Hipokrisiari Stop! Bilbo 93-X-30

How do you follow up a masterwork like Borreroak Baditu Milaga Aurpegi? Being an old-school band devoted to generating live concert excitement much more than layers of studio polish, Negu Gorriak opted for a live album featuring the bulk of those songs and a few early favorites to come up with another full-throttle sonic blitz. Hipokrisiari Stop immediately dispels any doubts that the Basque bombers could convincingly deliver the complex intertwined guitar lines of "Bi Doberman Beltz" and the menacing riff to "Lehenbiziko Bala" gets the crowd into singalong mode. Accordion gets broken out to mix with ska on "Gora Herria," the clipped chords of "Radio Rahim" feature guest toasting from Fidel Nadal of Todos Tus Muertos, and "Hator Hator" is a suitably triumphant finale. For most groups, Hipokrisiari Stop would probably rank as a best-of, but Negu Gorriak has Borreroak Baditu Milaka Aurpegi to surpass it. But who can really argue with the chance to hear that material again before a rabid Basque crowd? It certainly passes the live album litmus test with no problem; you wish you'd been there, especially since Mano Negra apparently was the opening band. ~ Don Snowden