Andrea Echeverri – Dos

Release date: August 29, 2011
Label: Nacional Records

Tracklist

1. Mis 32 Dientes (Elia Fleta Mallol) (My 32 Teeth)
2. Quitapesares (Sorrowshedder)
3. Alegria (Happiness)
4. Erase Una Vez (Once Upon a Time)
5. Paciencia (Patience)
6. Yo (I) [MV]
7. Madre Naturaleza (Mother Nature)
8. Buen Augurio (Good Omen)
9. Toy Cotento (Luis Mario Frometa Pereira) (I’m Happy) [MV]
10. Que me Parta un Rayo (May Lightning Strike Me)
11. Paquete de Picos (Pack of Picos [1])

I want to start out by saying that Aterciopelados’ vocalist, Andrea Echeverri, is a little hippie. She’s been doing her own thing ever since she released her self-titled solo debut back in 2005 — which was one of my favorite albums of that year [1], but then she goes off and writes a song like Yo and she  throws everything back at me with:

Yo no quiero ser Juanes, yo no quiero ser Shakira. /
I don’t want to be Juanes, I don’t want to be Shakira
Yo solo quiero vivir mi vida. / I just want to live my life.
La envidia no es mi amiga. / Envy is not my friend.

Yo no quiero ser Gandhi, / I don’t want to be Gandhi
yo solo quiero llegar a ser / I just want to be
de tan sencilla, realmente grande. / from simple (humble) to really big.

Yo no quiero ser Einstein, / I don’t want to be Einstein,
con lo poquito que se, / with the little I know,
ya confundida quede. / I’m already confused.

Yo no quiero ser hippie, / I don’t want to be a hippie,
no quiero vivir en un tipi. / I don’t want to live in a tipi.
Yo no quiero ser nada, / I don’t want to be nothing,
Yo no quiero ser nadie / I don’t want to be no one
que no sea yo.  / that’s not me.

While Echeverri’s debut talked about and allowed her to get immersed in her new adventure as a mother with tracks like A Eme O [MV], Amniotico [1] or Lactochampeta [1] — a song about breastfeeding — in her second album, aptly titled Dos, Echeverri continues that exploration with songs like Mis 32 Dientes or Paciencia. Still, I think she is extra hippie, environmental earth loving on this album.

The song Alegria, for example, addresses the Father God, Mother Earth, the Great-Grandma Moon, Grandma Stones, Brother Sun, Cousins Stars, Niece Water and Aunty Sand, while talking about harmony. Of course, there’s also Madre Naturaleza, where she addresses Mother Nature and how she’s (or we’ve) exchanged great nature for a concrete jungle.

Having said that, Echeverri sounds great. She sounds like only she can. Her sound — her voice and style — is purely her. It’s not even like she sounds when she sings for Aterciopelados. That’s something very commendable and deserving of deep admiration considering the amount of acts we can describe by dropping names.

Dos does sound different to Andrea Echeverri, though. This album sounds a lot less produced than her debut, which mixed electronic sounds easier. Dos sounds more folk, with a mix of subtle lo-fi, and strong Latino family fiesta. Sounds fresh, I love it.

Highlights: Yo, Quitapesares, Que me Parta un Rayo

Rating:  

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