Kevin Morby: City Music.

Or as i shall call it "The album that changed my life".

You may ask me "Le Mexicain" how did you start to write about music? and the answer is... 2016, but when did everything go fucking nuts? and the answer is, June 2017, yes, just a year ago I was in a dilemma about to keep writing or to stop doing it maybe forever. 

Everyone shall know i started writing about shows in November 2016 for a Radio show called "Clinic Diafragma" a College Radio Station called Radio Anahuac host this show since 2004, so as i was going to attend a big festival on November I found them on Instagram and i asked them if i could write something about the Festival. They said yes and told me to write "What do i expect from The Corona Capital Festival?", you can read it right here (PS: is an article written in full Spanish).

http://clinicdiafragma.com/2016/11/03/que-esperar-del-corona-capital-2016/

And so... they published, they invited me to see a show from a local band called Maligno and after that 2017 became the year i attended more shows in my whole life, i met amazing people and have lots of stories about it, covered small shows from international bands to well produced shows at great venues. But i wanted more and a friend told me about a British site that was looking for new freelancers, i just had a six month experience streak so i felt i had nothing to loose, i contacted the site and sent an application that consisted in "My 20 Favourite Records Of All The Time" they liked the list of records i love and asked me to pick an album and review it, i remember there was Kendric Lamar 2017 album and many other and one that took my attention very hard was "City Music" by Kevin Morby. 

Kevin Morby

Now I'm Gonna talk you about "City Music" by Kevin Morby, one year after its release. 

Told by Morby itself, "City Music" brings the story of a person who just wants to live in the nighttime and spend the whole day in its apartment, some of this songs are "Come To Me Now", "Tin Can" and "Night Time". In all fo these songs Morby portrays the loneliness from our modern age, a nostalgic spirit locked in their four walls and then finding the calm and tranquillity under the night and those silent hours. "Come To Me Now" gets the low key sad song we hear everywhere and every time we are disconnected to the real world, "Tin Can" tries to see the world below us with an eager perspective maybe, but i feel is a song where funny moments can happen at same time, not just solitude and finally "Night Time" ends this short story about a lonely woman called Mabel who locked herself in her own world, the song brings peace to anyone, to you, to Kevin, to Mabel and to me.

Much of the songs on the record are related to the city, especially New York.

"Cry Baby" is a song with such a bluegrass style, similar to songs by The Babies, a previous band of Morby with Justin Sullivan, more related to a town than a city, "1234" is a great Ramones tribute, it brings the punk to the album and shouts the classic band's members names "Joey, Johnny, Dee Dee, Tommy", "Aboard A Train" a kind of Bob Dylan song with great instruments on it, a piano rhythm and some slow drum strums, then some guitars are heard and the voice of Morby takes the song to another level, it becomes the strong point on the album, there are guitar solos, fluid and simple as any other solos. "Dry Your Eyes" is another ballad with sweet guitars sounding and chorus from anywhere, a calmed solo breaks the silence. "Flannery" is a spoken-word cut taken from "The Violent Bear It Away" by Flannery O'Connor, this book inspired Morby to recreate a scene from it it lead to "City Music" the songs that gives Title to the album, with a dynamic, fast and big band sounding around the room, "Caught In My Eye" is Germs cover re versioned in acoustic guitar and slow drums, the tempo is different and it can seem like a blues song, but it gives a breath of fresh air to the song, the punk is now to be folk. 

"Pearly Gates" bring the wondering about death and being lost, seeing the life in a different way to understand what could come next to it, "Downtown's Lights close the album in a sweet and calmed folk song. 

Being Recorded in a L.A. beach studio, the songs talk about the big city, any big city you like, but somehow i like it for highway trips or sunny spring days or a rainy summer day. You can listen to it anywhere and anytime you want. 

I give it a 9/10 score. 

Plus the album playlist.    

Now after the review i want to tell you that the British site didn't accept my review for the lack of time to arrange it and authenticity on it, somehow i felt very sad about it cuz i was urging for a paid job, i thought the writing stuff wasn't for me, but... then i said Fuck it, i almost leave it but didn't, i pass over it and moved on.

A whole year after this album and review i got to experience exciting stuff, i got a job... well different jobs and got the chance to meet my favourite writer Irvine Welsh... an adventure i will tell you on time. That's why i shall call this album "The album that changed my life... maybe forever".

Well that's it for today, i leave saying See you later and reminding you Je Suis Le Mexicain. Have a nice day.

#KevinMorby #CityMusic #Alternative #Review #Remindfrom2017 #LeMexicain

Today's Recipe!

Chicken Paprika Stroganoff

Hallo, Welcome once again, Je Suis Le Mexicain and today we have begun this World Cup Championship and i  am excited by the fact that Russia is hosting this celebration , the mayor football party where every country but mostly the Host Country can show their best qualities, their best players and of course some of their local cuisine surprises. 

After watching the Russian national team victory over Saudi Arabia i was inspired to cook this meal. 

For years i've been in love with Russia and its culture, so the legendary Stroganoff came to me just months ago, because of influence from the chef Gordon Ramsay, with his recipe i try it once and kinda liked how it ended up, but now i tried again today and definitely liked more. 

What you need to make this Chicken Paprika Stroganoff is: 

-One sliced pepper

-One chopped garlic clove

-Half sliced onion 

-A cup of sliced mushrooms 

-Half cup of chopped parsley

-Sour Cream 

-750 grams of sliced chicken breast 

-Paprika 

some curious picture

Our biggest star in this article

This needs a Spaetzle side but by the lack of German products in my country we can replace it with any kind of pasta you like, this time we picked some Italian penne. 

-A bag of pasta

-A tbsp of margarine or butter

-Salt

-Pepper

Process: Once you get all the ingredients sliced and chopped, place the chicken on a bowl, add oil and some paprika, mix until the chicken absorb all the red colour. Oil on pan, high flame, place the chicken on portions, once all the chicken is roasted set a side. 

On the same pan we roasted the chicken now with low flame, add more oil, and set the veggies, first the onion and the garlic, then the pepper, season, salt, pepper and some spices, move frequently, then the sliced mushrooms and the parsley, keep moving until every veggie gets soft. 

Take the chicken and add it to the veggies, remove to mix, then it's time for the sour cream to be added, take some kitchen spoons, with four or five is enough, you will see the reddish colour get a bit brown, turn off and wait. 

For the Pasta side we will just boil the pasta, recently we got a rice-maker and we boil the paste there with all the ingredients mixed to save time and keep it warm, so i recommend you to get one as soon as you can, you can add the butter or margarine, the seasoning and wait until it gets cooked. This should not represent any difficulty for people with some Italian heritage, easy peasy lemon squeeze 

Soft and seasoned

Try to place first the Stroganoff and the pasta above. 

Just like this, the final product

This meal is perfect for special dinners or just a family meeting while watching telly

A few months ago when i first tried this recipe my mother liked it so much she told me we had to repeat it and so we did it today.

I would like to dedicate this recipe and post to the late Anthony Bourdain (we will write a special post about him in further times) because he inspired me so much to creat this place, also it was a persistence by my mother she was all the time saying "Ye shall open a blog and write about what ye like, about food, music, something, do something like Bourdain would have done" and so here we are. 

So that's what Le Mexicain is all about, a safe space for you, to find music, food, places (we will focus later on the travel part) and to keep in touch with all of us, because that was the kind of person Bourdain was, a true heavy Punk Rocker. 

Rest In Peace, fella, we know you loved the world and worked so hard to be everywhere, So Long.

I want to thank all of you who read this and who see the blog because it makes me keep doing this and try new stuff, you can sahre this with your friends and people you know, by now i want to close this recipe with a few words. 

Eat, Love and Punk Rock, i leave reminding you to be happy and that Je Suis Le Mexicain. 

Au Revoir.

#Food #Stroganoff #RussiaFIFAWordCup #AnthonyBourdain #LeMexicain 

Today's Recipe! 

My Special Ginger Tea Blend. 

Hello again, Je suis Le Mexicain... again. Today we have a special recipe i like to call "Special Ginger Tea Blend" and it's special cuz ever single ingredient has a small story. 

Since i was a teenager in 2011 i always wanted to bake a pumpkin pie and one of the ingredients to make it was ginger, but unfortunately in my country and in my city it was too expensive to even get some and use it. 

It was until 2015 that we managed to introduce this root to our diet and we currently use it in various ways, most notably tea, some Chinese or Asian recipes and many other ventures i will talk about later. It was thanks to my brother who was then studying high school who needed some ginger roots to brew some ginger ale for school as an experiment for his chemistry class and so i asked for him some of those roots to shredder and let them dry, that way i could complete the Pumpkin pie (Note: in my family we have been making pumpkin pie since 2011, although sometimes we forget to make it like in 2012, 2014 and 2016). 

Then all i needed to finally (yes finaly) complete the whole pie recipe was nutmeg, for over a whole year (2017) i was looking for nutmeg and read a lot about it. Thanks to one of my aunts we have a small amount of nutmeg powder but its potential is not as strong as i wanted. A few weeks ago i saw at the supermarket a small jar with nutmeg, but it wasn't ground so after a few days mom and i bought it. 

After this amount of stories i will share with you my special ginger tea blend. This blend has helped me to overcome from throat-sores, flue, and many other miscarries. So here it is the list of ingredients.

You will need: 

1.- One lemongrass tea bag   

2.- a half teaspoon of grated and dry ginger 

3.- a quarter teaspoon of ground cinnamon 

and 4.- just a pitch of grated nutmeg 

Lemongrass tea bag

The cinnamon 

and the nutmeg

Steps: what you have to do now is to boil water (as always) i prefer to use a kettle because it's more effective and fast and it boils correctly, also that boiling pint is perfect to brew the ginger on its point and to mix the cinnamon and the nutmeg.

Mom... I'll put the kettle on.

Just add water and let the tea rest for a while, you wouldn't like to burn your mouth. After letting rest a bit the smell of ginger and nutmeg will get through your nose and you can enjoy every single zip you give to your drink. 

Final product, 

And this (above) is the final product of our brew. Easy to make, easy to drink. Drink anytime you want, try not to exceed nutmeg cuz it can make it a bit strong, i leave reminding you Je Suis Le Mexicain, Cheers!

#GingerTea #Nutmeg #Lemongrass #Kettle #Tea 

Ultar.

The Lovecraftian horror from Krasnoyarsk.

From Siberia, Ultar is a Post-Black Metal band heavily influenced by the cosmic horror tales created by H. P. Lovecraft (one of my favourite authors). Ultar takes its name from the mystic tale "The Cats of Ultar", they promise to terrorise our dreams with cosmic sounds and catastrophic arrangements. 

They are promoting their debut album entitled "Kadath" an ode to another Lovecraft's  short-novel called "The Dream Quest of Unknown Kadath". 

The record has six songs all f them well composed to create atmospheres around our ears, with long songs that bring tension and mystery, sometimes we can feel angst and tranquillity, depending on the track we choose. "Nyarlathotep" and "Azathoth" are the atmospheric tracks with long sounds and dense ambient influences, i could say they have an Avant-Garde or Drone influence, some clean and calmed guitars take place on them, and drums are heard with a slow beat, waiting to break into madness alongside screams of mercy, then back again to the calmed deeps of darkness. "Shores of the Sleeping Seas", the shortest piece on the record brings more calm to the "sea" of music, maybe the most Post-Rock track we have ever heard, ready to link us to "Xasthur" that opens with drums and fast guitars, again we can hear the voices screaming to us for some blood, then guitars take place to some solos, i can describe the horror most Lovecraftian fan most feel when the book opens right in the middle, cuz this song brings back those references into the music. 

"The Ancient Ones" became my favourite track, it has that sci-fi essence, that spirit of something unknown lurking us, guitars have strong strums and some feedback is heard to create that tension we need to walk through the darkness and face the most imaginable horrors that "At The Mountains Of Madness" have implanted into our heads, finally "Kadath" the longest track on the record and the one that gives name to the record, breaks all tranquillity and destroys every single time to retrieve its place as the song we need to listen, full of drums strumming fast and screams coming from different places, it finishes with a more relaxed but still heavy cosmic  or inter-dimensional feeling, guitars get slower as the song fades, it melts like ice, giving us something beautiful behind all the obscure scenario and the terrific image, because there has to be some beauty inside every beast.

"Kadath" maybe as a full length album can be considered as great production, i give a 9/10, maybe it can take you a time to understand it and feel the ambient mood as something heavy to listen, but it deserves a space on our playlist. 

I will place the links of their social media and bandcamp to follow them. Also i leave reminding you Je suis Le Mexicain. 

https://ultar.bandcamp.com/album/kadath

https://www.facebook.com/Ultarband/

#BlackMteal #RussianBands #Lovecraft #Krasnoyarks 

The Rise And Fall Of Arctic Monkeys.

A Piano Nightmare was my worst Nightmare.

Ok. yes you just saw it, i had to say it... The new Arctic Monkeys album did had the impression i expected. 

Years after their not much liked (By me) "AM" (I  have to admit, i like it more than this new record), but anyhow, i first listened "Tranquillity Base Hotel & Casino" i felt something was not really good at first sight. But let's analyse its cover, i don't truly understand it, somehow it looks like an experimental album, people say not to judge a book by its cover, but c'mon, this record has a  the weirdest cover in the history. 

I recognise the first two tracks have something good, but the rest is just lift music, the piano became the main instrument, it's not bad but i think Turner can improve his piano skills, feels like his just playing like a child with the instrument and left guitar sounds and arrangement for just a third place, drums feel not catchy and... where the hell are the bass lines?

I thought i needed a time to appreciate it with a wider perspective... but i just took "Start Treatment" and "One Point Perspective" as the best tracks on the record, i know the sound of the band changes during the times but... i cannot feel or connect with this style, maybe not yet or not definitely.

Yes i like the challenges and i know Alex Turner and CIA wanted to challenge us to take something different but i really have to remark this is not the album i was expecting, i know they don't care about it, they just sell and sell records over the world, a great new is that... this record is most vinyl selling album in the modern history of music formats, that's great, because no album has done that, maybe we need to look to this physic formats and take them not only as collection but as a way to consume music rather than digital platforms (ironic 'cuz most of Le Mexicain posts have a spotify link)  

Anyway if you're a fan of AM, this record can divide you, it can provoke different reactions, mine was to definitely stop listening to it for a while, others voted to love it, it's good yes, maybe they have a better point of view than ours, but as a fan since 2009 i have to admit i expected more, something like going back to their roots, "AM" disappointed me because of its soft porn style, now i see traces of this kind of mood on "TBH&C", however i thought the Monkeys would take a trip back to their roots like in "Whatever people say i am, that's what i am not" or even go back to modern tunes like those on "Suck it and see", my mistake. 

Enjoy this record, or hate it thought, you have options, we have. I give it a 2/10. 

i leave reminding you... Je suis Le Mexicain. 

#ArcticMonkeys #TranquilityBaseHotel&Casino #Review

Bad Saint.

Get in the car and let's hit the road across the USA.

The Band's logo and social media

Bad Saint is a band from Seattle, Washington, USA. it's fronted by the genius Tess Freedel, a young and independent musician who gives her best on every track she makes.

Tess Freedel

I listened to their debut EP entitled "North American", launched somewhere in 2017 and it really hooked me up, basically because of it's simplicity, fresh and ambitious sound, excellent for those hot, sunny spring days (here in Mexico we have had the most hot spring ever so... you know what i'm talking about).

North American EP

The first track we can listen trough the recording is "Out Of Blood", a catchy song with strong drums and guitars, her voice is so deep and the lyrics so accurate that we can really feel we're running out of blood, maybe because of love or anything else, there's a great guitar solo that you can enjoy and it gives balance to the melodic verse.

"Hanging On The Telephone" is a kind of pop song with some high tunes, specially on the chorus, taking some rest from the fuzz and distortion, reminds me the kind of music i was so into when i turned 21 in the hot spring of 2015.

"Fall City Road" gets stronger, and Tess seems to play with more than just her guitar, she takes our hearts and emotions, i feel a huge influence from the Riot Grrrl movement and so much driven by Bruce Springsteen's legacy, the thing is we can understand she's such a bad saint, she wants to runaway and be free, like a bird, like the summer wind playing with her hair.

"Neon Preaches" became my favourite track on the recording, every chorus has a "Wooohooo" thing so you can sing along with it, rather you prefer to take the verse with that enjoyable guitar breaks with a clean sound.

And the final track "Hard Truth" is the kind of music i would set on a indie movie soundtrack or TV series, i can feel a trace of road trips, friends drinking on the garden or the porch, but maybe it's just Tess singing to herself that there's something we must realise, that some truths are hard to accept, i enjoyed the slow-bluesy guitar and the sweet sweet drums tickling every inch of the song, and then... the chorus becomes strong, like those who dare to accept the truth, a hard truth.

In a few words, i believe this band, Bad Saint and their "North American" portrays the true American dream, the one everyone there in the states need to remember and the one we should see and say "yes, there's still a bit of hope for everyone", also it shows a rebel spirit, a voice that shouts out loud. I give it a 9/10, plus i believe they can deliver to us something more risky and playful, but in summary, this record is worthy of your playlist. 

I will leave the recording down here for your pleasure and follow me to discover more details on it, also i will attach their facebook page so you can follow and like them. I leave, reminding you that music is always the reflect from the souls that matters and goes to the people who truly listens to them and of course... i remind you Je suis Le Mexicain.

The genius behind the Badness

https://www.facebook.com/badsaintband/


#BadSaint #Indie #Alternative #Rock #SeattleSound

Melvins: Pinkus Abortion Technician.

Review

And it finally arrived, the new Melvins production came with lots of surprises, since their new era with bassist Steve McDonald from Redd Kross, they decided to experiment with a second four-string player, another current collaborator, Jeff Pinkus, musician who gives his name to this brand new album called Pinkus Abortion Technician. 

King Buzzo, Dale Crover, Steve McDonald And Jeff Pinkus gave their best to create a satiric, acid and in many ways, fun set list with bizarre combinations, first we have the medley with "Stop Moving To Florida" and "Embrace The Rub" became highly popular among the fans, followed by "Don't Forget To Breath" a slow blues track with long voices and sludgy guitars, "Flamboyant Duck" is the acoustic song we see heavily influenced by King Buzzo's solo album, very nice way to combine the voices, "Break Beard" takes the classic Melvins sound with fuzzy bass and strong drums, "I Want To Hold Your Hand" is a bizarre version of The Beatles' classic hit, the slow lead guitar makes it a bit awkward for a Beatles fan (My father) and also for me, Buzz voice makes it feels like a song to give a chuckle while you hit the play bottom, the ending is far bizarre than their Paul McCartney cover from 2012 Freak Puke, "Prenup Butter goes back with the bluesy sound, you can feel the heat on it and the need for a beer and lay on the grass, and "Graveyard" originally by the Butthole Surfers is as noisy as the original version, Pinkus played this track with Melvins before when they gave away ice cream on a van in 2012. 

The whole album has references to the Butthole Surfers, like the title from Locus Abortion Technician and the track "Graveyard"m(song from the same album). Even the alternate cover from the Vinyl issue is a sadistic tribute to the Surfers cover. 

Made by Hazel XXL

In resume... the new Melvins' album is a blast, it may has a bit of weirdness but hey, that's how Melvins work, they need some savage weirdness, tons of sadistic graphic designs and satiric lyrics.

Pinkus Abortion Technician is now available on streaming platforms, digital stores and the band's main website for its physical version, compact disc or vinyl. 

The Band hit the road in promotion this same month and will play a ton of shows were the weirdness will be the main course. I leave here the album to be streamed at Spotify. Cheers everyone, and have a nice weekend.