Search - Iguanas :: Sugartown

A Unique Blend of Tex-Mex & R+B

Ivan Sever | MA, United States | 11/06/2000

(3 out of 5 stars)

"I love this band. Their unique blend of Tex-Mex sensibilities combined with some good old rock'n'roll and backed by a healthy dose of R&B from New Orleans produced an instantly recognizable sound. Joe Cabral and Derek Houston's tight saxophone lines, Rod Hodges' shimmering guitar or a driving accordion and J. René Coman/Doug Garrison's funky backbeat created an ultimate party band.The Iguanas have developed a cult-like following over the last eight years. In 1993 they landed a national record deal with Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville Records (distributed by MCA), and their self-titled debut release produced such rockin' gems as ("...darling let's give in to this") Night of Sin and You Make It Hard. Interspaced with these were the latin-tinged hits (I'm) Nervous ("ever since that day/when we went all the way") and Dark And Dangerous Love.Their second album Nuevo Bugaloo quickly followed in 1994. From the opening Oye, Isabel to the closing Hey, Sweet Darling Hodges and Cabral delivered hot rocking tunes in both English and Español while Coman contributed a cool cha-cha or a tango.However for Superball released in 1996, The Iguanas picked up a new producer and a sloppier sound that was closer to their live performances. As co-producers they also included a couple of self-indulgent duds that wouldn't have made it otherwise. Still there were hidden treasures, such as the uppity Lupita, the laid back I Moved Too Slow or the surprising Mil Demonios (A Thousand Demons).With Sugar Town, The Iguanas took a bold step and released the CD themselves on their own label. Why? Simply put, they were seeking more control. They didn't like the hierarchy of a national label and they didn't like the process of assembling studio recordings. Coman and the band produced an album that comes close to their live shows; however, in the process they also created a safe record. There are few surprises here - rock alternates with occasional songs in Spanish. The few exceptions are Si Amanece Nos Vamos (We'll Leave When Dawn Comes) which features Hodges' tired vocals and wandering guitar with a tape delay, Cabral's bajo sexto and a drum machine, and the single Captured, noteworthy for Garrison's drumming and a burning guitar solo by one of the band's guests Jeff Treffinger (the album's engineer). I also liked Arrimate, that features another guest, Mark Mullins, on trombone.In my opinion, Iguanas should've stayed with the national label. It might have been frustrating for them to battle a committee over their CDs' booklets, but at least all the previous ones are more informative than the current one. They might have been resenting the recording studio tricks, but that's how they created their most interesting tracks. I feel with their unique sound, Iguanas could've been today following Dave Matthews Band to a national prominence.But I'm not the band's member or their manager; all I can do is support them. And if you find you like them, you can do the same."

Fabulous, Fun, and Original!

Jordan W. Waring | Miami, FL USA | 08/29/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"A friend of mine recently turned me on to this band, and I am so very happy he did. The sound is very original and upbeat, and each track is different enough from the others that it shows what marvellous diversity and talent these guys have. I mean, "La llanta se me poncho" is as close to traditional latin music as you can get, with a bit of their cajun sound mixed in, while "your love terrifies me" and "captured" are much more straight forward rock/cajun/blues. My favorite song is "La guera felix". As one of the other reviewers said, it's a party in a box, or on a disc!"

Mixed emotions, but a good turnout

Justin Moody | Columbia, SC USA | 06/25/2001

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Having had the fourth Iguanas album for some time, I've been reluctant to write a mixed review for a band I'm otherwise wild about. The album opens with two solid tour de forces "Captured" and "La Llanta Se Me Poncho," which highlights the divergent influences of the Iguanas, a band that would easily be at home in a suburban garage cranking out rock beats, or in a Mexican cantina. The third track, however, suffers serious problems, as to my ear, the lyrics can't be understood and, like Super Ball, the liner notes lack lyrics of any type. "Born Again Devil" is redeemed only by Rod Hodges' blistering harmonica. The rest of the album bounces from highs to lows. The highs being "Dear Walter," inspired by a Mexican psychic; "La Güera Felix," which has a catchy accordion riff; and the self-described social commentary of "Latin Kings," which could easily serve as the sequel to "Boom Boom Boom," from their second album, 'Nuevo Boogaloo.' "Love Terrifies Me," "You Killed My Buzz," and "Arrimate" punctuate the album with slight-let downs, however. Probably the most interesting song on the album is "Si Amanece Nos Vamos," where drummer Doug Garrison sits out to be replaced by a drum machine that begins the song with a fade-in and ends it with a fade-out. The song itself can be best described as a haunting bolero featuring Hodges and Joe Cabral. Certainly, this would have made a better last track than "Arrimate." Overall, the album is a good performance by the band on their first self-produced album after breaking from Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville, however with four tracks being underperformances by these usual overachievers, I can't bring myself to give it more than three stars. A worthwhile investment, but its by no means the best of a truly great band."