spanish punk

April 17, 2005 6:37 AM

What are some good punk/alternative/indie-esque groups that sing in Spanish?

I'm currently trying to learn the language and feel that some sort of emmersion would help me out alot. I like to listen to punk/alternative/indie music so I was looking to see if anyone had any recommendations for spanish groups who match these genres.

posted by Stynxno to media & arts (28 comments total)

it's old, but los prisoneros are excellent - good (often political) lyrics, sung clearly (i'm worried they're more rock than punk, but i think they match up)
my chilean s.o. once carefully wrote out all the lyrics to one of their albums to help me with exactly this problem (learning spanish). if i were the sensitive, kind soul i play on the internet i'd have carefully treasured such a token of her love, but, well, it seemed to disappear at some point...
posted by andrew cooke at 6:58 AM on April 17, 2005

grandes exitos
posted by andrew cooke at 7:00 AM on April 17, 2005

and if you follow links from that album on amazon you get soda stereo, enanitos verdes, mana, etc - just see what sounds ok, as i recognise the names, but don't know the music much.
posted by andrew cooke at 7:04 AM on April 17, 2005

hmm... don't know much about Spanish-language punk but if you're interested in rock en español I'd suggest starting with Café Tacvba's Reves/Yosoy, Gustavo Cerati's Bocanada and Manu Chao's Clandestino. The first is Mexican, the second Argentinian and the third French, but he sings mostly in Spanish and his parents are Spanish (his French lyrics are by far his best, though). These would all fit vaguely in that vaguest of genres, alternative.

All these should be easily findable in major U.S. cities. Bocanada perhaps the hardest, but I found it in Boston's Tower Records (didn't find it in Barcelona though, and I went to seven different record stores). Of course, should you want to order online, they're all in print.

You might want to check Os mutantes out. They're Brazilian, so perhaps not quite what you're looking for. But they're this sixties band that created awesome, weird music.
posted by Kattullus at 7:05 AM on April 17, 2005

Los Crudos is a great latino punk band from Chicago that sung all their songs Spanish, and the booklets that come with their records also have English translations.
posted by cmonkey at 7:10 AM on April 17, 2005

The lyrics were all in Spanish, I do mean.
posted by cmonkey at 7:12 AM on April 17, 2005

come to think of it, Mano Negra (Manu Chao's old band) were a punk band, sort of
posted by Kattullus at 7:27 AM on April 17, 2005

The Plugz are classic.
posted by mds35 at 7:37 AM on April 17, 2005

not what you asked for, but you can listen to my local radio station here. it plays a varied format - a bit of everything (much wider range than i'm used to listening to in the uk, for example, where stations are more focussed). click on "escucha on line" top right-ish. mix of english, spanish (and portuguese, japanese and french, i think) lyrics
posted by andrew cooke at 7:52 AM on April 17, 2005

Ozomatli of course, and Plastilina Mosh and Kinky as well. All these bands are much more indie than punk, maybe more rap or electronic than you'd like but fun for learning espanol.
posted by pomegranate at 8:47 AM on April 17, 2005

Ska-P...socialist/anarchist vegetarian atheist potheads...one of my favorite bands ;)
posted by Lockeownzj00 at 9:12 AM on April 17, 2005

Voodoo Glow Skulls are usually filed under ska, but they are normally really fast and bilingual. Molotov is a really popular Mexican band (a pair of Quicktime videos) whose songs have a lot of politics.
posted by milkrate at 10:06 AM on April 17, 2005

I would second Manu Chao's Clandestino.
posted by pwb503 at 10:20 AM on April 17, 2005

Hi Stynx! =) Miss seeing you in IRC!

Los Rabanes - "power ska/rock trio" (I'm quoting a review here) from Panama
Maná - more "rock" but they do some "punk"
Los Fabulosos Cadillacs - from Argentina, "rock" with ska and punk influences; try their album "Rey Azucar" which includes cameos from Debbie Harry and Mick Jones

And yes, definitely Ozomatli; and Mano Negra is worth checking out.
posted by Melinika at 10:24 AM on April 17, 2005

Los Planetas are kind of a Spanish version of Sonic Youth if you like that type of alternative rock. Actually while the vast majority of their stuff is in Spanish, I think that their latest albums are in English.

If you like Manu Chao, you should also check out Amparanoia, especially their first album El poder de Machín. They are both members of the anti-globalization set. Great, great stuff.

Here's a Spanish Punk record label called Grita! (Scream!), YMMV.
posted by sic at 10:36 AM on April 17, 2005

Garzón has a few songs (and lyrics) on their website.
posted by Guy Smiley at 11:26 AM on April 17, 2005

Los Jaguares
Manic Hispanic ("Spanglish" lyrics)
Union 13
Os Mutantes are great, but they sing in Portugese.
posted by obloquy at 12:15 PM on April 17, 2005

obloquy: I know, which is why I said it might not be what stynxno might be looking for :)

Also, the link for Os Mutantes doesn't work.
posted by Kattullus at 12:54 PM on April 17, 2005

Los de Abajo. Saw them at a Womad a couple of years, they do a very exciting take on the Mexican sound mixed in with other traditions (their influences include Manu Chao).
posted by amestoy at 3:29 PM on April 17, 2005

Control Machete, though perhaps more hiphop than punk. Also, lovely but not punk (probably qualifies as "indie") is Juana Molina.
posted by judith at 3:34 PM on April 17, 2005

omg. i love all of you. thanks a lot.
posted by Stynxno at 9:10 PM on April 17, 2005

Not sure if they fall within your categories (they kind of span a few genres) but Breed 77 are pretty damned awesome...
posted by Chunder at 2:47 AM on April 18, 2005

The Pixies do some songs in spanish.
posted by trbrts at 8:19 AM on April 18, 2005

Migala
posted by kuujjuarapik at 8:56 AM on April 18, 2005

I second Plastilina Mosh and Kinky.
They're the only bands in Spanish that I listen to, even though I'm Mexican.
posted by Penks at 9:28 AM on April 18, 2005

Yes! Los Crudos, they we're a great bunch of guys...
posted by raster at 10:31 AM on April 18, 2005

I know something that can help you. No Fun Records. This is a label run by a couple of people (Charley and Claudia) I know. They're from Argentina, and Charley was in a bunch of punk rock bands down there. Now they're up in Detroit, and they rock. They rock hard. So hard.
But not only do they have an inside line on a huge, huge wealth of South and Latin American punk, they make trips down to Buenos Aires every now and then, and will bring up huge treasure troves of all sorts of excellent shit.
Send 'em an email, tell 'em what you like, and tell 'em Josh S. sent you.
posted by klangklangston at 11:38 AM on April 18, 2005

Mago de Oz

I'm not sure what genre they are. Celtic metal from Spain?
posted by smackfu at 12:11 PM on April 20, 2005