Cafe Tacuba - Mexican Rock

[oman]

I just bought the Cuantos Caminos album and like it. One of the songs, Puntos Cardinales, is somewhat reminiscent of what a Mexico City band would do if they tried to be softly new order-ish.

Anyway, does anyone have any thoughts about their other LPs, and if anyone knows, who are the important players in Mexican rock and pop music. Obviously, I am looking for someone with an edge like Cafe Tacuba

[M9fanatic]

I love them!!! I saw them once at a show in Mexico City a while back. they did "ingrata". That is one of my favorites!
As far as anybody being like them? Well not really they are very unique. Others have come in their wake and tried to emulate thier very distinctive "Chilango Rock" sound. There sound is distincly Mexican.

Not really like them but also good.... Aterciopelados.

Not what you asked for but i saw this thread and I had to answer.

[LMvCP]

Cafe Tacuba have some good songs..

As far as the main players in rock in Mexico... hmmmmm

Well, right now... Maná. And rightly so.

Many say the pioneers of Mexican rock are a band called El Tri. Not the best sweetest voice, but a good rock and roll voice ala bon scott. THey have good stuff. I actually have seen some of thier old concerts on tape and they could rock a house.

I really liked caifanes music. too bad they split up. the lead vocalist now plays with jaguares. they have some good stuff. I saw them live back in 99.

I recently bought elefante's "lo que andabamos buscando" album. great album. i currently have that in my car. they have some up tempo rock beats but stick to the latin acoustic flavor..

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.gsp?cat=4113&dept=4104&product_id=2309482&path=0%3A4104%3A4113%3A5062%3A79091

unfortunately.. you cant hear all of the songs.. but you can download them on kazaa..

i was recently in Mexico. we went to to a friend's ranch and had a fogada and listen to music.. good stuff.. the song, "yo soy igual que tu" is just a great song.. what i like about thier music and lyrics is that it is not what it appears. lot of metaphors..

there have also been rock bands that are not mexican by origin, but these bands go to mexico and hope they make it big because if they can conquer the mexican arena/press, then all other south american and US latin arenas/press will come.

[Rafael Hernandez]

Cafe Tacuba is the best band on the planet. Enough said.

RDL is obvioulsy insane by saying Elefante and great in the same sentence. Elefante is the biggest piece of crap on earth and its a shame that Mana and Elefante are mentioned by some as the standard of Mexican rock when one isn't very much rock and was more pop and one is a giant turd.

But at least Mana has released a couple of good pop albums before.

[wcgcapone]

Damn, I had a chance to see El Tri and Ozomotli play together and I didn't... :(


Are there any good Oi/Punk/Ska or Hardcore bands out in Mexico now?

[skipshady]

I listened to Cafe Tacuba while I was at the record store the other day. Good stuff. I may get it.

[Rafael Hernandez]

Originally posted by wcgcapone


Are there any good Oi/Punk/Ska or Hardcore bands out in Mexico now?

My 3rd favorite band is a ska band called "Los Estramboticos". Unfortunately their biggest hit was kind of a dumb song and they haven't gotten the respect but they are the best out there. In punk, "Panda" is a great band and have just recently been big.

[LMvCP]

Originally posted by Rafael Hernandez
Cafe Tacuba is the best band on the planet. Enough said.

RDL is obvioulsy insane by saying Elefante and great in the same sentence. Elefante is the biggest piece of crap on earth and its a shame that Mana and Elefante are mentioned by some as the standard of Mexican rock when one isn't very much rock and was more pop and one is a giant turd.

But at least Mana has released a couple of good pop albums before.

Cafe Tacuba is a great band... I am not saying they are not... but my beef with them as well as Mana... is that they worry a bit more NOW about thier appearance than their than thier music.

Elefante's music is great. They have not been around for a long time and their music is pure and from the heart without so much of the fashion industry behind it. I loved Mana's stuff from back in the day, but it seems they are more worried about the commercial aspect of the music rather than the musical part of it.. I am not saying they are bad.. if they want to earn a few extra dollars.. so be it..

I never said they were the same style of rock... if you want to break it down into latin rock, chilango rock, etc, etc, etc.. go ahead..

now as far as being pop... you are very wrong there.. Elefante's music doesnt not have a lot of eletronical beats or fabricated sounds.. It very much a latin flavor with heavy acoustics.. just because you play an acoustic does not mean its not rock..

[Rafael Hernandez]

Originally posted by rdl674
Cafe Tacuba is a great band... I am not saying they are not... but my beef with them as well as Mana... is that they worry a bit more NOW about thier appearance than their than thier music.

Elefante's music is great. They have not been around for a long time and their music is pure and from the heart without so much of the fashion industry behind it. I loved Mana's stuff from back in the day, but it seems they are more worried about the commercial aspect of the music rather than the musical part of it.. I am not saying they are bad.. if they want to earn a few extra dollars.. so be it..

I never said they were the same style of rock... if you want to break it down into latin rock, chilango rock, etc, etc, etc.. go ahead..

now as far as being pop... you are very wrong there.. Elefante's music doesnt not have a lot of eletronical beats or fabricated sounds.. It very much a latin flavor with heavy acoustics.. just because you play an acoustic does not mean its not rock..


Mana, yes, Cafe Tacuba,no. Mana was never really part of the Latin rock movement as opposed to Cafe Tacuba. Mana used to be rock and then they turn into the ballads kings which alienated many people. I think some of their songs are great but they can't be considered as part of the movement like Mana. I don't get how you say that Tacuba has been worryng about their clothes as they never adverstise stuff, have never really have a clothing style and have never changed their music to sell out like many people feel with Mana. Mana and Tacuba are from two different plains.

As for Elefante, I just hate them and don't like them at all. That song about La vida with the Tin Tan video was among the worst I ever heard.

As for having electronical beats, Mexican bands like Plastilina Mosh, Morbo and Moenia have done it and are great at that. That is why I consider Mexican rock to be the best in Latin America even better than Argentina, because although Argentina have a lot of great bands (Pericos, Fabulosos Cadillacs, Piojos, etc) they all try for the same style and to follow mostly Charly Garcia and Fito Paez unlike Mexico where everyone does what they want to do.

[LMvCP]

Originally posted by Rafael Hernandez
Mana, yes, Cafe Tacuba,no. Mana was never really part of the Latin rock movement as opposed to Cafe Tacuba. Mana used to be rock and then they turn into the ballads kings which alienated many people. I think some of their songs are great but they can't be considered as part of the movement like Mana. I don't get how you say that Tacuba has been worryng about their clothes as they never adverstise stuff, have never really have a clothing style and have never changed their music to sell out like many people feel with Mana. Mana and Tacuba are from two different plains.

different plains yes, but fashion doesnt mean pretty clothes. There are bands who are grungier or a lot dirtier and then start to worry more about thier appearance.. regardless of how pretty or dirty thier appearance looks.

As for Elefante, I just hate them and don't like them at all. That song about La vida with the Tin Tan video was among the worst I ever heard.

Thats fine and all, but just because you hate them doesnt not mean they are not rock. There you go, what does a video and music have to do with one another. maybe I still care more about the music than some damn video... maybe thats jus me

As for having electronical beats, Mexican bands like Plastilina Mosh, Morbo and Moenia have done it and are great at that.

Morenia is not rock. They are a pop band.. plan and simple.. every now and then they come out with a flashy slow acoustic beat but they sell that same beat on a single with dance beats.

That is why I consider Mexican rock to be the best in Latin America even better than Argentina, because although Argentina have a lot of great bands (Pericos, Fabulosos Cadillacs, Piojos, etc) they all try for the same style and to follow mostly Charly Garcia and Fito Paez unlike Mexico where everyone does what they want to do.

well, if that is the case, why thrash Elefante for being different with thier muscial style? they have some basics, but thier lyrics and riffs are beautiful.

[Rafael Hernandez]

You still haven't given me an example about how Cafe Tacuba have worried about their appeareance now. They have never been a fashion band or let it dominate their music.

As for the video, I didn't criticized it per say just as an example because I don't know the exact name of the song. That song is among the worst I have ever heard in all of music.

As for Moenia, they are a techno band.

[M9fanatic]

Yeah I don't get how Cafe is image worried?

I suppose they do have a different look and overall vibe than most bands. But they've been like that from the begining. Mana on the other hand is too much about image and pleasing the masses.

[Machetazo]

Originally posted by Rafael Hernandez
In punk, "Panda" is a great band and have just recently been big.

Dude, panda is the Mexican version of blink 182, poppy sh!t. although i kinda like that new cover song they released, their own stuff sucks.
I recommend you listen to Cenotaph, or even Transmetal, pretty solid bands. Also listen to a Canadian band named Cryptosy, they ************!ng own live.!!!:D

[Nutmeg]

Not Mexican rock, but one of my favorites is Jarabe de Palo. Great songs:

La Flaca
El Lado Oscuro
Agua
Depende
Dos Dias en la Vida

[oman]

Well, I guess you need to start from near the beginning. I just bought "Re" by Cafe Tacuba (1994).

This is a fantastic album -- even though I like the latest, if I had read Re first I would have been disappointed.

It's one of the most eclectic, fun records I have. You don't even have time to marvel at one song until the next one grabs you. Excellent.

Thanks for all the comments. This is going to be a fun learning experience.

[Labdarugo]

I really like their sound, but I don't speak Spanish. What are their lyrics like?

[Rafael Hernandez]

I read somewhere that they were going to prop out the band in the US or something.

As for Elefante, I have been listening to some songs here in Mexico, and I got to say they really really really do suck.

[Footix]

Moved from the Books forum.