If you've listened to my show enough you've probably figured out that I've got a thing for Peruvian chicha music, and the similarities to surf rock should be apparent enough that that wouldn't be surprising. I find it amusing that while there's some great surf in Peru, the bands that seem most faithful to the sound appear to be everywhere else. Mexico especially is home to perhaps my favorite: Sonido Gallo Negro. It's also the home of Perro Agradecido Cumbia.
I had previously listened to their album Muy Buenos Días, Tardes, Noches and while they had a good sound, better than most, I found it kind of perfunctory - a standard chicha sound but nothing to make anything stick out in my head. This is an easy pitfall for chicha, as it does tend to work itself into a hypnotic groove.
Somewhere along the way I think they've figured something out. The guitar seems to have more passion to it, even on old songs like "Mata Hari Spy Dance" or "Amarre Conquistador". Perhaps, this being a live session, some enthusiasm was lost in the studio after too many takes. But I also think they've just gotten a bit nuttier, case in point is the organ on "Unión".
All in all, this is a fun album. It's amazingly hard to tell that it was recorded live, and it has shifted them right up near the front of modern chicha bands I like.
