malos pensiamentos

El Álamo was a Peruvian psychedelic rock cult band that—like other Lima acts such as Laghonia, Traffic Sound, and Telegraph Avenue—sang in English in hopes of breaking into the international market.

The group released just one LP, recorded in 1971 under the clear influence of Hendrix, Santana, and The Allman Brothers. Long out of print and unavailable for nearly two decades, we’re pleased to bring back Malos pensamientos in its full glory: a gatefold edition featuring two bonus tracks sourced from their rare 1971 45, plus an insert with liner notes.

Issued in December 1971 on Peru’s Decibel label, Malos pensamientos blends psychedelia with Latin rock. At the time, Decibel saw opportunity in the local rock scene—despite the nationalist military regime expelling Santana that same month to placate radical university students who loudly denounced rock as an imperialist import. For that reason, the label requested an LP with a Spanish title, yet every track was sung in English, reflecting the band’s earnest (and somewhat naïve) ambition to reach listeners abroad.

El Álamo’s roots trace back to Los Youngers, a band from Huacho—about 140 km north of Lima—supported by a local priest who wanted to draw young people to the go-go-style masses that were spreading across Peru by 1967. After cutting a 45, guitarist and bassist Tino Pow Sang and Arturo Montenegro relocated to Maranga in Lima and reshaped the group, adding Luis Iturry and Ricardo Allison from Los Shoes Makers. While their sound drew heavily from Hendrix, Santana, and The Allman Brothers, they were also energized by the live showmanship of the Canadian Marshmallows Soup Group, who performed in Lima in late 1969.

Averaging just 20 years old, the band began recording the album’s instrumental foundations during a five-hour session at El Virrey studio. Highlights include the title track “Malos Pensamientos,” a progressive rocker built around a Hendrix-inspired riff and swirling organ textures; the rock ballad “Good Night,” a party staple under psychedelic and black lights; “Candy,” a condensed take on Crosby, Stills & Nash’s “Suite: Judy Blue Eyes”; and the hypnotic psychedelic chant “Can You See Me.”

This reissue also adds two bonus tracks from a scarce 1971 45 recorded by Tino Pow Sang and Ricardo Allison under the El Álamo name—after the band had already split.

Track Listing:

• A1 Candy 3:35
• A2 Can You See Me 3:18
• A3 Pusher Men 3:18
• A4 Good Night 3:40
• A5 Sweet My Woman 6:45
• B1 Listen Me 5:10
• B2 I Cry 3:14
• B3 Borgoña 4:00
• B4 Malos Pensamientos 6:08