Avalancha de Éxitos (in Spanish: Avalanche of Hits) is Café Tacuba's third album. In 1996, two years after their acclaimed Re, the band had amassed enough new music to fill four CDs, but couldn't winnow it down to a single album. So instead, they covered eight songs by other Spanish-speaking artists, who ranged from totally obscure to well-known.
Background
After the publication of Re, the band was between the releasing of the album and the subsequent tours as well as the fulfillment of the contract with Warner also continue in the scene while have proper time preparing their formal third LP. After their performance at Viña del Mar Festival in 1996, producer Gustavo Santaolalla proposed them a "transition album" made with covers, an idea that the group accepted. Since its formation the group used to perform versions of other bands that they liked.
Composition
The concept of the album allowed Café Tacvba to focus on the creativity of the music, so they agreed to start the rehearsals by each member of the band bringing ideas of what songs would be included on the album. The group chose several songs related to the rock of Mexico of the 80s:
"Metamorfosis" is a song by the Mexican band Axis, which performed at the concert venues in Ciudad Satélite area where the early band attended and which won the First Youth Rock Festival organized by Peerless label in 1985. Juan Luis Guerra's "Ojalá Que Llueva Café" was chosen by the band as it was a song they liked from the time they were students and was remade at the initiative of Meme as a son huasteco, given the previous work that was done by the band with maestro huapanguero Alejandro Flores in "Las flores" for the band's MTV Unplugged. "No me comprendes" by Bola de Nieve was Quique's suggestion, while the band unanimously decided «Alármala de tos» by Botellita de Jerez and "No controles", one of the hits in Mexico by Flans in the 80s —version to Spanish band Olé Olé— and that the group chose to listen to at the parties they attended. "Perfidia" published in 1939 by Alberto Domínguez was chosen from the beginning as an instrumental track in tribute to the instrumental music of the 60s such as Santo & Johnny and The Ventures. "Cómo te extraño", a 1964 song by Leo Dan was included at the suggestion by Warner executives.
Recording
Unlike their previous album Avalancha de éxitos was recorded in Mexico, at the band's first rehearsal venue in Naucalpan. The band used a console with equalizers provided by Gustavo Santaolalla with two microphones using an ADAT portable recorder. Some incidental noises caused by recording in a rehearsal room were left in the final product.
Promotion
Avalancha de Éxitos was the band's first album to reach a high place on the US Billboard chart, peaking number 12. In Mexico, like the previous album Re, it would have a moderate reception.