Not one single review on La Mano Negra... how come foreign mythic bands like this, just aren't diffused in the UK? Let me know if I'm wrong. Do you know this group? OK, it's not very recent, but it's as though you missed out on Queen or Led Zep! Unthinkable!
La Mano Negra, for those who don't know them, are a french "rock" group, formed in 1986, and very popular in the '90s, in France, but also in Spain, where they live. Named in honor of an Andalusian anarchist group, La Mano Negra is composed of the remnants of a neo-rockabilly band called Hot Pants.
Their musical style is as varied as the languages they sing in. You get a blend of rock, ska, funk, reggae, and occasionally almost punk with a touch of oriental music and salsa, sang in French, English, Spanish and Arab.
This is what i call "motivating music" because it's the type that won't leave you passive, as the rhythms are irresistible and unconsciously or not, La Mano Negra's music makes you move. It's great for driving, to keep you lively or house cleaning, to get it done really quick trying to keep the rhythm! Or just to have a good stress relieving and energetic dance ;-)
This album, "Puta's Fever" was released in 1989, by Virgin. Manu Chao wrote (except for two tracks, King Kong Five, and Patchanka) and produced all the songs on this album.
☠ Manu Chao - vocals ☠ Oscar Tramor - vocals, guitar and keyboard ☠ Tonio Del Borno - vocals, and when he's not singing, he really goes for it on his trumpet. Tonio is Manu Chao's brother. ☠ Santiago "El Aguila" Casariego - is at the origin of the tempo on his drum kit and also joins in on the vocals every now and then. This man in Manu Chao's (and Tonio's) cousin. ☠ Jo - vocals, bass and plays guitar when he's not playing his bass! ☠ Helmut Krumar - keyboards, vocals, guitar and programming ☠ Kropöl - is excellent on his trombone. ☠ Le Lezard - mixing board
The Cd cover is written in English. There are 18 mind warping tracks on this album, all of which are worth listening to. Puta's Fever lasts 52 blissful minutes!
They are as follows;
1. Negra 0'57 2. Rock'n'roll Band 2'33 3. King Kong Five 1'56 4. Soledad 2'34 5. Sidi H'bibi 2'36 6. The Rebel Spell 2'01 7. Peligro 2'52 8. Pas assez de toi 2'19 9. Magic Dice 1'23 10. Mad House 2'40 11. Guayaquil City 3'01 12. Voodoo 3'00 13. Patchanka 3'05 14. La rançon du succès 1'57 15. The Devil's Call 1'42 16. Roger Cageot 2'27 17. El Sur 1'00 18. Patchuko Hop 2'28
I'll just pop my headphones on, to give you my impressions of each song. Take into consideration that I've been listening to this since it came out in 1989, so I tend to find the whole album brilliant! ;-)
1. <<Are you ready for Patchuko?>> starts with Manu Chao, to a rapid rhythm that sounds a bit like The Cramps musically, with brass instruments as well. Straight from the start, a pounding beat gives you the urge to dance.
2. Then, less than one minute later, starts "Rock'n Roll Band", which obviously, as the title says is a real rock rhythm. Here you get all 8 members singing as a time... yes it is loud, but with the drummers heavy beat, it's rather harmonious. <<If you want to dance, take a chance>>. I'm already completely taken by the beat, my foot is swaying to the rhythm, and my head is nodding away!
3. For this one "King Kong Five", the rhythm slows down (just a bit), to give us a cool << listen to the beat, the beat of the song...>> The bass is accentuated, making the rhythm enhanced. This is a popular one here....
4. "Sobedad" is an explosion of energy... i reckon this is my favorite, with a good trumpet line, and trombone every now and then. You get an impression of circus music with an accelerated beat, almost a punk speed rhythm. This one is sang in Spanish. I'm loving it! Can't hold myself still!
5. "Sidi H' Bibi" starts with an oriental sounding melody on an electric guitar. The lyrics start... in Arab.... and here comes that fast beat again... I love the Arab language sang (i listen to a lot of Raï), and even though i don't understand it, with a good fast beat, it's magic ;-) I'm making a really big effort to stay on my chair (else i won't be able to type this!).
6. "The rebel spell" is a sudden rhythm breaker... monotone, deep and calm chants start, then a slow and quiet beat, and a little further, Manu Chao screams his lyrics by outbursts. This ones in English too.
7. Now this one is excellent too. "Peligro", sang in Spanish starts with a mellow Manu Chao, who has a very nice voice really! <<Quida... peligroso>> lots of drumming and brass instruments with an almost psychedelic electric guitar. I'd say it's a kind of dub reggae. It's completely hypnotising this one!
and after the calm, the storm: 8. "Pas assez de toi", sang in french this time, is a real beat bomb! It's not easy to translate because it plays with words, the title meaning "can't get enough of you", which sang fast gives "i can do without you", <<passé de toi>>. It's fast and i guess close to ska. There's no way i can sit still on this track
9."Magic Dice" is a completely mad track, unlike any other. It sounds like accelerated old fashioned round about music, sang with a heavily exaggerated Spanish accent in English. Crazy stuff. As it's in English, i should understand what they are going on about after so many years of listening to them.... well no, apart from the title, the rest is tricky to get the sense of, if there is a sense to it! ;-)
10. "Mad house" is pretty mad too... in English also, only without the Spanish accent ;-) You get rapid changes from a slow cool rhythm to a speeded up crazy beat, and back to the slow one.... not called Mad House for nothing!
11. "Guayaquil City" starts with a Caribbean sound. Nice trumpet and trombone sounds. Sang in Spanish, this one <<que passa con la caille?>> This is a really good one for dancing too. My foot is beating out the rhythm, nodding away, shoulders swaying...
12. "Voodoo" : I like the beginning of this one. It's just vocals making a train noise, starting slowly, and speeding up. Arrive the drums, over speed and accurate, then the bass line, the guitars and ....<<come on baby, touch me one time, get back from the voodoo>>. Loving it! ;-)
13. And here comes... "Patchanka", the "star" of this album! A bit of Spanish, followed by a bit of English... real fiesta music this one. I love those brass instruments, these guys really go for it, and on top of that, they really all know how to play their instruments ;-)
14. "La rançon du succès", another multilingual one, although a majority of french. This is a contagious one too! Shame i can't get some sound on this review ;-(
15. "The Devil's Call" I find very interesting. This one really sounds like The Clash to me. Fast rhymed, it's impossible to resist to the beat. Brilliant musicians.
16. OK, they are a crazy group, so they had to do a few crazy songs, but this one beats the lot! "Roger Cageot" is the story of a tramp. To give you an idea, I'll translate a couple of phrases : <<my bike and my trailer, are like your home. And my three dogs... they piss in your garden! My crates are my belongings, don't you dare look through my belongings!>> Very original if that is about all i can say about it! ;-)
17. "El sur" is so short, you'll hardly notice it! It starts with a calm guitar that progressively accelerates, until...
18. "Patchuko Hop", which is sang in English. Lots of brass instruments again (love it!), then a bit of Spanish, and a great sturdy rapid beat. I'm almost pogoing on my seat now ;-)
...Problem is, with this album, is that it's so short! That's it, it's already over;-(
The fun these guys have when playing is obvious, they really play their hearts out, and you do occasionally hear laughter behind or between the songs.
I've never seen them unfortunately, but in their different albums, an incredibly good atmosphere and energy comes across.
After the success of this album, La Mano Negra released in 1991 "King of the Bongo", with several English titles. In 1992, they embarked on the "Cargo Tour" direction: south America, traveling to many port cities, to perform on a stage built into the ships hold! (I told you they were a little crazy!). In 1994, under south American musical influences, they produced Casa Babylon, their last album. They only released 6 albums altogether, but each and every one of them is whole and ingenious musically.
Manu Chao reappeared in Radio Bemba, and in 1998, released his first solo album "Clandestino".
I saw this album (Puta's Fever) at 7€ on Amazon and the "best of" at 20€ (that's about 4.60 pounds, and 13.20 pounds). There aren't many copies on eBay, 3 right now only, from 2,20€ to 7€.
If you want to discover free samples of La Mano Negra, it's simple, just copy and paste the link below, once on their official site, which is in English, Spanish and french, you click on "discography" and choose your song! It works on the real player... your ears will be grateful to you! ;-)
http://www.manuchao.net/pasado/discographie.php
...else if, like me, you have "musicmatch" on your computer, go into the radio, type in La Mano Negra, there are 68 tracks by them!
Don't even hesitate : it's free and takes two minutes. If you have time after you've listened, let me know what you think, I'd be interested to have your opinion, thanks.
This product has not yet been reviewed. 
