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| La Oreja de van Gogh, Amaia Montero | | (And... Andrew Ridgley?) | | 01 December 2008 | | When a band's iconic lead singer "goes solo" in search of more money artistic freedom, it rarely ends well for both the singer and the musicians he or she leaves behind. In fact, we can think of only two genuine examples where both have prospered, and one of them is Genesis, so we are taking a very loose definition of the term "prospered"! (The other being Van Halen.)
So when Amaia Montero announced that she was leaving La Oreja de van Gogh, we understood that there was only ever likely to be ONE George Michael in this divorce.
And if we'd been the gambling sort, we know exactly where we would have put our money too! Amaia wasn't quite the sole songwriter in LodvG but she was undoubtedly the STAR, and many of the band's best numbers had her name next to them on the credits.
And when the remained of the band announced that they had recruited a new singer straight from the Spanish version of Pop Idol, the dye appeared cast a VERY deep shade of black.
So when LodvG showcased their new single on the web this summer, we opened our browser with a degree of skepticism... whereas (some months later) when Amaia appeared on Spanish TV to premier HER new record, we bounced into the room as excited as a four-year-old with a Milky Way!
So, how did it work out?
Well, the bad news is that LodvG are not quite George Michael. The new album is NOT as good as either Guapa or Lo Que Te Conte... but we've still listened to it a LOT, and it contains 3 or 4 fantastic songs. Furthermore, despite the loss of Amaia's VERY distinctive voice, it still SOUNDS like LodvG - we really hadn't appreciated the work of the instrumentalists in the band, hidden as they were behind Amaia, but their work here is amazing - particularly keyboard player Xabi San Martin.
And Amaia? Well, the bright side is that the voice is still there.
But...
Oh dear God!
The songs are dull and uninspired, while the music lacks any sense of adventure, and frequently sounds like something you might hear on Saturday night TV... if you traveled back in time to 1973. Clearly, she isn't George Michael either. In fact, she might just be Andrew Ridgely. |
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The point is we are all connected... through love... through loneliness... through one lamentable lapse in judgment!
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