You don’t have to introduce yourself Munlet ni a Devo, right?, but yes, the same, explain why I am including their names here. If you’ve heard Munlet before, you’ll figure it out. Devo’s influence has never been hidden, neither they nor many others. Now that it seems that a whole generation has discovered that punk can have variations and cohabit with rhythms and uses that don’t seem to correspond to it, it’s always good to realize that, in most cases, you look back and see that you haven’t invented it. nothing. Munlet was before. And Devo, I must say that they even come from further afield. From another galaxy? No, from Akron, Ohio, capital of the rubber industry, in Summit County, just like the name of the gym under my house and I’ll move on to something else but that’s it.
The Munlets have gone a step further. In addition to confessing their influences, or sources of inspiration, their artistic diet, if you want to call it that, they have also decided to bear witness to it. They have entered the studio and have recorded it. All this was born, by the way, from what was called Izar & Starcycle commissioned by Jerry Corral, where the Munlets made this same repertoire that they have now kindly given us in vinyl format. They do it hand in hand with the Family Spree, always attentive to talent. Well, it has been more significant than what could be expected, because, in the attempt, they have managed to break the space-time limits and melt all the lines that separate the borders. What do I mean? (In a less far-fetched way, please.) Well, they will play and sing Devo’s songs, and they will be faithful and respectful, but they have somehow managed to mutate them into something new and fresh, effective and appetizing, impregnating it with his personality and style.
The album is titled “Plays Devo” o “Munlet Plays Devo” and it is enriched by a boisterous, colorful and distinctive graphic art, which celebrates the tradition that those from Akron already began in their discography and which is the work of the always successful Juan Roller, the pulse behind Estudios Perkins. Inside, in addition to various cut-outs and extras, you will, of course, also find a physical disc that includes a dozen indentations on the vinyl. All of them belong to the long repertoire of the Devo, who are still active, I remind you, in case they happen to come to the popular festivals in your neighborhood and you wonder if they are these or a substitute incarnation. Munlet, here, adapt some of the great hits of the Americans, but also other less popular songs that they manage to embroider, maintaining the fieryness of the originals, but with a characteristic touch, be it in the rhythm, in the nuances, in the parts vocals, or in instrumentation. The musical and lyrical adaptation, with linguistic change, works. They manage to make a varied and representative route, faithful and brave expeditionaries in that slippery territory between rock, punk and electronics, with streaks -billy (I’m not talking about Swedish bookstores but endings for music labels) and more music from roots and Vanguard.
Starting with an instrumental exercise close to domestic gymnastics that we ridiculously practiced during the pandemic, “Freedom of Choice”, is quite a declaration of intent: this is the rhythm, get ready to follow it, wear comfortable shoes. Soon one of the jewels of the repertoire arrives, even if it is under the subjective gaze of this straying listener. And it is that he already had devotion to “Whip it!”, resounding success of the original band, which they accompanied with that controversial video in which the Devo’s satirical capacity materialized. I see it now and understand it as a perversion of all the mythical imagery of the American West and 50’s television. Then Mark Mothersbaugh would come out with a whip in his hand and everything would get complicated. Now comes Munlet and they give it a twist, translating it into Basque and changing the whips for azkolari hacks. Total triumph that they crown with a video that has just been released on this website, where they return to the landscape of the original, but finish it off with images of the already famous El desfiladero de la muerte, where the story of a caravan of Basque pioneers who in On their way to the West they dance flamenco around the bonfire, communicate through irrintzis and give supernatural jumps. There are more songs, of course, but I’m not going to tell you. Now, it’s your turn to turn one of those collapsible glasses, ideally red, upside down and put it on your head, before starting to dance like crazy in this eighties party at the Mendaro parties. When you finish, or stop to rest, tell me.
FSR146 Munlet – Plays Devo by Munlet