Customer Reviews

Space Love & Bullfighting

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

 

 

Havalina has done it again. They never cease to amaze me with their originality in their themed albums. They have managed to capture yet another theme and show their musical diversity. The title is very appropriate. The album ranges from trippy space rock to a song sung completely in Spanish. They capture the feeling of bullfighting and space rock on their album, yet manage to maintain their trademark Havalina sound. Not as diverse or original as their masterpiece, America. However, this is one of those albums that you need in your collection that transcends time. You will be listening to it and your other Havalina albums(well, maybe not Diamond in the Fish) for years to come. I was not disappointed. Matt Wignall and company have managed to pull off yet another brilliant, completely original album. The only comparison I could make to anybody else is They Might Be Giants when they are trying to sound serious. Even then, I'm stretching to make a comparison. Good job and two thumbs up to Havalina for another masterpiece.

wish these folks were still together making more sweet tunes but there not.(sad face here) some songs are crazy weird at times but if you know who havalina is then you should know how well they do what they do! and boy, do they do it so well! love/have all their stuff! if you like surf/latin/punk/russian/jazz/country/blues-rock then by all means, dive right in! (very talented and diverse band)

The easiest way to describe this unique sounding album is to think of all those elements in the title mixed together musically. It's like space lounge music mixed with bullfighting and other Latin music elements.

The lyrics are sometimes entertaining. My favorite is the song about Pluto: "Not quite a planet and not quite steam, Pluto's somewhere inbetween." And the final track, the "Space, Love and Bullfighting Suite," I find to be a work of art.

Long Beach's own Havalina (formerly Havalina Rail Co) has always been regarded by listeners as being right on the edge of independent music. In truth, they are quality avant jazz musicians. Their latest album makes fine use of the culmination of each band member's individual talents; however, the end result is indeed an unexpected one.

As its title ("Space, Love and Bullfighting") quizzically suggests, the album fuses the sounds of space rock, love balladry, and pseudo-Mariachi with Havalina's indie and jazz sensibilities. Their sound is thankfully more accessible than before, now that the horn section has been traded for a Wurlitzer, the lyrics have become faintly, quirkily twee, and the songs have picked up a fun pace.

That said, a certain degree of artfulness had to be sacrificed. The brooding lyrics and overextended epics of songs will be sorely missed by the many fans of Havalina's breakout CD "Russian Lullabies." In spite of its accessibility, this new album is paradoxically an equally challenging listen. However, after a few spins, fans and new listeners alike will be won over by the quirky wit and fully dance-able tunes this band has released.

really different sound. space latin rock.....great cd trust me
the only other thing that is close to this is they might be giants no a good cd also for the whole family.