Abuelo, Miguel Y Nada – “Miguel Abuelo Y Nada” – [Les Uns Par Les Autres]

Thurston Hunger   10/28/2010   12-inch, A Library

70’s Argentina rock with pronounced arena gusto. Lead singer
Miguel Angel Peralta donned the eponymous psuedonym, “Abuelo”
and many grandparents today would have dug this back in its
hey day. Abuelo had an old soul, and a rough road through
addiction, in and out of bands, across the Atlantic to France
(where this was recorded) and finally to a much too early
grave sadly due to AIDS. His voice rivals the pyrotechnics
of the big budget US coliseums. In addition (or in spite)
of his skills, it seems he just has fun with his voice, as
in the first words on the album and also in the stuttery
“El Muelle.” And his soaring screech reaches the rarified
air where Robert Plant’s overly tight jeans elevated his
pipes. The album is flushed out with plenty of double guitar
leads, and even an open string trill up solo on “Tirando
Piedras Al Rio.” There’s Moog moves on “Recala Sabido
Forastero”, faux harpsichord rococo intros and diabolic strings
attached to “Octavo Sendero.” Twelve string acoustic moments
with matches raised by the maddening crowd. You bet! And all
of this before the phrase “Rock en Espanol” became a tear
in an A&R man’s saliva. This started as a “Really??” listen
for me, but wound up as a complete “De Veras!!” Dude, where’s
my spandex?!?!

-Thurston Hangover