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 (Warner)
Old favourites with added instrumental spice
The Rodrigo y Gabriela story is an interesting one. Emerging from the Mexican thrash metal scene early in the last decade, the duo moved to Dublin, Ireland and busked their way into popular musical consciousness, gaining international recognition with their self-titled second record back in 2006, which featured a great cover of Metallica’s Orion. Area 52 is the duo’s first studio record since 2009, and the first to feature a substantial contribution from other musicians, teaming up with a group of musicians from Havana known as C.U.B.A. The results are surprisingly fun, with liberal additions of percussion, flute, electric guitar, bass, keys and some seriously awesome horn sections, breathing new life into past Rodrigo y Gabriela songs. The duo’s most recognisable song Tamacun emerges wholly transformed, with the call and response between Rodrigo’s lightning fasting guitar picking and C.U.B.A’s keyboardist a definite highlight. Other tunes like 11-11 become infused with additional psychedelic electric guitar playing, tribal drums as well as backing vocals. However, while the addition of all these new dimensions does revolutionise much of Rodrigo y Gabriela’s back catalogue, it’s not exactly perfect. It’s fair to say that all these extra elements serve to drown out Gabriela’s contribution, her role on the album essentially devalued by the addition of C.U.B.A. Many songs go on for far too long, while also sounding much like variations of the same theme (Tamacun and Diablo Rojo do sound awfully similar). Still, those who appreciate fine musicianship or are fond of the character of Latin music will find much to enjoy here, and on those strengths, Area 52 is worth some consideration.
***½
DARRAGH MURRAY
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