Search - Kiko Veneno :: Esta Muy Bien Eso Del Carino

A great amazing album.

manocska | NY United States | 03/22/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Esta Muy Bien Eso Del Carino contains a smart innovative blend of swinging nouveau flamenco and brassy jumpy post-punk from Spain. Kiko Veneno crafted a fine set of really catchy tunes, including melodic rockers 'Veneno' and 'Estaba Lloviendo' that compare favorably with the best from XTC and the Beatles. 'Viento de Poniente' is a brooding lively croon with sweeping flamenco touches which achieves the kind of mood arena bands go for but usually muck up. 'Respeto' and 'La Casa Cuartel' are strikingly lovely songs that stand out on this consistently strong album. A fun version of Dylan's 'Memphis Blues Again' may get you singing along in Spanish, even if don't know the language. The production is balanced throughout, using horns and Kiko Veneno's distinctive guitar and voice to create a unique sound that's remarkably accessible without being light. This is the best of Veneno's albums, more challenging and more satisfying than contemporaries from Spain like La Barbiera del Sur, Tomatito, and Ketama. This album is likely to please listeners who favor post-punk/alt rock, the English Beat to the Clash, and who are interested in nouveau flamenco. Really good road trip music -- I've played this album for a lot of people in a lot of places, and everyone has liked it. And a great place to start discovering that Spain has rock innovators as good as the Brits and Americans."