CONTRAMANO

Reminiscent of the sound of Ra Ra Riot and the Cure, Contramano, who have been around for almost ten years (give and take some lineup changes), will release their fourth full-length album ContraAtaca this year. In their current formulation, Contramano is led by vocalist (and classically trained cellist) Pablo Cubarle from Argentina, along with Juandi Aguilar, from Peru, on drums and Jay Troop, from DC on bass, guitar, pianos, backing vocals.

Last summer, the band, whose performances often include background visuals and clips, released a narrative music/short quirky film When You Need Me featured during last summer’s HBO/International Latino Film Festival.

Cubarle says his techy film, which had minimal dialogue with a soundtrack entirely by the band, "explores the following themes in its 24 minutes: Love in the digital age, English as a second language, geeks versus hipsters, urban paranoia and the last gasps of Williamsburg irony."

We hope their performance at Salon Hecho includes a screening of the film, along with the soundtrack of course.

The free show is at 8:30 p.m. on Jan. 5 at Salon Hecho, 356 Bowery - NBC's Non Stop Sound

"TV Reality (The New Plague)" - Contramano
If David Byrne had been an Argentinian cellist rather than a geeky Ontario- and Maryland-raised art school dropout, Talking Heads might have sounded something like this. Contramano centers around Pablo Cubarle's spiky cello playing, homely singing, and joyfully unexpected sense of melody. The jagged rhythms of the introductory cello riff lead us into an extended, unsettled opening section--the band has our attention but it's unclear what they're going to do with it, as the chords hover without resolution and Cubarle's accented English renders understanding minimal. Then, as Cubarle sings, "But it's not a special day," something begins to shift, we are suddenly in a bridge to somewhere else, and that somewhere else becomes a crazy-great chorus, a very Talking Heads-like bit of infectious simplicity, enlivened by crystal-clear bass arpeggios and a lively drum kit. Cubarle is particularly difficult to understand right here; to add to your enjoyment, you should know that what he's singing is: "It's the new plague/The new invasion/Click on, screw your life, screw your life." And maybe reality TV presents an easy target but if so, not nearly enough people are taking it on. "TV Reality" is a song from Contramano's second CD, Unsatisfecho, which the band will release themselves next week. The MP3 is via the band's site. - Fingertipsmusic.blogspot.com

Contramano is an electric, eclectic, experimental trio based in New York. Led by the fiery Argentinian, Pablo Cubarle, on electric cello, Contramano create fascinating music from diverse sources. This free full length mp3 does an admirable job of driving home the beat and the eclectism of the trio. - Sixeyes

(El Cacho Records, 2005)

The Argentinean expatriates Contramano show with their debut album precisely why their name means “against the flow.” Blending punk energy, indie sensibilities, and a lead singer who is trained in the classical cello creates a record that truly stands out.

Contramano owes almost all of its spirit and energy to Pablo Cubarle, whose lyrics, voice and cello imbue Contramano with their charm. Cubarle displays impressive versatility with the cello, which he uses traditionally in some songs and more like a guitar in others. All the while, his voice wavers from depressed drawls (“A Mess”) to romantic croon (“5D”) to energetic squeal (“Pretending”).

While Cubarle provides the front of the songs, the bass and drum work turn the songs into highly contagious and even danceable tracks. The album is populated by tracks that vary from irreverent love songs to more politically-conscious tracks, with the music itself changing to accommodate the spirit of the particular song.

The album begins with the cello playing along to a metronome as Cubarle moans “I don’t fit anywhere,” a slow-moving but enticing intro that builds into a frenzied beat. From there the album progresses from strength to strength, the comedic lovesick tone of “Checking U,” the sadness and intensity of “Sharing,” and the silly almost bounciness of “Disposable Song.” All of this comes to a fitting conclusion with the classical cello sound of “I Hope You Exist.”

Contramano’s self-titled record is likely to fly under many radars, a true shame as it is a highly accessible and enjoyable record that refuses to go with the flow.

—Zach Loeb - Buzzsaw hair cut—Zach Loeb

CONTRAMANO (Tonight) This Argentine trio happily go dumpster diving for new wave leftovers just like lots of
other Williamsburg bands, but they also hang on to their Latin roots and come up with something quirkier. 9:30 p.m., Joe's Pub, 425 Lafayette
Street, East Village, (212) 539-8778 or (212) 239-6200, $12. (Sinagra) - New York Times

“This local Argentine-Spanish new-wave trio’s self titled CD is one of the freshest
local albums out right now: spearmint cello lines, iced-tea guitar strum, cool breeze vocals.” - Village voice

“Cubarle has bilingually found a romantic socialist poetry to match his sound, which looks
toward the future of all-nations’ politics without repressions, without government
intervention or class separation.” - New York Press

Classically trained Argentinean cellist Pablo Cubarle leads Contramano, a
largely riff-less punk trio that channels angst through arty-pop prisms in
deliriously charming, spirited shows.
- SP - Flovorpill NYC

¿Qué pasaría si Kevin Johansen tuviera unos años menos, se hubiera quedado en New York y fuera cordobés como su tocayo de rostro, el Piojo López? Bueno, probablemente haría algo parecido a lo que Pablo Cubarle presenta en su proyecto llamado Contramano. Hay rock, arreglos de cuerdas, ironía, desprejuicio, spanglish y ganas de pasarla bien sin olvidar la música. A Pablo y su combo, al que recientemente se sumó Murray (ex Villanos) podrán encontrarlo tocando en Buenos Aires por estos días. Y si no lo pescan, pueden acercarse a un disco tan curioso como interesante. - Diario Clarin "Buenos Aires"

The sound of crickets is the only answer to the question, “How many of you have heard a classically trained cellist lead a power-pop punk band?” Well and Contramano too. Argentine cellist Pablo Cubarle flourishes alongside this ‘80’s orphan of power-pop cum New Wave act. Very off-kilter Latin-flavored melodies are placed alongside more straight-forward pop harmonies. You can’t refuse the catchy choruses and addictive glittering of these magical melodies. Pick it up. - smother.net

Contramano - Live -The BEST Band You've Not Yet Heard of...
Aug 02 '05 (Updated Aug 04 '05)

The Bottom Line The Best Band you havent yet heard of. Check out www.contramano.net for more info. They WILL be stars.

In this age of bands who sound very similar, Contramano is a breath of fresh air. The sound unique, original, and new…which is roped me in right from the start.

I first happened upon Contramano a few months ago while my wife and I were attending a Rasputina concert at the Park Slope staple, Southpaw. While I often don’t pay attention to opening bands when I do not know them, I couldn’t help but stop and listen when I heard the opening cello strings from Contramano’s first song. From that point on, I was a fan.

Contramano is quite unlike anything I’ve heard before. The Latin American triad, led by Pablo Cubarle, who plays electric cello and guitar whilst he operates the band’s graphics and sings, is a picture of animation on the stage. The intensity brought forward by Eugeni Camacho on drums and Martin Balik on bass just further punctuates the roots of what the band is all about – bringing music against the mainstream in a truly original fashion. The melding of electric cello with Latin inspired beats, punk rock chords and new wave fervor, makes for an incredibly entertaining assault on the senses when seeing them live.

After seeing the band open for Rasputina, my wife and I were very curious as to how they would sound when headlining. This takes us to Friday, July 8, 2005 – Contramano’s CD release party. The event was held in New York City at Joe’s Pub, and was the trio’s time to shine all by themselves in the spotlight. Shine they did.

From the opening chords, the band proceeded to establish themselves with a perfect melding of genres, and flawless execution of their unique music. Pablo endeared himself to the crowd with heartfelt interactions and true appreciation of the crowd’s accolades.

Songs like Sharing, which features a thumping rhythm from Pablo’s electric cello, came off as incredible live. New York Face, another of the band’s set proved itself as the most interactive song. Pablo made sure to make his way around the audience as he performed the song. The band’s theme song, Contramano, came off flawlessly, as the band performed the song completely in-sync with the video of the song that was projected on the screen behind them.

The execution of the music aside, one thing that makes Contramano stand out from other acts of today is definitely their originality. On most of their songs, they effortlessly mish/mash the English and Spanish languages, often times so effortlessly that you don’t realize where one begins and the other one ends. Their often schizophrenic sound gets their point across in a manner that so many of today’s bands miss, which makes their songs much more meaningful and impactful. The fact that they’re not afraid to voice their political views makes their message even more compelling.

I often choose the bands I like based upon the reality of their sound during a live performance compared to how they sound recorded. Contramano is one of those rare bands that actually exceed their recorded performances in a live environment.

This concert at Joe’s pub brought that thought full circle. For the hour they performed, the band showcased all of their material, and allowed the crowd to enjoy and to feel it. Their sound transcended several genres, and really gave them a chance to exhibit their expertise and win over new fans. Their final song, The Disposable Song, ended the concert on an upbeat note. The extended version of the song showcased the band’s wackier side, along with their excellent musicianship.

Needless to say, after the performance at Joe’s Pub, I am now even larger of a fan, and have their debut CD, the self-titled Contramano in constant rotation on my Ipod.

For more information, samples of their songs and ways to buy their CD and merchandise, please visit their website www.contramano.com.

If you are in the mood for something new, against the norm and oozing with Latin American culture, definitely give Contramano a listen. - epinions.com