No Podrás Escapar de Mí

No Podrás Escapar de Mí is the second album released by Colombian singer/composer Carlos Vives.

Released on June 6, 1987, Vives was better known as a television star of soap operas at the time of its release. The album contains romantic ballads laden with synthesizers, predating Vives's vallenato breakthrough. Though the title track reached No. 30 on the Billboard Hot Latin Tracks, the album is largely overlooked by the public and Vives himself, making this a collector's item for die-hard fans.

Overview

As a rising star in Latin soap operas, Carlos Vives was a long way from his breakthrough as the undisputed "King of Vallenato", with his band, La Provincia. Soap operas, or telenovelas were a common springboard for Latin Americans seeking fame, Vives being no exception. In his home country of Colombia, the Santa Marta-born, and Bogotá raised actor cut his teeth in a number of shows including "Pequeños Gigantes" (Little Giants - 1983) and "Tuyo es Mi Corazón (Yours is My Heart - 1985) before achieving notoriety in the title role of "Gallito Ramírez (Ramírez the Rooster - 1986). That same year, he released his first album Por Fuera y Por Dentro marking Vives’s foray into his true passion, music.

Despite Vives's newfound fame as an actor to coincide with his musical aspirations, his recordings were no match to fellow established crooners in the same genre. Por Fuera y Por Dentro was lost in a market that included superstars such as Julio Iglesias and Juan Gabriel. Despite Por Fuera’s failure, Vives released his second album the following year, No Podrás Escapar de Mí (You Will Not Escape From Me). Following the same formula as his previous release, the album would mark an improvement in sales from its predecessor, due to the growing popularity in Vives’s acting career.

Released in 1987, No Podrás is an album from a different era in Vives’s music and production. Despite his trademark hair that adorns the album’s front cover, the music is vastly different from Vives's Clásicos de la Provincia breakthrough. Instead of the vallenato sound Vives is known for, the songs are mixed with a sound of pure 80’s pop. Whereas Vives would make his career making party anthems and infectious dance numbers, this album is filled completely with slower-paced, romantic ballads. As opposed to accordions and rock guitar, an abundance of synthesizers and drum machines takes its place, making Vives unrecognizable, despite his distinctive voice.

The majority of the album, written and arranged by Jorge Luis Piloto, contains songs such as "Tu y Yo (You and Me) and the Mario Patiño written "Sin Negativo" (Without Negative) dealing with love and yearning, part of an image Vives kept as a soap star heartthrob. Aside from the softer ballads, songs such as the Charly García's "Ya No Quiero Volverme Tan Loco" (I No Longer Want To Return To Being Crazy) are more upbeat with a rock edge, while the closer "Quizas Porque" (Perhaps Why) ends the album with a soft acoustic guitar-driven sound.

Despite the lack of reception this album faced outside Vives's domestic fan base, (coupled with a divorce from actress Margarita Rosa de Francisco), his increasing popularity would result in an upswing to his personal career. After Vives's initial breakthrough in 1989 with his starring roles in "L.P. - Loca Pasión" (C.P. - Crazy Passion) and his album Al Centro de la Ciudad, the album was re-released the same year to international markets. The move would bring Carlos his first taste of success. The title track and album opener would enter the Billboard Hot Latin Tracks at No. 30, making the song Vives's first top forty hit.

Without Vives's signature vallenato, many fans and critics have overlooked No Podrás, and other early Vives albums. After the release of Al Centro de la Cuidad, Vives would record his first vallenato album with the Escalona Soundtrack, reaching his acting zenith. Though Vives's earlier albums are now considered rare collector’s items, the breakthrough of Clásicos de la Provincia brought a number of "early hits" compilations, with releases such as 20 De Colección containing this entire album.

Track listing

1. "No Podrás Escapar De Mí" (J. Piloto)
2. "Sin Negativo" (M. Patiño)
3. "Ya No Quiero Volverme Tan Loco" (C. García)
4. "Si Es Que Te Vas" (S. Villar)
5. "Tu Y Yo" (E. Ramazzotti., P. Cassano., Adelio)
6. "Mas Que Tu, No Hay Nadie" (J. Piloto)
7. "Quedate Aqui" (J. Piloto)
8. "Amigo Mio" (J. Piloto)
9. "Quizas Porque" (C. García)