Encendedor

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Encendedor
The Dambuilders - Encendedor.png
Studio album by
the Dambuilders
Released1994
Genre Rock
Length39:14
Label East West
Producer
  • Eric Masunaga
  • the Dambuilders
The Dambuilders chronology
Islington Porn Tapes
(1993)		Encendedor
(1994)		 Ruby Red
(1995)

Encendedor is an album by the American band the Dambuilders, released in 1994. [1] [2] Its title comes from the Spanish word for cigarette lighter. [3] The band supported the album with a North American tour and an appearance on Late Night with Conan O'Brien . [4] [5] "Smell" was released as a single, with the narrative of the accompanying music video based on the Chappaquiddick incident. [6] Another single, "Shrine", was a modest Modern Rock chart success. [7] The album was nominated for a Boston Music Award for "Debut Album of the Year". [8]

Contents

Production

The album was produced by the Dambuilders' guitarist, Eric Masunaga, with assistance from the rest of the band. [9] All four members contributed to the songwriting, although most of the tracks are rerecorded versions of older songs. [10] [11] Joan Wasser's violin served as the rhythm guitar on some tracks; on others it was processed or run through effects. [12] Several songs incorporate screaming vocals. [13] Some songs touch on the band's roots in Hawaii: "Slo-Mo Kikaida" refers to the 1970s adaptation of Kikaider ; "Kill Haole Day" is about the practice of hazing Caucasian students at the end of the Hawaiian school year. [14] "Shrine" is about a man who pines for a woman who loves L7. [15] "Idaho" and "Delaware" were among the 20 songs the band had written about states in the US. [16]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Robert Christgau Five Pointed Star Solid.svg Five Pointed Star Solid.svg Five Pointed Star Solid.svg [17]

The Washington Post noted that the Dambuilders "don't have a groove to hold their fragmentary compositions together; the album provides gusts of appealing songcraft, but is frequently becalmed between them." [18] The Record said that on half the album "the jagged-edge arrangements and surprising violin flourishes come off as unsuccessful attempts to divert attention from David Derby's dry vocals and the Dambuilders' lacklustre songwriting." [19] Rolling Stone stated that "the quartet creates a clash of melodic bass, edgy violin, dashing guitar and shifting drums that suggests a more rustic version of the Pixies." [14]

The Wisconsin State Journal called the album "a pulsating, often dazzling concoction, its songs both urgent and accessible." [20] Robert Christgau praised "Idaho" and "Copsucker" and said that the album's music was punk rock, while its song structures represented art rock sensibilities. [17] Spin said that "Wasser's wailing, symphonic swaths are all over... She's painterly and prickly". [21] The Daily Press included Encendedor on its list of the best albums of 1994, calling the Dambuilders "the new rock band of the year." [22] The Boston Herald considered Encendedor to be the second best "local" rock album of the year. [23]

Track listing

Encendedor track listing
No.TitleLength
1."Copsucker"2:41
2."Smell"3:52
3."Kill Haole Day"3:38
4."Slo-Mo Kikaida"4:53
5."Idaho"2:57
6."Colin's Heroes"4:12
7."Collective"4:43
8."Shrine"2:56
9."Delaware"4:46
10."Fur"4:36
Total length:39:14

References

  1. ↑ Earles, Andrew (2014). Gimme Indie Rock: 500 Essential American Underground Rock Albums 1981-1996. Voyageur Press. p. 75.
  2. ↑ Ferguson, Jon (April 8, 1994). "Another band that has the backing of a major label...". Intelligencer Journal . p. Z8.
  3. ↑ Shuster, Fred (October 28, 1994). "Weekend's Best". Los Angeles Daily News . p. L3.
  4. ↑ Stahl, Sandy (July 30, 1994). "Grifters Leave Negative Impression at Lupo's". The Morning Call . p. A34.
  5. ↑ Chun, Gary C. W. (August 24, 2007). "Isle-born singer-songwriter Dave Derby finds success on dual fronts". Honolulu Star-Bulletin .
  6. ↑ McLennan, Scott (November 3, 1994). "And from the politics-makes-strange-bedfellows file...". Telegram & Gazette . p. C5.
  7. ↑ Brinn, David (November 22, 2011). "Under the radar". Arts. The Jerusalem Post . p. 24.
  8. ↑ Morse, Steve (September 8, 1995). "Younger bands grab top award nominations". Arts & Film. The Boston Globe . p. 105.
  9. ↑ "Album reviews". Billboard. Vol. 106, no. 27. July 2, 1994. p. 85.
  10. ↑ Sculley, Alan (November 10, 1994). "Dambuilders: Set to Flood Market". Calendar. St. Louis Post-Dispatch . p. 7.
  11. ↑ Schulps, Dave. "Dambuilders". Trouser Press. Retrieved November 9, 2024.
  12. ↑ McLennan, Scott (September 7, 1995). "Dambuilders Make Case for Rock Violin". Telegram & Gazette . p. C4.
  13. ↑ "Encendedor The Dambuilders", AllMusic, retrieved August 22, 2025
  14. 1 2 Robicheau, Paul (October 20, 1994). "New faces: Dambuilders". Rolling Stone. No. 693. p. 49.
  15. ↑ Townsend, Bob (August 12, 1994). "Threesome forms Variety Playhouse's air-conditioned version of Lollapalooza". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution . p. P15.
  16. ↑ Beebe, Elaine (October 20, 1994). "State of the Union". The Albuquerque Tribune . p. D3.
  17. 1 2 "Dambuilders". Robert Christgau. Retrieved November 9, 2024.
  18. ↑ Jenkins, Mark (July 22, 1994). "Loose Dambuilders; Tuneful Seals". The Washington Post . p. N15.
  19. ↑ Weiler, Derek (September 22, 1994). "Encendedor". The Record . p. D8.
  20. ↑ Thompson, Stephen (November 10, 1994). "Clubs Stock Up on Solid Bands". Rhythm. Wisconsin State Journal . p. 8.
  21. ↑ Aaron, Charles (June 1994). "Spins". Spin. Vol. 10, no. 3. p. 96.
  22. ↑ Harrison, Don (December 30, 1994). "This List of Discs Can't Really Be Beat". InRoads. Daily Press . p. 12.
  23. ↑ Lozaw, Tristram (December 25, 1994). "Instrumental year for 'alternative' rockers". Boston Herald . p. 53.
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