¡Necesito música en español!

February 13, 2009 2:58 PM

Mägo de Oz to Manu Chao...what other awesomeness am I missing out on? Looking for Spanish music recommendations.

Latin America Spanish preferred, but all is welcome. I am wanting and needing to learn a lot of Spanish very quickly. I have fallen in love with Mägo de Oz and Manu Chao, and would like to find more bands along this spectrum, and beyond. Links to websites with lyrics and/or translations are a big plus too! Also taking suggestions for how to incorporate more Spanish into my daily life.

FYI, I really dig Manu Chao because the lyrics are simple and easy for me to learn and sing along to. I dig Mägo de Oz because they $O#*@ kick aaasssss! More please!

posted by iamkimiam to Media & Arts (11 answers total)

Maybe some of the recommendations here might help?
posted by needled at 3:16 PM on February 13, 2009

Some suggestions off the top of my head:

Orishas (more)

Café Tacvba (pronounced tacuba - more)

Los Amigos Invisibles (more)

Plastilina Mosh (more)

Kinky (more)

Julieta Venegas (more)

Calle 13 (more)

Heores del Silencio

And some collaborations between some bands mentioned above: Calle 13 and Café Tacvuba, and Calle 13 and Orishas. Ok, I like Calle 13.

Caveat: I dont know Mago de Oz very well. I do know Manu Chao and am not exactly sure that there's anyone quite like him, I'd be interested to see if someone suggests someone that has a similar sound. Some of these I listed because they have a good and unique sound (Los Amigos, Orishas), others because of the easy-to-understand factor (Julieta)
posted by DrGirlfriend at 4:25 PM on February 13, 2009

There are 2 groups which are very similar to Manu Chao in style:
- Los Fabulosos Cadillacs
- Mano Negra
Excellent Bands.
posted by theKik at 4:39 PM on February 13, 2009

Now, something similar to Mago de Oz:
- Panda
- Molotov
posted by theKik at 4:46 PM on February 13, 2009

Since Latin American is what you're after, and based on a liking of Manu Chao, Desorden Publico are great.

There's Ojos de Brujo, who are Spanish (most of them certainly), but if nothing else, put on an incredible live performance!

Amparanoia may be worth a look, though I've been less into them since El Poder de Machin, which was the album Manu Chao I think helped produce.

I can't vouch for the youtubery, as it's failing to load anything for me right now...
posted by opsin at 4:51 PM on February 13, 2009

Ah yes, Los Fabulosos Cadillacs are awesome (though I would not equate them with Manu Chao, but that's just me)
posted by DrGirlfriend at 4:57 PM on February 13, 2009

Learn Spanish with Cuarteto de Nos! That was one of my favorite finds from my previous AskMe

Aleks Syntek's lyrics are easy to understand, but he might be too poppy for you.
posted by needled at 5:18 PM on February 13, 2009

You make like Chambao.

You may not like Chenoa, but her clarity of annunciation when she sings may be the sort of thing you're looking for when it comes to helping you learn.
posted by benzo8 at 7:38 AM on February 14, 2009

Mano Negra is immediately relevant because it's Manu Chao's old band, and they sing in Spanish. (Granted, both they and Manu Chao himself are French, but no matter.)

12thing most of what everyone else is saying. You might also consider:

Juana Molina

Babasónicos

Instituto Mexicano del Sonido/Mexican Institute of Sound (depending on where you'd get an album from)

Nortec Collective - Cool Tijuana collective of a bunch of bands

Los Bicicletas

Mala Rodriguez (from Spain, but hey, sue me)

El Robot Bajo el Agua (likewise)

El Mató a un Policía Motorizado

Cineplexx

Rosario Bléfari

Lisandro Aristimuño
posted by stleric at 2:27 PM on February 14, 2009

Grupo Fantasma is made up of U.S. Latinos from Austin and Laredo. They are really great--definitely worth checking out.
posted by umbú at 7:25 PM on February 14, 2009

I'm a fan of Juanes (most famous for Tengo La Camisa Negra)
posted by Admira at 10:03 PM on February 14, 2009