We all know about the British Invasion, a bunch of mop-topped ne’er-do-wells who conquered the United States armed only with distorted guitars and a fistful of catchy tunes. Lesser known is that the influence of beat groups spread further afield; to Israel (The Churchills), the Netherlands (shocking Blue) and Latin countries, with the latter in particular being criminally overlooked, and that’s where Mejor De Los Nuggetz steps in. Collecting 16 of the scene’s best cover versions (along with four contemporary radio spots), this compilation makes the perfect introduction to the fun-filled, fuzzed-up fury of Latin-flavoured ‘60s Garage And Psych, and just like the original Nuggets compilation, makes the perfect introduction to a diverse scene.

When The Beatles, Kinks and Rolling Stones (and their American counterparts) made commercial inroads into Spanish-speaking countries a whole host of bands, in an amazing piece of serendipity, were waiting in the wings to pick up the baton. Record labels were only too happy to have “oven ready” Spanish language versions of the latest hits and a whole self sufficient scene developed away from the spotlight’s glare. However, as with the contemporaneous American and British beat groups the style of music on offer here is a kind of proto-punk; energetic, sub-three minute songs that take the most direct route to what it’s all about. It’s an approach best exemplified by Los Apson’s take on ‘(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction’, a spiky, adrenaline cover that pushes all the needles towards the red. It’s that energy which is the invisible thread that connects all these songs, and they all share a similar explosive nature. There’s a lot of love on display here; these songs are played by bands who have genuine affection for the music, and that radiates from the grooves.

While the aforementioned Churchills and Shocking Blue sang in English, the tracks presented here are delivered in the Spanish tongue, and therein lies their magic. It’s no easy task to transfer lyrics into another language (when Dave Lee Roth released a Spanish version of his Eat ‘Em And Smile album it was, frankly, horrific and about as successful as New Coke) yet this album works very well, such as on Los Salvajes’ bruising version of ‘19th Nervous Breakdown’ and Gloria Benevides’ sultry take on ‘These Boots Are Made For Walkin’’. Occasionally things fall a little short linguistically, the Spanish words for ‘My Generation’ don’t really fit the staccato beat and sound a tad forced, as if the vocalist is straining to make them match the music. Yet, we must remember that when these songs were originally issued, English ears weren’t the target audience and we should appreciate how well they work in Spanish. What all of these covers bring to the party (perhaps unwittingly) is a certain Latin swing. It’s a groove that underpins ‘Me Atrapaste’ (‘You Really Got Me’) which was missing from The Kinks’ original and makes it even more punchy. It also adds a danceable element that should get all by the elderly and infirm moving.

Four contemporary radio adverts add a touch of kitsch, but more importantly give this album a sense of time and place. All these tracks originally appeared on RockBeat’s 2013 box set Los Nuggetz: ‘60s Garage & Psych From Latin America and make a great sampler, but be warned; once you’ve had a taste of Los Nuggetz, there’s no turning back!

• Mejor De Los Nuggetz: ‘60s Garage And Psych is released via Liberation Hall on 20th April 2024 (from here).

Track List:

1. Satisfaccion – Los Apson
2. Please Please Me – Los Mustang
3. El Tren Pasa Esta Noche – Los Shain’s
4. La Carta – Los Mustang
5. XERB/XERF Radio ID
6. 96 Lagrimas – Los Shain’s
7. Esta Bota Son Para Caminar – Gloria Benevides
8. Que Chica Tan Formal – Los Polares
9. La Neurastenia – Los Savajes
10. Volkswagen Commercial
11. Todo Negro – Los Salveges
12. Nuestra Generación – Lone Star
13. Nadie Como Yo – Los Yaki
14. Bule Bule – Los Shain’s
15. Arriba Abajo Y a Los Lados – Los Belmonts
16. XELO Radio ID
17. Me Atrapaste – Los Matematicos
18. Hey Joe – Los Locos Del Ritmo
19. Voy Por Ti – Los Apson
20. Coca Cola Commercial