Comments on: spanish punk

Question: spanish punk

Stynxno — Sun, 17 Apr 2005 06:37:47 -0800

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.

By: andrew cooke

andrew cooke — Sun, 17 Apr 2005 06:58:44 -0800

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...

By: andrew cooke

andrew cooke — Sun, 17 Apr 2005 07:00:20 -0800

grandes exitos

By: andrew cooke

andrew cooke — Sun, 17 Apr 2005 07:04:08 -0800

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.

By: Kattullus

Kattullus — Sun, 17 Apr 2005 07:05:06 -0800

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.

By: cmonkey

cmonkey — Sun, 17 Apr 2005 07:10:44 -0800

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.

By: cmonkey

cmonkey — Sun, 17 Apr 2005 07:12:13 -0800

The lyrics were all in Spanish, I do mean.

By: Kattullus

Kattullus — Sun, 17 Apr 2005 07:27:39 -0800

come to think of it, Mano Negra (Manu Chao's old band) were a punk band, sort of

By: mds35

mds35 — Sun, 17 Apr 2005 07:37:57 -0800

The Plugz are classic.

By: andrew cooke

andrew cooke — Sun, 17 Apr 2005 07:52:09 -0800

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

By: pomegranate

pomegranate — Sun, 17 Apr 2005 08:47:47 -0800

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.

By: Lockeownzj00

Lockeownzj00 — Sun, 17 Apr 2005 09:12:20 -0800

Ska-P...socialist/anarchist vegetarian atheist potheads...one of my favorite bands ;)

By: milkrate

milkrate — Sun, 17 Apr 2005 10:06:49 -0800

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.

By: pwb503

pwb503 — Sun, 17 Apr 2005 10:20:01 -0800

I would second Manu Chao's Clandestino.

By: Melinika

Melinika — Sun, 17 Apr 2005 10:24:17 -0800

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.

By: sic

sic — Sun, 17 Apr 2005 10:36:47 -0800

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.

By: Guy Smiley

Guy Smiley — Sun, 17 Apr 2005 11:26:23 -0800

Garzón has a few songs (and lyrics) on their website.

By: obloquy

obloquy — Sun, 17 Apr 2005 12:15:18 -0800

Los Jaguares
Manic Hispanic ("Spanglish" lyrics)
Union 13
Os Mutantes are great, but they sing in Portugese.

By: Kattullus

Kattullus — Sun, 17 Apr 2005 12:54:52 -0800

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.

By: amestoy

amestoy — Sun, 17 Apr 2005 15:29:21 -0800

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).

By: judith

judith — Sun, 17 Apr 2005 15:34:10 -0800

Control Machete, though perhaps more hiphop than punk. Also, lovely but not punk (probably qualifies as "indie") is Juana Molina.

By: Stynxno

Stynxno — Sun, 17 Apr 2005 21:10:29 -0800

omg. i love all of you. thanks a lot.

By: Chunder

Chunder — Mon, 18 Apr 2005 02:47:52 -0800

Not sure if they fall within your categories (they kind of span a few genres) but Breed 77 are pretty damned awesome...

By: trbrts

trbrts — Mon, 18 Apr 2005 08:19:27 -0800

The Pixies do some songs in spanish.

By: kuujjuarapik

kuujjuarapik — Mon, 18 Apr 2005 08:56:39 -0800

Migala

By: Penks

Penks — Mon, 18 Apr 2005 09:28:40 -0800

I second Plastilina Mosh and Kinky.
They're the only bands in Spanish that I listen to, even though I'm Mexican.

By: raster

raster — Mon, 18 Apr 2005 10:31:24 -0800

Yes! Los Crudos, they we're a great bunch of guys...

By: klangklangston

klangklangston — Mon, 18 Apr 2005 11:38:42 -0800

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.

By: smackfu

smackfu — Wed, 20 Apr 2005 12:11:12 -0800

Mago de Oz

I'm not sure what genre they are. Celtic metal from Spain?