Angel & Khriz Hardly Taking Over

By Chris Zebo

When reggaeton started making waves far from the shores of Puerto Rico, few people could have anticipated the splash it would make internationally. In the United States, especially in Latin urban centers like Miami, Los Angeles and New York, reggaeton had gotten its green card in the underground Latin club circuit by the late 90s. It was hard-edged and gritty, and it spoke to Latin urban angst in a language (Spanish) that finally differentiated Latin rap from its African American forefathers.

But few expected that the music–a fusion of Jamaican dance hall and Panamanian reggae, Latin pop and hip hop, and traditional Caribbean sounds like bomba y plena–would ever get serious play time on US Latin radio. For most, it was rehashed hardcore rap with an accent, and many thought of early reggaeton as American hardcore rap’s dirty stepsister. Certainly, no one envisioned the music making a cross-over to non-Latino audiences, since almost all tracks were sung in Spanish.

But then…“Gasolina” happened. Daddy Yankee’s reggaeton smash hit not only took over the Latin charts but it also made numerous appearances on top pop rosters. Not since “Livin’ La Vida Loca” had a Latin song made such an indelible impression on the top 40. But more importantly, unlike Ricky Martin’s pop-and-drop 15 minutes of fame, Yankee’s rise to stardom ushered a whole new underground music genre to the international mainstream.

Angel Rivera Guzmán and Christian Colón (known as the reggaeton duo Angel y Khriz) were caught in Yankee’s undertow. They had shared the same producers as Yankee (the Dominican duo Luny Tunes) and they released their first album, Los MVPs, at about the same time as Yankee’s Barrio Fino, the album that would win a Latin Billboard Award. In the shadow of Yankee’s stardom and, consequently, the growing widespread acceptance of reggaeton, Khriz y Angel had no difficulty getting onto the charts early and consistently. One of the songs from the debut album, “Ven Bailalo,” topped charts in a matter of weeks and set them up for future contracts and, most importantly, gained them an audience.

Four years later, Khriz y Angel released their second full-length album, Showtime, without Luny Tunes in tow and with a new all-star production team including Santana and Barbosa, Nely, and Noriega. The album, unfortunately, was leaked onto the internet before its release date and didn’t achieve the sales necessary to secure a billboard rating. However, without reservations, it was one of the best reggaeton productions ever released and it is still one of the most underrated albums of the past decade. Interestingly, the production team produced tracks that pushed the genre into new territories, like the club mix hit “Na De Na” and their high-octane Merengueton track “Quiere Mas.” The album’s first single release, “La Vecina,” took reggaeton, smoothed out the hard edges and infused ultra-catchy pop hooks. The new direction the duo was heading in was sure to secure them a larger audience, especially those who enjoyed the rhythm of reggaeton but without the hardcore rap baggage.

Showtime is one of those albums that is impossible to follow up. It was the equivalent of Radiohead’s Kid A. It set such a high standard for the duo that any future release would be destined to either fly or fail. It redefined the genre and explored so much new territory that any future release would practically have to reincarnate Showtime as a new album with different tracks (as Radiohead’s Amnesiac took Kid A’s B sides and repackaged them in similar clothing).

Well, Khriz y Angel’s new album Da’ Take Over was released in just the past month. Like the duo’s previous releases, the album features many collaborations, with big names this time, like Flo Rida, salsa legend Victor Manuelle, Divino, Guelo Star, and J-King. The album, like Showtime, attempts to fuse genres and push the envelope. “Mal Negocio (Ya No),” a track featuring Victor Manuelle, is standard cha cha. But no bells or whistles and no real innovation. The guitar in the song sounds like it was lifted directly from “Smooth,“ the famous Santana and Rob Thomas (of Matchbox Twenty) cha cha from 1999.

“Tu Gato Nuevo” stays within the lighter reggaeton range that the group standardized on Showtime. It’s straight-ahead reggaeton without the teeth, and that’s not exactly disparaging, considering Khriz y Angel made the reggaeton sound easier on the ears for people that needed more suburb and less ghetto. But unlike Showtime, Da’ Take Over doesn’t achieve the pop catchiness that defines almost every track from the previous album.

“Que Hay Que Hacer” takes us to the club again, and the track sounds like the closest thing to Showtime’s brilliant overproduction. “Dime” fuses reggaeton and hip hop and then adds layers of synth effects that sound like they came out of an 80s’ video game. It’s not bad, either. “Me Enamore” is one of the better songs from the album. It opens with bachata (a style they’ve pulled off with grace before) and turns into merengue shortly after. It’s a great song, and it deserves play time in a salsa club. But is it “Khriz y Angel?” Not really. It seems misplaced, belonging on another album maybe.

“Como Olvidarte,” featuring Divino, is the final track on the album and it’s so out of place that you might think the producers added the song to the album by accident, or even as a joke. It’s a cheesy ballad, something you might here in the opening credits of a Mexican soap opera. It’s new territory for the duo and it’s the wrong territory, too.

Something is missing on Da‘ Take Over, altogether. Ironic, considering it tries to take on so much. Overall, the production goes from the club to the soap opera in 13 songs. Of the four or five good tracks on the release, none of them compare to the artistry of Showtime. Khriz y Angel certainly haven’t taken anything over with this release.

Recently, there has been an increasing amount of evidence suggesting that listening to classical music while studying could lead to higher concentration and subject material retention rates in students. After I realized I wasn’t eligible to take those cool little concentration pills many of my “ADD” friends take, this method obviously caught my attention as a simple way to snag a little bonus knowledge. I dove right into the classy experiment and duct taped a set of headphones to my ears, preparing to crank emcee Bach up to eleven. I was about to go on a learning binge, and all those 18th century suckers in the powdered wigs were about to be my wingmen.

I started out my binge, my personal test of the classical music theory, at 10:30 pm, setting myself up to read and do homework problems for a few sections in Bruce R. Munson’s thrilling horror novel “Fundamentals of Fluid Mechanics.” I knew it was going to be a struggle as during all my previous attempts to crack this book, I had usually checked Facebook before I even finished reading the title, but the duct tape was on, and so was the pressure.

I did some extensive research in order to discover the best composers by searching “Classical Music” into a YouTube search box. I patted myself on the back for the hard work when 0.01 seconds later I found the nearest playlist, comprised of thirty-one classical tracks and clicked on “Play All.” By God, I was about to study all night with these classy tracks! I was instantly greeted by swelling music that filled my ears – beautiful, soothing strings and what sounded like passionate mice running around randomly on a grand piano. Man, I sure did feel all smart and stuff. I open my textbook to page 38 and started to read with intensity and purpose.

When I woke up the next day, I had page 41 of my textbook stuck to my face. My headphones were draped around my neck and all my lights were on, except for the only light I really cared about, the metaphorical light in my brain signifying that I was feeling bright and mentally acute. I was not; that light in my brain was actually completely crushed when I passed out and slammed my face onto page 41 at around what I’m guessing was about 10:35 pm. I stumbled into class not long after my waking and promptly failed a quiz over material that was probably found on page 42, ever while cursing the likes of Mozart and Bach for their stupidly soothing lullabies.

It’s definitely unfair to say that listening to classical music results in failing quizzes. I’m sure given the proper approach to studying and the proper test subject (someone that actually knows or at least appreciates classical music a little more than I do) this method would actually be a beneficial tool for studying. Part of my problem, which I later learned, was due to the fact that the playlist I selected was actually entitled “Classical Music for Relaxation,” and it included some of the most sleep inducing songs ever written. Still! Even if I were listening to something loud and raucous with a bunch of French horns or whatever, the problem still remains that 96%* of college students can only listen to about an hour’s worth of violas and bassoons before they want to either a.) Fall asleep with no regard for the physical or scholastic repercussions or b.)Toss a Fender Stratocaster around to the back of their head, solo intensely for twenty-seven minutes, and then light the thing on fire with a Roman candle. While the latter sounds exactly like the dream I had while passed out on the aforementioned page 41, I think we can agree that neither of those activities could be considered constructive in terms of studying.

I don’t mean to write this as a deterrent to trying classical music as a study aid. The whole process of studying is an entirely subjective process, one that gets worked out with time (dependent on the fact that you actually study more than that one time at finals) Personally, I can’t stay awake with classical music tiptoeing around in my cranium, but I do some of my best work with other instrumental artists banging away in my head. Some of my favorite music to listen to while studying:

Explosions in the Sky, Ulrich Schnauss, Phillip Glass, and Boards of Canada

I always encourage people to try out all types of music while studying because with the insane variety of music that exists, there has to be something that helps keeps your head off your desk and your GPA off the floor. Just don’t experiment too much the night before a big test or you’ll end up cursing not only some random composers and artists but probably me as well.

*Totally random number I pulled out of the air.

By Andrew Bennett, Scene and Heard Editor

Revolution Café & Bar – This venue is the jewel of the Brazos Valley with both an inside and outside stage. From my experience they treat their musicians the best. Bar owner Rola Cerone allows you to keep all the money from the door and hooks the band up with a generous bar tab. There is a regular crowd there that has a real appreciation for music. Also, it’s a reliable weekend night venue to go to as an audience member to hear great music from around Texas, as well as shockingly good poetry on Sunday nights. The walls are covered with eclectic art, a good portion of which is done by prolific local painter Jerome Riddle. The only drawback is you’ll most likely have to bring your own PA, especially if you play outside

The Village Café and Art979 Gallery – Another wonderful Bryan establishment that serves up organic food and locally brewed coffee during the day and hosts great jazz, folk, and poetry at night. Musicians who play acoustic music or jazz will love performing at this venue. The hardwood floor and high ceiling produce the warmest natural acoustics in the region. Owner Kristy Petty keeps the decor classy with welcoming leather sofas and monthly art exhibits. Their “don’t pay while you play” policy is exceptionally appetizing given their tasty plates and exotic beers. Though not usually a problem, you’ll have to watch your volume here. People to come to eat and chat, and I’ve been asked to turn down by patrons.

Zapatos Cantina – This drinking hole has a long history in College Station for me. I attended and played my first local shows here. The outdoor stage provides a great view for the musician, as the crowd will wrap around the stage 180 degrees. Also, people go to Zapatos to drink, a lot, so by the end of the night you usually have a rowdy crowd singing and dancing along; which can be good and bad, but mostly good. They also provide plenty’o pitchers while you’re playing. You’ll have to bring your own PA to Zapatos and make an awkward decision of either posting three people to collect door (which isn’t popular on Northgate) or settle for 10% of the bar tab.

The Stafford Main St. – This pure music venue in downtown Bryan is probably the best place to hold a dance party or generally fill your ears with nothing but music, and they will be ringing after the show. The sizeable house speakers provide a sonic mountain that encourages patrons to get a little sweaty.  The elevated stage gives you a fun perspective when the venue is full. However, unless you really pack the people in you will really feel a lack of energy in the concrete walls and floors. You’ll have to pay the sound guy, but you get to keep most of the door, which can be substantial.

Fitzwilly’s – The only place on Northgate that feeds their musicians, well. Fitzwilly’s has a fun outdoor stage with a balcony that looks down on it. It’s a good place for the audience to dance around. They give you a meal ticket and just two drink tickets per member of the headlining band. You’ll need a PA. Their payment plan is either $300 up front or the all the door, so it’s a little bit of a gamble. And tell your friends that the door guy isn’t mean, he’s just doing a good job.

The Corner – A great place to get exposure in College Station. This bar filters a large amount of people through. Concerts are held on the second and third floors. The third floor is a cool spot to play a concert due to the view and the large population that congregates up there. The second floor is also a good place to be heard because whatever crowd you bring will be joined by people from the third floor coming down to get drinks. However, unless you’ve won a battle of the bands there expect to get paid peanuts; 5% of the bar tab of the floor you’re on isn’t much considering the amount of people you’re playing to.