Enjambre

Enjambre

Consuelo En Domingo
Oso Records (full-length release)

Consuelo en Domingo is the first major release by an Orange County-based Latin alternative group, and there's no better band to blaze the trail than Enjambre. But the debut by this Anaheim-based quartet has been delayed for so long that, for a while there, it was in danger of becoming Latin alternative's Smile. After nearly a year in the can, though, producer Javier Castellanos (of JC Fandango fame) is releasing his boys' work, and now the rest of the country is finally privy to what has mesmerized locals for years: brilliant, bizarre macho emo that's all about castrati harmonies, echoing organs and devious waltzes. The quartet sets its template immediately with opener "Extraviados," a dizzy, droning gem that sounds like the soundtrack for the coming Martian invasion. The rest of Consuelo is similarly surreal, born of the alchemy between the metal influences of guitarist/keyboardist Osamu Nishitani and drummer Nicolas Saavedra and the pop poise of brothers Rafael and Luís (drop the ridiculous LuH pseudonym, por favor) Navejas. There's only one deviation, and it's an acoustic beauty: "El Hombre del Mañana" ("The Tomorrow Man") offers a gentle Lennon/McCartney duet from the Navejases. It's our Spanish "Here, There and Everywhere."

Contact: enjambre@enjambrerock.com.

ENJAMBRE WITH JD NATASHA AND JUGUETE AT JC FANDANGO, 1086 N. STATE COLLEGE BLVD., ANAHEIM, (714) 758-9998 or (714) 758-1057; WWW.JCF.COM. THURS., FEB. 17, 8 P.M. $8. 16+.

OC and Long Beach bands and musicians! Mail your CDs and tapes (along with your vital contact info, plus any impending performance dates) for possible review to: Locals Only,OC Weekly, 1666 N. Main St., Ste. 500, Santa Ana, CA 92701-7417.