By José Gandue @Gandour
To create songs that move us, that seduce us, that fill our ears so we recognize them every time we hear them. To craft songs that compel us to make them our own, that make us want to hear them again and again., because they have touched our spirit. Those are the goals of a good pop band. The idea isn't to adopt supposedly successful formulas that are relentlessly repeated on the radio; rather, it's about pouring your heart and soul into every composition. It's about making believable music, music that wins you over with its honesty, with the affection reflected in each performance. That's what the entire discography released by the Chilean band is all about. Portugal, and in particular his latest album The Ancient Astronauts.
Portugal makes songs that are both painful and moving. The songs, delivered with the theatricality of this project's voice, resonate deeply, making you experience the recordings intensely. The lyrics possess a poetic drama and a brilliant development that resonates deeply. It must be said: This is pop music made with sensitive and intelligent literature. These are lyrics that don't go unnoticed, and that happily compel the listener to listen again and again. The quality of the words is particularly noticeable in tunes like The known pains, Carnival, Laniakena, Carnival y Survival. Furthermore, few bands use keyboards so prominently and effectively. It's impossible to imagine achieving such emotional depth without those pianos, as they construct textures that reveal the mood of each song. I repeat: The Ancient Astronauts It is an album intended to move the viewer, and its authors have no reason to apologize for it.
After two previous albums, well received by the public and specialized critics, The Ancient Astronauts It is the work that will surely introduce a band to a massive audience that, we hope, will be heard across the continent. Portugal, it must be said, is a group worthy of occupying higher spaces in the memory of the Latin American public. He has the necessary arsenal to undertake this mission.