LYONNE (Vanina Lion), born in Argentina but domiciled for a few years now in Copenhagen,was last with us over two years with the first of a trilogy of albums, that one called ‘New York’, which pay homage to cities where she has lived.
The Big Apple came up first and we noted her ability to incorporate particular features of the city she is singing about into her songs.
For example on the sample track ‘Corners’ she suggested the world standard edginess that defines New York and always has done as I can vouch for myself via several weird encounters, even at 8 o’clock on a Sunday morning, that I won’t bore you with here (but might do one day…)
Copenhagen will be the last city to come under her gaze but this time she’s in Buenos Aires, her birthplace, again painting a picture of it through the lights, shadows and contradictions of a city which, unlike New York, most people at least know of but don’t understand what makes it tick.
And that presents a challenge because while you can easily read into a song when you are at least visually aware through the media of what it looks and sounds like that doesn’t automatically apply to Buenos Aires where most people are concerned. Does it have skyscrapers? Does it have big haciendas within the boundaries? How’s the nightlife? Is it safe to walk the streets? What’s the top football team (that one I at least know).
Many folk have at least heard of President Milei but that’s the measure of it.
So I went in search of the equivalent of ‘Corners’ on this album, something that reveals the underbelly of the beast, and found it on the opening track ‘Buenos Aires (you hurt me sometimes)’.
I’ve always imagined Buenos Aires as a romantic city but not in the mould of Paris or Venice, rather one fashioned by a Spanish macho culture.
And that does to a degree come across in the song – “Kind of hard to read sometimes”; “owner of a charm no-one could ever deny”; “always been full of yourself”; “bursting with pride”; more to you than meets the eye”; “leave it all to chance”.
And then, the most telling verse:
“I wish you’d treat us tenderly/Instead you’re being rough/How dare you be so unfair?”
There are redeeming features. Late nights and long dinners that last until dawn. And the final line is “Buenos Aires, I love you”.
But the suggestion to me at least is of a city that feels it has a reputation to live up to and which is one that doesn’t lie easily with the narrator. That she’s in love in the same way a woman might be with a bad boy if only because she feels protected by him despite his propensity to violence towards her.
Musically, it presented as a cool jazz number, one that you might encounter in a plush New York bar in Greenwich Village or Soho, or out in Leimert Park in LA. In Buenos Aires? Dunno. You tell me.
Enhanced by an electric guitar flamenco music contribution, what sounds like accordion straight off the Left Bank but is probably a bandoneon (see below) and a snappy little piano solo outro it tells you more about Buenos Aires in four minutes than a tourist board advertising campaign could in four weeks.
Can’t wait to hear what she writes about Copenhagen.
(Continues after the Spotify link)
https://open.spotify.com/track/4OsIfApEL79urvXG6v2MOA?si=15dbd03d30184613
The album features Argentinean guest musician Santiago Arias on bandoneon (a type of concertina popular in Argentina and Uruguay), adding an essential Buenos Aires texture to the sonic landscape.
The album was released digitally 24th October while the physical release will be on 30th October.
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