I consider myself a rock lover, as much in Western music as in Latin music. I tend towards a more alternative sound, but I appreciate Panic At The Disco or Green Day just as much. But about El Motivo, the Spanish version of the new album by unknown pop-punkers Cage9, I can't really say anything good.
Maybe the ugly artwork and the stupid band name (look, we combined a random word with a number, aren't we cool and original?) should have given me a hint: this record combines the worst of modern rock music. First, Cage9 takes the dreadful riffs and pale sound of late 90's nu-metal (yes, that horrible mixture of punk and rap we all tried to forget as soon as Limp Bizkit split up). Second, 'singing' and 'lyrics' are replaced by 'shouting' and 'cheap sentiment', borrowed from the modern emo-core movement. Okay, I admit the choruses are quite catchy, but without a decent song structure, they just sound cheap.
A point of rest in this 11-song torture is "La Gravedad", about the only track where guitars aren't overdubbed or badly distorted. It even has a piano! Ignore the singing and the boring lyrics, and you might even have something that sounds like a song.
Conclusion: Cage9 has neither the sound nor the attitude to make it in 2006. Try again in 2020, there might be a '90s rock revival!
Article comments
1 - Matt Friedrich
don't listen to the spanish copy of the album get the english version the album is freaking awesome, i saw them play at the blue note in columbia missouri with powerman 5000 and they rocked sure its not the greatest music in the world but at least they try and do produce a good album unlike some people who think they know rock but they don't. El Motivo is an Awesome album just listen to it and you'll understand it.
2 - Victor
hi there Chapin... I just want to know if you even took the time to investigate the band which is the subject to your critic/rant. 1st thing: the name of the band was originally Cage, they added the 9 because the word nine in german means "no", what their trying to say with their name is that there is no limit nor laws that need to be followed when creating music. Now as far the record: it's not their best, though is the only one they have made in Spanish and most of the lyrics had to be adjusted from English written songs. I can't realy say anything else about your taste in music, maybe you just don't like unknown "pop-punkers", or maybe yuou just want to listen to Green Day and Panic at the disco copy cats... maybe.