Chetes Introduces 'Rock En Espanol'

CD Review

By: Jessica DeAngelis

Posted: 1/31/07

Those who think of contemporary Latin pop music in terms of Shakira, Enrique Iglesias, Ricky Martin and reggaeton might be in for a surprise.

Although in the United States the world of "rock en Espanol" is mostly underground, restricted to play on college and internet radio, the genre is growing and finally gaining international recognition. Gerado Garza, a 26-year-old musician from Monterrey, Mexico who goes by the name Chetes, is one artist who is exploring and breaking the boundaries of pop music in Spanish. While Chetes has been performing since age 16 and is a former member of the Mexican bands Zurdok and Vaquero, "Blanco Facil" marks his debut as a solo artist.

Chetes does not have any grand dreams of American radio domination, according to The New York Times. Instead, he wants to change the Mexican pop scene, where artists rarely write their own music, and find his own place amidst overproduced hit singles and the often exclusive world of alternative music.

The album was recorded in Nashville with Ken Coomer, a producer who has his roots in alternative-country and indie rock. He also played drums for Wilco and Uncle Tupelo. Chetes is the first to acknowledge the clear 1960s pop influences in his work. However, his inspiration also comes from some more unusual sources including The Traveling Wilburys and the Electric Light Orchestra.

"That album changed my life," said Chetes in The New York Times, referring to ELO's 2001 release "Zoom." "It was the inspiration for my work as a solo artist. I love how simple the arrangements were, the chords, the lyrics. That's what I wanted to pull off, something with a lighter arrangement, [but] that still had powerful melodies."

On "Blanco Facil" Chetes manages to find this happy medium. The songs are light and simple and although Beatles-esque melodies and Beach Boy harmonies abound, each track has its own distinct influences and identity. While many turn towards sunny 1960s psychedelia, others have much more of a contemporary edge. "Camino a Casa" lets loose and rocks out like Franz Ferdinand.

"Se Fue el Dolor" (The Pain is Gone) is the track most likely to fit neatly onto the alternative or indie rock playlist of any college radio station. It starts with a funky combination of accordion chimes that recall Jon Brion's soundtrack work for "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" and "I Heart Huckabees."

The vocals and piano sound a little like Ben Folds at the beginning, but by the end Chetes is channeling pure Brian Wilson. With such sparkling, sunshiny pop and the line, "Un poco de alegria / Mas vale tu sonrisa / que todo lo que digas" (A little bit of happiness / your smile is worth more / than everything you say), all the listener can think of are California shores and the Beach Boy's "Wouldn't it be Nice."

Perhaps as a tribute to Wilco's influence, the end of the song dissolves into spacy electronic sound effects similar to the soundscapes found on "A Ghost is Born" and "Yankee Hotel Foxtrot." However, where Wilco will often let their songs dissolve into strange contrasts and textures of sound, the listener is left with the impression that "Blanco Facil" is all feel-good pop without any deeper artistic intent.

Even so, sometimes it's enough just to catch a song's happy vibe and let the harmonies wash over you. "Sobreviví" (I Survived) begins as a standard upbeat pop song, but near the end it takes a twist. The song slows down into a little bit of an oldies doo-wop style, which is eventually shattered by the entrance of soaring electric guitar riffs. The song recalls the music of Buddy Holly and Weezer's "Buddy Holly" at the same time, nicely seasoned with a dash of 1950s vintage style.

"El Sonido de tu Voz" (The Sound of Your Voice) is another track that demonstrates Chetes' sense of retro-chic. The song has a dreamy quality reminiscent of the drifting bossa nova and smooth string arrangements of 1960s films and Brazilian Tropicalia, but brightened with a slight Mexican flair of mariachi trumpets.

However, not all songs on the album are as successful. Beginning with the echoes of a solo piano, "Si tú no Vuelves" (If You Don't Return) is a modern twist on the kind of syrupy1980s-style pop ballad usually associated with the likes of Celine Dion. The lyrics verge on being overdramatic, claiming "Si tú no vuelves/ se secarán todos los mares / y esperaré sin ti / Tapiado al fondo de algún recuerdo" (If you don't return/ all of the seas will dry up / and I will wait without you / trapped in the back of some memory). The track is barely saved from complete high-school slow dance sentimentality by the addition of elegant and passionate vocals from Spanish singer Amaral.

Fans who love to rock out "en espanol" will find Chetes' work in the same vein as superstars Juanes and Maná, or Spain's Coti. The clarity of Chetes'voice and pronunciation make the album perfect for students of Spanish. The vocabulary is basic, the rhymes are simple, for example, "Poco a poco / Me vuelvo loco," and the songs are incredibly catchy. The album's single, "Completamente" which begins with a lover dreaming of the past, is a perfect exercise in the often-confusing subjunctive tense. However, one does not have to know or study Spanish to appreciate the addictive pop hooks and the myriad of musical influences that make "Blanco Fácil" a promising start to a solo career.