{{essay-like|date=April 2009}} '''Allá''' is a [[rock band]] formed by three young [[Chicanos]] (Mexican-Americans) from Chicago: Jorge Ledezma (guitars, keyboards, vibraphone, composer & producer), his brother Angel Ledezma (drums) and Lupe Martinez (vocals, guitar and keyboards). As inspired by German [[krautrock]] ([[Can (band)|Can]], [[Faust (band)|Faust]]), '60s pop productions (from [[Phil Spector]] to [[Tamla Motown]]) and [[electronica]] as by Mexican trio music and Brazilian [[Tropicalia]],<ref name="guardian.co.uk">[https://www.theguardian.com/music/2008/aug/29/alla New band of the day No 379: Allá - The Guardian]</ref> they aim at producing a kind of psychedelic Latin pop/rock.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.chicagoreader.com/features/stories/sharpdarts/080612/ |title=A Mexican Mutantes? - Chicago Reader |access-date=2008-12-29 |archive-date=2008-08-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080804024013/http://www.chicagoreader.com/features/stories/sharpdarts/080612/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> The band members previously collaborated in an instrumental band called [[Defender (band)|Defender]], and the Ledezma brothers have played with former Can singer [[Damo Suzuki]].
Allá's debut album was produced over a four-year period by Jorge Ledezma with sound engineer Colin Studybaker ([[Iron and Wine]], [[The National Trust (band)|National Trust]]). Recordings took place in and around Chicago, at Clava Studios, Engine Music, ([[Tortoise (band)|Tortoise]]'s) John McEntire's Soma Electronic Studios and others, as well as at Tambourine Studios in Sweden, where Jorge laid down the string and horn arrangements alongside arranger Patrik Bartosch ([[Eggstone]], [[The Cardigans]]).<ref name="guardian.co.uk" /><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/download/49595-new-music-all-es-tiempo-mp3-stream |title=New Music: Allá: "Es Tiempo" (MP3/Stream) - Pitchfork |access-date=2008-12-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080926135907/http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/download/49595-new-music-all-es-tiempo-mp3-stream |archive-date=2008-09-26 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Entitled ''Es Tiempo'', the album came out on [[Crammed Discs]] in 2008.
Allá are about to release a mini-album of cover versions, entitled ''Digs'' and recorded as a tribute to artists who have inspired them: Faust, [[The Residents]], [[John Cale]]/[[Terry Riley]], Mexican psych-rock band from the '70s Los Dug Dugs, and [[Kanye West]].
In Spanish, ''allá'' means "over there", and is the word used by Chicanos when talking about their parents' homeland, as well as by Mexicans when talking about the USA. The very ambiguity of the word perfectly represents how Jorge, Lupe and Angel feel: that they're the product of these combined cultures, neither here nor there.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://venuszine.com/articles/music/features/3489/Electro_psych_trio_All_sa |title=Electro-psych trio Allá says it’s time for el musical movimiento revoluciónario with Es Tiempo - Venus Zine |access-date=2008-12-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120217055011/http://venuszine.com/articles/music/features/3489/Electro_psych_trio_All_sa |archive-date=2012-02-17 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
== Press quotes == *"This is an artist's rendering of heaven on earth. It's bliss and togetherness and absolutely perfect weather, now and forever". (Fluxblog, USA) *"Allá updates Brazilian tropicalia for the bilingual post-rock set." (Time Out Chicago, USA) <ref>[http://www3.timeoutny.com/chicago/blog/out-and-about/?p=4192 The Infinite Loop: Allá - Time out Chicago - TOC Blog]{{Dead link|date=October 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> *"The Chicano Portishead… Shiny, summery… recall the [[retro-futurism]] of Stereolab… spookier instrumentals suggest Can or Faust. Throughout, Lupe Martinez's voice provides a constantly hypnotic feature" (Uncut, UK) * "The trio's globally savvy pop embraces not just their Mexican heritage, but immaculate Swedish pop, Brazilian Tropicalia, Krautrock, and Chicago's post-rock scene. Just as creative as it is sophisticated". (All Music Blog, USA)<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20080509155151/http://blog.allmusic.com/2008/03/25/crush-band-alla/ Crush Band: Allá - The All Music blog]</ref> *"The hypnotic title track underlines the band's declared love of Krautrock, while Golpes del Sol sounds like a subtle tribute to Brian Wilson… an interesting instrumental interlude shows a more adventurous, psychedelic post-rock side" (BBC.co.uk)<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/r9zf/ Review of Es Tienpo - BBC.com]</ref> *"Chicago is the city with the third-biggest Latino population in the U.S., but 'Es Tiempo' imagines it as an even more cosmopolitan city of the future" (Pitchfork, USA) *"Allá sound like the Cocteau Twins at a cocktail lounge on an Acapulco cruise ship... hints of Stereolab and Tortoise... sumptuous, exotic vibe" (Spin, USA)<ref>[http://www.spin.com/reviews/alla-es-tiempo-crammed-discs Alla', 'Es Tiempo' (Crammed Discs!) a- Spin]</ref>
== Notes == <references/>
== External links == * [https://web.archive.org/web/20101007085551/http://crammed.be.dd5126.kasserver.com/index.php?id=34&art_id=4 Allá pages on the website of their label], [[Crammed Discs]] * [http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/622074 Live video]{{Dead link|date=October 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} * [http://www.kcrw.com/music/programs/mb/mb080710alla Allá interview on Californian radio KCRW] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080929184213/http://www.kcrw.com/music/programs/mb/mb080710alla |date=2008-09-29 }}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Alla}} [[Category:Musical groups from Chicago]]