La grasa de las capitales

In “La grasa de las capitales,” the guitar riff cuts through like a knife through warm butter: it sounds like raw, unfiltered rock, with that distortion that seems straight out of a street rehearsal. There are no embellishments or orchestral arrangements, just the raw power of four musicians playing as if the world were ending tomorrow. The lyrics, sharp and direct, paint a portrait of cities that devour people: capitals where the asphalt grows fat and the people grow thin. It’s a song that doesn’t ask permission to play loud, and that’s where its magic lies: in how it turns discontent into a rhythm you won’t forget.

The entire album was recorded in 1979 with an urgency that’s evident in every note. Serú Girán had left behind the symphonic arrangements of their debut album and opted for something more visceral, almost aggressive. The performance at the Auditorio Buenos Aires (formerly Ex Kraft) was a direct hit: from September 6 to 16, the band played before an audience that no longer wanted to hear elegance, but rather raw energy. The cover, a parody of Gente magazine, already set the tone: no half-measures. In 1994, the record label Diapasó re-released the album, but by then *La grasa de las capitales* had already made its mark on Rolling Stone’s list, ranking 17th among the best Argentine rock albums.