Search - Carlos Gardel :: From Argentina to the World

Gardel sings better every day

Penumbra | Atlanta, GA USA | 02/04/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"That fairly common saying in Latin America is a reflection on the enormous popularity and importance of Carlos Gardel even today, more than seventy years after his death. However, the songs on this CD have been remastered with varying degrees of success. There is still far too much hiss and pop on most tracks. A certain hollowness in the sound is understandable when you consider the recording of "Leguisamo Solo" was made in 1927. The quality of the 1934 recording of "Golondrinas" here is just unfortunate.



In fairness, those who compiled this collection seem to have tried to indclude the latest recordings they could find. Most of the songs on here were recorded in 1935, the year Gardel was killed in a plane crash. These later recordings include his huge songs, "Por Una Cabeza," "Volver," "El Dia Que Me Quieras," and "Mi Buenos Aires Querido."



Carlos Gardel was the kind of artist who comes along once in a century. Even on a bad recording you can tell what a fantastic voice he had. His lyrics are filled with expression and emotion even as he hits and holds impossible notes, and tosses it all off with a casual elegance that would make Sinatra envious. As a writer Gardel is hard to beat; "El Dia Que Me Quieras" is one of the most beautiful songs of the 20th century. Gardel's talent is five stars plus, but the quality of these recordings is disappointing. It's not that I've ever heard *better* versions, I just keep hoping....



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