The first thing fans of
Jarabe de Palo
will immediately notice about
¿Y Ahora Que Hacemos?
is that the usual Latin flavor, so predominant in previous albums, has been toned down in favor of a back-to-the-roots classic rock approach. With
reduced to a five-member band of bass, drums, and two guitars, plus singer/leader
Pau Dones
,
is definitely a guitar-oriented pop/rock album, strongly reminiscent of
Eric Clapton
's albums of the 1980s,
Dire Straits
, or
the Pretenders
. While it defies comprehension why the sound of 1980s FM lite rock should still be so popular in Spain, one has to acknowledge that
are quite good at their job, thanks to
Dones
' engaging voice and a guitar attack that packs equal amounts of verve and grace. Their songwriting, on the other hand, is largely indifferent -- a comparison with the similar-sounding
Fito y los Fitipaldis
clearly shows who has the better songs -- but their know-how is enough to ensure another album with a few highlights supported by more than adequate filler. The best moments of
are the collaborations with heavyweights such as
Joaquin Sabina
(the boozy
"Hice Mal Algunas Cosas"
) and
Alejandro Sanz
in a Spanish cover of
Francis Cabrel
's
"Je l'Aime a Mourir,"
transformed into your standard
mega-hit ballad under the name of
"La Quiero a Morir."
The other two guests,
Carlos Tarque
and
Antoni Orozco
, may be less known to international audiences, but their presence is equally key to enhance the album's variety. Strangely for a pop album,
actually improves on its last third, when the band relaxes its muscles in a couple of beautiful slow to midtempo songs, including a tender paean to
' child,
"Nina Sara."
In short,
are back with another pleasant collection of feel-good tunes. ~ Mariano Prunes