Tristeza
A Colores
Better Looking Records

Don't believe the marketing - this isn't the psychedelic revival, neither is Tristeza's A Colores the presentation of another post-punk dance band. Interestingly enough, instrumental takes that evoke a dreamy Joy Division make for a quality mood piece. The San Diego quintet avoids taking too many leads which causes them to miss out on confrontation and possibility all together - just making them sound like an interesting Latin space experiment missing a Morrissey or an Ian Curtis. The dream suites don't relent here - "La Tierra Sutil" sounds like an outtake from Floyd's Obscured By Clouds, minus any blues jam conscience that would come from a David Gilmour type force. Despite, Tristeza makes a work at times sedative and frequently colorful array of potentials waiting to go somewhere - a somewhere that is made convincingly important.

Copyright © 2006 Matthew DeMello