Rock isn’t dead and neither is punk en Espanol. AJ Davila, lead singer of San Juan, Puerto Rico’s garage-punk party animals Davila 666, has wasted no time in assembling a new side project/album Terror Amor which is quickly proving to be just as rockin’, if not more than Davila 666 who have slid into hiatus status. Terror Amor, released on Nacional Records this past Tuesday, features collaborations with a slew of different guests such as Cole Alexander of The Black Lips, Alex Anwandter of Teleradio Donoso, Fofe Abreu of Circo, and Selma Oxor, just to name a few. The collaborations prove to be fruitful, helping Davila stretch out his already solid garage punk foundation, bringing elements of pop and glam into the fold, without losing his footing. Whether or not you know Spanish, this album will have you singing (or humming) along, bopping your head, and stomping your feet — prepare to listen to it on repeat.
Why We Dig Them: With Terror Amor, AJ Davila pushes the boundaries of what Latin music can be, it’s not all reggaeton and banda out there! Smashing the expectations of fitting into a pigeonholed box of contemporary Latin music, is awesome, refreshing and deserves more recognition on indie and mainstream levels. Spread the palabra (word).
Best Songs: The second track “Salvajes” proffers our ears with a gritty, garage tune that is simultaneously rough around the edges yet sonically pleasing. If The Black Lips were a Spanish rock band, this is how I imagine it would sound. Color me shocked upon discovering that this was NOT the track that Cole Alexander from The Black Lips collaborated with AJ on (“Michelle” is the track they worked on together).
“Es Verano Ya” (“It’s Summer Already”) with its bouncy beats and sing-song vocals are just the shot of sunshine pop one needs to inject into any gloomy, overcast winter day — so make sure to share this one with all your East Coast friends.
“Ohhh (No Te Encantes)” is a rump-shaking, hand-clapping garage pop tune in the middle of the album that is simply irresistible. The album rounds up with an edgy, synth and guitar driven punk track “Espina Dorsal” that is quirky, spooky, and strangely addictive.
Three Words to Describe AJ Davila: Jolting — Refreshing — Energetic
Upcoming Shows: TBD – stay tuned!
Words: Emily Saex
Grab AJ Davila’s new album here!
