Album Review: Cafe Tacvba

Mexico-based band Cafe Tacvba has a fresh, well-rounded sound and just dropped their new album Sino on Tuesday.

Cafe Tacvba sings in Spanish and fuses melodic and often upbeat guitar with a myriad of other instruments, including piano, synthesizer beats, mandolin, and steel guitar. The band’s front man, vocalist and guitarist Ruben Isaac Albarran Ortega has a nice set of pipes, but the instrumental aspect of Cafe Tacvba is the most impressive and compelling.

The band from Naucalpan, Mexico has been together since 1989 and has snatched up a few Grammy awards along the way.

Sino is a well-rounded album from start to finish, beginning somberly with Ortega crooning quietly to just piano with growing intensity.

“Tengo Todo” is one of Sino’s strongest tracks, exhibiting a catchy chorus (that I can’t even understand!) and overlapping melodies with elegant electric guitar work.

“El Outsider” conveys diversity with Ortega singing in a scratchy voice to bass and synth beats.

The single track off of Sino, “Volver A Comenzar” builds beautifully with drum beats and airy guitars.

“De Acuerdo” kicks off with espionage guitar work and stomping drum beats.

Cafe Tacvba will be entertaining fans across the border and in other countries with live shows to promote Sino.

Tour Dates
Oct. 18 – Distrito Federal
Oct. 19 – Veracruz, Veracruz
Oct. 20 – Oaxaca, Oaxaca
Oct. 21 – Tehuacan, Puebla
Oct. 25 – Hermosillo, Sonora
Oct. 26 – Mexicali, Baja California
Oct. 27 – Tijuana, Baja California
Nov. 3 – Tokyo
Nov. 4 – Fukuoka

Check out this video of Cafe Tacvba collaborating with Incubus at the 2005 Grammy Awards.




To hear Cafe Tacvba’s new album Sino, check out their Myspace page, the whole album is there for listening.