtapa is a very beautiful, very Mexican town." Roby Lakatos' wildly soaring violin solo is a perfect counterpoint to the melodic and percussive guitars.

Stairway to Heaven - "Ixtapa was our very own Stairway to Heaven!" Rod & Gab's take was initially inspired by Stanley Jordan's interpretation of the Led Zep warhorse. Growing from snippets in their live show, their unique version is at once both respectful and innovative.

Orion - This epic reworking of the Metallica song is the second time Rodrigo y Gabriela have covered Messrs Hetfield, Ulrich & Co: "A tribute to the style of music we love, it's what kept us playing the guitar through all those Spinal Tap years"

Juan Loco - The first attempt at recording this album in Mexico in Summer 2005 resulted in three weeks of sunbathing, beer drinking and power cuts. Enter Mr John Leckie, legendary producer of Radiohead, The Stone Roses and Muse, to name but a few; to midwife Rod & Gab's musical vision into what you hear today. 'Juan Loco' ('Mad John') is their Mexican nickname for Mr Leckie.

PPA - "The first P of PPA stands for Pinche, a Mexican term meaning f**king asshole. This is for all the people in the music business who think they know what's going on but actually don't have a clue".

See all Editorial Reviews

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

35 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Buy this. Seriously. Buy this., March 27, 2006

By 

R. Tomany "Ray" (Dublin, Ireland) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Rodrigo Y Gabriela (Audio CD)

Its difficult to describe what Rodrigo y Gabriela can do with a pair of guitars, the best thing to do is to click on the crocodile's eye at http://www.rodgab.com to see for yourself.

Don't think that this is flowery, fluffy flamenco guitar music, its not. If you like rock, you'll love this. The opening two tracks ("Tamacun" and "Diablo Rojo") are the highlights in an album of standout tracks. Tremendous.


ray

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I sat back in my chair and closed my eyes, October 27, 2006

By 

DAK - See all my reviews

This review is from: Rodrigo y Gabriela (with Bonus DVD) (Audio CD)

I learned about this pair when my local radio station (KFOG) started playing Tamacun, and I found myself turning up the volume every time the song came on. Just love it.

So, the album has eight other songs, and - behold - they all stand up. Each one is interesting, passionate, energetic, and unique. In all, a great album, one I plan on listening to until the disc turns to dust.

Now, this ablum comes with a DVD that shows Rod & Gab playing, and even has a "tutorial," where they explain how they play Tamacun in excrutiating detail. It's fascinating, and after watching, I felt admiration at their mastery of their instruments, but that's not all that goes into the music. The songs are lyrical, even without lyrics, and I am in awe of their skill and art.

In short, this is a terrific album that defies definition.

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing album! A definite MUST HAVE!, July 4, 2006

By 

Jesse Parisian (Calgary, AB) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Rodrigo Y Gabriela (Audio CD)

This is a truly amazing album. Rodrigo y Gabriela create the perfect blend of spanish/latin/jazz/rock. I don't think it's physically possible to listen to Diablo Rojo without tapping your foot. Do yourself a favour and buy this album. Don't believe me? Listen to some samples on their website.