nickels in the oven

Tristeza - A Colores
Released Nov. 22, 2005
on Better Looking

Sometimes music speaks louder than words. So go ahead and preview the entire new Tristeza album via the band’s e-card, or grab an mp3 of the lead single, “Bromas.”

If you’re looking for a little background information and some subjectivity, read on.

The review

Noticeably absent of any vocals, Tristeza’s sound relies on pure instrumentation. Cascading guitar lines woo moody synthesizers. Organic drum beats add another texture to the laid-back sound. Emotive and atmospheric, the entire album speaks volumes.

As the sticker on the outside of the plastic-wrapped CD cover notes, A Colores is “a colorful journey beyond instrumental post-rock, delving into the darker realms of modern psychedelia.”

Bassist Luis Hermosillo said to expect the band to add vocals in the future. He also explained the new direction:

We wanted to make the music more focused within its notes, grooves, timing, spacing, layering, etc. We want to dial into the whole aspect of composing—and most of all, we wanted it to be honest.

Even though Tristeza translates into “sadness,” the music often evokes an undeniably hopeful feeling.

Co-founder Jimmy LaValle left the band in 2003 in order to turn The Album Leaf into a full-time project. Many assumed his departure would mark the end of Tristeza. Instead, the three remaining members pushed on, picking up a new guitarist and a keyboardist along the way.

A Colores marks Tristeza’s first album sans-LaValle, and everything has fallen perfectly into place. I saw The Album Leaf this past spring, and the whole show was mesmerizing. Both groups have developed beautifully, and neither seems to be slowing down.

Currently on the road, Tristeza wraps up its fall tour in support of the new album on December 3 in Tijuana, Mexico, where much of A Colores was written. That same month, Jimmy LaValle will be recording the follow-up album to The Album Leaf’s In a Safe Place.