By Rodrigo Ricardo @hhdrums
For years it has been said that Grunge is dead and that it died with Kurt Cobain. A tough statement for those of us who grew up in the nineties, But at the same time with a high degree of certainty, since bands like Soundgarden and Alice In Chains (I'm not including Pearl Jam because I've never considered them grunge) broke up shortly after Nirvana's demise and, although they recently returned to the scene, their new paths have been shaped more within metal (AIC) or a much more melodic and elaborate alternative rock (Soundgarden).
However, the resurgence of the aforementioned bands has led many fans of 90s Alternative Rock to Take up your instruments and get to work to recapture the nihilistic feeling of those times, making simple, energetic music, thunderous and sincere.
An example of this is the Buenos Aires band Marvins (comprised of Juan Manuel Perez Corte on lead vocals and guitar; Ramiro Corte on guitar and vocals; Nahuel Redin on bass and vocals and Lautaro Riccardo on drums and vocals), who bring us the album called Shot at the World, in which they express themselves in the ten songs that make it up the musical spirit of Generation X in a faithful way. This LP, then, showcases a wide array of influences, all from the music that rockers/thirties enjoyed growing up: Nirvana, Sonic Youth, Alice in Chains, The Melvins (Marvins… get it?), Mudhoney, Smashing Pumpkins, among others. It's an album that, while having its softer moments, It exudes a raw and honest character, filling the ears of those who can enjoy it with a pleasant nostalgia, because it encompasses the entire range of sounds that became established in the mainstream of the rock music scene two decades ago. My assertion can be verified by listening to the overdriven guitars, dishing out power chords left and right; the slightly distorted bass, accompanying with punk-infused lines; and the drums firing off rhythms in every direction. The production is noticeably clean and doesn't over-manipulate the sound, giving the tracks a solid and clear purpose. He doesn't want to impress. He wants to rock.
Perhaps my common sense was a little distorted when I heard Shooting at the World, I confess. And that's because I gathered most of my musical influences growing up in the 90s, which makes me predisposed to enjoy anything that smells of Alternative Rock (well done, of course) and that is close to the Seattle scene. I know my contemporaries will enjoy this work as much as I do.. And hopefully, with the emergence of bands like Marvins, there will be a movement (not only in Argentina, but throughout Latin America). that will bring the music cycle back to the nineties.
Recommended songs: Eros, Shot at the World, Beyond y Underground.
