Rodrigo y Gabriela — 9 Dead Alive [Deluxe Edition, 2014]

 

 Rodrigo y Gabriela — 9 Dead Alive

 
Formed: Mexico City, Mexico
Location: Ixtapa, Mexico
Album release: April 28th, 2014
Record Label: Rubyworks
Duration:     41:01
Tracks:
01. The Soundmaker       4:52
02. Torito       5:03
03. Sunday Neurosis       5:16
04. Misty Moses       4:39
05. Somnium       3:43
06. Fram       4:31
07. Megalopolis       5:01
08. The Russian Messenger       4:53
09. La Salle Des Pas Perdus       3:02
℗ 2014 Rubyworks
••→   All tracks written and performed by Rodrigo y Gabriela
Personnel:
••→   Rodrigo Sanchez guitars 
••→   Gabriela Quintero guitars
Credits:
••→   Chris Bellman  Mastering
••→   Richard Dawkins  Spoken Word
••→   Fermin Vasquez Llera  Engineer
••→   Jennifer Nielsen  English Translations
••→   Rodrigo y Gabriela  Composer
••→   Olallo Rubio  Liner Notes
••→   Andrew Scheps  Mixing
••→   Eugene Serebrennikov  Artwork (Hyp-Inc.)
••→   Recorded in October 2013 at Lumbini Studios
••→   Mixed by Andrew Scheps at Punkerpad West Studios, Van Nuys, CA
••→   Mastered by Chris Bellman, Bernie Grundman Mastering, LA
••→   Published by Evolving Music
Similar albums: Ojos de Brujo — Barí; Chambao — Pokito a Poko; Jesse Cook — Montreal; El Camarón de la Isla / Paco de Lucía — Como El Agua
Album Review by Thom Jurek;  Score: ****
••→   Rodrigo y Gabriela's 9 Dead Alive is their first album of new material in five years. Written, arranged, and co-produced by the pair, they deliberately attempt to forgo the Latin influence in their music in favor of an all-rock (albeit still acoustic) approach — which marks a return to their pre-recording roots in heavy metal. (That they don't entirely succeed is part of what makes 9 Dead Alive so compelling.) Each tune was composed for a different inspiration: authors, philosophers, activists, scientists, and a queen. The set was exquisitely recorded in Mexico by Fermin Vasquez Llera. There isn't a dull moment in these 41 minutes. "The Soundmaker," for 19th century luthier and guitarist Antonio de Torres Jurado, commences with Rodrigo's knotty riff and Gabriela's chugging rhythmic vamp. Two things are immediately apparent: that their collective playing style owes much to heavy metal — where they came from before studying flamenco — and, divorced from its bombast, metal is steeped in lyricism. "Torito," with its careening interscalar soloing and riffs, possesses some of Gabriela's most inventive rhythmic technique, slapping and frenetically strumming her guitar with controlled, yet passionate, aggression in dialogue and argument with his leads. Her cross-cut syncopations drive Rodrigo's attack and melodic inventions in "Misty Moses" (for Harriet Tubman), a tune that changes directions several times and shifts its central harmonic focus with dazzling clarity. "Somnium" (inspired by 17th century writer, feminist, and nun Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz) employs twinned, stacked melodies that move from allegrissimo to presto, and employ reverse arpeggiato, all the while overflowing with emotional resonance. On "The Russian Messenger," Gabriela creates a menacing rhythmic attack of palm slaps on the wood of her instrument, interspersed with slashing minor sevenths; Rodrigo counters with delicacy in a flurry of lithe single notes. On "Megalopolis" (for poet Gabriela Mistral), Spanish music comes shining through in gloriously articulated fingerpicking, doubled melody lines, and a narrative structure that recalls Spanish folk music. "La Salle des Pas Perdus (for Eleanor of Aquitaine) articulates musical themes from her "art of courtly love" era in the melody. The two guitars fluidly exchange tightly woven lines in nearly songlike interplay (here too, Anglo and Spanish lyricism entwine) before tempo and tension briefly increase, then dissipate elegantly. The dialogue that transpires throughout 9 Dead Alive is lively, eloquent, and actively intellectual, but it is also intimate. Between them, Rodrigo y Gabriela engage in musical and even cultural queries, and sometimes — provocatively — leave them wide open. This album evidences an expanded creative reach for the pair, even as it re-engages the sharp edges they displayed on earlier recordings.                               © Rodrigo y Gabriela. Aug 2011. Photo by Tina Korhonen
The package contains:
DOWNLOAD
••→   9 Dead Alive in the format of your choice emailed to you on Friday 25th April.
VINYL
••→   The album on vinyl in a deluxe gatefold sleeve, also includes the album on CD
EXTENDED DVD
••→   The making of 9 Dead Alive — featurette
••→   Engineering 9 Dead Alive — featurette
••→   Six 9 Dead Alive tracks performed live from Lumbini Studio
••→   Five 9 Dead Alive tracks performed live at Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Colorado plus a further two classic Rod n Gab tracks accompanied by the Colorado Symphony — all in Dolby 5.1 surround sound
••→   Thirty five minute tutorial from both Rod and Gab on their full guitar parts for ‘The Russian Messenger’
••→   Profile of the co-operativa eco vegana run by Gabriela in Zihuatanejo, Mexico.
••→   Over one hour and thirty minutes of footage
ART PRINTS
••→   Nine 12” art prints specially created by artist Eugene Serebrennikov for each of the nine tracks on the album printed on 300gsm stock
LIVE AT LUMBINI
••→   Download code for a special concert of 9 Dead Alive material performed at Rod and Gab’s studio for an invited audience after the album was recorded. Not available anywhere else.
••→   All presented in a specially commissioned display box featuring the album artwork.
••→   "It was recorded and produced by Rod and Gab at their studio in Ixtapa, Mexico. Mixing was handled by Andrew Scheps (Black Sabbath, Adele, Metallica, Lana Del Rey) in Los Angeles. 9 Dead Alive sees Rodrigo y Gabriela playing face to face, guitar versus guitar, bursting with melodic energy and rhythmic invention. Recorded at their Pacific Coast hideaway in late summer, the album captures the warmth and spontaneity of two great musicians locked in together; perfectly distilled into nine new songs teeming with desire, elegance and gusto."
In french:
••→   Après « 11:11 » (2009), enfin le nouvel album de Rodigo Y Gabriela ! Chaque titre de l’album a été conçu en hommage à une personnalité qui ont marqué le groupe (d'Alienor D’Aquitaine à Dostoïevski, en passant par la poètesse chilienne Gabriela Mistral ).
••→   Il existe une version "Collector" avec un DVD contenant des titres "Live" et d'autres bonus...
Website: http://www.rodgab.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/rodgabvideo
Twitter: https://twitter.com/rodgab
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rodgab
Bandcamp: http://rodrigoygabriela.bandcamp.com/
Photos: Credit — Jim Mimna, Credit — Tina Korhonen, Credit — Peter O'Neill
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Rodrigo Y Gabriela — 9 Dead Alive [Deluxe Edition, 2014]

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