Café Tacuba

Objeto Antes Llamado Disco (Universal Music Latino)

SXSW 2013 Records

Café Tacuba

Objeto Antes Llamado Disco (Universal Music Latino)

Until No Line on the Horizon, U2 didn't make bad albums. Café Tacuba, granted, only two decades vested, happily picks up the mantle. Seven studio discs since 1992, the Mexico City foursome sounds impossibly fresh, effortless, and more confident with each passing keeper. Imagine Radiohead pogo, Animal Collective hooks, Rockwell in tune. Recorded at home, and in Buenos Aires, Chile, and L.A., Object Formerly Known as Record engineers an electro grid grounding a sine wave of melody as voiced by Rubén Albarrán with gnomish verve. The language barrier can't breach this wall of sonic pleasure, but their romance language only enriches balladic journey "De Este Lando Del Camina" (From This Side of the Road), which blips Interpol, crosses a Sgt. Pepper-ish bridge, and breaks orbit on a synthesizer blear that goes from ELO to Pink Floyd. Showstopper and new grande éxito (greatest hit) "Olita Del Altamar" moshes/mashes Calexico and Foster the People. Joselo's vocals can't compete with Albarrán's circling "Zopílotes" (vultures), but missteps remain invisible here. Welcome to the nube (cloud). (10pm, Stubb's; Thu., 8pm, Auditorium Shores)

***.5

A note to readers: Bold and uncensored, The Austin Chronicle has been Austin’s independent news source for over 40 years, expressing the community’s political and environmental concerns and supporting its active cultural scene. Now more than ever, we need your support to continue supplying Austin with independent, free press. If real news is important to you, please consider making a donation of $5, $10 or whatever you can afford, to help keep our journalism on stands.

Support the Chronicle  

READ MORE
More Cafe Tacuba
Above the Fold
Above the Fold
Getting healthy, getting high, and getting shot

Christopher Gray, July 15, 2005

More Music Reviews
Texas Platters
... And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead
X: The Godless Void and Other Stories (Record Review)

Alejandra Ramirez, Feb. 21, 2020

Texas Platters
Daniel Johnston
Chicago 2017 (Record Review)

Raoul Hernandez, Feb. 21, 2020

More by Raoul Hernandez
Crucial Concerts for the Coming Week
Crucial Concerts for the Coming Week
Women of Antone's, underground MCs, FuckEmos, and more recommended shows

March 24, 2023

SXSW Music 2023: The Best Things We Saw on Friday
SXSW Music 2023: The Best Things We Saw on Friday
A Margo Price keynote, Koffee's evolution, & Obongjayar's rising star

March 18, 2023

KEYWORDS FOR THIS STORY

Cafe Tacuba

MORE IN THE ARCHIVES
NEWSLETTERS
One click gets you all the newsletters listed below

Breaking news, arts coverage, and daily events

Can't keep up with happenings around town? We can help.

Austin's queerest news and events

Eric Goodman's Austin FC column, other soccer news

All questions answered (satisfaction not guaranteed)

Information is power. Support the free press, so we can support Austin.   Support the Chronicle