Well this is certainly one of the strangest CDs I've heard in a long while. Nono Belvis and Kike Sanzol are ex members of the Argentinean symphonic rock band M.I.A. M.I.A. released three excellent albums in the late 1970s and quietly disappeared. According to the liner notes of the CD under review, Belvis and Sanzol wanted to branch out in a completely different direction from their old band, resulting in the Que Estan Celebrando Los Hombres album. Originally issued in 1982, Que Estan Celebrando Los Hombres has been remastered from the original master tapes. I do not know what audience Belvis and Sanzol are reaching for and after listening to the CD, I don't think they do either.
So what does the music sound like? Keeping in mind that it sounds nothing like M.I.A., what we have is essentially contemporary instrumental jazz, carried forth by acoustic guitars and drums. Generally pastoral in flavor, tracks like "Lazo Reales" and "Al Acecho" offer some intricate percussion arrangements largely based around vibes, congas and gongs. The emphasis is on rhythm rather than melody and overall, it makes for enjoyable background music.
The second half of the CD is just plain weird. The four tracks comprising side two of the original vinyl make up a kind of suite that perhaps takes some of Frank Zappa's more avant-garde explorations to new heights or depths, depending on one's perception. Things begin innocently enough with "Una Especie De Hueco", but "Lengua De Gato" is built around sound effects, belching noises, people randomly shouting in the recording studio and all manner of nonsense. "Cucu" is a drum solo/showcase which doesn't exactly redeem the overall puzzling nature of the Belvis and Sanzol sound collage. By the time the title track proper concludes, I'm more than a little glad it's all over.
The CD is rounded out by two bonus tracks that thankfully are in keeping with the album's better first half. They are hardly essential add-ons, but they aren't unpleasant either. Que Estan Celebrando Los Hombres is hardly my cup of tea, but more adventurous listeners and undiscriminating M.I.A. diehards may wish to dig in.
Track Listing
- Lazos Reales (5:47)
- Blanca Presencia (3:56)
- Al Acecho (8:07)
- Una Especie De Hueco (5:48)
- Lengua De Gato (3:54)
- Cucu (2:44)
- Que Estan Celebrando Los Hombres (6:11)
- Minimo De Quietud (6:32) (bonus track)
- Rumba Rumbe (5:43) (bonus track)
Total Time (48:48)
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