Album Review

Buen Chico – Choosing My Religion

• 9th Oct 2007

Former Glasswerk.co.uk artist of the week are Leeds very own deceptively named (world music like) Buen Chico who released their latest single ‘Choosing my Religion’ on Oct 8th. So, what makes Morgan (vocals/guitar, dancing, hair), Kirsty (bass/backing vocals, libraries, cats) and Alan (drums, beard, current affairs) so special? Let’s try and find a clue or two in the two tracks and video to be found on this enhanced CD of theirs.

First off, the ‘Choosing My Religion’ video, so as to enable some mental imagery to form whilst we listen to the music! I got to tell all you people, it’s very enjoyable indeed! Not only is it pleasant and refreshingly unpretentious but is well made and oozes with the obvious hard work that’s gone into making it. Morgan looks like an Emo Philips/Weird Al’ crossbreed (urgh!) and is prominent throughout the video, with a hoochy Kirsty and proudly bearded Alan (who look like siblings upon not too close inspection) also adding to the glorious part animated, part real (you know, like Who Framed Roger Rabbit?) proceedings that often serve well in illustrating the sometimes mumble-some lyrics and in maximising the entertainment value to be attained.

‘Choosing My Religion’ the song then… An average vocal delivery leads the way for an equally average guitar section whilst some emphatic drums fall into place all around. Am I dissin’ it? On the contrary! With its restrained euphoria and energy making this a sure fire dance floor classic at any residence bar, I just wanna get up and jump around, but the dog might freak! Its infrequently clever structure keeps you guessing at just the right points, deadening any tedium that might, like in so many other cases, start to rear its ugly head. Bravo BC bravo!

‘Bake your Cake’ unfortunately doesn’t stray far enough from its predecessor to warrant its own review. The backing vocals are notably more dynamic I suppose! And so if there’s one thing that these guys should be looking to do, it’s to diversify their sound. No I’ve not heard the LP or their live stuff, just these two tracks and yes, I really, really, really want to hear more but a boy can’t have it all can he. Still, I can listen to Razorlight, The Strokes and Bearsuit all at once on three different stereos and probably get a similar result.