PARA SIEMPRE, VICENTE FERNANDEZ
Sony International, México ****1/2
Rating: 90
by Carlos Reyes
Mr. Fernandez is a legend; his singular falsetto and emotional touch have made him the best performer of Regional Mexican music to ever exist. An individual given to his people and the iconic image we all have when the word Ranchero or Mariachi comes up. Throughout the decades he has made a long and firm collection of hits, but it had been a while since he released an album with this much caliber. Joan Sebastian is the other giant in Mexico’s popular music, he wrote and produced all the songs in the album; together they have manufactured a bold, elegant and hardcore ranchero album for the ages. Let’s start with “Celos”, the first single that immediately told us Mr. Fernandez was willing to step out of his comfort zone. The few readers that enjoy ranchero music will know how big of a deal this song is; a piece accompaniment by both, mariachi and classical orchestration. Our music is infected with lousy romanticism that does nothing but dramatize human condition. When a song like “Para Siempre” echoes the idea of forgetting the past and focus in the future and manages to keep it simple but emotionally wrecking, we call that sublime. But hold on, the very best track in the album is a diamond itself, “Millon de Primaveras” is the song in which both masters really connect. Sebastian’s lyrics are heartbroken; the lady that inspires these great musical poems wants him to cut her name out of them. He asks her for time to forget her: “only a million more spring seasons before I forget you, I’ll only adore you for a few more centuries… after that I won’t ever bother you.” The song goes even deeper when a dog is the subject of a metaphor, a dog that keeps barfing to the wrong lady. “Please hold a bit more, be patient and don’t throw him another rock… he won’t barf at you no more.” Get it? The dog is the man! Know that this is the highest grade I have given a regional Mexican album since “X” by Intocable; the best populachero albums this decade has given us, and the only ones to get nominated at the Latin Grammys for Album of the Year.