A self-described “group of travelers met and formed around the mystical Lake Atitlan in the high mountains of Guatemala,” Kan’Nal mixes heavy percussive rhythms with lilting guitar and spirited vocal interplay. Already a success in Guatemala with a Top 10 radio hit and large concert audience, they have chosen Boulder as the home base for their U.S. charge with this release titled Dreamwalker.
From the instant primal energy of the first track “Gypsy” into the subdued almost flamenco guitar strummings of “All Things Must Change,” Kan’Nal presents a worldly take on the universal language of song structure and melody. The standout track for me was the fifth track “Time” with its soulful and simplistic lyrics sung over laid-back musicianship. I thought that this track tried the least to be something more than it was on an album where towards the end I was starting to wonder if I had heard these melodies before.
In modern music lyrics play an important part in almost any song and with Kan’nal it was no exception. With lyrics like “Come together / Inspire the divine union/ Plant seeds in the mothers core and grow like corn”, and “Open your eyes within your dreams/ its time to understand your life is the mystery,” I was getting hard pressed to understand whether I was missing a point that other Kan’Nal fans “got,” or if there was any point to get. Maybe it was simple as just feeling something, although that was in questions as well. With “earth-mother” type spirituality ensconced into the core of every song, I could see where it grabs at people interested in that style of life, but I personally was ready to give the lyrics a complete break and just focus on the music by the end of Dreamwalker.
With most songs written by the guitar driven duo of Tzol (who is also lead vocals) and Tierro the lead guitarist, coupled with a rhythm section complete with didgeridoo, I have been told this band puts on an amazing show with theatrics and art to accompany their musical performance. Fans of Rusted Root, Dave Matthews, String Cheese, and even STS9 should all consider checking this band out. Kan’nal plays at Cervantes on April 23rd, and at the Boulder Theater on April 28th where they will officially celebrate the release of Dreamwalker.
