Roots Of Chicha: Psychedelic Cumbias From Peru, The

[coll]: Roots of Chica
Reviewed by Sadie O., 10/30/07
Named after an indigenous alcoholic beverage, this is what the title says – psychedelic cumbias from Peru. Very much from the lower classes, quite lo-fi, made for dancing, all adhering to the cumbia rhythm but using Moogs and farfisas and guitars with whammy bars. Not much in the way of real psychedelia, but great fun!
No FCCs detected, although track 12 is decidedly suspect. I guess I like track 6 best, but there’s no clunkers and they’re all pretty nuts…
1. **midtempo with wah wah on rhythm and serious tremolo on lead guitar – excellent!
2. *Bongos! Very folky and roots sounding, until the weebly keyboards hit.
3. **downtempo and very groovy, nice harmonies. Bits of crazed laughter, but not too psychedelic.
4. **spoken intro, then downtempo cumbia with lots of wah wah.
5. *takes a while to hit a groove, then very downtempo slinky instrumental alternating with faster rather spastic one. Occasional goofy yells.
6. ****midtempo strong groove with farfisa, fine vocal harmonies. Great percussion, too – it’s a hit!
7. ***downtempo with one of the most disturbed guitar tones I’ve heard in a while. Absolutely bums-up mad!
8. **emotionally wrought intro, then uptempo cumbia version of Fur Elise on electric guitar! What the hell were they drinking?
9. ***aggressive and probably very drunk midtempo attack-cumbia with manic laughter. Singing seems straight from the Andes Indians.
10. ***uptempo with several different odd effects on most of the instruments.
11. **downtempo and very swingy-cool. These guys name all their songs for chicks!
12. **midtempo with nice percussion and twangy guitar and farfisa. Very odd spoken female vocals. I can’t tell whether she’s having an orgasm or scared half out of her mind by something.
13. **sung intro, then downtempo bass and guitar driven romp, apparently referring to El Diablo as the Handsome One…
14. *midtempo with keyboards, pretty vocals.
15. ***midtempo, clearly having enormous fun, fine vocals and whooping. Ain’t nothing but a party, yo!
16. **quite uptempo, with all sorts of keyboards. Instrumental.
17. **bird calls and surf guitar, very downtempo.