El Presidente – S/T (CD)

El Presidente plays a weird style of rock music that does not have an immediate way to date it. There is a shrill type of vocals that would be equally as well placed in an act like The Darkness, while the simplistic style of the guitar and drums on a track like “Without You” reminds individuals of the Christian rock of the late nineties. In a way, El Presidente sounds a lot like “Step Up To The Microphone” era Newsboys. The band is able to continue this style for “Rocket”. In this track, however, the band moves back to the seventies for their primary influence. Hints of Journey and Kansas both can be heard during this track, while there still seems to be a hint of the nineties sound that was previously mentioned.

The funky disco beat that they cultivate during “Rocket” should mean that El Presidente has a hit on their hands, but one will have to see if this track (originally released last year but finally making its United States debut this year) does anything. One thing that individuals will notice throughout the entirety of this album is that El Presidente get more and more into the seventies, to the degree that “100 MPH” could be mistaken for an Eagles or 38 Special track. The distortion is interesting throughout (it sounds as if the band bought the cheapest distortion pedal they could and just that for the entirety of the tracks on the disc), but it provides something that is definitely a hallmark of El Presidente’s. “Turn This Thing Around” has a “We Are the World” sound to it with the added benefit of a Steve Tyler-like approach to the vocals. This continues to “Count On Me”, which is a slower track for El Presidente. The style is still compelling, and even touches on Neil Young for a few seconds.

El Presidente is an act that is as fun in their anachronistic style as a Darkness or Wolfmother. While I have not heard of anything on US rock stations from El Presidente, I would have to say that El Presidente should be featured alongside with the Nugents, ZZ Tops, and Molly Hatchets of the world. Even when the band throws a Warrant (“Dog Eat Dog”-era) type of song into the mix, they succeed without anything in the way of failure. Find this disc and pick it up now.

Top Tracks: Count On Me, Without You

Rating: 7.6/10

El Presidente – S/T / 2005 One / 12 Tracks / http://www.elpresidentemusic.com / http://www.sonybmg.com / Reviewed 16 September 2006

[JMcQ]