Friday the 13th

It was on Friday the 13th that I was struck down the flu. I was feeling pretty sorry for myself until I saw that someone had been stuck down by a bus on the street, leaving a big red bloodstain on the road. I knew then I probably wasn't having the worst day ever. Regardless, I've been making a meal out of this illness, complaining to everybody about how life is horrible. Being quarantined at home has had one nice side-effect though- I've been able to sift through countless records that I've bought that I've hardly, or even never, listened to.


MUY DIVERTIDO!
MARC RIBOT Y LOS CUBANOS POSTIZOS

Guitar warrior Marc Ribot conquers every genre he ventures into- country balladry, noise punk, tribal futurism- and here he charges, electroacoustic held aloft, into Cuban music. This album is actually the second by this particular ensemble, the first album being a tribute to the late Cuban composer Arsenio Rodriguez. This second volume is, as the title suggests, very entertaining. The pieces are penned by a wider variation of composers, as well as some original tunes by Ribot.

The playing here is energetic, passionate, and while remaining faithful to the original pieces, it somehow redefines them, as is Ribot's signature style- expect searing, amp-exploding guitar licks, spacy organ solos reminiscient of Sun Ra's 60s NYC recordings, all which give a new and exuberant edge to these already-beautiful latin tunes. Forgive me if I sound completely obsequious here, but it really is great.

Enjoy.