Muchachito Bombo Infierno -- loosely translated as "The Kid's Big Drum Hell" -- is the new project of
Muchachito (Jairo Perera), a Barcelona-based singer and boxer whose music is rooted in traditional Latin forms but delivered with pure rock & roll gusto. From the opening track "El Compadre," powered by a wah-wah groove straight out of '70s funk, through the jittery "Mas Que Breve" (which sounds like a much less uptight
Franz Ferdinand) and the odd synth-ska of "115," Vamos Que Nos Vamos (again, loosely translated: "we go because we go") is a varied and unpredictable record that's stabilized by
Muchachito's force of personality, aggressive delivery and sure rhythmic sense. Just musically familiar enough not to sound forbidding to those looking for a gentle way into contemporary Latin music, this is also an excellent party record. [Vamos Que Nos Vamos was reissued in 2006 with a 15-track bonus disc; some editions also included a live DVD.] ~ Stewart Mason