As I explained in one of the first posts I wrote for this blog, the Spanish singer Ainhoa, who won an important reality talent show back in 2003, is one of the main reasons why I started to become interested, not only in being a singer and having that unconscious desire in my heart but in writing songs and learning more about the whole creative process behind the making of an album. I admire her not only as a singer but also as the amazing songwriter she is. If I had to choose a limited number of songs for the soundtrack of my life, probably some of hers such as Lo Bueno Queda, A veces, and No Hay Lugar would end up being included in there. So, despite the fact that the album Mi Tiempo Roto contains only 3 of her compositions since it was made under the impositions of a record company that wouldn’t allow her to add more of her original songs, I’m still going to recommend it for it’s one of my favorites due to a significant variety of reasons. First of all and following the entire writing aspect, the lyrics of this album are amazing. She only wrote 3 original songs but she adapted from English the rest of them except for one, Cristales Rotos, which was specifically written in Spanish, so despite the fact that Ainhoa didn’t actively participate in the creation of the melodies, it is noticeable that her imprint in the messages of the lyrics is still very present. This album is really vindictive and has a lot of social criticism, which I personally enjoy very much in music. You can find anthems against homophobia or domestic violence in songs like Cuando Existe El Amor and Dame Una Razón respectively. There’s also a song about trash TV and some odes to the passing of time and certain nostalgia feeling for childhood, filled with positive and even philosophical messages about fighting for your dreams and believing that everything happens for a reason. Musically speaking, the album is very rocker and has lots of guitar solos accompanying the rather pop melodies that somehow remind a little of a combination of The Cranberries and Avril Lavigne; and Ainhoa’s voice sounds much better than in the album she recorded previously so, generally speaking, I think that this is not only one of her best albums but one of the best well-crafted productions in the Spanish rocker female scene of that time.
Favorite songs: Tengo que Aprender, Mi Oportunidad, Siempre Amanece, Cuando Existe El Amor, A veces, Cristales Rotos, and En Silencio.
