Spanishh Recommended of the Week: Carlos Vives

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=faDsDFrYna0

Carlos Vives is one of the most successful artists in the music of my country. He started out as a child actor in the TV show "Pequeños Gigantes". He did some other TV stuff and some unsuccessful pop albums, until he got the main character for a soap opera named "Escalona", that was an insight on the youth of legendary Colombian vallenato songwriter Rafael Escalona (Vallenato is a musical genre from Colombian atlantic coast region). That was a breakthrough for Vives´ carreer, and after recording the highly acclaimed soundtracks for "Escalona", he started making solo albums again, but with a whole new sound with very interesting fusions that involved Colombian musics from different regions, funk and rock. He put together a band that included among others virtuoso accordionist Egidio Cuadrado, and monster guitarist "Teto" Ocampo, who after spending several years in the heart of New Orleans learning the escence of jazz, got himself into a very deep and juditious research in Colombian musics ("Colombian musical styles" or "Colombian music". Yeah, I know, it dosen't sound plural like that, but it is!) and instruments, so besides being a killer lead guitarist he can play fluently every Colombian fretboarded traditional instrument (believe me, that´s a LOT of instruments, styles and musical genres). This one´s a beautiful ballad named "La Tierra del Olvido". I´m sure you´re gonna love it, especially if you´re from somewhere away from South America.

The Land of Oblivion

Like the moon that lights the roads at night, like the leaves in the wind, like the sun scares the cold away.
Like the earth awaits the rain, like the sea awaits the river, I´m waiting for your return to The Land of Oblivion.

How bad my fears are castaways if I navigate your stare, how you alert my senses with your enamoured voice.
With your childish smile, how you move my soul, how you take off my slumber, how you steal my calm.

You have the key to my heart, I love you, more than I love my life because without your love I die.

La Tierra del Olvido

Como la luna que alumbra
Por la noche los caminos
Como las hojas al viento
Como el sol espanta al frío
Como la tierra a la lluvia
Como el mar espera al río
Así espero tu regreso
A la tierra del olvido

Como naufragan mis miedos
Si navego tu mirada
Como alertas mis sentidos
Con tu voz enamorada
Con tu sonrisa de niña
Como me mueves el alma
Como me quitas el sueño
Como me robas la calma

Tu tienes la llave de mi corazón
Yo te quiero
Mas que mi vida porque sin tu amor
Yo me muero

Beautiful music and video. I have heard of him, and that he also acted, but I did not know more than that. What do you think of his new single? They have a great sound.