Aside from being one of the most exciting live bands in Gibraltar and the Andalusian region of Spain, Orange Peel are proud to announce the release of their debut album ‘BING BING!’ Here’s what I think of the album…

I’m sat at home listening to the debut album of one of Gibraltar’s finest rock bands in recent years. Having won Battle of the Bands competitions in both their homeland and on foreign soil, Orange Peel have plenty to live up to and any doubts or concerns I had about them being able to deliver have been cleanly swept off the table. I managed to pester the band enough for them to give me a copy before it had even left the studio, so I guess I’m in the privileged position of being the first person outside of the recording space to hear what they have come up with.

KNK Poca Cosas Album Review

All writers have styles and often incur repetition. One of my own I am altogether too aware of are my introductions to the albums I review. (Believe it or not for someone who talks so much I truly am sick of the sound of my own voice… album reviewers please apply here). Typically I am presented with a cd from a group I like and I am worried that I am not going to like it, this is followed by an onset of panic when I discover I do not enjoy the 1st few tracks which is followed by euphoria when I hear the rest of the album and discover that I like it after all. No this writing style is not contrived I really am this neurotic. So it was surprisingly refreshing that upon downloading the new album from KNK ‘Poca Cosas’ I had absolutely non of these feelings. As based on their track record I was 100% certain that this would be a great album and I was 100% right.

Starting off the album with the ‘500kg’ crushing us under the weight of the great bluesy feel in this track.  With an atmosphere setting sample which captivated the senses (just like the way they ended the last album with the colossal ‘vienen los worros’). all I thought was “fuuhk yeah!!!! I was right, I knew it”.  Within the 1st few bars of this track I find myself doing the discombobulated head, headnod pulling the ugly face (somewhere between an orgasm and trapped wind), Yes I’m loving it.

Fiestizaje Sala Trinchera, Malaga

With a name so hard for me to pronounce (Festizaje making this an almost giri proof rave, I mean if you can’t pronounce it how do you get there), your intrepid El Intercambio writer and photographer braved the elements and a 100km drive to get to Sala Trinchera Malaga.
Great venue & being just a short drive from the 340 reasonably easy to find. Good space and a perfect stage, nothing wrong with great bands in bars modified to accommodate them but there really is something special about a band having the space to be a band, and this layout with its stage having direct VIP/band area access was perfect. Sala Trinchera also enjoying the award for the cleanest mens toilets this reporter has even seen in a night club, (I didn't get a chance to go into the women, oh well next time perhaps)
Three great bands on offer even if until then I only knew 2 of them by name. Again i was disappointed with the turn out but as I mentioned in the Maph Music ‘2Nights the Night’ November, wet weather is the Andalucían club nights Kryptonite. Plus it seemed that everybody & their mother’s aunty had a function on that night.

Grande Gordo Papa presents his latest look at the local Garage/Grime/Rap/Reggae/Roots/R'n'B/Rare groove/Hip Hop/House scene or GGRRRRRHH for short!

Teen Spirit + The Tragic Company
Duende Copas, Estepona Port 06/01/13

In their first Gig in rising music Venue Duende Copas, Estepona, and back with a new line up and brand new tracks for 2013, The Tragic company headed by music stalwart Tragic John performed with new band on the Estepona block 90’s cover band Teen Spirit.

Support act Teen Spirit took to the stage looking every bit the 90’s grunged out rockers depicted by their name, Teen Spirit began their set with the anthemic party rouser Song 2 by Blur.

Give the gift of Music

And so this is Christmas, (Xmas, yule tide, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Humbug , substitute your own festival of choice), and what have you done.
Well we here at EL Intercambio and fair number of you have been busy promoting the music scene and musical talent on the coast and the end of year will be no different. In fact I really do not have much to add save to repeat my message from last year.

Personalise your presents

There have been some great albums released by artists from Andalucía this year which would make great presents for family, friends and loved ones. Again I advise you buy them in time to maybe get them signed making the gift all the more valuable & personalised.

2 Night's the Night at La Cala Bar November 2012

And so it is with the acclimatization of the expat in Spain. You come from a country where teenage girls queue outside of Mecca clubs barely covered by the belts sold to them as skirts and bras sold to them as tops being gawked at by the young lads ‘bout it bout it’ in their sleeveless t-shirts and jeans all to the backdrop of below zero temperatures or heavy rain and within three years of living in Spain any event within days of the end of summer party and you start moaning that you can no longer bring yourself to leave the house and going out in a week where rain has made an appearance is absolutely out of the question.

Kermit – Autoficcion Album Review

When approached to write the review of ‘Autoficcion’ the debut album from Kermit I was excited but upon reading the group's notes I became a little worried. Any group that describes itself as experimental sighting Radiohead, 12twelve, Afghan Whigs, Portishead, Mogwai, The Cinematic Orchestra, Miles Davis, King Crimson, Pink Floyd, amongst its influences brings a certain amount of expectant concern. If you’ve heard enough prog rock that calls itself “experimental” you will know that a lot of this “experimentation” is being “experimental” for “experimental” sake and they call themselves “experimental”, (I do hope you're getting the finger “speech marks” here), to disguise what is usually one of three failings.