Precious Bodily Fluids

PXNDX - Bonanza

PXNDX is one of those bands that, mostly for worse, continue to build a solid legacy within a certain sector of listeners who is generally poisoned by MTV’s limited music content and Los 40 Principales’ brain-killing programming. The band’s main audience, during 2005 and their release of their official jump into the mainstream, Para ti con desprecio, principally consisted of the new wave of emos–a fleeting fashion pioneered by the likes of 30 Seconds to Mars, My Chemical Romance, amongst other horrors. Even though they were accused of plagiarizing some of these bands, PXNDX adepts grew even bigger, somehow finding meaning in their inoffensive punk rocky tunes, whining lyrics, and lead singer José Madero’s raspy and occasionally emotional singing.

It’s been a while since that trend disappeared for good and since Para ti con desprecio (which, alright, still has a pair of okay tracks) came out. Afterward, PXNDX went from moderately ingenious to blatantly predictable and irreparably mediocre, while their followers seemed to remain the same: forever depressed, with a perpetual apathy toward life, just minus the emo tag and haircut (and there are persons worried about the supposed “Generación Zoé”? Take a look at these guys, people). Last time we knew about the Monterrey natives, they had recorded an unnecessary MTV Unplugged, which managed to be even more unnecessary than the live album they had previously released. Following that disaster, they return with their sixth studio album, Bonanza, an absolutely uninspired catastrophe which basically feeds the listener more of the same pop punk, plastic tunes they’ve built their name on. But this time around with lyrics that go from abundantly lame verses to cringe-worthy metaphors. This obviously doesn’t mean PXNDX has ever been good, but, as time has proven, the horrors that envelop Bonanza simply culminate into what Carlos Reyes had smartly predicted: they’ve finally become the punk Maná.

Re-repeating themselves instead of giving a chance to reinvention, PXNDX offends with a collection of 13 songs we’ve already heard, either from their own not-so-genuine authorship or from countless groups that could be mentioned. And there’s no problem with borrowing ideas from other sources, but there is with being a copycat, and these guys have succeeded at that, even becoming a parody of themselves. First single “Envejecido en barril de roble” has to be one of the most uninspiring songs about alcoholism ever written, a real offender to magnanimous pieces of art that deal toughly with this issue like Elliott Smith’s “Between the Bars” or popular folk theme “The Moonshiner.” “Latidos bombean alcohol con tal presión,” sings Madero in an entirely unmoving manner. You’d think he just assembled some ideas from a La Rosa de Guadalupe episode to manufacture this cliched trash that could maybe pass as an average Green Day piece.

Best moments on the record come when other band members step in and save Pepe’s well-known vocal tricks and groans, somehow reinforcing the mess with heartfelt choruses, like in acceptable-yet-stupid tunes like “Pensándolo bien, pensándolo mal” or generic opener “Huésped en casa propia.” Titles like “Romance en re sostenido” y “Las mil y un camas” try so hard to be smart, but are instead painfully obvious. Listening to them turns out to be insulting, like when you know what a terrible joke’s conclusion will be before it’s even over. And it gets worse as it progresses. For a record that lasts 50 minutes, PXNDX evidently administered the most rentable tracks for the first part (kudos to “Color negro pasión,” the only memorable and slightly touching thing out of this fiasco) and reserved the most yawn-inducing numbers and intolerable garbage for the second half. “Bella en mi cabeza para siempre” sounds like something Allison would’ve popularized, “Ilusión, oh iliusión” is some cheesy crapfest that resembles Camila going punk pop (please, never let that happen), and hideous closer “La vida en el barandal” begs for this shit to come to an end already.

It’s funny. In the press conference surrounding the release of the album, Madero explained how the group wanted to go back to their raw origins with Bonanza, which they never really did. Firstly, because they have never been hardcore, like, at all. And secondly, because this record feels so clean and harmless, you’d have to think he wasn’t being serious when he emitted that thought. He also states how PXNDX doesn’t mean to transmit a message, and you have to give him credit for admitting it. They absolutely don’t, and we’re lucky for that. After the total embarrassment that Bonanza is, you can’t help but lament that these dudes are still taken seriously. But if Maná is, why can’t PXNDX be part of the club? Long live rock and roll.

Enrique Coyotzi. 

Piyama Party - Culipandeo EP

Oh, Piyama Party, how you crack me up. Sometimes, you bring about nasty, kinky feelings. Other times, you make me want to take loads of drugs (any kind accepted) and stay at home contemplating nothingness. Occasionally, it’s simply the impulse to listen to some Dinosaur Jr. or Pixies and devour all kinds of junk food. Or my favorite: the image of a crusty lover, a disorganized bed, and being hella high in a favorite songs marathon til dawn. Whatever mundane thoughts they bring to mind, point is, the Coahuila idols, led by witty lyricist and singer Luis Ángel Martínez, shouldn’t be taken that seriously—at least not lyrically, even though it’s crucial to their cleverness. Piyama Party already has obtained a legendary mipster status thanks to landmark indie classics such as “Nosotros los rockers” or Fan de Carcass.” At this stage, I’d dare to declare them the equivalent of Pavement in Mexican indie rock and, under that comparison, their so-fucking-good, constantly diverse Culipandeo EP would be the equivalent to the California heroes’ magnanimously well-thought Wowee Zowee.

Upgrading the mostly unpolished, rocking spirit of Más Mejor, as well as Michael Está Vivo’s upbeat approach and appreciation of rhythm boxes and synths, Culipandeo focuses on several diverse styles that go from abrasive garage punk (“Siéntate en mi cara”), reminiscent western-like tunes (“Abridor”), insane keyboard-flavored curious mixtures (“Culipandeo”), acoustic guitar-based marvels (“Sexo, drogas y comida chatarra”), and pretty much kick ass, careless, filthy indie rock, which this time results in a softer yet frantic collection of eight essential songs that could each stand on their own, since they are stylistically all over the place. As a whole, they serve as your perfect 18-minute, strongly tied, fleeting soundtrack of what we in Mexico commonly refer to as “echar la hueva.” Hilarious opener “Elton” is a perfect example of why Piyama Party’s lyrics shouldn’t be overanalyzed, but simply enjoyed. “A ti te encanta Elton John/con sus lentes y su piano/pero yo no estoy celoso/porque es un maricón,” Martínez laughably tells his girl, who’s a hardcore Elton John fan. Seriously, I could imagine a member of the “gay community” (hate that term) offended by it, or a casual listener believing it’s a homophobic gesture, but it ain’t. Martínez’s wordplay is ingenious, looking forward to just having some fun being irreverent. The situations he portrays are silly yet so familiar. He’s a comical, carefree, clever guy whose voice speaks through many others.

Extending on pop culture references, “Las chicas de Bret” is an exhilarating tribute to Bret Michaels’ entourage of generally wasted suitors during his VH1 reality show, Rock of Love. “Sexo, drogas y comida chatarra” is easily one of the best tunes the band has crafted throughout their abundant career. Funky guitar playing, fresh percussion, and sexy electric distortion are all present in this ardently, stimulating highlight about how to spend time with a companion in a bedroom (“vamos a ver porno, a jugar videojuegos toda la noche”). Later on, the vocalist soothingly narrates how his mind goes out of this world while driving and getting distracted with those hot girls on the street in the stupefying “Podría provocar un accidente.” Title track “Culipandeo” is a rendition of a sexually-fueled dance that basically consists of rubbing ass against pelvis (a sort of not so over the top daggering, more like perreo; check that cover!) is hugely rhythmic, richly frenetic, and ventures into uncharted eclectic territory for the group. “Abridor” commences with some latent heat, momentarily transporting to some Ennio Morricone landscape, and “Si yo fuera presidente,” an uplifting take on Argentina’s Ignacio Copani’s original piece, works as a subtle take on the country’s shitty current political panorama. At this point, no doubt Piyama Party would do better than any of the unconvincing candidates. Tumultuous, senses-hammering closer “Siéntate en mi cara” kicks everyone’s asses, evoking some of Dávila 666/Las Ardillas best moments and serving as another gold-star-on-the-forehead moment for these earnest badasses.

As I’ve read on other reliable blogs, the band supposedly/hopefully will release their third full-length this year. While it isn’t official, let’s just say that Culipandeo has set the anticipation bar quite high and, temporarily, but satisfyingly, quenched our thirst. This is such a tremendous, compelling EP which I already anticipate referring to as a must in the future. Reaffirming themselves as one of Mexico’s quintessential underground bands, Piyama Party has demonstrated a jaw dropping trail, and the sparse, high-grade Culipandeo simply shines as their best release so far.

Enrique Coyotzi.

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MP3: Coyoli - “Jofredesa”

A relatively new act within our circuit, Mexican musician Oscar Coyoli has been composing engaging folk music for a couple of years already. Listening to his 2007 release under the unpronounceable and ungoogleable artistic name ((( ))), Una tarde de domingo en la isla de la Grande Jatte (named after Georges Seurat’s iconic painting), the first comparison that came to mind was Phil Elvrum’s work (particularly because their voices sound very similar), mixed with a splash of Beirut’s Gulag Orkestar. It’s a heartwarming effort that remains an underground gem.