SIENDO PERRO

3.5 stars. I spent three weeks in June of 2008 getting to know the band FULANO really well. I was so impressed with the theatrical female vocals that were unrestrained. Her name is Arlette by the way. The music was more in the avant/jazz style and full of energy. When their leader passed at an early age of 43 they disbanded and started fresh with a new name MEDIABANDA. Arlette continued to sing on their first two albums but shared the vocals with a girl named Regina. Well "Siendo Perro" is where Regina becomes the full time singer as Arlette leaves the band.

I have 3 star ratings for FULANO as well, when your talking about avant/jazz in my world, well, it doesn't always work. Like here in my opinion. It's the only MEDIABANDA record on RYM to be tagged with rap and brutal prog. Not a fan of either even if those two references are a bit of a stretch. My favourite track is "La Crisis Llego Cuando Estaba En El Mall" at almost 10 1/2 minutes, the longest. While this is a powerful album, this is the song where we get some beauty early on.

I do like "Pascualama" where the bass shakes the soundscape. That seventh song with the longest title has some ripping guitar on it along with riffs but I'm not big on it. I'm surprised at male vocals on a couple of tracks including that one. The other one with male singing is the balled-like closer that is so disappointing and a big reason I can't go 4 stars here. Why? They are still having fun, but this is the first recording without Arlette being involved. It's not the same.

By the way my favourite MEDIABANDA album is "Bombas en El Aire" from 2017, and it's part of my best-of "Jazz & Related" list. An incredible album with another new female vocalist who like the others can bring it in spades. Valentina is her name. "Siendo Perro" is a good album but it doesn't reach the level of their other studio albums in my opinion.