Cambio Y Corto

Description

Always swimming against the current, in the "Retrovisor Universe" nothing happens without a justified reason--though it's often hard to find a reasonable justification for keeping a band active whose sound is so far removed from trends and fashions... and made up of eleven musicians, no less. The number one rule in this (virtually non-existent) business is to make your investment worthwhile--both in money and in hundreds of hours of rehearsal--by playing live as much as possible, growing your fanbase, and ideally getting them to swing by the merch table and buy your record. LOS RETROVISORES have almost always broken that rule: how the hell do you go on tour looking like a football team with no substitutes?

They appeared fifteen years ago with clear ideas, elegance, style, and a healthy sense of humor--despite taking things very seriously--with La Nostalgia Ya No Es Lo Que Era (Flor y Nata, 2010). It seemed like a short-lived adventure, but judging by the title of their new EP, it hasn't been--though it might mark the end of their discography. Along the way, they've shown steady growth, undeniable musical prowess, and a long-standing relationship with Soundflat and BCore. In total, two LPs and four EPs, including this farewell release. A splendid one, at that. The Sonido Joanic they trademarked is still present--named after their Barcelona neighborhood--along with that commitment to blending freshness with reverence for the classics that inspired their birth. Change and cut? End of transmission? The signs were there if you consider the release year of their previous 7", Desmelene En El Quinto (2018)--too long playing shows sporadically without any new material. They sounded--and still sound--like a well-established band, enjoying and indulging in a warm, infectious soul groove, nailing the rhythms and placing Victor Asensio's voice as a distinctive trademark. Together with their habit of reclaiming obscure covers, they've proven their songwriting has reached impressive heights.

Cambio y Corto. Four new tracks, all originals, penned by Victor along with Leo Hernandez, recorded at Panorama Room Studios and produced by Jose Contreras, who takes over from the duo of Mike Mariconda and Marc Tena. Four songs that immediately rank among the best they've ever recorded, with horns blazing, a frantic rhythm section, razor-sharp guitars, and strategically placed keyboards--just listen to "Un mundo aparte." Everything clicks, from the opener "Miradas" and a "No volvere" that sounds like it was stolen from Los Canarios at their best... all the way to the most unexpected farewell, "Te quieres marchar," which is pure rocksteady. Rocksteady? Exactly. And over that Jamaican melody, they sing: "dime por que te quieres marchar / con lo bien que estamos / juntos como hermanos" ("tell me why you want to leave / when we're doing so well / together like brothers"). A beautiful goodbye to the studio--though they don't rule out keeping that brotherhood alive by hitting the stage when the moment feels right. And you can never say "never"--just look at those two Oasis guys...