After the astronomical success of their self-titled 2006 album, Rodrigo y Gabriela really have nothing left to prove. By now anyone with even an immature ear for flamenco knows that the classical guitar-wielding duo could walk on stage, douse their instruments in Tabasco sauce, eat them piece by piece and still produce a symphonic flatulence that would give Esteban a run for his QVC trust fund.
With such a stunning reputation and fanatical fan base following the duo so early in their career, there’s a lot of pressure for their new album, 11:11, to be phenomenal. Fortunately for Rod y Gab, it is.
Moving away from the familiar, jaw-dropping covers of Metallica and Led Zeppelin standards that punctuated their high-octane ‘06 album, 11:11 contains eleven totally original tracks of self-described tribute to the veritable gods of guitar that gave Rod y Gab their will to play.
On the surface, this album is exactly what a fan would expect from the rising King and Queen of classical guitar: an irresistible collection of rock- and metal-inspired flamenco compositions that, even when heard and not seen, raises the question “”how the hell did they do that!?””
Beneath the obvious, though, exists a depth and range of play that was only eluded to during their previous efforts. Putting an emphasis on effects pedals to metal-up that acoustic virtuosity, and even inviting the aid of Testament’s top shredder Alex Skolnick to provide tribute for fallen Pantera guitarist Dimebag Darrell (track 10: “”Atman””), 11:11 is a guitar odyssey that soars between flowery flamenco ballads, forceful, power-chord-heavy homages to metal, and jivin’, head-bobbin’ grooves that border on jazz.
Album highlights include the opening track, “”Hanuman,”” which is an aggressive mix of descending chords and traditional Latin picking dedicated to Carlos Santana. Rodrigo hits the notes with machine-gun speed and sniper-rifle precision while Gabriela’s magic hands flutter between rocking, rhythmic strumming patterns and pounding out drum beats on the base of her guitar without missing a beat. Another notable mention is the track “”Buster Voodoo””, a wah-wah-laced tribute to Jimi Hendrix that’ll remain stuck in your head in the best possible way.
With another knockout album under their belts, the only question now is; where will Rodrigo y Gabriela go from here? God forbid they should put the nylon strings aside and pick up matching Stratocasters — rock as we know it might never be the same.
