Brian Lopez: Ultra

They say its going to feel like 109° today in Cambridge, MA.

And – as I have a pile of CDs waiting for me now that I’m back from the lovely West Coast – the ridiculous weather is pushing me straight towards the Brian Lopez albums that arrived from a baking Tucson, AZ (115° today).

I requested these albums from the gentlemen at Funzalo Records for a few reasons:

1) I have a known affinity for bands named for Bears (see: The 2 Bears, Bear In Heaven, Message to Bears, The Ultimate Bearhug, Bears, and, of course, Go Bears!), Lopez was a member of Tuscon Weekly’s Best New Band of 2007, Mostly Bears.

2) Lopez has worked with Tucson great Howe Gelb (of Giant Sand and Arizona Amp & Alternator fame) and will be touring with them in the fall.

And 3) Lopez is damn good!

Ultra is a stripped down, and at times sizzling, Robert Rodriguez style gunslinging-mariachi fight, framed by soulfully vocalized lyrics – a Tucson beat poet presenting absolutely masterful compositions. I can’t help but notice the influence of Radiohead on songs like The Killing Moon & Where the Cold Wind Blows – magnificent symphonic opera – while other songs conjure Jason Molina or Mason Jennings with a greater vocal range. A few of these songs have reached near perfection: El Pajaro Y El Ciervo is too wonderful to even describe, and I Pray for Rain roasts like that last desperately hot day before monsoon season pours cool relief down from the skies.

Ultra is available through iTunes (below) or from Lopez’ website. If you’re in Tucson, and I know some of you are, you can catch Brian at Plush on June 29th.

And now you know.

[itunes id=”501518862″].