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.
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I saw these guys play a packed house at Pianos recently and you’ve got the right idea about them; they rocked. The band was tight, the lead singer is endearingly charismatic (not BK-hipster-too-cool), and it’s the kind of show where you don’t have to know all the songs to enjoy them. I didn’t know them, yet I did enjoy them.
I WAS AT THAT SHOW TOO!! i was there to see another band but saw new madrid and they were sooo good…and the singer was cute ; ) def seeing them again
I thought the drummer was the most beautiful man I’ve ever seen.
Can I have the drummer’s number, address, and/or twitter account name…HE IS HOT!!!
Well I read somewhere they were playing at BB King’s on Sept 7th with other bands ya’ll. I saw them at their EP debut party at arlene’s and I was hooked instantly. The drummer was fantastic, the singer has some massive pipes; and I am an opera singer….he has power, the bassist was imperative and the guitarist attacked like no other…..I am seriously going to see them at BB King’s.