Review Summary: Stop shooting. Please.
Ours are violent times. While it is true that this is more evident in some places than others, violence is present everywhere, one way or another. Whether it’s just two drivers flipping each other off or someone being mugged and shot dead by some criminal, brutality—and death—are a constant presence in modern society, and they take a very heavy toll on all who witness, or hear about them. That toll is the main topic of Mexican singer-songwriter Julieta Venegas’s newest release,
Los Momentos, an extraordinary collection of modern, adult pop tracks.
The album is not by any means a political one. Instead, Venegas chooses to focus on the consequences of violence on a personal level. It’s not dark or overly pessimistic, but it is introspective and thoughtful. In interviews, she’s said that it saddens her that Mexico is no longer known as a festive country, but as a dangerous one. Add the fact that she lives in Tijuana, perhaps the most violent urban center of the nation, and that she just became a mother, and you’ll have an artist deeply concerned with where all this is going. By sharing her concerns with the listeners, Venegas put together an album that is as beautiful as it is profound.
Musically,
Los Momentos is filled with electronic beats and synthesizers on every track. But Julieta always adds a few piano, accordion, violin or guitar notes, whatever’s necessary to create the mood she wants to. Opener “Hoy” is deceptive, as it is the only truly cheerful song. Everywhere else, this is a thick record. At times, a splendid one. Even the lead single is intensely thought-provoking. “Tuve Para Dar” sees Julieta embodying her city in lines such as “I used to be so happy... / Today, I inspire fear / Nobody wants to get close to where I am”. The highlight of the album is right in its heart. If “Tuve Para Dar” conveys the sadness of the city in general, “Vuelve” depicts life inside of it. It’s the only track that contains the sounds people usually associate with Latin America, combined with heavy beats, and in the verses, a friend uses the weather as an excuse not to go visit Julieta in her city, because he’s heard about the curfew imposed by the drug traffickers upon the population, as she begs for the return of a lover who fled from the violence.
Los Momentos means “the moments”, which is an apt title, because if the density of tracks such as these weren’t lightened by other, less afflicted ones, the weight would be crushing.
Coming from one of the most popular Latin American pop singers,
Los Momentos does contain a few commonplaces. Although none of the tracks gives completely in to catchiness, the (sort of) bright moments do provide an escape valve. But the album’s merits are on the fact that it, in addition to being an above-average pop record, addresses a serious theme in a relatable, human way. Julieta does not overload her listeners with eleven repetitive tracks, thus the less heavy songs play an important role. Which is not to say that they are not good. As far as pop music goes, Venegas’s work is far more consistent than most, and that strength shows in tracks such as “Te Vi”, “Nada Importante” and “No Cre*”.
She chooses to end the album with a track that sums up everything that led to it. The song is little more than a request. “Un Poco de Paz” means “a little bit of peace”, and that’s really what
Los Momentos is all about. Is it a groundbreaking, game-changing album? No. But it is a good one nonetheless. It can’t change the world and it can’t save anyone from a bullet. But it can ask for a little bit of peace. Is it too much to ask for?
