Los Goutos

At its best, this CD recording has a great deal of the good-timey ambiance and vim of the Rounder-and-friends 1975 album Have Moicy! And if you loved that you’ll certainly like this – many of the songs have a charming, joking feel which is practically infectious. All the more impressive is that it is a live recording, warts and all, with room for improvisations like the crooning at the end of the chummy Stewart/Gleason tune “Appropriating the Blues.” Bruce Bartone’s Santana-like dervish guitar melds gloriously with Chris Gleason’s mandolin on the fiddle-slathered showpiece “Tequila Set the House Afire,” showing that the band has a knack for the dramatic, and for consequential guitar solos. The amusing “El Chupacabra” is a folksy narrative sung by the legendary monster himself, with lots of hooting and shouting – and surely a good time was had by all, particularly Jakub Trasak, who delivers a pristine bluegrass fiddle solo. Mike Eigen contributes his introspective clarinet to his own mournful and haunting composition, “Persephone,” which is performed as a juddering dirge, with lots of artsy fiddle. The wanton, jaunty and amusing “Calamine Lotion” is a plaintive song with amusing lyrics replete with hot fiddle playing and persnickety but pastoral mandolin. Chris Gleason’s elegiac “Killing Me Kindly” reminds me of Byrdsy country rock, albeit with ensemble instrumentation, including Stewart’s accordion, a thrilling fiddle run, and Bartone’s liquescent guitar. The accordion also comes into prominent play on Eigen’s “Steal It, Pawn It, Buy Another,” a Latin-flavored delicacy replete with plaintive vocals and eccentric, halting percussion. Stewart’s “Missed Opportunities” is another country-folk tune with an easygoing pace and feel. “Broken” is a jittery, neurotic Warren Zevon-like chantey and a heartfelt manifesto sung and performed with a manic vivacity by composer Paul Stewart. This six-piece ensemble is undeniably talented and deserves to become cult favorites among the folksy set. (Francis DiMenno) - The Noise - Boston

December 28, 2015
By Andy Kaufman

Material: Americana takes an uncommon turn with this six-piece ensemble that incorporates elements of folk, rock, country, Latin rhythms, Cajun swamp grooves and more into a panoptic bouillabaisse.

As funny as they are emotive, songs cover everything from drinking woes to the Mexican legend of the mythical chupacabra. They even throw down a sarcastic holiday ditty or two that wouldn’t sound out of place at Jack Sparrow’s Christmas party.

Musicianship: A veritable Grand Ole Opry with a modern sense of humor, Los Goutos employ a diverse range of instruments, including everything from accordion to washboard. Still, they blend smoother than a 40-year whiskey, distilling an intoxicating blend that’s as unified as it is subtly complex. Yet as comfortable
as they may be strumming, they’re equally at home busting out an a cappella number.

Performance: The first of the evening’s two sets running an hour, the band came bearing significant material, indicating a seriousness of purpose. Sadly, their artistry is compromised by unwieldy complexity, particularly when shoehorned onto a miniscule stage.

On the plus side, they’ve always got something or someone worth watching. More branding would help, but there’s not much room left for anything else.

Summary: Los Goutos present a masterful sound that’s prettier than a babbling brook and sophisticated to boot. Their bulkiness is a double-edged sword—while encumbered by the technical aspects of their operation, the ability to switch instruments and explore alternate configurations adds a layer of excitement that obviates the need for showy antics.

Different lead singers, for instance, cast their style in a whole new light. While unlikely to ever sell out arenas, they’ve carved a niche that will excite a certain strain of discriminating fan.

The Players: Bruce Bartone, guitars, bass, vo- cals; Mike Eigen, vocals, percussion, acoustic guitar, clarinet, ukulele; Shamus Feeney, bass, guitars, percussion, vocals; Chris Gleason, vocals, mandolin, tenor banjo, acoustic guitar, percussion; Paul Stewart, vocals, accordion, guitars, harmonica; Jakub Trasak, fiddle.

Photo by Apple Kaufmann

Venue: Toad
City: Cambridge, MA
Contact: losgoutos@gmail.com
Web: losgoutos.com - Music Connection Magazine