Their first record in over four years, Panama-based alternative rock band Señor Loop returns with a rock-solid album full of emotion, force and resolution wrapped in an onslaught of sonic resolve: “MCMLXXXII” is the name of said album, and to listen to is is to walk down a landscape of Panamanian history’s past, present and future, woven together with sounds that entice and hypnotize. “MCMLXXXII” is, on almost every level, an evolutionary progression from the band’s previous album, “Madretambor.”

Whereas “Madretambor” spoke about Panama with its grip firmly held on the pulse of the Panamanian way of life, who Panama feels from within and marches on against adversities that come from all fronts, “MCMLXXXII” takes a step back to show us a macro view of things, not just from the country’s present but also showcasing its convulsed history, showing us what it has paved for future generations.

“BIENVENIDO, MI GENERAL!”

It all begins with a smack to the face as the first track, “1982,” gives us broad strokes on what it was for those who lived through the military dictatorship/coup of General Omar Torrijos Herrera and his infinitely problematic successor, General Manuel Antonio Noriega, at the beat of a military chant. Many seem to forget how Panama wasn’t always a tax haven and tourist/real estate paradise; there were moments where many, my at-the-time young self included, feared for our lives and our families’ safety. Ironically, there’s a fierce commentary to be pulled out of this song, as Panama now faces a problem that is, in many respects, far more dangerous than what any machete-wielding dictator could come up with: our loss of identity. Just like Panama subdued its rights to democracy by a very real physical threat, now the country faces a loss of its values in favor of money and power…

Whether this is criticism towards Martín Torrijos, president of Panama and son of General Omar Torrijos, is up for discussion, but there is a strong sense of irony as to how, in one way or the other, we’re back to where we started. The people, when Gen. Torrijos was in power, revered him as a superman. as the song itself says: “Lo que sea que esté pasando aquí, déjenmelo a mí” (“Whatever it is that’s going on here, leave it to me”). Martín, perhaps as a result of a well-played political campaign 10 years in the making, was revered as the man that would make everything better, much like his father. Now, Panama has changed. Is it a balanced change? Both the song and I agree that the answer is a definite “no.”

“RÍE MAÑANA LO QUE SUFRES AHORA”

The three following tracks, “Reflexión,” “Insensato” and “Ice Melting,” talk to me about melancholy. They’re somehow married in regards to their themes; while the former speaks of retrospection as an idea (“Qué sería de hoy sin el ayer?”/”What would today be without yesterday?”), the following tune addresses it in the form of a story that is all too familiar with anyone that’s gone to a bar in the interior, or knows someone with roots there. A story of deceit that could happen to any of us, telling the tale of a man who goes to a party and witnesses his woman cheating on him with another man. In a blind fit or rage, he takes out his gun in order to “unload his rage.” Of course, this all comes to fruition when he remembers what his father told him: “Insensato todo aquel que tenga un arma, que la use para descargar su ira” (“Foolish is he who has a weapon, and uses it to unload his rage”). We can all relate to this, that sense of heartbreak that seems to rip us apart and indulges our need to do something completely foolish. None of us can escape it, but the song sheds a light in the dark to the beat of a sweet rhythm and accordeon arrangements.

Finally, “Ice Melting” broadens the scope once more to cover even the themes laid out by the record’s first track, speaking of man’s gullibility. This could be power, love, hate, the weather and everything below it, all of this woven together by a complex rhythm and melancholic guitar. This all leads up to one of my favorite tracks of the album, and in recent memory: “Donde Quieras.”

It’s tracks like “Donde Quieras” that remind me to implore you to catch Señor Loop live the first chance you get. The band lets the deep introspection go at this point in the record and begins to set free their musical aggression; and even though I’m going to get into how glorious they sound live further down in this walkthrough, I will say that “Donde Quieras” sounds beautiful on the record, but it’s one of those songs you just know is a blast to listen to performed live. This song speaks to me about letting go of what worries you, of what holds you back, and just give in.

Lyrically and musically the song is simply without a care in the world and it’s beautiful. The soundtrack of your life, played out before you. The song has several layers that subversively sync up so that by the closing salvo you’re catapulted to a state of musical delirium that, big words aside, is intimately liberating.

“YOU WILL BE MY TORMENT!”

“Malhumox,” track 06 of the album, is in my very personal opinion a companion piece to their song “Roncabalao,” off their 2004 album “Madretambor.” They both deal about a person’s longing for something or someone and the delirium/dementia that goes with it… expertly commented on by a bit of dialogue sampled off a movie that for the life of me I can’t bring myself to remember but if I ever do recall it one of the great mysteries of my life will be solved. The line “You will be my torment!” has been used by the band in every one of their records, and has been used by yours truly many a time to describe something I’ve had in my mind for an unhealthy amount of time, and it’s a shoe-in for the feelings described here.

Whereas “Roncabalao” deals directly with relationship drama, “Malhumox” takes the approach adopted by “MCMLXXXII” and goes macro, pointing out the sell-out and surrender of the soul over ideas, corporations, movements or any other sentient concoction made by man. Of course, “Malhumox” is very much angrier in its execution than “Roncabalao” and with good reason: I’d be just as pissed, too. Out of the remaining 5 tracks in the album, and I could talk about each and every one of them as I have the first half of the record, I simply can’t contain myself to go right where I’ve been wanting to go ever since I began this piece. Out of all of this, there’s only one that absolutely kills me because it perfectly represents not only the musical power of the band in all of its wavelenghts, but also represents the state of one of my favorite places in the great green and blue marble we like to call Earth: “Bocas Town.”

“Bocas Town” is sandwiched between the triple threat of the aggressive “Llegá,” love song “Dile” and tripped-out “Kan Air” and the exit songs “Balsa” and “Onda y Partícula.”

“El Tiburón Llegó, Llegó a Isla Colón…”

Bocas Town is the town located in Isla Colón in the Panamanian province of Bocas del Toro, a place full of rich culture, genuinely amazing people and a laid back, friendly atmosphere that’s genuine and simply unparalleled. Due to the real estate boom that seems to be drowning certain bits of Panama, Bocas del Toro (mainly Bocas Town) has been flooded with new hotels, tourist-friendly venues and other amneties that have quite literally changed the face of what Bocas del Toro was once upon a time. Swanky hotels, beach front development projects and the like has totally erased what Bocas Town used to be. Bocas Town used to be a place where you could hide, disconnect and get in touch with what makes you tick, at your own pace and without restraint. Now it’s a place with ATM machines, $30 lobster dinners and $6-a-bottle coconut oil. To give you an idea of how things have changed, a bottle of coconut oil should cost $2, and come in an empty seco container.

The place doesn’t feel organic anymore… it’s flashy and fabricated, like walking into the Hollywood version of what a Caribbean beach community should be. Those of us who saw what Bocas used to be can’t help but feel a little saddened by what’s happened. Bocas still resists, holding on to its identity at all costs, but things are still changing. It’s worrisome. I’m scared I’ll go again and not recognize the place I swore I’d rest my dead bones in any longer. This song completely encapsulates what I feel, both in its lyrics and its musical arrangement; the struggle, the laid back, sorrowful caribbean theme as Lilo Sanchez sings about how the world discovered this gem and is now trying to take over… but they won’t. Not for a while.

Still, much like the wave spoken of in the song, is inevitable. Where will the beautiful residents go to when they’re pushed aside by the corporate shark? What will happen? One thing’s for sure, and the song knows it: “Nothing will be the same.” What follows after this revelation is an onslaught of sound and music that is absolutely glorious to listen to. I might be biased to the song because I first listened to it live (I talk about it during my time at the horrible, horrible Koppas bar) but really, it HAS to be experienced. It blows me away every single time. You have to listen to it. YOU HAVE TO.

As luck will have it, Señor Loop’s music is incredibly easy to find for people both in and outside of Panama. If you have the chance, go the old fashioned way and purchase the CD in any of the fine music tores scattered across the isthmus. It features art by Panamanian artist and great guy Jonathan Harker (no relation to the “Dracula” character, that I know of), illustrating each one of the songs on the booklet as well as the cover you see above. If you can’t purchase the CD or simply can’t find it, you can purchase it via the band’s website; they have set up CD Baby and iTunes links there for your downloadable pleasure, so you can not only purchase “MCMLXXXII” but also “Madretambor.” As an added bonus, they’re included MP3 links of their EP released in 2000 simply titled “Volume One” in its entirety. Please click on by and visit, will ya?

I thought I’d walk you through, dear reader, and help you discover great music. Hopefully I’ve done you justice by writing about Señor Loop, “MCMLXXXII” and how great life can be if you just influx it with near-perfect melody.

Sexy, geeky update: Friend of the Federation Johnathan Harker kindly pointed out an error in my assessment that has rocked the foundation of my belief systems: the quote “you will be my torment!” is actually “you will be absorbed!” and it’s from a Star Trek episode. I apologize to the women I used to date and called them exactly that as a clever poke… I’m a silly fool! Anyway, the episode where this sample is taken from is from Season 1, Episode 22 called “The Return of the Archons,” which you can download and enjoy in sexy remastered video via wonderful torrent technology right here.

The quote will remain untouched though, as I really like it.

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