El Guapo
The Phenomenon of Renewal
Resin
El Guapo aren’t exactly an easy band to describe to someone who’s never heard them, but I’ll give it a try. The rhythm section is up front holding everything together, while the guitarist plucks away pretty much independently of the rhythm section. At times the guitar reminds me of how the Birthday Party recorded the guitars on their Junkyard album, but a lot looser and sometimes sloppier. The singer sings in a similar style as Cris Thompson from the Monorchid and Skull Kontrol, or maybe even a little like Eric Bachmann. Overall, it’s a good record for those who will take the time to listen to it a few times. But if you’re looking for something sweet and catchy that gives you instant gratification, you’re out of luck. The more you listen to the record, the more you’ll pick up. It just gets better and better. It’s refreshing to hear a band that write songs instead of simple hooks and filler.
Resin Records, P.O. Box 5601, Washington, DC 20016-1201
