Uruguay, 1972, singer-songwriter / candombe / psychedelic folk

Eduardo Mateo – Mateo solo bien se lame: This is a rough album, but that’s a plus in my book, especially when I learned the crazy story behind its production. Mateo writes, sings, and plays everything on this album, and that’s impressive enough, but I like how he went into the studio without any complete compositions, worked on them as he went, was continually dissatisfied with the recordings and demanded they be tossed the next day, and then one day after a protracted month of recording, just walked out of the studio never to return. The producer had to scramble to throw the album together, choosing what songs went on and in what order! It’s a beautiful, untidy little album with plaintive vocals and candombe drum playing in spots. Enchanting music made by an odd, vagrant bard.