I’m looking for your recommendations for songs in Spanish - I don’t care much about the style, the time period, or any of that, though I’d be particularly interested if there are any bands who sing in Spanish who are making prog rock music in the King Crimson/Porcupine Tree/Trey Gunn sort of style.
I’m already listening to Carlos Santana, his brother Jorge Santana, both versions of Los Lobos (did you know there’s a folk music group from Spain called Los Lobos that recorded a bunch of anti-Franco songs in the 60s and 70s? I only knew about the LA-based group from the 80s…), Ricky Martín, and Enrique Iglesias.
If you don’t mind metal, like Judas Priest with some hair metal thrown in you can try Baron Rojo or Angeles Del Infierno. I listen to both of them on a normal rotation. I think I got both off of Amazon music.
There was a period of prog rock in Argentina. There’s plenty of others, and even some current artists (Cisne Elocuente), but you may want to check out Almendra. I’ve got some other ideas if you find these captivating.
edit: Almendra
You probably already have this, but Buena Vista Social Club is IMHO one of the all-time great albums in any language (as collaborator/producer Ry Cooder put it: “It’s music for people who like music.”)
Alternatively, if you want really really obscure lyrics (but still very good music!) you can’t get more obscure than “Patricio Rey y sus redonditos de ricota”, or the band’s singer “Indio” Solari:
I’m partial to this song (and concert)
I lived in Mexico off and on in the late 90s through the 2000s. The best “rock” band there then (they’re still around) was Cafe Tacuba. I put “rock” in quotes, because they are so eclectic. Their magnum opus, re, is a double album that ranges through about fifteen genres, all treated with creative, loving, fun expertise. Not much prog rock per se, but I strongly recommend you listen to the whole album.
As for true prog rock from Mexico, I’ve been told that Cast is good, especially their 2008 album Originallis (some songs on it are in English). I can’t vouch for them personally, though.
Another to maybe check out is Plastilina Mosh, a band from Monterrey, Mexico that was sorta big around twenty years ago (“plastilina” is silly putty). They’re more a kind of alternative dance music band, kind of like Bjork meets Radiohead meets Gorillaz. Check out the fun, catchy beats and sounds on their album Juan Manuel.
I love the 2000 film Amores Perros and was obsessed with its soundtrack for a while. One of the highlights is “Si Señor” by Control Machete (they have two other songs on the soundtrack as I recall), so I went and got everything I could find. Amazing stuff if you like their niche.
There are many good bands from many different places that sing in Spanish. Prog rock is not my thing, but here are a few groups (singers, songs) I like.
Polo Montañez (Cuban guajira)
Como Nunca Nadie
Amor E Distancia
Buena Vista Social Club (Cuban traditional)
Chan Chan
El Cuarto de Tula
Carlos Vives (Colombian Vallenato)
Luna Nueva
La Gota Fría
Ana Tijoux (French-Chilean eclectic, jazzy)
1977
Creo En Tí
Manu Chao
Qué Hora Son
Me Gusta Tú
Celia Cruz (Cuban singer)
Quizás, quizás, quizás
Argentine songsters:
Leo Dan (Como te extraña)
Fito Páez (11 y 6)
La Mississippi (Nocturno a mi barrio)
Gotan Project: Revanche del Tango, electrotango
Carlos Gardel (Tangos)
Spain
B-Tribe (Fiesta Fatal)
Gypsy Kings
Oreos de Van Gogh (pop)
Cast is very good, but they are purely symphonic prog, which isn’t what the OP is looking for. The other “most well-known” prog band from Mexico is Iconoclasta, who are friggin’ excellent. But they lean more towards jazz fusion, which again is not what the OP is looking for.
To the OP: you can search progarchives.com by country. Here’s a list of all progressive rock bands from Spain. Just type another country in the search box, and the first hit should be a list of all prog bands in that country. Bands listed as “heavy prog” or “eclectic prog” are probably the kind of thing you’re looking for.
Hehe, I listen to a lot of ranchera on local radio. Anyone’s version of “Mi Gusto Es” brings me joy, but my favorite is Ana Gabriel’s.
KEXP had an entire series of Mexican acts last year. Almost all of them are at least pretty good, most of it is pretty great. Some of them are in English, though.
On the jangly punk rock from Spain side of things, I really love Juanita y Los Feos’ first record. It’s both raw and still well thought out. I don’t think there’s really a bad song on it, but my favorite is “El Hurrican Ha Llegado A Vietnam”, which this is hopefully queued up to.
