By Fernie Ruano Jr.
If Alejandro Fernandez were a super hero he would undoubtedly possess the dual powers in his arsenal to cut through the hearts of millions, not to mention transition easily from melodic charmer to mariachi macho, a trait which has signified his 25-year career.
Put him in a recording studio for the first time in four years – to record a compilation of ballads from "Te Quiero, Te Quiero” to “A Pesar De Todo” – and the pop/ranchera star not only doesn’t miss a beat, but breathes new life into some of Latin music’s most revered classics with Confidencias , his most recent album,which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Top Latin Albumschart one week after its release.
Reaching into the vault to pull out the esteemed work of yesteryear’s legends, in this case Roberto Carlos, Julio Iglesias and Miguel Gallardo, has become an exhausted exercise utilized by artists short on enough original compositions and plagued by the shortage of rising songwriters, to merit a recording of all-new material.
But leave it to Fernandez to score with his interchangeable voice over an array of musical arrangements, including rheumatic jazzy beats in “Concavo y Convexo” and timely saxophone interludes in “A Pesar De Todo”, giving the 11-track, Blues and Jazz/Brazilian fused-album, which includes high-profile duets, including “Hoy Tengo Ganas De Ti” with Christina Aguilera, a fresh feel where so many like it have fallen flat in recent years.
At 43, Fernandez, long a fixture in two of the most distinct music genres in all of Latin music, proves his versatility – as if there was any question – lending a soft, yet melody-driven feel to “Por Que Te Vas”, a beautiful touch over the introductory violins and groovy lyrics. Do you have an affliction for Samba? Fernandez brings it out of you – even if you don’t – by carrying the Brazilian-influenced “Desahogo”.
But it’s the duets, starting with the collaboration with the equally-gifted Aguilera, which set Confidencias apart.
Bringing to life Gallardo’s mid-70’s chartbuster, Fernandez and Aguilera blend their voices, while respectively taking them to unreachable depths, all the while never losing the delicacy of such a tender and moving ballad, delivering a commercially successful lead single, radio-friendly hit.
As if that wasn’t enough to carry the entire album, Fernandez turns in an emotive and delicate version of “Me Olvide De Vivir”, alongside his father Vicente Fernandez, and a bilingual score of “Nobody Knows You’re Down and Out”, an upbeat, jazzy track aided by the participation of Rod Stewart.
Without question, the start-to-finish musical arrangements and the voice of one of this generation’s true treasures give the album high marks all around.
While it maintains a mainstream element making it marketable to all of his supporters, whether you love him for his pop melodies, rancheras or vocal potency, it’s no surprise Fernandez has come to the rescue - again.
And by now, it doesn’t matter what suit he’s wearing.
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