Still Underground
Cudighi Records, 2022
http://psuedodesnudo.bandcamp.com
REVIEW BY: Tom Haugen
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: 12/13/2022
The unclassifiable Texas artist Alejandro Gomez-Leos, aka Psuedo Desnudo, returns with another batch of outsider pop songs, and much like his previous two releases that I've had the pleasure of perusing, it's steeped in psychedelic, punk, blues, jazz and garage rock that's nostalgic yet futuristic.
“Bathroom In Berlin” gets the listen off to a warm start with intricate guitar, before quick drumming and raw, expressive singing enters the atypical and rhythmic climate. “Still Underground” then follows with thumping drums, bright guitar playing and deep vocals populating this soulful, eccentric version of rock.
Further into Side A, the lo-fi tendencies of “Last Glass Into Sand” get quite busy but never hectic amid the charming melodies, while “Lattice Structure” moves with a calmer demeanor of psych-rock nods and haziness. “Public Key” exits the first half, and is a bit warbly and firmer and recruits post-punk moments in the angular textures.
The back portion of the record leads with the crisp drums and cozy strumming of “Prisoners Of War,” where blurry horns and talk-singing possesses an almost tribal spirit, and this creativity is complemented by the retro-rock and jazzy sensibilities of “Gimme Your Car.”
The best tune lands close to the end, where “But R U All There?” is a bare, dreamy display of hypnotic guitar and cryptic storytelling, and “Durk In The Lark” is a close second with its bouncy, abstract version of pop. “The Obsession” is the final track, and it's one of the fullest present, where gentle keys, booming drums, baritone singing and dense guitar makes for a very '80s post-punk presence.
If you like your music unpredictable, eclectic and accessible to those who appreciate pop and rock song craft but never in a traditional sort of way, Psuedo Desnudo's formula deserves a spot in your collection.