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74 posts since 1/31/2009
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Posted on 3/7/2009 at 8:07:01 AM
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Los Natas - El Nuevo Orden de la LibertadReview by JJ Koczan (StonerRock.com) Small Stone Recordings Release date: May 26, 2009 (iTunes March 10) It’s vaguely correct to call El Nuevo Orden de la Libertad, the new album by Argentina free rockers Los Natas a return to form. Their third offering for Small Stone, it sees a resurgence of the kind of catchy desert riffing that permeated early works like 1999’s Ciudad de Brahman and their classic 1996 debut, Delmar (both albums were on Man’s Ruin), but if a decade has passed since those days, it has brought changes with it that manifest themselves, as ever, unexpectedly on this striking new collection of songs. Los Natas is not a young band anymore. Depending on whether you count the likes of Unreleased Dopes and München Sessions as separate full-lengths, El Nuevo Orden de la Libertad marks upwards of nine LPs over the course of a 16-year existence that has also brought forth numerous EPs, 7″s and splits with the likes of Dragonauta, Viaje a 800, and most recently Solodolor. Their creativity is unbridled on this newest album, but it’s also tempered with a maturity presenting itself in tighter songcraft than on their last studio offering, 2006’s El Hombre Montaña. Beginning with somber notes that symmetrically reappear at the album’s close, “Las Campanadas” is a straightforward, guitar-led riff rocker with an insistent rhythm and confident vocal delivery from guitarist Sergio Ch. The music is aggressive — you can hear it on Walter Broide’s punkish (or Slayerish, depending on the context you want to give it) ping ride abuse at 2:54 — but the anger is never the central focus of the song. Maybe that’s because I don’t speak the language, but taking the vocals and the music together as one piece, they balance each other out and, structurally, strike as purposeful and not over the top. The title track follows and delivers the catchiest chorus of the record; the kind that has you (me) waking up at night to go to the bathroom and singing it to yourself (myself) while you (I) do. It’s here that Los Natas sound most like they’re making a political statement, a rallying cry to anyone listening. “Resistiendo al Dolor” provides a moment of atmospheric respite before launching into its own rhythmic desert punk led by frantic lead work from Sergio and underscored by the fuzz-laden bass of Gonzalo Villagra. If everything before hadn’t also been an album highlight, it certainly would be. “Hombre de Metal” works at a slower pace, dragging Sabbath through the sand, while “Ganar-Perder” takes a Western guitar line and incorporates Latin influences while bringing them into the context of the Los Natas sound. The acoustics that launch “Noviembre” serve as an effective break from the heaviness around and demonstrate the growth in songwriting that has taken place over the band’s career. Where on Delmar, that might be a spacious jam, on El Nuevo Orden de la Libertad, it is a tightly delivered intro serving a specific purpose. The darkness of the song itself gives way to more chaos on the instrumental “David y Goliath,” on which Broide gives what might be his best performance of the record, and “Bienvenidos,” another acoustic interlude, sets a contemplative tone for the album’s finish. “10.000,” which is effectively the last song on El Nuevo Orden de la Libertad, is an apocalyptic culmination of flowingly raucous desertry. If they’re unhinged anywhere, it’s here. But they’re not, and that’s perhaps the scariest part of the song and what makes it hit even harder. Los Natas know exactly what they’re doing and they’re doing it with frightening efficiency. Another memorable, punishing riff sees the track into its fadeout and “Dos Horses” brings back the notes from the “Las Camapanadas” intro and expands them into a piano-infused instrumental piece that presents subtly psychedelic images of riding horseback across a sun-setting desert. Those boots may not be comfortable, but the song sure is. I won’t say this is the greatest work Los Natas has ever done. Each of their albums has too much personality and too much of a separate appeal apart from the others to be granted such hyperbole. The fact, however, is that El Nuevo Orden de la Libertad puts you exactly where it wants you for every minute of its run time. It boasts the most together-sounding performances the band has ever put to tape and is easily the best record I’ve heard so far this year.
URL: http://www.myspace.com/losnatasrock
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752 posts since 2/2/2009
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Posted on 3/7/2009 at 10:10:31 AM
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Sounds a like more variety on this one. Which is fine with me since the last album was more one dimensional.
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aka ryno)))
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32,154 posts since 12/13/1999
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Posted on 3/7/2009 at 12:40:04 PM
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Great fucking news that a new album is on the way. A new Los Natas is guaranteed to make my top ten of the given year of it's release. I do have to admit that 'El Hombre de Montana' was a bit one-dimensional though, so if this has more of their older sound(s) expansion on it, good deal.
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Iommi, Butler, Ward, Osbourne
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1,694 posts since 11/9/2002
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Posted on 3/7/2009 at 1:17:51 PM
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17,362 posts since 9/30/2006
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Posted on 3/7/2009 at 2:02:57 PM
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Counting the days, counting the days, ...
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The real in us is silent; the acquired is talkative. - Gibran
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3,549 posts since 5/11/2002
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Posted on 3/7/2009 at 2:20:07 PM
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Have to admit I'm a tactile brat. IE, I don't like downloads and mp3's. I like having an album, artwork, something tangible. But that won't stop me from buying the iTunes version in a few days. I'll just have to re-buy it in May. Either way, great news indeed. Finally the new Los Natas album is upon us... Can't wait baby...
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16,046 posts since 4/11/2002
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Posted on 3/7/2009 at 3:29:53 PM
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Yup, I'll order off of Itunes as well as pick up the cd. The last album was excellent. Great band.
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"LIGHTS OUT, MEATBALL!!!"
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17,362 posts since 9/30/2006
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Posted on 3/13/2009 at 2:59:49 AM
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I was all ready to review this, then realized that my track order has somehow been rearranged by the magic of Itunes into Bienvenidos/David y Goliath/Dos Horses/Ganar-Perder/10.000/Noviembre/El Nuevo Orden de la Libertad/Hombre de Metal/Las Campanadas/Resistiendo al Dolor, rather than the album's true tracklist.
And now I'm resistant to changing that after 7-8 listens, because it flows so well, going from the Andres Segovia-like Bienvenidos to the heavy, angry Natas that permeates this release, back to the classical acoustic guitar/piano arrangement and then just taking off to heights unsurpassed by any previous Natas album. Because after initally being drawn in, I just cannot stop incrementally turning up the volume and nodding my head.
I am ready to say that this may be Natas best album ever. I know not everyone will agree, but this is such a beautifully produced, mature, soaring, heartfelt album that even Delmar and Ciudad seem like they were leading to this gigantic beast - one that shows how Latin fuzz, unhurried songwriting, freedom from genres and an unabashed love for the core of rock can soar, even if I don't understand a word of what they are saying.
I just can't find anything here I don't like. This is the album I want to fall asleep to at night, to play when I'm at work, that I want to drag my friends who don't like hard rock to and make them listen, to pull the extreme metalers over and say, "this is why rock needs heart and groove, not just riffs and fills", to hear live where Sergio, Walter and Gonzalo just fucking kill it.
And I'm going to stop typing now, because I'm a little bit drunk. And I guess I did end up reviewing it after all.
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The real in us is silent; the acquired is talkative. - Gibran
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42,479 posts since 7/29/2000
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Posted on 3/15/2009 at 10:24:32 AM
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(Ah-ha! The first chance to buy something via iPhone in an airport. Worked great. Couple minutes.)
Cheers to this fine record, I like it very much.
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BAN THE STONER ROCK FACEBOOK TRAITORS
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3,549 posts since 5/11/2002
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Posted on 4/3/2009 at 7:41:49 AM
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Los Natas - El Nuevo Orden de La Libertad
Review by Scrit
Small Stone Recordings
Release date: May 26th
A funny thing has happened to me having listened steadily to the record since the day it came out on iTunes March 10th. After the initial giddy glow of 'new Natas!' wore off and I started listening to the record on its own merits, El Nuevo Orden de La Libertad made me begin to seriously re-evaluate Los Natas' prior full length studio album- 2006's El Hombre Montania. Of their 10-years-long catalogue, that was the record I tended to reach for the least. I never thought it was a bad album, it just never resonated emotionally deep for me. But now with three years hindsight, and a jolt of hearing a 2009 Natas by its side, I am rediscovering El Hombre Montania in a big way. And now I love it...
As others have echoed, this seems to be The Natas' angriest, darkest record. It's not doomy really, but its 'tough' and angst-ridden in a way, generally, I'm not used to hearing from these guys. Largely gone are the sweeter, fat, desert Latin riffage present on frankly most of their albums. The sound on this album is still huge, but not quite as Billy Anderson Corsario Negro huge. Perhaps this kind of anger in their music will take a bit more getting used to from me...
What still remains, and I love 'em for it because they do it in their own unique way, are the sprinkled oases of beautiful melody and harmony, that pops up out of the chaos when you don't expect it, and they hang out there for a little while- but don't let you have it too long. You know what I mean? And then there is the acoustic, dreamier side of Natas that does show up here too with the gorgeous 'Bienvenidos' and 'Dos Horses' (the latter featuring some up-front piano work).
Taken together, I think I'd have wanted a piece or two more like, or just like, their song 'Gitanoss' that showed up as a 10" vinyl tune under the Ararat Sessions. So again El Nuevo Orden... may take a bit more getting used to for me, or it may become what El Hombre Montania was for the last three years- the album I reached for the least- but then I'll rediscover it in force a few years from now...
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16,046 posts since 4/11/2002
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Posted on 4/10/2009 at 4:48:31 PM
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It took a few spins to grow on me.
Now, I am enjoying this record a lot.
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"LIGHTS OUT, MEATBALL!!!"
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16,046 posts since 4/11/2002
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Posted on 4/17/2009 at 11:37:26 PM
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I love Los Natas. You really need to get knee deep in their music to fully appreciate it. You can't just skip through. It takes a few listens. They are a band that rocks from the soul. El Nuevo Orden de la Libertad is outstanding.
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"LIGHTS OUT, MEATBALL!!!"
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2,257 posts since 11/15/2000
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Posted on 4/24/2009 at 7:14:52 PM
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Reading comprehension is a lost art.
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5,697 posts since 12/24/2000
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Posted on 5/19/2009 at 7:22:00 AM
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Well having ordered the CD from small stone I decided I was allowed to steal an mp3 copy off the evil internet. Couldn't wait for indeterminate posting delays.
Only 8 minutes into the album, but sounds like it's going to rock my socks off.
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Besides, he`s an integral part of the community nowadays.
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16,046 posts since 4/11/2002
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Posted on 5/19/2009 at 1:09:35 PM
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I've been spinning this since I got it.
It is outstanding.
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"LIGHTS OUT, MEATBALL!!!"
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1,694 posts since 11/9/2002
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Posted on 5/19/2009 at 8:06:48 PM
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Hey Dutch- Since you went ahead bought a copy of the cd, you have my blessing for snagging a version of it online!
URL: http://www.smallstone.com
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752 posts since 2/2/2009
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Posted on 5/20/2009 at 9:07:25 AM
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Not that the last album was bad but this is much better. They mix up more on this album. I'm still hoping they'll do a record where one side is the heavier, faster songs and the other side is Toba-Trance III.
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aka ryno)))
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3,549 posts since 5/11/2002
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Posted on 5/21/2009 at 9:14:08 AM
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At this point for now I still feel El Hombre Montania edges out Nuevo Orden de La Libertad, but by an edge. Nuevo is growing in strength for me it's just been a slow cooker.
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820 posts since 9/22/2007
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Posted on 7/3/2009 at 4:45:32 PM
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finally downloaded the mp3 album from amazon, on the first spin right now. Is this another Billy Anderson job? It sounds a little cleaner than his other stuff.
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She looks like she does it.
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1,694 posts since 11/9/2002
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Posted on 7/3/2009 at 7:54:27 PM
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No Billy Anderson on this one... Here are the album credits for El Nuevo Orden De La Libertad: Sergio Chotsorian: Guitar & Vocals Walter Broide: Drums & Vocals Gonzalo Crudo Villagra: Bass Additional Players: Santiago Chotsorian: Piano Recorded @ Monsterland and El Attic Studious - Buenos Aires, Argentina. Recorded by Patricio Claypole and Mr. Alvaro Villagra. Produced by Sergio CH., Patricio Claypole, and Los Natas. Mastered by Chris Goosman @ Baseline Audio Labs - Ann Arbor, MI. Artwork By Sergio CH. Some of the people that worked on last album from The Cult were involved with the production on the new Los Natas album...
URL: http://www.smallstone.com
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