Rock en español isn't just one style of Spanish-language rock; it is many different styles of Spanish-language rock. Just about any style or trend that is part of English-language rock -- be it rap-metal, post-grunge, emo, ska-punk, death metal/black metal, goth-rock, electro-clash or screamo -- can also be found in the vast rock en español field, and the female singer/songwriter aesthetic is no exception. In fact, that aesthetic is very much at work on
Soraya's
El Otro Lado de Mi (The Other Side of Me). Anyone who is searching for a Spanish-speaking equivalent of
Natalie Merchant,
Aimee Mann,
Mary Fahl, or
Patty Larkin will find it on highly personal offerings like "Un Segundo Lento" and "Alma de la Calle," which have all the heartfelt introspection one expects from skillful English-speaking singer/songwriters.
Soraya doesn't always sing in Spanish; she concludes the album with "Lead Me," an English-language version of her single "Llevame." But her Spanish lyrics dominate the CD, and that's just as well because
Soraya (who is of Colombian descent) has a very poetic command of the Spanish language -- which is something she has in common with fellow colombiana
Shakira as well as quite a few cumbia artists, past and present. For some non-Spanish-speaking connoisseurs of female singer/songwriters, this CD (which
Soraya co-produced) may present a problem because of the language barrier; the sort of lyric-minded singer/songwriter enthusiasts who savor every word on a
Sarah McLachlan album may be frustrated that they can't do the same with
Soraya. But even those who don't speak any español should try to enjoy this 2005 release on a melodic and harmonic level. Melodically as well as lyrically,
El Otro Lado de Mi is an engaging demonstration of what female singer/songwriters have to offer rock en español. ~ Alex Henderson