La Tierra del Olvido

La Tierra del Olvido
Studio album by Carlos Vives
Released	July 25, 1995 (1995-07-25)
Genre	Tropipop, Latin pop, vallenato
Length	43:13
Label	Sonolux (Colombia) Polygram (worldwide)
Producer	Carlos Vives & Iván Benavides
Carlos Vives chronology
Clásicos de la Provincia (1993) La Tierra del Olvido (1995) Tengo Fe (1997)
Singles from La Tierra del Olvido
"La Tierra del Olvido" Released: 1995 "Pa' Mayte" Released: 1995 "Fidelina" Released: 1995

La Tierra del Olvido (English: The Land of Oblivion) is the seventh album by Colombian singer/composer Carlos Vives. The album was released on July 25, 1995, the album contained a split of vallenato covers, as well as Vives' first foray into original compositions in the vallenato style. Two of his originals would be top-twenty singles ("Pa' Mayté" & "La Tierra del Olvido"), solidifying Vives' career as not only a bona fide songwriter, but one of Colombia's biggest artists. The album was nominated for a Lo Nuestro Award for Tropical/Salsa Album of the Year.^[1]

Background

With the success of Clásicos de la Provincia, many fans throughout Latin America and Europe had become entranced by the budding singer's take on Colombian vallenato. A decade prior, Carlos was better known as a soap opera star in such telenovelas as Gallito Ramírez and Escalona, juggling acting with a career as a romantic balladeer. Vives' musical aspirations resulted in three albums Por Fuera y Por Dentro (1986), No Podrás Escapar de Mí (1987), and Al Centro de la Cuidad (1989), which met with varying degrees of success, but were largely overlooked outside of Colombia. The popularity of Vives' fledgling fame brought about a number of new compilations, such as 20 De Colección, and re-releases of his older work, which were largely unavailable to the mainstream public. Vives' fans fell in love with the fusion of vallenato and rock prevalent throughout his defining sound, introducing old rhythms into a new generation of music.

With a popular world tour, successful records, and his own growing family; Vives had become a master at reinterpreting Colombian standards into the mainstream. However, his greatest challenge would be maintaining the fire he ignited as Colombia's hottest musical export. With Clásicos de la Provincia the standard had been set so high, many wondered how he would face the challenge of a follow-up. Vives would not only prove wrong any naysayers, but would surprise the public by releasing what many considered a musical masterpiece.

Composition

The album that would appear the following summer, La Tierra del Olvido, would mark Vives' most important release as a singer, not only to maintain himself as a musical force, but also as his first major release with original material. Composed of eleven tracks, the album was a natural progression into songwriting territory. Half the album contains vallenato reinterpretions, while the other six tracks are originals from Vives, La Provincia, and producer Iván Benavides. As proof to Vives' songwriting power, the album original, "Pa' Mayté" ("For Mayté"), reached #12 on the Billboard Hot Latin Tracks and was the answer to "La Gota Fria" the public hoped for. Starting with the pounding percussion from new drummer Pablo Bernal; the listener is instantly beckoned into the song's rhythms (with a short rap about Vives' undying love for his home football team). "Pa' Mayté", would also prove a success, and would become one of Vives' most beloved singles.

As for La Provincia, members had an equal hand in collaboration. Former guitarist Ernestro "Teto" Ocampo, along with producer Iván Benavides, would help in nearly all songwriting, with songs "Ella" ("She"), and "Agua" ("Water"), making for a more guitar-driven funk to the album sound. Egidio Cuadrado, Carlos's right-hand man, nearly steals the album once again as his accordion brings life to such covers as Alejo Durán's "Fidelina", and Toño Fernández's "Zoila", while proving himself with his follow-up to "Pedazo de Acordion", the self-penned "La Puya Puyá" ("The Pointed Puya-Rhythm Song"). Production wise, the music contains a rawer edge, much less slick, yet much more crisp in sound than its predecessor, making the listener feel as if they are in the studio with Carlos and La Provincia. Whereas Clásicos blended together with its similar song structure, each composition of Olvido is more eclectic and stands on its own.

Reception

With the reception of this album, Olvido would not only benefit from its popular airplay on Latin and international markets, but from its music videos that played on Latin American television. Aside from "Pa' Mayté", Carlos would breathe new life into the album when his other original composition, his first major ballad, provided his highest charting hit up to that point in his career. The album's title track peaked at #5 (Billboard Hot Latin Tracks), proving Vives' versatility, keeping crowds moved in the feet as well as the soul.

Having expanded on his fusion of vallenato rock, Vives made an album that blended older and newer vallenato, proof that along with the great Colombian artists he covered and admired, he could hold his own as one of their peers. The success of La Tierra del Olvido would establish Carlos Vives as Colombia's hottest export of contemporary Latin music.

Track listing

1. "Pa' Mayté" (Andrés Castro, Carlos Iván Medina, Carlos Vives) – 3:07
2. "Fidelina" (Alejo Durán) – 4:22
3. "La Tierra Del Olvido" (Vives, Iván Benavides) – 4:25
4. "Zoila" (Toño Fernández) – 4:23
5. "Rosa" (Irene Martínez) – 4:12
6. "Agua" (Benavides, Ernesto Ocampo) – 3:52
7. "La Cachucha Bacana" (Durán) – 4:21
8. "Diosa Coronada" (Leandro Díaz) – 4:14
9. "La Puya Puyá" (Egidio Cuadrado) – 5:00
10. "Ella" (Benavides) – 3:47
11. "Jam en Jukümey" (Benavides, Ocampo, Vives, Mayte Montero, Medina) – 1:30

Album credits

Charts

See also

• List of number-one Billboard Tropical Albums from the 1990s

Notes

External links

• Carlos Vives official homepage