CD Review – The Debut EP by New Madrid

Fiery, artsy, adrenalizing, original rock from Brooklyn. New Madrid have two guitars, bass and drums, purposeful lyrics that alternate between Spanish and English and a relentlessly tuneful melodic attack. There seems to be a 90s rock en Espanol influence although there’s definitely a classic art-rock vibe going on too. The first track, Soberano (Sovereign) is dramatic, with drums one step removed from We Will Rock You on the intro before they launch into flamenco-inflected rock with echoes of the theatrical Mexican outfit El Tri: “Lead us through the night!” This one sets the stage for the rest of the tracks, capped with a casually savage, layered electric guitar outro.

Track two, Vesicant is funky like Rage Against the Machine at their most Sabbath-esque but more tuneful: “My hate could last forever…I’ll kill you with my own hands.” Again, there’s a fat sunbaked bluesmetal solo. The third cut, Pure starts out as a trip-hop ballad with sparse, reggaeish bass, building to a swaying anthem with a twin guitar solo and then gracefully back down again. The ep ends with I’ll Find My Way, fast and anthemic, the poppiest track here. They hit a quick crescendo and then they’re out. Proof that there’s just as much great stuff as there is shit coming out of Brooklyn. If this ep – available for free download at the band’s myspace at the link above – is any indication then they probably kick ass live. New Madrid play the Cameo Gallery out back of the Loving Cup Cafe in Williamsburg on August 15 at 9.