Music is the greatest communication in
the world. Even if people don’t understand the language that you’re
singing in, they still know good music when they hear it.
Lou Rawls
Lou Rawls said that, and Frank Sinatra once said Lou had “the
classiest singing and silkiest chops in the singing game” which is a
clunky quote but high praise indeed.
Today we’re looking at language, and in particular language we don’t
speak and don’t understand! It’s a testament to the universality of
melody and rhythm that we can enjoy music in which the words have little
or no meaning. Our grasp of French is poor, of Spanish is awful, of
Icelandic is one word and of Hopelandic is absolutely non existant! Yet
we can listen to and enjoy music with lyrics way beyond our
comprehension.
Probably the most oddly successful act in the history of music Sigur
Rós have managed to not only sing in Icelandic, a language pretty much
nobody outside of Iceland speaks but also Hopelandic a made up language
that just sounds nice when you sing it! This hasn’t stopped them having
four top 20 albums and probably selling their music to more adverts,
films and nature documentaries than anyone other band in history! How
did this happen? Because they realised you can say whatever you like in a
song but it’s the melody that will make you a star!
They’re of course not the only ones, Serge Gainsbourg maybe far
better known in his native France, but his appeal with almost any social
group with a vaguely rebellious streak is legendary. His influence on
modern French music is unquestionable, but increasingly his influence is
stretching beyond the countries borders.
English remains unquestionably the number one language in pop-musics
idiom, but in the same way we should encourage people to sing in their
own accent, perhaps we should be more receptive of music in it’s own
language, as the power of the English speaking world wanes then perhaps
so should its hold on the language of music.
LOS BONSÁIS
Who?
Los Bonsáis are male-female duo Nel González and Helena Toraño. As well
as being productive musicians they also produce a traditional
photocopied fanzine called Temporal, make their own videos plus Helena
found time to put on an art show, and produce the bands own artwork.
They’re basically about as DIY as DIY can be!
What?
The duo are described as noise-pop, pop-punk and most accurately
noise-pop-punk! They combine the easy jangle of Marine Girls, the
simplicity of Beat Happening and the effects pedals of The Jesus &
Mary Chain into effortless and very short stabs of pop music best bits.
Like The Ramones if they were Spanish and had a female singer!
Where?
They’re described as an Asturian duo, Asturias being the region of
Northern Spain containing both Oviedo and Gijon, it’s also apparently
known as “the land of the cheeses” which seems a very good reason to go
their! They’re part of a currently very fertile Spanish Indie-Pop scene
which has produced the likes of Band À Part, Axolotes Mexicanos (who
were a loud blast of joy at last years Indietracks Festival!) and Linda
Guilala, who have taken on production duties for Los Bonsáis in the
past.
When?
After a couple of self-released demos the band signed with Indie-Pop
power house Elefant Records back in 2012. Whilst Elefant is probably
best known in the UK as the former home of Camera Obscura, it’s also a
vital cog in the Spanish music scene, releasing many great local acts as
well as international artists. The band released debut single
Ultramarinos as part of The New Adventures in Pop series, before their
debut mini-album, the 8-track Martín Pescador arrived in 2013, and we
picked up in an Independent record shop in Madrid, probably the coolest
record buying story we’ve got! New single Los Perdimos De Vista came out
this week, and will be followed by Nordeste a new EP, once again on
Elefant Records.
Why?
Their first mini-album Martin Pescador was a complete blast, eight
tracks in under 18 minutes, the pair raced furiously through a series of
bubblegum-punk tracks. With titles like La Mecedora (The Rocker) and
Medio Tempo (we’d always assumed Medium Tempo but apparently it means
Half-Time), it wasn’t subtle but it was incredibly fun! New single Los
Perdimos De Vista (We Lost Sight) is like a distilled version of that,
the more saccharine edges filed down into a full blown punk song, whilst
even better is the B-side Nubes Y Claros, the most down-beat and
sophisticated track they’ve ever done, it’s pure Jesus & Mary Chain
jangling, rainy-day pop. If they’re a sign of things to come on their
new EP Nordeste, it’s going to be fantastic!
Why Not?
Still bitter about Spain’s role in the global financial collapse?
Worried about giving money to anyone who isn’t English in case it
increases net-EU migration? Had a disappointing holiday on the Costa Del
Sol that’s left you despondent with Spain and all things Spanish? Well
in that case you might not like Los Bonsáis, and we might not like you!
Los Bonsáis new single Los Perdimos De Vista is out now, followed
by their new EP, Nordeste, on the 16th of February, both on Elefant
Records.
https://fortherabbits.wordpress.com/2015/01/20/new-to-us-los-bonsais/
