Havalina
Space, Love & Bullfighting
Tooth & Nail
Hmmm… Havalina is a band willing to take on large concepts and put them into motion; with Space…, the band takes on Spanish folk music for the entire album. What results is a fairly likeable, somewhat annoying album of almost pure schtick.
The lead singer sounds very much like Black Francis from The Pixies; they have a female back up singer who sounds like Kim Deal from The Pixies; they bust into distorted up-tempo power pop (see “I Feel Nothing”), and they play laid back lounge music from time to time (see “You Got Me Cry’n”), both occassional antics of The Pixies. It would appear that Havalina are a Christian rip off of The Pixies, and so much is true. With that being said, is Space, Love & Bullfighting actually any good? Not really.
I am a tremendously ardent fan of The Pixies, so if a band is going to rip off their style, they’d better do it with at least a hint of originality, and Havalina fail to do so. I must commend them for trying, though; the world can only take so many bands that try to sound like Korn. Pixies fans may like this (but they may also be offended), as will fans of Spanish folk music; everyone else, leave this one on the side of the road for the vultures.
Tooth And Nail Records: http://www.toothandnail.com
