Reviews

I took three Spanish courses in high school, failed one of them, then repeated the same cycle in college. Hola. Yo no comprendo mucho espanol. I pick up a few things here and there but by and large, Spanish is still a foreign language.
 
Now when you think of the Latin culture, there seems to be a lot of spice. Spicy, food, spicy people and spicy music. There also seems to be a lot of partying. Me gusto, but there’s obviously more to it. Religion and politics are also spicy Latin topics. The level of national pride is unwavering... so much more than the white bread levels of complacency practiced coast to coast in the United States and other countries. Many will think of Puerto Rico, Mexico, or maybe even sandy beaches and sunny skies, but where does the strife many face from Cuba fit in?
 
Guajiro is a quartet of compadres from Hialeah, on the outskirts of Miami. I’ve heard them described as the Cuban counterpart to the Dropkick Murphys’ flag waving Irish mentality. Niether is going to let a good time go without thoughts of those left behind. In a scene like punk, which can come off as repetitive, these nation-based acts are diversifying, different, and at the same time, similar as well. Both spin tales of hardship in their native tongue. They also should be known for the native sounds and languages which their respective brands of punk rock are based around.
 
The introduction to Material Subversio is a down home, straight up slice of Cubano. Traditional guitar work and percussion. Do I know what they’re saying? Nope. Wait till the next song for that. I guess that’s why it’s called Spanglish even though there’s more Spanish numbers on the record than English ones.
 
One thing seems pretty clear. The songs on Material Subversio do not seem to dissuade la revolucion. I’m guessing the cigar chomping, military green wearing, bearded guy isn’t the first man Guajiro want as the head of their homeland. I’d like to tell you why, but like I said... yo no comprende mucho.
 
The music, much like the language, also changes from one song to the next. Aside from the traditional sounding tracks, the second song, “Santa Fe,” is a straight up pop punk tune sung in English while the Spanish language “Deliquente” is a hardcore jam that could just as easily have sprung up on a Sunday afternoon in lower Manhattan as it could in a dingy rock club in Miami. Now mix it all that up, throw in a healthy dose of rock, and you have an idea of what Material Subversio sounds like.
 
One other piece of information should be available for you to get an idea of Guajiro’s sound and it involves name dropping. Guajiro is made up of members who once played in bands like Ignite, Slapshot and the mighty Friction Wheel. The album was produced by Darian Rundall who’s also worked with the likes of Pennywise and Suicidal Tendencies. NOW mix it all up.
 
If I understood Spanish a little better, this record would be clearer. Unfortunately, the language barrier doesn’t permit that so I have to make do with what I know. I’d guess the guys in Guajiro probably understand they won’t have much of a following in many places across the heartland. The target audience is more focused around cities with a sizeable Latin community. Does that mean it can’t be appreciated anywhere? No, but there’s a certain market being tapped into and as far as I know, at the moment, Guajiro seems to have it cornered.