Agustina Paz

Following my blog post about the Catalan singer-songwriter-composer Maria Rodés and her album "Lilith", this second post features a 'cantautora' who hails from Norberto de la Riestra in Buenos Aires Province, Argentina.

I was first introduced to singer-songwriter (and restless pianist) Agustina Paz on one of those balmy Bandcamp Fridays. One listen to the opening track of her latest album, "La Fuerza" and it was obvious that this was an artist whose music I really needed own, especially as there was an offer on her Bandcamp back catalogue... An offer which I hasten to add, it would have been rude - and foolish - to refuse…

So those of you who bother to click the album link in this post might notice it takes you to iTunes (Apple Music to be exact). It's just that a few days after buying the album, I received a very apologetic email from Agustina saying that the album had been released in error and had been taken-down. But now the album is finally available in the primarily Anglophone world, I can finally share my thoughts…

"La Fuerza" is Agustina's fourth album (and her first self-produced) and follows her 2009 debut "Bosques en Desiertos" in addition to the two currently available through Bandcamp, "El Paztiche (Disco-Blog)" - a handful of songs she wrote over a four year period from 2007 to 2011, and which were downloadable from her blog "El Paztiche" - and 2015's "Yugo".

The opening track in question, "Agua de Molino" is arguably one of the most graceful and up-lifting songs I heard all of last year. Foclórico rhythms and beats from the rimshots on a wooden drum ebb and flow alongside soothing piano (did I mention that Agustina was an accomplished pianist?), accompanied by violin and the shrill of bright brass. Throw in a middle-eight, an outro to die for and Agustina's bewitching, heart-warming vocals lift and soar… to be honest, after 3'43" I was hooked…

I'd probably go as far to say that in the few months since its release,"La Fuerza" has become one of my favourite album of 2020 and the second track, "Alta Cumbre" builds upon the themes and tones of its predecessor, with piano once again centre stage. There's those elements of folklore alongside orchestral arrangements as the prominent cello adds texture and depth to the air of melancholy, reinforcing the heartfelt lyricism and plaintive vocals.

"La Necesidad" is a haunting and slow-burning, plaintive song which is primarily built around Agustina's voice and piano, but punctuated by the atmospheric clarinet of… (searches t'interweb…) Pablo Grinjot, who also lends his voice alongside that of Rodrigo Tarsitano on the song's backing vocals.

There's a definite change of pace with the up-tempo "Clones", with its swathes of rhythmic cries and hand-clapping - elements borrowed from the tango - and uplifting harmonies and vocals shared with multi-instrumentalist Lucy Patané, who also adds broad swathes of electric guitar to this track… Meanwhile, the beautifully evocative "Llueve" sees Agustina joined by Buenos Aires singer-songwriter Loli Molina, who adds both her guitar and vocals. Here, the sound of guitars and piano mimic rain falling against a window; the strings add to the air of melancholy and reflection in the wistful vocals. On an album of great compositions, this is a truly g-r-r-reat composition…

Another gem on this album is the exquisitely deceptive "Una Vela". It's a song which exudes the air of one of this album's by now trademark gentle piano-vocal duets, the stillness punctuated by soft yet metronomic percussion. However, the song's soaring chorus highlights a perceptible change of pitch to Agustina's vocals as she's joined by electric guitar and drums and the pulse of the composition is noticeably raised.

I managed to find a version of "El Tiempo está Después" - the one cover on the album - performed by the song's composer, the Uruguayan singer-songwriter Fernando Cabrera - it's a sad love song tinged with nostalgia, heartbreak and regrets, all the while clutching at the faintest of straws that love will return. Ultimately though it's the subtle discordance of Fernando's vocal performance which stood-out, emphasising that the words have prominence. And then I listen to Agustina's interpretation - with its beautiful vocal duet alongside Cata Raybaud - who also adds the acoustic guitar - and how the stanza of the verses seemingly fights against the cadence of the piano and guitar accompanying them - reinforcing the point I've just tried to make - the words are the song, the music is there to occupy the spaces in-between. This is just the sort of song that leaves you with goosebumps...

Unfortunately all good things come to an end and as this is an album that clocks in at just shy of half an hour, before I know it I'm listening to the closing track. "Escrito en el Águila" is a song which lifts and soars and sings of freedom, much as the majestic eagle of the song's title rides the currents… Fortunately, I've this album playing on a loop…

Actually, if I was going to have an actual countdown of albums of 2020, "La Fuerza" would most definitely be in the top 10. It's an album that made me want to delve into Agustina Paz's back-catalogue and by extension the artists who inspire and influence her. It's a search that required me to practicar mi español, as her footprint in the English language media would appear to be shamefully minimal, an unfortunate byproduct of the insular nature of the anglophone music press, whereby any album that isn't performed in English runs the risk of being pigeon-holed as "World Music", as if mainstream musical genres - pop, rock, alternative and any flavour of indie you care to mention couldn't possibly exist outside of the language of Shakespeare…

I strongly recommend expanding your musical vocabulary…

Agustina Paz (Website)
Agustina Paz Bandcamp)
"La Fuerza" (download)