Search - Enrique Bunbury :: Flamingos

An incredible follow up to `Pequeno'

R. Suarez Giacoman | Mc Allen, Texas United States | 07/19/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"`Pequeno' recorded in 1999 remains as the best album Enrique has recorded as of yet. So, when `Flamingos' was announced the expectations were high, he had already presented a couple of the new songs in live performances (`Si' and `...y al final') and somehow the public knew what to expect.



Following the idea of `Pequeno' being a conceptual album divided in three parts (Pequeno, Cabaret and Ambulante), `Flamingos' shows what the concept of this album will be from the cover. Using the metaphor of the boxing, Bunbury delivers 15 of his best songs ever written, almost at the level of those from `Pequeno'.



The comparison between both albums is somehow necessary as the new one follows the idea of the musicals and the cabaret presented in his previous work. Some of the artists Enrique admires and has worked with are present on this album, Carlos Ann, Adria Punti, Shuarma (from `Elefantes') and Jaime Urrutia (former member of `Gabinete Caligari') with whom he sings an excellent duet called `No se fie'. The lyrics are one of the best things the album has, filled with personal anecdotes beautifully told and metaphors all Bunbury style. The band impresses as it did in the last album, the synergy of all the musicians is hard to define, and this album wouldn't definitely be the masterpiece it is hadn't Bunbury had this band. Copi, Ana Belen, Rafa, del Moran, and the rest, each one of them has his moment in this disc.



The album opens with a powerful piece entitled `El club de los imposibles' in which Enrique basically introduces and describes his band, `El huracan ambulante'. Then we have the first single `Si' originally written by Adria Punti, Copi is just unbelievable in this piece and is one of the highlights on his live performances. Then we have `Contar contigo' followed by `Sacame de aqui', an incredible musical piece filled with very interesting metaphors in the lyrics. `Enganchado a ti' is a rhythmic piece delivered by the band in one of its best moments in this album. `Lady Blue' clearly shows the influence that David Bowie has had on Enrique, the guitar riffs and the lyrics are reminiscent of `Heroes'. `Ciudad de bajas pasiones' presents a quite unusual instrumentation and a sharp critique to Mexican politics, when president Fox came up with the `brilliant' idea of banning the popular `corridos' because they encouraged narcotrafic and how easy is to smuggle drugs into an airplane as long as you have enough money to bribe migration.



The best piece of the album is indeed the one that closes it, appropriately entitled `...y al final'. A beautiful vals that talks about a farewell and an undying love, beautiful music and even more beautiful lyrics.



The album presentation is quite regular and no lyrics are present (who needs them anyway?) There is an import version in a different case similar to the one used for `Pequeno' but the design is basically the same. A whole new disc, 15 unbelievable themes and deluxe guests make this album an awesome musical experience and the perfect follow up for one of the best albums in rock history ever.

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No one like Bunbury, this cd a new chapter of his great work

05/01/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I have always been a fan of Heroes del Silencio, and had been doubtful of buying Bunbury's music. I bought Pequeño a long time ago and enjoyed. I found it refreshing. BUT Flamingos is a great album, I have listened to it and seen the DVD so many times that my friends think I am obsessed with Bunbury. The truth is that since listening to the songs in Flamingos, I have gone out to find everything that Bunbury has worked on recently. I have been greatly surprised and Bunbury is now my IDOL.Bunbury is a great artist, very complete. It is too bad that in the genre of Latin Rock there are not more artists like him. Also, it is too bad that here in the United States we don't have access to new Latin Rock bands. In Latin music, we only get the same old bull sh** (salsa and bad pop artists -product of the Estefans)."