Aqui Review

08/05/2007 5:10 PM, AMG


Aquí marks the debut of all-around talent Julieta Venegas, a beautiful young mexicana who here writes her own songs, sings them, plays the piano (as well as accordion, keyboards, organ, and vibraphone), programs the beats -- well, you get the idea. To simply claim that Venegas is talented is an understatement. Brilliant might be a more fitting term. And over the course of Aquí she puts this brilliance on display in dramatic fashion, crafting an almost painfully intimate album that sweeps across different styles and moods steadily, carried throughout by her poetic singing. All of this is perfectly foreshadowed in the opening moments of the album's opening track, "Oportunidad," which begins with roughly 20 seconds of solo piano suddenly eclipsed by some abrupt programmed beats and percussion that are accompanied by haunting accordion and, then, Venegas' majestic voice. By the time the chorus comes crashing in at the near-two-minute mark, you're immersed in an utterly unique approach to rock en español that supplants the traditional guitar/bass/drums approach with accordion/keyboards/beats. That is, until about halfway through the album, when "Con Su Propia Voz" opens with a stormy wave of violent piano, announcing a sharp change in direction. And indeed, the second half is stormy going as Venegas throws it all at you -- string arrangements, gentle electric guitar washes, choral sections, a cappella singing, orchestral stabs -- and shifts tempos, arrangements, and moods from song to song, all the while tying the proceedings together with her ever-present voice. To mention highlights is somewhat beside the point, as this is an album crafted in whole and best listened to as such; however, there are a few especially prominent songs distributed throughout, namely "De Mis Pasos," "Cómo Sé," "Con Su Propia Voz," "Recuerdo Perdido," and "Verdad." And to top it all off, you have the best producer in alternative Latin music, Gustavo Santaolalla, at the helm of the ship. Santaolalla and Venegas would reunite for the more straightforward rock en español of Aquí's 2000 follow-up, Bueninvento, and Julieta would go off exploring from there, beginning with the surprisingly jubilant dance-pop grooves of Sí in 2003, yet there's something special and singular about Aquí. [The album is accompanied by enhanced content, including photos, lyrics, and a video for "De Mis Pasos."] ~ Jason Birchmeier, All Music Guide