«Ο ήχος των πραγμάτων όταν πέφτουν» -Juan Gabriel Vasquez (Ίκαρος)

 

 

Κολομβία, Μπογκοτά ένας νεαρός καθηγητής νομικής ο Αντόνιο Γιαμάρα στην ζωή,μετά το θάνατο του Εσκομπάρ ,σε μια πόλη που ανασυντάσσεται, με τον φόβο συνοδό της για χρόνια. Γνωρίζει έναν μυστηριώδη, σιωπηλό, χαμηλών τόνων πιλότο τον Λαβέρδε και ξεκινά μια ιστορία προσωπικής αναζήτησης. Ο Λαβέρδε είναι πρώην φυλακισμένος και στη σύντομη γνωριμία του με τον Γιαμάρα, του κληροδοτεί ένα τραύμα που τον αφήνει για καιρό στο νοσοκομείο, από την επίθεση που θα κοστίσει τη ζωή του Λαβέρδε, αλλά και μια σειρά από ερωτηματικά, μαζί με μια ηχογράφηση από ένα μαύρο κουτί μιας πτήσης που δεν θα προσγειωθεί ποτέ στην Μπογκοτά.

Ο Βάσκεζ με αριστοτεχνικό τρόπο θα ανασυστήσει την ζωή στα χρόνια των καρτέλ μέσα από τα μάτια απλών ανθρώπων της οικογένειας Λαβέρδε, της συζύγου του Αμερικανίδας που έχει έρθει να συνδράμει με το Ειρηνευτικό σώμα την Κολομβία και τους αγρότες, της κόρη τους και τον κόσμο, την Κολομβία που αλλάζει.

Η καλλιέργεια μαριχουάνας και κοκαΐνης, θα φέρει τον διαμοιρασμό του πλούτου, θα αλλάξει ζωές και θα αποτελέσει είκοσι χρόνια αργότερα το λόγο που ο καθηγητής Νομικής θα αντιμετωπίσει τους φόβους του παρέα με την κόρη του Λαβέρδε. Πίστη, απιστία, οικονομική ευμάρεια, φιλίες , πρόοδος αλλά και εγκληματικότητα, μέσα από το χρονικό των Λαβέρδε, στο οποίο με τον τρόπο του θα γίνει μέλος και ο Γιαμάρα. Ταυτόχρονα  περογράφεται γλαφυρά η  διάλυση της δικής του οικογενειακή ζωής, σε αντιστάθμισμα της ηρεμίας που θα φέρουν αποκαλύψεις και αναζητήσεις με τους εναπομείναντες Λαβέρδε.

Δυνατό, πυκνογραμμένο σαν τον αποπνικτικό αέρα της Μπογκοτά, γεμάτο υγρασία και τον φόβο του χθες, « Ο ήχος των πράγματων όταν πέφτουν» αποτελεί ένα μοντέρνο αστυνομικό΄ μυθιστόρημα και συνάμα την συγκέντρωση των κομματιών από μια σπασμένη καρδιά, τα όνειρα μιας γενιάς, χαμένης στην βίλα του Εσκομπάρ και των παρακρατικών. Όλα αυτά δομημένα μέσα από μια προσωπική ιστορία δύο ανθρώπων που τους ενώνουν μερικές φωνές αγνώστων στο μαύρο κουτί ενός αεροπλάνου και δημοσιεύματα, γράμματα και φωτογραφίες μιας εποχής που συνυπήρξαν οριακά δίχως να το ξέρουν στον ζωολογικό κήπο του Εσκομπάρ, ως επισκέπτες.

Η δεξιότητα του Βάσκεζ στον λόγο σε συνεπαίρνει και σε τυλίγει σαν φίδι, σε καταπίνει σαν ανακόντα, απαιτώντας από εσένα κάθε ικμάδα προσοχής για να σε ανταμείψει με ένα βιβλίο ρεαλιστικό ως το τέλος, δίχως ίχνος υπερβολών. Μια ιστορία που σε αγχώνει καθώς ελπίζεις να αποκαλυφθούν τα πάντα και αυτά είναι τόσο κοινότυπα και τετριμμένα και σύναμμα τόσο ανατρεπτικά. Γραφή δυνατή, κεντρικοαμερικάνικη, με χαρακτήρες δέσμιους των αισθημάτων τους σε μια χώρα που ταλανίζει το παρελθόν της . Διαβάστε το για να ανακαλύψετε τον ήχο των πραγμάτων όταν πέφτουν, δίχως φανφάρες, ξερά και μονότονα, λίγο πριν το τέλος ή την καινούργιά αρχή.

 Ένας συγγραφέας που μιλάει με τους χαρακτήρες του, δίχως να ωθεί καταστάσεις στα άκρα. Μια τοιχογραφία μιας κοινωνίας, που θέλει να ξεχάσει, αλλά δεν τολμά και πολλές φορές δεν μπορεί, γιατί η γραμμή του αίματος είναι ακόμα ορατή.

Song of the week Mastodon - Pushing the Tides

 Song of the week

 

 

Mastodon - Pushing the Tides

It's the first new music from the band's upcoming album Hushed And Grim

 

MAMMOTH WVH- "MAMMOTH WVH"

Modern rock, hard rock ,from Wolfgang Van Halen and his band, that is miles away from his fathers band and still sounds fresh and interesting. A lot more influenced from the American British pop/prog bands of the 00sat so gs like 'Epiphany' you can listen the difference between father and son. On the other hand at "Don't back down" you have an example on how modern Hard rock keeps evolving based on the constant massive riff and the infectious groove. MAMMOTH WVH are a modern rock band and they deliver their music, free from heritage,names and traditions, that's why they re so focus on music and so successful. That goes if you're not stuck in the golden 80s and thank God WVH isn't."Resolve" is a fine example on how he writes a song based on a strong guitar riff with the melody upfront driving the song.

 

 

The same title song is a great example on how MAMMOTH WVH understand modern hard rock, a hint of SOUNDGARDEN,MUSE, SMASHING PUMPKINS, and a big part of melody over the well chosen riff that the song will be based on. Song ready for today's radio. "Circles" is among them with its mesmerizing structure and the keyboards set the pace for an excellent summer  song. Closer 'Distance' the first single from the album is a fine song craft example and a great tribute to Eddie VH by his son. A modern rock song and simultaneously a touching tribute from the son to his father. Only for this, EVH would be proud of his family legacy. The only objection I have is the album length as the style of the songs can become a bit boring from a point and after, if you're not in the modern rock type of songwriting/drumming.

7,5

 

DEE GEES- "Hail satin"

 

 

This album normally wouldn't get a rate. BEE GEES are among the biggest name in the Disco,Pop music and FOO FIGHTERS in the rock community. Dave Grohl FF leader is the man who bridges gapσ and validates artists and genres.The well known battle between rockers and disco fans is ver as DG gives their rendition of some BEE GEES classics very similar to the originals as he respects the Gibb brothers and ask the rockers to let their hair down and dance. He manages this quite easily with an album equally FF and BG with his falsetto voice and the honest approach to sme dance anthems that delivers with faith and admiration. Hail satin and get your bell bottom trousers entering the disco ballroom.DG showed us the way.I hope he will do the same for some FM rock of the 70s/80s he has the magic touch. 

 

 

The rest of the "ep" is filled with some FF songs from their latest works , as always straight in your face rockers like "No son of mine" but with a pop sensibility. and groove "Cloud spotter". Five tracks from Medicine At Midnight, recorded live at their own 606 studio, on Side B. The whole album is a Record Store Day  exclusive project and really reminds us why Grohl is above and beyond a true and unpretentious music lover.

 

7,5

7,5

Song of the week Eddie Vedder - Long Way

 Song of the week

 

 

Eddie Vedder - Long Way

"Long Way" is the new single by Eddie Vedder from his upcoming solo album, Earthling. 

Pre-order a special limited-edition 7" vinyl featuring "Long Way" and the soon-to-be-released song, "The Haves": https://eddievedder.lnk.to/LongWayTen...

 

THE UGLY KINGS- "Strange, strange times"

Modern heavy rock with a good dose of Johnny Cash, alternative rock and low tuned guitars. Following the steps of bands like VOLBEAT and less QOTSA as their band insist.THE UGLY KINGS is a band that aim at the modern rock radio and the ears of those who like their metal watered with modern elements. The metal country as I call it, with the blues, country, outlaw country and the massive sound of the 90s and nu metal is here a very attractive album for the first time listener. 

 

 

Big hooks, groovy, massive and a radio friendly approach. The alternative  scene of the 90s from THERAPY to GARBAGE and SKUNK ANANSIE is the major influence that drives the album to a melodic, riff driven climax from the slow burner opener "Strange,strange times''. Stoner rock is far less an influence, except if you are still among those who think that modern heavy rock bands like CLUTCH are stoner. "Do you feel like you re paranoid" is a fine example on how focus,THE UGLY KINGS are on modern rock songs with mass appeal. The groove and the intensity of the riff is their main advantage. "In the shadows" remind of a more metallic Iggy Pop "Home" era and they do it really well.

7

 

Big City- "Testify X"

Modern melodic heavy rock,in the vein of the wet dreams that Scandinavian rock is with the needed guitar virtuoso show off and some major hooks. Songs like 'Heart like a lion" could be IRON MAIDEN meets HOUSE OF LORDS and the whole album is filled with modern melodic rock that has also elements of the melodic side of NWOBHM (PRAYING MANTIS TOBRUK etc). "Graveyard love" comes with an opener like the glory days of TEN and moves to frenzy guitar driven melodic song reminiscent of early Malmsteen, TALISMAN with a touch of US power scene. From the opener "The rush" is like QUEENSRYCHE met JOURNEY or even better TOTO to the more WASP meets QUEENSRYCHE ``Dark rider" the band combines the heaviness with commercial touch. "Testify" has this majestic riff that demands your attention and when keyboards enter is a treat for the ears with its melodic breaks and the addictive hooks. I guess DEMON are the band they really have as an abstract idea regarding combining metal and melody.

Big City is a melodic metal band from Norway, The band was originally put together by guitarist and songwriter Daniel Olaisen.  Frank Ørland, who also played with Daniel in Scariot (prog/thrash/heavy band featuring Communic and Spiral Architect members), was an obvious choice to bring to Big City as the second guitarist. Frank Nordeng Røe (Withem, Maraton, session drummer for Circus Maximus and Leprous) was brought in on drums . The band was then completed with Jan Le Brandt on vocals and Geir Inge Olsen, who was brought in as a session bass player.The band's debut album, "Winter sleep", was initially released in 2014 and later on re-released by the Greek label Rock of Angels in 2018 as part of a deluxe edition of their second album,In 2019, the band started working on a new album and brought in a new singer, Jørgen Bergersen from Rock the Night (Europe cover band) and the new demos caught the interest of Frontiers who moved swiftly to sign the band.

 

 

A band who know how to write songs, big, pomp,metallic, yet melodic like early EUROPE but with a more progressive/,melodic feeling. RACER X is another fine example that could come to mind, but BIG CITY don't need and don't want comparisons. TNT in their early years are a good comparison, only here the sound is more metal and less anthemic in the way Le Tekro writes. Great choruses and some serious guitar work are making "Testify X"  a stand out album in a saturated genre and era. An album that aims to metal fans and don't look at the pathway to AOR, pop, disco paths but is still an amalgam of melody and catchy riffs and hooks.

 

8