Brownout

"Olvidalo"

BY David DacksPublished Sep 10, 2009

Brownout's upcoming album may finally bring them to the larger audience they deserve. Despite hailing from Austin and having played SXSW a couple of times, the band's funky pan-Latino grooves have flown under the radar. Their new album Aguilas & Cobras, out September 15, is poised to out them into the same league as their "big brothers," Grupo Fantasma who have backed Prince many a time.

Released on well-established world music label Six Degrees, if nothing else these guys will get good distribution and a more concentrated promotional push than their self-released debut album of a couple of years ago. The sound of the new disc furthers their vintage funk-con-tape echo, combining cumbias, blaxploitation flourishes and rough hewn Chicano soul into an even more potent brew. A good reference point would be guitarist Adrian Quesada's well regarded side project, Ocote Soul Sounds, but with a more cohesive, organic band feel.

Six Degrees seems pretty excited about this free agent pickup, and have previewed a song for download. "Olvidalo" has an uptempo break-beat underpinning a mix heavy on the stringed instruments ranging from what sounds like a cuatro (four stringed guitar) to a clavinet with a harpsichord-like lilt. Baroque latin funk? You be the judge.

Download "Olvidalo" by Brownout here.

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