NYC Punk’n’Rollers Mala Vista release their sophomore album ‘Fun Time’. Mala Vista (translates to bad view or bad sight) was formed in 2017 with Myke Miranda, Manny Dominguez, Erik LAMF and Ben Heyman, all sharing a love of the glory days of punk rock. Mala Vista stays true to legendary bands like Eddie and The Hot Rods, The Zeros, The Kids, Ramones and Johnny Thunders and boiled all these vital ingredients in their Rock n Roll mixing pot and poured it into their hearts and soul and then let it all spill out decades later into what you’re hearing right now.

There’s no fucking about, no trying to goof it up with some modern twist they just let all that Rock n Roll out and capture the energy and excitement that first hit us when the forefathers did it in the 70s and beyond.

They might not be alone in this pure ’77 punk n roll revival that’s gently gathering pace thanks to some great labels like Spaghetty Town outta the USA there are some other kindred spirits on the scene doing likewise and turning heads like Poison Boys, Ravagers to name a couple we’ve gotten on board with here at RPM over the last few years. Mala Vistas’ second record gets underway to the sound of that magic ‘9 Ball’ with its drum intro smoothly rolling out the beat with some gritty 70 glam rock before going through the gears on this hot rod record in a zero to sixty in the blink of an eye mixing the Ramones attitude with the swagger of those Heartbreakers and we’re off and running like our lives depend on it. Follow that up with the least single and things are grooving on nicely. Some sweet BVs and well-placed woo hoos and this party is cooking nicely.

They go for the time-honoured well rounded production not too smooth plenty of light and shade and letting the music do the talking. It works really well so if it ain’t broke don’t fix it. ‘Juana La Cubana’ is a cool slice of power pop rock n roll with a great hook and melody and the emphasis is on that with a great sparse arrangement letting the song take the strain and doing so delivering a timeless pop song. In contrast ‘Die Waiting’ is like some early Bon Scott boogie staying in the barroom and listening to Dr Feelgood rather than Rocking harder, this has got serious amounts of swing to add to the compulsion to dance and move your feet boys n girls.

Shaking the tambourine to nail the tempo as the guitars add some meat to the bone and some smokey late-night NYC downtown action ‘Dirty By The Dozen’. ‘Cabron’ shakes some action before bringing the house down with a ‘Riot’ It’s a hoot and keeps the album short and sweet it’s focused and right on the money delivering a timeless slice of NYC punk n roll. They could write and record an album like this for decades and get the reputation as a go-to band for punk n roll with great songwriting and music that’s energetic, timeless and a real Fun Time. Get on it!

Buy Here

Author: Dom Daley

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