By José Gandue @spinning zone

Cover art by Zonagirante Studio 

It was an eagerly awaited album, but not just because of what the genius could do, because of what he has always generated. No. There was a morbid curiosity about what Charly García could do at his "advanced" age and with his constant health problems. Of course, appearing in a wheelchair and trembling is shocking to anyone. He's no longer the same man he was in Sui Generis, Seru Girán, or La Máquina de Hacer Pájaros. It's clear we don't have the same Charly as before. Modern Clicks, not even the one we heard in 2017 doing Random. Yes, it's clear that his voice is tired, that he's about to turn 73, and that his face lacks the youthful vitality of his past. But, after all these complaints, The question is: So what?. Seriously, do we have to forget about him already, deny him the chance to release songs that can still make us fall in love?Does García, the same one who survived a jump from the ninth floor of a hotel, have to abandon us now, hide in oblivion, or worse, die after a discreet collapse in a nursing home or something similar? To contradict all those who imagined such a sad escape, Charly has released an inspiring album called The logic of the scorpion. 

For those heartless profiteers who peddle the idea that an artist's useful life doesn't exceed forty years, or that one must always die leaving a beautiful corpse, without any signs of wrinkles, A new album is released that unrestrainedly displays the wisdom of a veteran, unafraid to show his joys and fears, and whose melodies evoke Lennon, the masters of the blues, Bowie himself, and, incredibly, himself., as we can see in its ninth cut, Falling Stars, which seems like the second part of his classic Chipi Chipi, from your plate The daughter of tears. García doesn't lose his sense of humor, exclaiming that «"Hate is very bad for you" (This is what he states in Juan Repression), and he indulges in the luxury of retrieving from beyond the grave (or, rather, from the archives of hidden recording treasures) a Luis Alberto Spinetta, to sing beautiful phrases with him like «"Bird of Indochina lost in the fog of the high seas,", This is included in her moving ballad The Pelican and the Android. Also, taking sarcasm to the extreme, he mocks those aspiring to instant fame, singing to them in the last song of the album, Rock and roll star, Next to him, none other than Fito Paez, texts that say «"Sell your soul to the corporation, dress well, steal a song from me.". All this is for you, beardless adolescent who foolishly mocks those who wear gray hair, who thinks the world was invented for you and that old people are waste that gets in the way. Until you reach the master's feet, sit down and stay quiet, while you turn up the stereo volume and learn a little something, kid. 

The logic of the scorpion Charly is above good and evil. He owes nothing to anyone, and yet he releases an album where, with the absolute freedom of someone who has long been a legend, he shakes off the dust of his experience, and with the peace of mind of not having to reinvent rock and roll, as he did in other times, It offers a compelling demonstration of his considerable musical refinement. And if anyone comes to ask, with false arrogance and undue pride, whether this is Charly's best album..., The best answer might be another question: Does it even matter? Simply put, you irreverent kid, shut your mouth and listen without complaining for a little over half an hour of good music. That's all it takes.