Duet bliss has been achieved on Kinky’s revamp of "A Donde Van Los Muertos" with Baja’s finest, Carla Morrison.
The song’s title translates to "where the dead go." It has the love macabre of the Smiths' “There Is a Light That Never Goes Out," with a Robert Rodriguez "Desperado" vibe. The unplugged version of "A Donde Van los Muertos" was so well received that it hit No.1 on iTunes Mexico. The single first appeared on Kinky's bilingual 2006 studio album, "Reina," and it was a huge hit. But this MTV Unplugged remake with the Latin Grammy-winning songstress from Tecate is so much more heartfelt and transcendental.
Before the song starts, Kinky's frontman, Gil Cerezo, introduces Morrison as "the sweetest voice of Mexico." True, indeed. Their performance unearths a sweeter, aligned harmony that evokes the dark beauty and meaning of the lyrics. It has everything you might want in a love song without the cheese, a ride-or-die sugar-skulled Romeo & Juliet love song en Espanol.
"One of the most special unexpected moments from MTV Unplugged was when we performed with Carla on 'A Donde Van los Muertos," Cerezo said. "There was this live energy that was felt. It was a version completely distinct from the original, where it really just flowed, and I think that surprised the public."
Kinky, a band known for its sexy electronica alt-rock throttled by their signature accordion sound -- not to mention an award-winning resume -- prove once again how versatile and original they can be, even in a totally acoustic environment. Their upcoming Unplugged album is set to release in February and will also feature rapper Mala Rodriguez, Banda los Recoditos, Vox de Mando and Beto Zapata of Grupo Pesado.
With the success of "A Donde Van los Muertos" as the release's first single, the album is likely to be seeing Grammy nods. Kinky’s last performance at House of Blues was a pinnacle in alt-Latino concerts for 2013, so with the Unplugged release -- fingers crossed -- they may return to San Diego to promote the album. And wouldn’t it be epic if Morrison performed with them, too? We can only dream.
Watch Kinky, featuring Carla Morrison: "A Donde Van Los Muertos"
Dita Quinones is a multimedia journalist born in Tijuana with a passion for Latin alternative and hip-hop music news. Her main goal is to uplift and inform so that the Latino, Filipino and hip-hop communities are knitted into the fabric of American history. In addition to SoundDiego, she contributes to Latina, Fox News Latino, Poder, VidaVibrante, San Diego CityBeat and HipHopDx. She is also the founder of the infamous music and politrix blog GN$F! Follow Dita on Twitter or on Facebook.
