NATALIA Y LA FORQUETINA / CASA (Sony/BMG)

NATALIA Y LA FORQUETINA / CASA (Sony/BMG) JACI VELASQUEZ / BEAUTY HAS
GRACE (World Entertainment)
Twenty-one year-old Mexican punk rock chica Natalia LaFourcade’s 2003 debut
boasted instant appeal with the younger generation of Latin music fans in Mexico and
the U.S., and soon led to four Latin Grammy nominations and three MTV Latin American
Video Music Awards. Ahora, Natalia returns with her band La Forquetina, and the
foursome turns up the volume. Witty, melancholic, introspective, playful lyrics coupled
with jazzed-up, funked-up, punked-out or just plain simple structures overlaid with
Natalia’s vocals morphing from the softer Julieta Venegas-style musings of “Dirrección
Contraria” to the part Björk, part PJ Harvey wails of “Cuarto Encima,” make for an
irresistible album. For something un poco raro try “Tic Tac.” Imagine this: semi-creepy
wind-up vaudeville-style dolls giving a peculiar tinky-tink Sunday morning performance on your nightstand, you wa tching with
heavy eyelids. Or, if you’re in the mood for a bossa nova tribute to a duck, give “Un Pato” a whirl. (SA)
The winner of a Latin Billboard Award
for Pop Album of the Year, a Premio
Lo Nuestro award, countless Dove
awards, three Grammy and two Latin
Grammy nominations, three platinum
albums and two gold, and 16 No. 1
hits, this twentysomething has already
had a career many musicians dream
about. And with the release of Beauty
Has Grace, the attention isn’t likely
to dwindle. A word heard frequently
throughout this album is “beautiful,”
and that’s just what this production
is. Velasquez takes everyday words
and spins them into uplifting songs
delivered with a melodic voice that flows
effortlessly, but she can belt it out when
the mood strikes. Working with producer
Martin Terefe (Coldplay, Ron Sexsmith),
Beauty Has Grace marks a departure for
the princess of Christian Latin music and
brings her to a very agreeable spot as a
pop-rock artist. Notable tracks inc lude
“Tonight” featuring Englishman Michael
Clarke whose striking vocals harmonize
nicely with Jaci’s; “Something Beautiful,”
a ballad-esque track with a bold guitar
riff that gives it a hint of alt-rock a ppeal;
and her religious spirit shines through
with tracks such as “Prayer to Love,”
“With All My Soul” and “When You Hold
Me.” (SA)
LA RÚA / UNA NOCHE
DE ABRIL (Independent)
1/2
This Charlotte-based band
has made a diligent attempt
to bring all the energy and
vitality of their live shows to
the studio with Una Noche
de Abril, a mix of ska, funk
and rock. Animated songs
like “Perra Vida” and crowd favorite “El Chanchito” along with soulful
ballads like “Tortura” are standouts, proving it was only a matter of
time before the state with the fastest growing Latin population in the
U.S. had some representation in the rock en español scene. (SB)
EUFEMIA / EUFEMIA
(Diva Records) The track “3:00 AM” has an enjoyable air of the Cure with its melancholic guitar intro and sorrowful vocals, and even though the record’s
levels and volumes are not perfect, overall it’s a good effort. (SB)
With her 21st album, Ednita Nazario’s signature rich and powerful
voice that earned her a recording contract at just 7 years of age
shines through. She is joined again by fellow musician and producer,
Tommy Torres, who has written and arranged songs for popular
renowned artists such as MDO, Jaci Velasquez, Son By Four, and
Ricky Martin; she is also joined by Luis Fonsi, Noel Schajiris of Sin
Bandera and Antonio Orozco. Apasionada is an appropriate title for
this album filled with just that, passion. Nazario hasn’t lost her magic
as she interprets stories of strong, assertive — and sometimes
vengeful — women with ardor and love. (SA)
BATANGA
BatMag_15_Working.indd 66
A laborious 24-count tracklist
suggests someone may have
been fishing for a hit on this
highly anticipated Don Omar
production. There are some
redeeming hip-hop tracks produced by Echo tha t stand
out like cacti on this western-themed reggaeton collection, such as “Vamos a Darle” and “Bandoleros,” on
which Tego Calderon lends some of his lyrical expertise.
Other various all-star reggaeton bandits take part in this
free-for-all explana tion of what “bandolero” means to
them. And, on the rare chance a pick-up game of hoops
breaks out in the middle of the steamy nightclub dance
floor, there’s the sore-thumb single “Donqueo” — a song
about, um, basketball. Yeah. (NM)
With strong grunge influences in their background, this
Mexican trio is a band to be on
the look out for the future. With
raw sounding guitars and lead
singer Enrique Vargas evoking
Kurt Cobain, Eufemia’s debut
album is fresh with traces of
good old early ninety’s Seattle alternative rock. Their first single “Revolver” could’ve easily been added to Nirvana’s first album, Bleach.
EDNITA NAZARIO / APASIONADA (Sony BMG) 1/2
66
DON OMAR / LOS BANDOLEROS (VI) 1/2
LUIS FONSI / PASO A PASO (Universal)
Debuting at No. 2 on Billboard’s Top Latin Albums chart,
Paso a Paso marks a significant achievement for Luis
Fonsi and the accomplishment comes well warranted.
This, his fifth album, couples the beautiful intonations
of Fonsi’s vocals with the full texture of acoustic guitar
and cello embellishments that make for a pleasing
musical experience. They lyrics are at once anxious and
heartrending with the possibility of loss and filled with
the hopefulness of love. Although primarily a pop album
expect special treats along the way, such as the rock
edge of “Por Una Mujer,” the accompanying classical
arrangement in “Me Lo Dice El Alma” and the overall
varied rhythms, intensity and pace. (SA)
[ Listen to these artists at www.batanga.com ]
9/12/2005, 2:31:26 PM