Reviews
Juana Molina
Son
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How relevant is language to music? Is it possible to know something is good -- or even great -- without any idea what is being spoken or sung? I say yes. Sure, it remains a possibility that I could be promoting someone who is singing exclusively about one topic, is anti-Semitic, or is even just a complete idiot, but I will run that risk. In all avenues of life, language and cultural differences are becoming less of a barrier; it’s only natural that music is following suit.
Juana Molina sprinkles in the occasional dose of English, but for the most part prepare to not know what she is singing about -- and yet, it’s immediately obvious that she is very talented. Molina crafts an intriguing blend of often highly experimental folk music with electronica. As Alexandre would say, the result is very pleasing on the ears. Son is a warm album that nestles you in and doesn’t let you go, and Juana has a voice that keeps you coming back.
“Yo No” would be a great place to start if you are thinking about taking Molina for a spin. The guitar never changes and it doesn’t have to; instead, subtle tweaks of the song’s other elements do, both vocally and electronically. It brings to mind a much less abrasive Joanna Newsome or a less abstract Petra Haden, if you will. Actually, I find a lot of comparisons between Newsome and Molina, but where Newsome’s voice will send many running for the hills Molina’s will bring you in.
Many of the songs are rooted in the sounds of nature, so much so that you can expect to hear random birds and insects mixed in with the song. These earthy qualities seem like a natural fit with a song like “La Verdad,” a tune that’s less instantly lovable the first few times you hear it but becomes an inevitable favourite in the long run. Spanning over six minutes, Molina doesn’t panic and get to the point right away, but it comes later, I promise. And you don’t even have to worry about the lyrics for a while, as she just makes melodic noises that aren’t English or any other language. The beauty in this is much like a complicated piece of artwork that at first you can’t see -- but once you do, it is almost breathtaking.
Molina ramps up the intensity with “Micael” at the midpoint of the album. You don’t see it coming at the beginning, but before long you are hearing some of the most intense --almost tribal-sounding – drumming; it ends up almost in hip-hop territory with the way it is all mixed together. Without the vocals I could envision this being found on a Fourtet album. The song leaves you thirsty for what is to come on the remaining six tracks.
Ultimately, the second half of the album prevents Son from being a bonafide album of the year candidate. We’re still talking about very good songs here, just not the borderline brilliant songs that we are treated to in the first half hour. I appreciate the potential value in a 56-minute album, but a 40-minute fat-free album would have brought the house down. A potential for greatness remains somewhat unfulfilled, but this is a shining light amongst the 2006 releases nonetheless.
Score: 8.3
- Dan