Bares y Fondas

AMG Review of Bares y Fondas

Victor Valdivia
All Music Guide

Their first album, released in 1988, was barely an embryonic precursor to future glories. Though they had the idea to fuse ska, eggae, and salsa early on, they seemed hesitant and conventional. "Tus Tontas Trampas," which sounds like light ska eggae, is typical of the album as a whole -- there are some lively moments, but it never really takes off (especially not the way later releases would). This is definitely a tamer, gentler Fabulosos Cadillacs. The hrash metal guitars, over-the-top vocals, and jarring tempo changes are noticeably absent. There's even a sensitive love allad, "Galapagos," the kind that they would never even come close to again. It's obvious that at this point the Cadillacs are not much more than the sum of their influences. It's a pleasant enough listen, but hardly representative of their music, and would really be worthy only for diehards.