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Lourdes Pita Lamento Cubano Review by Gary Hill This album features songs in Spanish with a definite Latin angle to the music. It's sort of a compilation as many of the tracks here have appeared on Lourdes Pita's early releases. Those albums were predominately in English, but included a Spanish language number here and there. She has gathered those tunes together and added a few new ones to create her first Spanish album. It's entertaining from start to finish, and really works well. This review is available in book (paperback and hardcover) form in Music Street Journal: 2023 Volume 3 More information and purchase links can be found at: garyhillauthor.com/Music-Street-Journal-2023.

Track by Track Review

Lamento cubano This song is so classy. I love the more dramatic portions of it the most, but the hook-laden sections work well, too. There is a jazz and even soft rock angle here, all delivered with a Latin angle. Both the piano and guitar are exceptional, but ignore the horns and vocals are your peril.

Pensando en ti An energetic Latin piece, this is another with plenty of class. It lacks the pop hook concept of the opener, which I think makes it a stronger song.

Baila mi alma More of an adult contemporary groove is on display here. Maybe you can think of this as the type of music Celine Dion does, but with a Latin angle. It's effective and solid.

Casa de luz I love this Latin groove. It has a great energy and some particularly cool vocals. There are some strings here and there adding their own flavor of magic.

No hay problema More of a Latin soft rocker, this has plenty of charm and magic. This gets quite playful and fun before it's over.

Solución This is another energized Latin tune that's a lot of fun.

Vida en Vanecia There is a lot of drama and beauty here. Folk music and adult contemporary angles merge on this piece. I love the cool bass work on this track.

Ocho vientos A mellower number, this has a lot of charm to it. The bass is a driving factor, and the piano paints some intriguing pictures. It's another winner on a disc full of strong music.

Un amor extraño This has much more of a mainstream pop rock sound to it. It almost makes me think of a Latin version of the kind of music ABBA is known for. I love the piano exploration on this cut, but the whole arrangement is packed with class.

Algún día Based around acoustic guitar and piano, there is a great folk rock motif to this piece. It has a classic and classy sound. Some classical strings later bring a lot of magic to the proceedings, and the whole tune works so well. This is one of my favorites here.

Lamento cubano (Versión acústica) Based on an acoustic guitar and vocal arrangement, bass is the only other element here. I am not sure if I prefer this version of the track to the earlier one, but I do like it a lot. It has a lot of style and charm.

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