Suarez – 29:09:00 – Issued in 2000 – FAN Records, Argentina –
Suarez for Saturday night. 29:09:00 is their last ep before splitting up. Suarez consisted of Diego Fosser on drums, Fabio Suárez on bass, Gonzalo Córdoba, Marcelo Zanelli (on guitars) and Rosario Bléfari on vocals. Together from 1988-2001, they released some five albums and this ep, before calling it quits – at least for the next 14 years.
I ran several pieces by Suarez on Past Daily before, mostly from 2012. Listening back to their catalog, it struck me as perplexing that this band’s popularity didn’t extend too much past Argentina and that they were one of the most original and engaging bands working in South America at the time. This, during a period where a lot of interesting music was happening to the south of us, but we had no (or very little) idea what was going on. Argentina, along with Chile, Brazil and several other counties in region have been very forward thinking and productive, and their music is distinctive and does not fit in with mainstream music or even a stereotype conception of what music from South America is supposed to sound like or what it’s supposed to accomplish. In short, I love this band and have since the second I first heard them on MySpace, a whole lotta years ago.
Rosario Blefari, who was lead singer and co-founder of the band has a deceptively simple voice; it appears to be light and innocent and almost pop on its surface. But that belies the breathtaking hypnotic quality she injects into the music of Suarez. You are lulled into thinking you’re going to hear one thing, and leave knowing you’ve experienced something completely different.
Fortunately, since 2015 the band have been staging reunions at various times. First, with no intention of going past a single reunion, but later reconsidering it as audience reception has been overwhelmingly positive as has press reaction. Rumors of new material and tours have been in the works the past couple of years.
My big wish for them is to make the trek north, or even head over to Europe for a few concerts. I think there is an audience for this band that extends way past their borders.
I think it’s a moot point, but I always bring it up where bands from other countries are concerned. Singing English for many bands is not a consideration – some do and some don’t. But there has always been a certain reluctance to listen to a band or an artist that doesn’t sing in English and it’s been that way for decades. I can’t tell you how much you short-change yourself when you put those sorts of restrictions that predicate a willingness to listen to a band from another country you’re not familiar with. Music is, and always will be the universal communicator; it is heard, felt and understood whether you speak the language or not, and your willingness to go along for the ride to see where it goes is crucial – no, it’s imperative. And so I urge you to keep an open mind and let the music do the talking.
K?
Hit the play button and enjoy.