Anoche

Album Review

In the 2000s, Babasónicos became the thing that Los Fabulosos Cadillacs were back in the '80s and early '90s — the toast of the Argentinean rock en español scene. Babasónicos didn't start in the 2000s; the band was formed in 1992. But with 2001's Jessico and 2004's Infame, Babasónicos really took things to the next level commercially — and Anoche (Last Night) can only enhance their reputation as masterful Latin rock craftsmen. The band brings an intriguing variety of influences to this late 2005 release, ranging from U2 to Roxy Music to Depeche Mode to the Beatles (notice the "Helter Skelter"-isms on "Luces"). There is even some AC/DC-ish crunch on the aggressive and uptempo opener, "Así Se Habla," but ultimately, Anoche is not about bravado or aggression — it is about introspection and melancholy. Many of the tracks favor subtlety and are more artsy than rockin'. And for those who speak español, it is interesting to hear how the things that frontman Adrián Dargelos appreciates — Bryan Ferry's work with Roxy Music, Depeche Mode's gloom and darkness, the John Lennon/Paul McCartney aesthetic — all carry over to memorable Spanish lyrics. Interesting, yet perfectly natural if one has spent a lot of time around Spanish speakers. Some non-Latinos — people who have never seen a Mexican telenovela on Univision or Telemundo or watched a Pedro Almodóvar film without English subtitles — have commented that they find Spanish lyrics and rock music to be an odd combination. But it isn't odd at all — certainly not for españolhablantes (Spanish speakers) who have spent many hours savoring the recordings of everyone from Carlos Santana to Caifanes, Maná, Shakira, Bebe, and Maldita Vecindad. Both musically and lyrically, all of the pieces fall into place with rewarding results on the excellent Anoche.