Take a "moment" with Juanes, even if you can't understand him. With a dozen Latin Grammys under his belt, Colombian pop-rocker Juanes shows no sign of slowing down. His fourth album, La Vida es un Ratico (Life is Just a Moment) is packed with songs infused with both traditional Colombian styles and rhythms and the pop-rock sounds he is well known for.
In La Vida, Juanes has incorporated his intimate and personal thoughts about the world, love, relationships, and his undying hope for peace and social justice in his home of Colombia and the world.
In his fourth album, Juanes has added a number of slow, pensive songs to his repertoire and incorporates instruments with a lighter sound and a bold use of piano. "Minas, Piedras" ("Mines, Stones"), the eighth track, is a perfect example. The song starts with the simple accompaniment of a piano, yet the sound is raw as if Juanes is crying through his lyrics. Although the overall mood of the song slowly brightens, the lyrics still overpower the general mood of the song. The chorus of the song goes, "The trees are crying / As they witness the many years of violence / The ocean is maroon mixed of blood and earth." The song seems to be Juanes' attempt to vocalize the travesties that have occurred and are continuing in the world.
His first single, "Me Enamora" ("My Love"), sounds like a typical Juanes love song, but don't be fooled - the riffs are still edgy and surprising like many of Juanes' Latin-rock compositions. He sings, "Every white in my mind changes color upon seeing you / And the desire to have you / Is much stronger / It's much stronger." The chorus continues this sentiment as it rings, "My love, that you speak to me with your mouth / My love, that you lift me to the heaven." As cliché as some of these words may sound, nobody can do it quite like Juanes can.
Though his single may exude typical Juanes, the overall album is refreshing, with new rhythms such as the Colombian cumbia - a traditional folk dance style of Latin America - and a similar yet fresh vibe. Juanes is getting a lot more personal. He seems to be more focused on matters that are closest to his heart - world peace, raising awareness of land mines, and, more specifically, life in Colombia. Having recorded in his home studio in the mountains of Colombia, Juanes produced an album that not only represents his heart but also reaches the hearts of his listeners. A-
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