Uptown for Perrozompopo

Uptown for Perrozompopo

   A lot of rock & roll bands have one good album in them. The problem crops up when they continue to release more. A legion of examples comes to mind but for once, I’ll keep my sarcastic, observational humor to myself. The Nicaraguan band Perrozompopo came out of the chute last year with their inaugural CD, “Romper el Silencio”. Papaya Music was impressed enough with the project that they took the Managua band under wing and distributed their disc throughout Costa Rica, to very positive reviews, including my own. The band is basically the brainchild of singer/songwriter/guitarist Ramon Mejia.

   For his sophomore effort, “Quiero Que Sepas”, Ramon has nearly reconstructed the entire band, keeping only his brother, Augusto, on bass guitar. The project is divided into two distinct groupings: one recorded by a Nicaraguan band in Managua and the second recorded in Costa Rica, where the entire result was mastered. Manuel Obregon, Papaya’s CEO, called on some of his friends and big guns for the Costa Rica cuts, including Carlos Delgado on guitar and Marta Fonseca, adding background vocals. From the popular band Malpais, violinist Ivan Rodriguez and percussionist Carlos Vargas make notable contributions and the entire Editus band appears on the last cut of the CD.

   The final result is commendable. Majia has retained enough of the sound of the original band to make the new disc identifiable, while adding enough new pathways for his current project to keep it from sounding repetitive. The thirteen-song, fifty minute set starts off with the title track, a ballad warning about the dangers of border crossing. The second song, “Mujeres del Centro del Rio,” concentrates on the plight of women in society in Nicaragua. In fact, the somewhat over-dedicated disc goes out at one point to his mother, at another to his daughter, Taina, with yet another dedication to “all those women who have failed themselves, having been accomplices to so many men who, through politics and religion, have tried to push women to the margins of society”. Aside from the wordiness, the intentions seem to ring true to form the thematic structure of the CD. Other highlights include “Las Hijas del Sol”, (with additional vocals by Marta Fonseca), and “Muchacha de Arenas”, written this year in San Juan del Sur. It’s also a nice touch closing the project with three-time Grammy winners Editus backing Mejia on “Cuando Tardas y Demoras”. The entire production, in fact, is a lot more tempered and polished than the first album, probably owing to the Papaya connection. 

   There is a certain irony or dichotomy that arises here. Perrozompopo has built its reputation as a scrappy, street-wise band that has assumed the role of being the voice of the common people in Nicaragua. That’s a hard image to maintain while being wined, dined and recorded in San Jose’, Costa Rica. But this is not a new problem in the history of rock & roll, ala the rich hippie, the popular punk, and the well-fed, successful grunge star. In the case of Perrozompopo, it appears to be working, as they seem to be able to transcend this split personality. Toward the end of recording “Quiero Que Sepas”, the band took it to the streets, performing live on several occasions in San Jose, always to responsive crowds and positive reviews. The same thing happened upon returning to Managua and showcasing the material live at cafes and night spots there. One can only hope that by walking this thin line, the band does not open a chasm between themselves and their fans.

   Both Perrozompopo CDs are available at Jaime Peligro in Playa Tamarindo, where they will gladly sample the music for their customers.All commetns concerning this article are welcome.