La Llorona is a figure from Aztec mythology who is known to lure men with Siren songs, then turn them to stone as punishment for their evil ways. While Lhasa de Sela's delivery is not quite that powerful, this stunning debut album did win her the 1998 Juno Award as Best World Music artist. For good reason. Tags applied to Lhasa, like the oft-repeated "chanteuse" don't really capture her moody, ethereal voice. While comparisons to the likes of Edith Piaf are inevitable, they describe neither the texture of her vocals, the ...
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La Llorona is a figure from Aztec mythology who is known to lure men with Siren songs, then turn them to stone as punishment for their evil ways. While Lhasa de Sela's delivery is not quite that powerful, this stunning debut album did win her the 1998 Juno Award as Best World Music artist. For good reason. Tags applied to Lhasa, like the oft-repeated "chanteuse" don't really capture her moody, ethereal voice. While comparisons to the likes of Edith Piaf are inevitable, they describe neither the texture of her vocals, the poetic sweep of her lyrics, nor the music she and collaborator Yves Desrosiers created for the album.The songs on La Llorona are all in Spanish, which adds to the veil of mystery that is woven into every song, as Lhasa mines the rhythms and melodies of Latin folklore, poetry in the Andalusian tradition of Federico Garcia-Lorca, European gypsy and klezmer music, and norteño canciones along with more conventional French (and French-Canadian) café styles.The opening cut, the smoky, desolate "De Cara la Pared (Face to the Wall)" makes the most of Desrosiers' musical saw and the violin of Mara Tremblay as Lhasa delivers a haiku-like plea of lost love. (In fact, all of de Sela's lyrics could stand alone on the printed page with the kind of poetic effect usually attributed to the likes of Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, and few others.) "La Celestina" moves to the rhythm of a campfire dance and the more prominent cry of the musical saw in addressing a wandering soul. "Desierto ("The Desert)" and "El Payande" are laments, romantically hypnotic. Almost too much so; de Sela verges here on a wallow. She pulls back from the brink with "Por Eso Me Quedo (That's Why I'm Staying)" and "Los Peces (The Fish)," two of the albums best cuts. The first is a sweet melodrama over a melody that flows like a minor-key norteño folk song. "Los Peces" is a folk song of Mexican origin, but de Sela makes it her own, turning a ballad about the Virgin Mary and the fish in the sea into a dervish dance. "Floricanto" (or "Flower Song") is a dreamy lament with hurdy-gurdy echoes. "Desdenosa (Disdainful)" is a whispery, dramatic, flamenco-tinged confessional, while both "Pajaro (The Bird)" and "Mi Vanidad (My Vanity)" are rolling-sea ruminations with gypsy accordion and klezmer clarinet.The final selection, El Arbol de Olvido (The Tree of Forgetfulness), a somber dreamscape from Argentina, brings the album full circle, ending as it began, looking through a glass darkly.The whole of La Llorona has a intensely mythic feel, rising and falling dramatic and exotic breaths -- an invitation to darker mysteries, like the Siren songs of the album's namesake. ~ David Fulmer, Rovi
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Add this copy of La Llorona to cart. $8.49, very good condition, Sold by St. Vinnie's Books rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Eugene, OR, UNITED STATES, published 1998 by Atlantic.
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Very Good. AudioCD 100% of proceeds go to charity! Complete item with limited signs of use and wear. May have minor scuffs and flaws but is in very good working condition.
Add this copy of La Llorona to cart. $11.20, very good condition, Sold by Salzer's Records rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from ventura, CA, UNITED STATES, published 1998 by Atlantic Off Roster.
Add this copy of La Llorona to cart. $11.39, very good condition, Sold by Wonder Book - Member ABAA/ILAB rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Frederick, MD, UNITED STATES, published 1998 by Atlantic.
Add this copy of La Llorona to cart. $6.99, fair condition, Sold by Books From California rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Simi Valley, CA, UNITED STATES, published 1998 by Atlantic.
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Fair. Disc holder 'teeth' are partcially broken. Case is scratched/ cracked. Disc is scratched but it shouldnt affect playback. Buy with confidence-Satisfaction Guaranteed!
Add this copy of La Llorona to cart. $7.99, very good condition, Sold by Half Price Books Inc rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dallas, TX, UNITED STATES, published 1998 by Atlantic Off Roster.
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Very good. Providing great media since 1972. All used discs are inspected and guaranteed. Cases may show some wear. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!
Add this copy of La Llorona to cart. $7.99, fair condition, Sold by Service First Media rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Taylorsville, KY, UNITED STATES, published 1998 by Atlantic.
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Fair. Ex-Library rental. Disc(s) are professionally cleaned and may contain only light scratches that do not effect functionality. Includes disc(s), case, booklet, and back artwork. Disc(s), case, booklet, and back artwork may contain library/security stickers and ink writing. Case and artwork may show some wear. Case may not be an original jewel case. All disc(s) are authentic.
Add this copy of La Llorona to cart. $17.04, very good condition, Sold by New England Booksellers rated 1.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Greenfield, MA, UNITED STATES, published 1998 by Atlantic.
