Kid Congo & The Pink Monkey Birds’ fourth album for In The Red Records, La Araña Es La Vida summons the Mexican muse of The Great Spider Goddess of Teoticuhan, who sprouts hallucinogenic morning glories and protects the underworld, or in Kid’s eyes, the world of underground music.
Recorded in a high school gym in Kansas, guitar slinger and singer, the legendary Kid Congo Powers (The Gun Club, The Cramps, Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds), bassist Kiki Solis (Baby Baby Dance With Me, Knife in The Water, Rhythm of Black Lines), drummer Ron Miller (Switch Hitter, Up The Academy) are joined by Chicano, Mosrite playing guitarist Mark Cisneros (Medications, Deathfix) on this self-produced ball of wax. La Araña Es La Vida rocks n rolls it’s way thru a planet of Glamazons (“Psychic Future”), blisters with the tricks of a “Magic Machine” then gets to work out a low rider groove on “Chicano Studies”. Tales of gender bending, disembodied heads, gente from La Puente and even a TCB-era, Elvis-inspired rave up on ‘Karate Monkey’ is merely a smatter of the magic on this platter.
This August also sees Kid Congo & The Pink Monkey Birds return to Australia. Following their first Australian tour in January 2015 which saw them sell out rooms across the country and playing the likes of Sydney Festival and SummerSalt, the boys are back coming back with La Araña Es La Vida in tow.
KID CONGO & THE PINK MONKEY BIRDS AUSTRALIAN TOUR
Thu 18 Aug – Lighthouse Theatre, Darwin Festival, NT – Tickets
Fri 19 Aug – Mojo’s, Fremantle, WA – Tickets
Sat 20 Aug – Crown & Anchor, Adelaide, SA – Tickets
Wed 24 Aug – The Bridge Hotel, Castlemain, VIC – Tickets
Thu 25 Aug – Northcote Social Club, Melbourne, VIC – Tickets
Fri 26 Aug- Friday Nights @ NGV, Melbourne VIC – Tickets
Sat 27 Aug – Caravan Music Club, Oakleigh, VIC – Tickets
Thu 1 Sep – Oxford Art Factory, Sydney, NSW – Tickets
Fri 2 Sep – The Triffid, Brisbane, QLD – Tickets
David Edwards is the editor of The Blurb and a contributor on film and television