Although the boisterous title carries a humorous message of chaos, Pyramidal Disruption is the work of two gentlemen who have honed their art over the years and gone through their catalog, softening the old urges and enjoying the rhymes and rhythms. There’s no shortage of humor, but these 24 reviews are more of an exercise in sobriety, showcasing the essence of the songs with simplicity, emotion, and good lyrics.
Manolo García and Quimi Portet had a great time one day re-recording songs they had recorded under the name El Último de la Fila. And now we understand that his sense of fun has developed: a serene joy floats here, a recognition of the soul of each song in a different lane. Without resorting to flashy, over-production to enhance the songs. They are adequate and more than adequate to elevate the songs without supporting the musicians (remember that García started out as a drummer), and they apply a transparent, clean sound by softening the arrangements of the original recordings that they now consider unnecessary. Portet talked in this paper about “relaxing” the songs, and that’s largely the case, starting with Insurrection, which now opens the pack with a less anxious and atmospheric mood.
Although the selection covers all of the band’s albums, the songbooks of the first three carry more weight (16 songs and Enemigos de lo ajeno, 1986 gets six songs). The synthesizers, funny for their tame touches on Sweet Dreams or My Homeland in My Shoes, disappear. Also eccentric arabesques. And the claps of Aviones platados and the exuberant flamenco guitar of El loco de la calle.
Everything is more focused
It turns out that everything is a little more focused without the events. Not even that hooligan, slightly punk touch: Quimi Portet conveys elegance and smoothness (even without giving up distortion). And Manolo García sings superbly, modulating the former abruptness.
However, the feeling felt when he reunites with his youth songs is also exciting. It has high points like No me acostumbro, which maintains its claustrophobia, or I am an accident, with its country touches, voice and acoustic guitar. Or the hot one, without a double bottom, Sometimes it burns. Let’s see, they know the originals are invincible, but Pyramidal Disruption offers an unusual exercise in recreating old milestones without trying to pretend they no longer exist, or for that matter going to the other extreme: light balladism.
Does this album mark the return of El Último de la Fila with full lyrics? It might look like this…or vice versa: perhaps they are telling us here that they no longer identify with their success as people remember it. Even so, let’s pay tribute to Portet’s good friend, the wise Sisa, who gave her comeback album the wholesome title of Visca la llibertat.