Album Review: Los Coronas - El Baile Final De Los Locos Y Los Cuerdos

What's not to like about instrumental Spanish surf rock? Even hearing the title of the genre sends one to a secluded beach at sunset, with an ice-cold drink by one's side. But the problem is, it can be hard to track down bands that can play it half-decently. Luckily, one of Spain's finest, Los Coronas, have bottled up 14 songs that encapsulate the genre in a nutshell.

What most similar bands fall short on is filling the void often left with no vocals. Without a voice guiding the listening and, most of the time, telling them how they should feel through lyrics, the music is left to do the talking. Western-esque guitar leads sit alongside and fight for attention among heart-wrenching trumpets solos that more than compensate for any space left from a lack of lyrics. At times it feels like certain instruments are having a showdown with one another. This is the kind of music that Clint Eastwood would surf to. That image being burned into your mind is reason enough to give El Baile Final… a listen.

These easygoing, upbeat tunes can turn a bad day into a good one – or at least temporarily transport its listener to a place that relieves stress. The multipurpose genre that Los Coronas have mastered goes down well in any situation. They're the T-shirt tuxedo or piano tie of the musical realm; the band is quirky, but can slide into most occasions and lighten the mood.