Mario Tarradell has pissed me off again
Posted By Alan Cohen in Soundcheck on July 21, 2006

Click Here to read Mario Tarradell's review of the new Los Lonely Boys album Sacred
Now I begin my rant...
Q: What do the Los Lonely Boys, Carlos Santana, Jimi Hendrix, and Stevie Ray Vaughan all have in common?
A: You can find them all in the music section at your local Walmart. The difference is the Los Lonely Boys will actually be there in person playing a damn concert. Why? Because while the term "sellout" gets used a lot, there is nothing like playing in a damn Walmart to prove that you are the uber-sellouts.
But how unfair is it to compare any artist to Carlos Santana or Jimi Hendrix or Stevie Ray Vaughan? Well its completely unfair. So why the hell would Mario Tarradell try to describe the guitar playing of Los Lonely Boys guitarist, Henry Garza, as "a combination of Carlos Santana and Jimi Hendrix filtered through Stevie Ray Vaughan." NO! NO! NO! Why would Mario Tarradell possibly make a statement like that? The only reason I can fathom is that he thinks Henry Garza is really really good at guitar. And I'm guessing he has heard that Carlos Santana, Jimi Hendrix, and Stevie Ray Vaughan are also really really good at guitar. Yet, I'm pretty convinced he has never heard any of them actually play guitar because their style is nothing like Henry Garza's! Yes, I'm upset by this.
Oh but I'm just getting started.
Another line that I didn't like: "They bring the three-piece sizzle of their stage performances to the compact disc. And if you haven't yet witnessed their soulful noise in concert, what are you waiting for? "
Hmmm, I was gonna go to a show so that I could see the full extent of their sizzle until I realized that they were playing AT WALMART!
Then this line just pissed me off: "Throughout 13 tracks, all written or co-written by the band, we get the Boys' hearty, signature bass, drums and electric guitar stew."
Why in the name of all things musical do the Los Lonely Boys get to claim the combination of bass, drums, and guitar as their signature anything? Mario, please tell me that you can find at least a few bands that combined the use of these instruments before the Los Lonely Boys. I know you have trouble finding female country singers in Texas, but come on, this is ridiculous...
BUT THIS IS WHAT UPSETS ME MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE...
Mario Tarradell continues to try and draw parallels between Los Lonely Boys and Santana. He isn't the only one that does this, but I'm so unbelievably sick of every single Latin group that has any elements of rock being compared to Santana. I'm more upset by Henry Garza's guitar playing being compared to that of Carlos, especially since Carlos has one of the most distinct guitar sounds of all time (and it doesn't sound even close to that of Henry Garza). But listen to me right now....Los Lonely Boys is a very talented pop group. If you like pop, and want to catch a concert that allows you to simultaneously shop for a 2-Person Inflatable Sit-on-Top Kayak With Paddles, then you will probably love tonight's Los Lonely Boys concert. But DON'T expect to see the second coming of Santana.
I'm gonna go kick something....
-------
PS You shouldn't blame Los Lonely Boys for not living up to this ridiculous review. If you generally enjoy pop, then you will most likely enjoy their music

kevin says:
Alan, I have to strongly disagree with you here.
Los Lonely Boys is promoting their new CD at a Wal-Mart. So-freakin-what. We have band after band come through town promoting their new CDs at Good Records, or at Bill's, or at Virgin, etc. etc. I never heard a peep out of you complaining about these promotional events. What is the big deal, then, about Los Lonely Boys having a free show at a Wal-Mart, which is after all the largest retailer of CDs in the country? Your post smacks -- no, screams -- of elitism.
Please elaborate on why this bothers you so. Would having a promotional concert at Good Records, which could accomodate a fraction of the fans as Wal-Mart, be acceptable?
Staff
3 years, 4 months agoLink to this comment | Suggest removal
Alan Cohen says:
Well you have only strongly disagreed with one part of my argument. I don't like Walmart. There are a variety of reasons I don't like Walmart. As I said at the end, if you generally are into pop, you'll prolly be a good candidate to enjoy this show? As a stand alone, a Walmart concert wouldnt piss me off (especially because its free)...its the idea of comparing a Walmart performer to Santana, Hendrix, or Stevie.
Was that the only part you disagreed with?
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Alan Cohen says:
P.S. CD World doesn't have a track record for having sweat shops around the world
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Alan Cohen says:
P.P.S. I bet the people that work at Walmart's sweat shops around the world know that drums, guitar, and bass is not a signiture sound
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kevin says:
So if Los Lonely Boys were playing a free promotional show tonight at Good Records instead, it'd be perfectly acceptable for Tarradell to compare them to SRV and Santana.
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Jesse Hughey says:
They should call themselves Cabeza Grande Todd y los Monstruos. BOOOOORING.
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Alan Cohen says:
No, and that doesn't even clash with what I am saying. Read my argument again.
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ScottChaffin says:
_CD World doesn't have a track record for having sweat shops around the world._
Whether they do or don't own their own sweat shops, they sure don't have a problem selling the products that emerge from those sweat shops.
You're probably right about the LLB/Santana* comparison thing, but Mario has been off-base for at least, what, two decades now? That's why TG has a lot of readers. The establishment dudes suck. He's just throwing out random guitar heros to establish his credibility for the uninformed. Two of those heros are dead, for Pete's sake, and therefore unassailable to the generic DMN reader.
Anonymous
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Alan Cohen says:
Exactly Scott...that's exactly the point.
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Blair Lovern says:
tag team <br><img align="center" src="http://static.flickr.com/61/195889569_4a646df4ce_o.jpg">
Backhand chop to the chest http://www.wfaa.com/sharedcontent/dws...
Figure Four, brother - WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO http://www.texasgigs.com/news/2006/ju...
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pugeez says:
Ok, if Paris hilton thinks Walmart sells walls then she has probably never bought a Los Lonely Boys cd which means they got to be good because ergo and insofar Paris music taste sucks.
Logically its a bricksh*&thouse as solid and tooth chipping as my buns.
Anonymous
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Blair Lovern says:
By the way, all is answered in the latest issue of Guitar Player (Garza on the cover), which just came out.
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Todd Maternowski says:
Comparing Los Lonely Boys to Santana and SRV is like saying Devin Harris is Jordan, Oscar Robertson and Brad Davis all rolled into one. Harris has a lot to prove --at least two more games like that one he had against the Spurs-- before anyone can legitimately compare and contrast to the eldar gods of basketball. Same deal with Los Lonely Boys.
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Alan Cohen says:
Excellent Brad Davis reference........You have made #15 proud
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