Advice on Argentine Rock and Pop

August 11, 2007 8:50 AM

I'm in Buenos Aires for a week, what Argentine rock and pop (not Tango) CDs should I buy?

I already have plenty of tango CDs, so I'd like to get into Argentine rock and pop. Can anyone give me recommendations? If you recommend an artist, I'd appreciate a tip on his or her best CDs.

While I'm fairly familiar with the major artists and groups (Fito Paez, Fabuloso Cadillacs, etc), I'd especially like suggestions on lesser known groups or singers.

posted by fdhidalgo to society & culture (8 comments total)

i recently bought, and liked, No se menciona la soga en la casa del ahorcado (don't mention the rope in the house of the hanged man) by Los Alamos. the lead singer may be north american - he sings in english - but don't let that put you off. it's still local, good stuff (i've stopped buying music that's not produced locally).

you say "not tango", but there is (was?) a very productive pop/electronic/tango crossover movement - gotan project, bajofondo tango club, etc. if you don't know what i'm talking about then be careful you don't throw the baby out with the bathwater.
posted by andrew cooke at 9:55 AM on August 11, 2007

ps the "shop" link of the los alamos page (flash, no direct link, sorry) lists places you can buy from. some of those are going to be small indie stores - places to chat to other people to find good music.
posted by andrew cooke at 9:58 AM on August 11, 2007

Unsure whether Bersuit Vergarabat meets your criteria? Rather famous in Argentina and marginally so in other Spanish-speaking countries, but in my experience mostly unknown otherwise. YouTube video of one of their best-known songs, La Argentinidad al Palo.
posted by donpedro at 11:26 AM on August 11, 2007

Forgot to mention, that song is from the quite popular 2004 album "Se Es," which was issued in tandem with its sibling album, "Lo Que Se Es."
posted by donpedro at 11:56 AM on August 11, 2007

Buenos Aires has one of the best garage rock scenes in the world, being somewhat like a South American Detroit. I've got a couple of pals who run a record label that's half out of Buenos Aires, so I'll email 'em. In the meantime, this is their photolog from the rock fest they put on just a little bit ago down there, and you'd be well served by asking around after any of the bands listed. They've brought some of 'em up to the states, and they're all pretty great.
posted by klangklangston at 12:47 PM on August 11, 2007

It just so happens I'm down in Buenos Aires right now, and I was trying to find the Argentinian bands that approximate the Radiohead/Mogwa/Sigur Ros vibe. Any comments along those lines are also deeply appreciated!
posted by dbiedny at 1:02 PM on August 11, 2007

You've probably heard of some or all of these, but you may want to check out: Andrés Calamaro, Los Rodriguez, Federico Aubele, Kevin Johansen, Uruguayan Jorge Drexler and honorary porteño Joaquín Sabina.
posted by veggieboy at 2:42 PM on August 11, 2007

drexler is excellent (i have "eco" and if you're used to the s american singer/songwriter genre - which i admit i find a bit tedious - then he's a breath of fresh air. brilliant lyrics and just a little bit of a different sound), and if we don't have to be 100% argentinian, try perrosky (blues - kinda white stripes-ish) from chile.
posted by andrew cooke at 3:14 PM on August 11, 2007