Chikita Violenta
Encyclopedia
Chikita Violenta is a Mexican
indie rock
band from Mexico City
. The band members are Luis Arce, Andrés Velasco, Esteban Suarez and Armando David. They all met in high school in early 2000. Since the beginning of the band, Chikita Violenta looked for a sound close to the college rock, which can be related to bands such as Pavement
, Sonic Youth
, Built To Spill
and Tortoise
.
, Broken Social Scene
, Super Furry Animals
and Los Campesinos!
Their second album, The Stars and Suns Sessions, was named after Newfeld's Toronto
studio. With this album, Chikita Violenta went on tour in Mexico City
and in several cities across the west coast of the U.S. The band also performed two years in a row in the music festival SXSW.
The band's video for the single "Laydown" was listed by Spin Magazine as a "Must see" in August 2008, for its "cute" use of 1970's home movies and "novel" mixing with modern day footage of family members, all cut
together into a "generation-spanning holiday party".Spin wrote that it "takes the cuteness and the novelty and blows them up like the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man.
In the end of 2009 and early 2010 the band worked again with Newfeld and recorded their third album, TRE3S
. The album was recorded over three trips to Canada and includes collaborations with Loel Campbell from Wintersleep
, Tony Nesbitt-Larking from The Most Serene Republic
and Lisa Lobsinger
of Broken Social Scene
. In the summer of 2010 Chikita Violenta was the opening act in 23 cities on Built to Spill’s and Ra Ra Riot
’s tour, the band signed with Toronto
label Arts & Crafts for future album releases, and it was selected as an Editor's Choice by the New Haven Register.
TRE3S was released in early 2011, to a mix of mild and enthusiastic reviews. Spin
magazine gave the album 7 out of 10 stars, stating "While the production's scope doesn't quite fit Chikita Violenta's knack for scrappy Superchunk-style guitar pop, the busy shimmer usually complements the songs' energy instead of burying it." Scott Fallon of the Bergen County Record
called it "the first great album of 2011," and, noting producer Newfeld's work with Broken Social Scene
, wrote "Chikita Violenta has taken the whole lo-fi anthemic pop thing to heart."
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
indie rock
Indie rock
Indie rock is a genre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1980s. Indie rock is extremely diverse, with sub-genres that include lo-fi, post-rock, math rock, indie pop, dream pop, noise rock, space rock, sadcore, riot grrrl and emo, among others...
band from Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
. The band members are Luis Arce, Andrés Velasco, Esteban Suarez and Armando David. They all met in high school in early 2000. Since the beginning of the band, Chikita Violenta looked for a sound close to the college rock, which can be related to bands such as Pavement
Pavement (band)
Pavement is an American alternative rock band that formed in Stockton, California in 1989. In their career, they achieved a significant cult following, and they were called the best band of the 1990s by prominent music critics Robert Christgau and Stephen Thomas Erlewine...
, Sonic Youth
Sonic Youth
Sonic Youth is an American alternative rock band from New York City, formed in 1981. The current lineup consists of Thurston Moore , Kim Gordon , Lee Ranaldo , Steve Shelley , and Mark Ibold .In their early career, Sonic Youth was associated with the No Wave art and music scene in New York City...
, Built To Spill
Built to Spill
Built to Spill is an American indie rock band based in Boise, Idaho. The band has released seven full-length albums. Their most recent album, There Is No Enemy, was released on October 6, 2009.-History:...
and Tortoise
Tortoise
Tortoises are a family of land-dwelling reptiles of the order of turtles . Like their marine cousins, the sea turtles, tortoises are shielded from predators by a shell. The top part of the shell is the carapace, the underside is the plastron, and the two are connected by the bridge. The tortoise...
.
History
In 2003, the band self-produced their first album, Chikita Violenta. Two years later, the band contacted the well known producer Dave Newfeld who has worked with important indie bands like Apostle of HustleApostle of Hustle
Apostle of Hustle is a Canadian indie rock group, formed in 2001 by Andrew Whiteman.-History:The band is more or less the brainchild of Andrew Whiteman, who has been in such groups as Bourbon Tabernacle Choir and Que Vida. He released a solo effort titled Fear of Zen in 1995. He is also the lead...
, Broken Social Scene
Broken Social Scene
Broken Social Scene is a Canadian indie rock band, a musical collective including as few as six and as many as nineteen members, formed in 1999 by Kevin Drew and Brendan Canning. Most of its members currently play in various other groups and solo projects, mainly based around the city of Toronto...
, Super Furry Animals
Super Furry Animals
Super Furry Animals are a Welsh rock band that lean towards psychedelic rock and electronic experimentation. Since their formation in Cardiff, Wales in 1993, the band has consisted of Gruff Rhys , Huw Bunford , Guto Pryce , Cian Ciaran and Dafydd Ieuan Super Furry Animals are a Welsh rock band...
and Los Campesinos!
Los Campesinos!
Los Campesinos! are a seven piece indie pop band from Cardiff, Wales, formed in early 2006 at Cardiff University. Although the band formed in Wales, none of its members are Welsh. They released their debut album, Hold on Now, Youngster..., in February 2008 and followed this up by releasing a record...
Their second album, The Stars and Suns Sessions, was named after Newfeld's Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
studio. With this album, Chikita Violenta went on tour in Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
and in several cities across the west coast of the U.S. The band also performed two years in a row in the music festival SXSW.
The band's video for the single "Laydown" was listed by Spin Magazine as a "Must see" in August 2008, for its "cute" use of 1970's home movies and "novel" mixing with modern day footage of family members, all cut
Editing
Editing is the process of selecting and preparing written, visual, audible, and film media used to convey information through the processes of correction, condensation, organization, and other modifications performed with an intention of producing a correct, consistent, accurate, and complete...
together into a "generation-spanning holiday party".Spin wrote that it "takes the cuteness and the novelty and blows them up like the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man.
In the end of 2009 and early 2010 the band worked again with Newfeld and recorded their third album, TRE3S
TRE3S
TRE3S is the third studio album by Chikita Violenta, released in early 2011, to a mix of mild and enthusiastic reviews. Spin magazine gave the album 7 out of 10 stars, stating "While the production's scope doesn't quite fit Chikita Violenta's knack for scrappy Superchunk-style guitar pop, the busy...
. The album was recorded over three trips to Canada and includes collaborations with Loel Campbell from Wintersleep
Wintersleep
Wintersleep is a Canadian indie rock band from Halifax, Nova Scotia.-Background:Wintersleep formed in 2001 and released two albums with Dependent Music, a music label and artists' collective that began in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia in 1994....
, Tony Nesbitt-Larking from The Most Serene Republic
The Most Serene Republic
The Most Serene Republic is a Canadian indie rock band based in Milton, Ontario. It takes its name from the sobriquet of formerly independent Venice under the Doges, which was regarded as "The Most Serene Republic of Venice".-Members:...
and Lisa Lobsinger
Lisa Lobsinger
Lisa Lobsinger is an indie rock singer from Calgary, Alberta, Canada. She is currently the lead singer for the band Reverie Sound Revue and is known for her powerful voice and distinctive hair styles....
of Broken Social Scene
Broken Social Scene
Broken Social Scene is a Canadian indie rock band, a musical collective including as few as six and as many as nineteen members, formed in 1999 by Kevin Drew and Brendan Canning. Most of its members currently play in various other groups and solo projects, mainly based around the city of Toronto...
. In the summer of 2010 Chikita Violenta was the opening act in 23 cities on Built to Spill’s and Ra Ra Riot
Ra Ra Riot
Ra Ra Riot is an American indie rock band from Syracuse, New York, consisting of vocalist Wes Miles, bassist Mathieu Santos, guitarist Milo Bonacci, cellist Alexandra Lawn , violinist Rebecca Zeller, and drummer Kenny Bernard.-History:...
’s tour, the band signed with Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
label Arts & Crafts for future album releases, and it was selected as an Editor's Choice by the New Haven Register.
TRE3S was released in early 2011, to a mix of mild and enthusiastic reviews. Spin
Spin (magazine)
Spin is a music magazine founded in 1985 by publisher Bob Guccione Jr.-History:In its early years, the magazine was noted for its broad music coverage with an emphasis on college-oriented rock music and on the ongoing emergence of hip-hop. The magazine was eclectic and bold, if sometimes haphazard...
magazine gave the album 7 out of 10 stars, stating "While the production's scope doesn't quite fit Chikita Violenta's knack for scrappy Superchunk-style guitar pop, the busy shimmer usually complements the songs' energy instead of burying it." Scott Fallon of the Bergen County Record
The Record (Bergen County)
The Record is a newspaper in northern New Jersey. It has the second largest circulation of New Jersey's daily newspapers, behind The Star-Ledger. Owned by the Borg family since 1930, it is the flagship publication of the North Jersey Media Group. Stephen Borg is the publisher of The Record...
called it "the first great album of 2011," and, noting producer Newfeld's work with Broken Social Scene
Broken Social Scene
Broken Social Scene is a Canadian indie rock band, a musical collective including as few as six and as many as nineteen members, formed in 1999 by Kevin Drew and Brendan Canning. Most of its members currently play in various other groups and solo projects, mainly based around the city of Toronto...
, wrote "Chikita Violenta has taken the whole lo-fi anthemic pop thing to heart."
Albums
- Chikita Violenta (2005)
- The Stars and Suns Sessions (2007)
- TRE3STRE3STRE3S is the third studio album by Chikita Violenta, released in early 2011, to a mix of mild and enthusiastic reviews. Spin magazine gave the album 7 out of 10 stars, stating "While the production's scope doesn't quite fit Chikita Violenta's knack for scrappy Superchunk-style guitar pop, the busy...
(2010)
Singles
- Turnaround (2005)
- Laydown (2006)
- War (2007)
- Tired (2010)
- Roni (2010)
- All I Need's A Little More (2010)
- The Girl That Died (1852)