NEW WORLD RELAMPAGOS
New World Relampagos (Sirena Music)
Reviewed by Rusty Pipes

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Once upon a time there was a wildly popular group called Los Relampagos. Wildly popular in Spain at least. Their name means The Lightning Bolts and their stock in trade was instrumental guitar rock, a sort of Spanish surf music influenced by duende and flamenco styles. They put out quite a lot of music over three decades, 46 releases in all, so they were far more than one-hit wonders. Think of them as The Iberian Ventures and you'll be close. This is a tribute album to them.

This is fun music and I can see why Los Relampagos were so popular. The tribute comes from a group of Americans, Mark Huber on rhthym guitar (who doubles as producer), Ivan Pongracic on lead guitar, Sam Bolle on bass, Dusty Watson on Drums and Luther Gray on percussion. The keyboards, mostly a 60's vintage organ, are by one of the original members of the band Pablo Herrero and the original lead guitarist, Jose Luis Armenteros appears on three tracks. The guitar work by Ivan, Jose and Mark is especially great all the way through and really captures the 60's style with 90's technical excellence.

There always was a heavy accent of hot Arabian-Spanish music in the surf sound, just listen to Dick Dale on Miserlou, so this album with the period organ and the echoey hard body electric guitar sounds like a beach classic that you missed. If you love surf music then indeed that's exactly what has happened, so pick it up and hear the music of a group that should have been a favorite of yours all along.

© 2001 - Rusty Pipes