Album Review : Rodrigo Y Gabriela - 11:11

Having been classically taught on the nylon-string guitar from when I was pretty tiny, I have a feeling that a lot of the people who are involved in the classical and flamenco scenes could probably give me a whole host of reasons why Rodrigo Y Gabriela don’t have much in the way of ‘serious’ musical integrity. This kind of attitude, held by many such people, is the exact reason why so many find classical music and its offshoots impenetrable, serious and po-faced. To this I say: there are always times when it’s best just to let go and have fun.

All this having been said, nylon strings and traditional influences aside Rodrigo Sánchez and Gabriela Quintero don’t share close ties with classical or flamenco guitar music. With a background in thrash and a phase spent busking in Dublin, their stomping dual guitar instrumentals share more with Latin folk, rock and metal. Their last studio album even included covers of ‘Stairway to Heaven’ and stargazing ‘tallica instrumental ‘Orion’. 11:11 is their latest record, and sees them expand the base of their sound to include electric instruments, guest players and specific compositional themes. Interestingly, although the essence of their music remains the same – they work up to a frenzied pace and stay there for the majority of each piece – this adjustment lends 11:11 a wider sense of dynamic and greater longevity.

Opener ‘Hanuman’ is a relentless stomp, in traditional style, Sánchez teasing out a gently plucked Spanish melody over Quintero’s fuming rasgueado. Immediate follow-on ‘Buster Voodoo’ is appropriately inspired by Jimi Hendrix, drenched with furious, jagged wah during its stop-start climax. Both pieces are enjoyable, but the best of 11:11 comes from newly explored regions: ‘Triveni’ is dedicated to an Israeli oud trio and verges on spaghetti Western territory, all soft-focus counterpoint and a delicate strummed interlude. The duo move further toward Morricone atmospherics with the scorched desert guitar of ‘Logos’, and ‘Master Maqui’ is a beautiful whirl of harmony dedicated to the master himself, Paco De Lucia (who is well worth investigating in is own right, for anyone with even a passing interest in flamenco or classical guitar).

It’s hard to dispute that Rodrigo Y Gabriela’s is a fairly simple formula; it is, but it’s a pretty effective one. At times they lack the diversity that marks out fellow nylon-string duo and 11:11 guest players Strunz & Farah, but time has seen them carve further nuances into their oeuvre that may yet pay dividends. As it stands, 11:11 is certainly their strongest record yet in its efforts to mine hitherto unexplored areas.