Eldorado – ‘Antigravity Sound Machine’

In Spanish, ‘El Dorado’ means ‘The Golden One’. Originally attributed to an ancient Colombian chieftain who covered himself in gold dust and then committed suicide, it has become much better known as the mythological city sought by the Spanish Conquistadores in the 15th and 16th centuries, which resulted in genocide and the annihilation of entire civilizations…

It’s somewhat ironic then that a name so associated with cultural and racial decimation should then be adopted by a band from the country responsible – and turn out to possibly be the treasure their ancestors sought half a millennium earlier. Because this, the third album from this Madrid-based combo, is, quite honestly, a hidden gold mine…

Things get off to a lively start, with ‘Maybe Tomorrow’ – a song that sounds like it should be a ballad but is quite the opposite… a rousing blast of punk-infused rock ‘n’brawl that combines elements of The Black Crowes, The Quireboys and Dr Feelgood, with a healthy dose of The Clash at their most rabble-rousing and even inflections of The Jam (fuck, bet you never thought you’d see them referenced in a Planet Mosh review!?), it rollicks along at a pace that even Usain Bolt mind find trouble keeping up with on the dancefloor, driven by a stunningly funky bass line from Cesar Sánches, whose performance is one of the highlights of the album…

There’s a huge Zeppelin-meets-Stones vintage vibe right through the 12 tracks, from Jesús Trujillo’s stunning vocals through Andrés Duende’s dirty guitar riffs through to drum work from Javi Planelles that is so reminiscent of John Bonham that it is fucking scary… and there are other massive retro-references, from the Purple-esque Hammond organ intro and solo stabs of ‘Like A Lost Child’, which is reminiscent of classic late-60s psychedelic blues, to the swaggering Doors-influenced ‘Another Bright Sunday’ and the (early) Aerosmith boogie-inducing ‘Searching For Light’.

There’s not a weak element to this excellent album: both the performances and the songs are soulful yet energetic, and ‘Antigravity Sound Machine’ should be an essential addition to any self-respecting rock fan’s library.

Move over Rival Sons, Vintage Trouble and The Answer: Eldorado have found the pot of gold and are spending it very wisely…

[10/10]

Track list:

1. Maybe Forever
2. Mr. Saturn
3. Like A Lost Child
4. Another Bright Sunday
5. Searching For Light
6. A Farewell To November
7. Background Radiation
8. Space Mambo
9. Hassandra
10. Paranormal Circus
11. Lady Of The Mountain
12. Bluesday Wings

‘Antigravity Sound Machine’ is released on the band’s own (crowd-funded) Bad Reputation label, via Cargo Records, on November 5th.  It can be pre-ordered by clicking on the Amazon link below.

To find out more, visit the band’s official website at www.eldoradorockband.com