Julieta Venegas: Bueninvento : Music Reviews : Rolling Stone

Album Reviews

What do the rock & roll dreams of a young Latina sound like? As it turns out, surprisingly close to those of your average alterna-chick from London or New York. Growing up in Tijuana, Mexico, Julieta Venegas listened to both the Cure and syrupy Mexican pop, watched cartoons in English and discovered the fleshy poetry of the Spanish language. Her second solo album finds her playing the accordion with the intensity of a norteno superstar, then distorting its sound until it becomes as thorny as a punk guitar. Although her melancholy face and the twisted urgency of her delivery reflect the open wounds of your typical rocker, Venegas is a popster at heart, with a mischievous preference for loungy organ flourishes and bouncy drum machines. It's a delectable contradiction: At times, her open vowels overflow with a tragic sort of longing. But her sugary hooks make you close your eyes and smile with contentment. (RS 851)

ERNESTO LECHNER