BWW CD Reviews: Migguel Anggelo's LA CASA AZUL is Artful Latin Pop
By: David Clarke Apr. 21, 2015
Migguel Anggelo's sophomore album, LA CASA AZUL, was released today by Jupiter Moons Productions, LLC. The beautiful album is rich in metaphor and poetry, weaving classical art sensibilities into the Latin pop mindset. With lush musicality, resplendent lyrics, and opulent vocals, LA CASA AZUL springs from the imagination and comes to life as it dances soulful sambas and festive flamencos in your heart.
Like his shows at Joe's Pub, Migguel Anggelo's LA CASA AZUL is unique and daring. As an artist, he is unafraid to mix the ideas of high art into art forms meant to be consumed by the masses. The titular opening track of the album, "la Casa Azul," sees Migguel Anggelo signing from the point of view of artist Frida Kahlo as she narrates major occurrences in her life. His vocals fly with passion on the tune, crafting a character that is wildly fascinating as she explores the struggles that infused her unforgettable art with spirited life.
"Te Daré (I'll Give)" is sensitive, soft, and soothing. With heartfelt vocals, the song croons sweetly to the heart of the listener. "Inmigrantes (Immigrants)" opens with the chirping of birds, the Venezuelan Cuatro, and a recorder, painting pictures of a quiet Venezuelan village nestled in the jungles of the rainforest. The uplifting and hopeful vocals remind us that we all are either immigrants or have ancestors who were immigrants to this country. "Que Pasó con el Hijo de la Luna? (What Happened to the Son of the Moon)" is a hauntingly beautiful poem set to a moody, atmospheric melody played on a solo piano. Strings join in as the song builds to its first chorus adding a layer of the mystical to the plaintive recording.
With the track "Metáfora (Metaphor)," Migguel Anggelo pays homage to the legendary Latin American artists who have become immortal by sharing their art with the world. The salsa beat of the song ensures that the hips sway to the infectious rhythms of the lively and celebratory tune. Using the modalities of classic Bollywood ballads, Sami Zaya makes a resplendent appearance on the album singing "As Another Flower Bloomed (El Susurro de la Flor)." Migguel Anggelo brings sparkling new life to his slowed and powerfully evocative rendition of "I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Yo Quiero Bailar con Alguién)." The album closes with the gut-wrenching and stirring "Muñecas Cobrades (Craven Dolls)," an anthem speaking against the militaristic horrors of human existence.
Each of the tracks on the album is wonderfully narrative, allowing Migguel Anggelo to tell a series of stories with this collection of enchanting music. Surely, his training in opera and musical theatre aides in his ability to do this as well. Listening to the record, even though I am not fluent in Spanish, I found myself reeled in and swept away by the cast of characters he has assembled in these songs and the yearnings of their desires and the brilliance of their hopes.
Jupiter Moons Productions, LLC released Migguel Anggelo's LA CASA AZUL on Tuesday, April 21, 2015. The record can be purchased from iTunes, CD Baby and Amazon. For more information about Migguel Anggelo, please visit http://www.migguelanggelo.com. You can also follow him on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.
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