Music Review - Soda Stereo

Formed in Buenos Aires, Argentina in early 1980, Gustavo Cerati, Charly Alberti and Zeta Bosio released two demos and started to play regularly in a bar called "Bar Zero". After a few shows, a CBS producer decided to give the band a chance. In 1984, their eponymic debut album, Soda Stereo was released, produced by Federico Moura, lead singer of the band Virus. In October, 1984 they played at the Rock & Pop festival with INXS, Nina Hagen and Charly García.

Their second album, Nada Personal was released in 1985 and affirmed the popularity of the band with some instantaneous classics such as "Nada Personal" and "Cuando Pase el Temblor". The video of the single "Cuando Pase el Temblor" was nominated in the category "Finalist Video" on the 12° World Festival of Video and TV.

Released in 1986, Signos represented the breakthrough from Argentina to the rest of Latin America: this was the first Argentine rock album to be released on compact disc, although this version was released in 1988. Signos contained songs such as "Persiana Americana", "Signos" and "Profugos" that gave the band the possibility to conquer wider audiences. Soda Stereo embarked in an extensive tour through Latin America to promote the album, they gave 22 concerts in 17 cities. A live album called Ruido Blanco was released, it contained the songs recorded in the Signos supporting tour without the intention to be published.

After over a year recording new material, Doble Vida was released in 1988. The album, produced by David Bowie's guitarist Carlos Alomar, was recorded and mixed in New York. The first three songs of the album were released as singles, "Picnic en el 4B", "En la Ciudad de la Furia" and "Lo que Sangra (La Cúpula)". Languis was released as an EP in the next year, and contained only one new song, "Mundo de Quimeras".

It was their sixth album, Canción Animal, released in 1990 that represented the band's peak,[2] the songs are among the band's strongest and most popular, the album contained the instant hit "De Música Ligera", the single "Un Millón de Años Luz", the exquisite "Té para Tres" and the anthem "(En) El Séptimo Día". Overall, the album is considered as the most consistent work by the band, along with Signos. On December 14, 1991 they played a concert in front of 250.000 people on the 9 de Julio Avenue.

In late 1992 Soda Stereo released Dynamo, their least popular album. This LP was Soda's most ignored, and most experimental work. The band presented the album in its entirety in a local talk-show, Fax. This was the first stereophonic TV transmission in Argentina. Shortly after the release, bassist Zeta Bosio suffered the loss of his son in a car accident which pushed the band to stop touring and promoting the album and go into a hiatus during which singer Gustavo Cerati started his solo career with his debut album Amor Amarillo.

Their last studio album, Sueño Stereo was released in 1995 after a few years of silence. Three singles became hits after being released, "Ella Usó mi Cabeza como un Revolver", "Paseando por Roma" and "Zoom". Sueño Stereo reached platinum disc after only 15 days of the release. MTV Unplugged's Comfort y Música Para Volar was released in 1996, and contained not only unplugged songs, it also contained outtakes.

On 1 May 1997, personal problems between the members and different artistic criteria led the band to announce its end and started the final tour on July 1997. Their last concert given on 20 September at the River Plate Stadium was recorded and released in two parts, El Último Concierto A and B.