Eduardo Alegría (leader of the now dispersed Superaquello) continues to surprise us as he unveils new chapters of his “singles collection,” Se Nos Fue La Mano. Earlier this year he released the heart-wrenching black & white video for “Un cuarto más pequeño,” reaffirming what we already knew: the man is a storyteller. It’s been a while since the last time I enjoyed songwriting as clean and straightforward as that offered by Alegría Rampante. The approach seemed sweet and soothing, as well as effortlessly introspective.
Alegría's new single “La Iguana en la Ventana” is in contrast, a hard-hitting number whose bold composition is more assaultive than calming. It’s a major change in tone and structure, but the outcome is equally intriguing. The single’s video (directed by William Rosario and Kemel Jamis) starts off with terrifying riffing despairs that eventually stumble upon marching drums and dramatic strings. In the frame, we see a distressed man reviving his lover, who lies in bed in an apparent vegetable state. The man holds his immobile partner close and lays his head on his chest as he croons about the man he loves (also breaking the fourth wall and confronting the intolerant and fractured society they live in). He drags him, bathes him and offers him the affectionate care and rhythmic stimulation that will return the man his own voice.