Corazones

Corazones
Studio album by
Los Prisioneros
ReleasedMay 20, 1990
Genre
Length45:26
LanguageSpanish
LabelEMI
Capitol
ProducerGustavo Santaolalla
Los Prisioneros chronology
La cultura de la basura
(1989) 		Corazones
(1990) 		Los Prisioneros
(2003)
Singles from Corazones
  1. "Tren al Sur"
    Released: May 7, 1990
  2. "Estrechez de corazón"
    Released: September 22, 1990
  3. "Corazones rojos"
    Released: October 7, 1990

Corazones is the fourth studio album by the Chilean rock band Los Prisioneros, released in 1990. Produced by the Argentine Gustavo Santaolalla, in conjunction with Aníbal Kerpel on the EMI label, it was recorded, mixed and mastered in Los Angeles, California being the first album recorded outside of Chile. It was distributed overseas by the Capitol label.[1]

Background

[edit]

Before the production of the album, Corazones, between July and August 1989, the group Los Prisioneros recorded at the Konstantinopla Studios owned by Carlos Cabezas Rocuant, "Beaucheff 1435". Whose name is due to the musician's home address Jorge González, where the songs on the album were composed the vast majority. A part of these themes were known in 1996 with the album compilation Ni Por La Razon, Ni Por La Fuerza, and the other remain in public knowledge with Internet.[2]

Some of these songs mixed melancholic melodies, more intimate lyrics and a couple of dance songs, all led by synthesizers and programmed drums, highlighting pieces such as "En forma de pez", "Ella espera" and "Las sierras electricas".[3] The sound of the album is a continuation of the sonic search for La cultura de la basura, but with elements of house. In addition, González's acute social vision finds its place in "Las sierras eléctricas", with the romantic counterpart of "En forma de pez": a 7-minute suite inspired by Martin Gore from Depeche Mode.[4] González left for Los Angeles, California in October 1989 with only the company of the band's manager, Carlos Fonseca, since Tapia was unable to obtain a visa to enter the United States. Narea had distanced herself after seeing his role as guitarist and occasional songwriter increasingly diminished.[5]

The production of the album began without the collaboration of Claudio Narea, who left the group in the middle of the work process, in the midst of love problems that were finally reflected in the lyrics distributed on the album. Narea's departure was marked by the hidden relationship between his wife and Gonzalez, but he also had a musical artist: "He did not agree with the sound that the group's leader wanted to give the trio, influenced by synthesizers and electropop that unfolded in the '80." Finally "Corazones" was dominated under Argentine producer Gustavo Santaolalla,[6] who had recognition with his band Arco Iris and collaborating on records for Wet Picnic and León Gieco. All of their previous albums had been produced by González, however Santaolalla brought an "astounding new level of polish" to the band, infusing jagged electronic melodies with "soaring pop" production and regional instruments like the charango to solidify a sonic identity that was "originally and unquestionably Latin American".[5]

Release

[edit]

Corazones was released on May 20, 1990[5] on the EMI label.[7] The album sold over 190,000 copies,[8] and was certified with four platinum records.[9] It stands today as one of the best selling albums in Chile. Its first single, "Tren al Sur", was released on May 7, 1990, prior to the album’s official release.[10][11]

Reception

[edit]

In 1990, Jorge was chosen as the composer of the year by the Chilean Copyright Society.[12] In 2006 was chosen as the best Ibero-American rock album No. 54 [es] by Al Borde,[13] and in 2008 as the ninth best Chilean album [es] by Rolling Stone.[14]

Artwork

[edit]

The album cover was photographed by Alejandro Barruel and designed by Vicente "Vicho" Vargas,[1] The cover shows González wearing a white shirt with blood on the heart, however the bloodstain is on the opposite side of, this error was not corrected until the 1995 edition. The shirt used was purchased by manager Carlos Fonseca for the photo in a Paris store, located on Lyon venue. "We just knew that Claudio had left. It was very strange to take photos without him", recalled Fonseca.[15]

Legacy and influence

[edit]

Some of the album tracks were covered by some singers like: "Amiga mía", covered by Javiera Mena for the 2012 movie Joven y Alocada,[16] Fakuta, covered the song "Cuentame una historia original". Produced by Vicente Sanfuentes and Lego Mustache, the song "Estrechez de corazón" was covered by Carlos Cabezas, Francisca Valenzuela, and the group Villa Cariño. Being recorded in Triana studios by the famous engineer Gonzalo González, with a music video directed by Felipe Foncea. In the tribute album to Jorge González, "Nada es para Siempre", the musicians Gepe and Javiera Mena, accompanied by Cecilia Aguayo, Uwe Schmidt, Felipe Carbone, and Gonzalo Yáñez performed a version of "Cuentame una historia original". In 2020 David Eidelstein, the bassist of Los Tetas known as "Rulo", covered the song "Estrechez de corazón".[17]

Track listing

[edit]

Side A

All tracks are written by Jorge González

No.TitleLength
1."Tren al Sur"5:36
2."Amiga mía"4:03
3."Con suavidad"5:02
4."Corazones rojos"3:30
5."Cuéntame una historia original"3:52
Total length:22:03

Side B

No.TitleLength
1."Estrechez de corazón"6:20
2."Por amarte"6:02
3."Noche en la ciudad (Fiesta!)"6:09
4."Es demasiado triste"4:50
Total length:23:21

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Álvarez, Raúl (May 20, 2020). "5 datos que esconde Corazones, el disco más exitoso de Los Prisioneros" [5 facts that Corazones hides, the most successful album by Los Prisioneros]. La Tercera (in Spanish). Retrieved February 14, 2021.
  2. ^ "Escuche "Beaucheff 1435": El disco perdido de Los Prisioneros" [Listen to “Beaucheff 1435”: The Lost Prisoners Record]. El Mostrador (in Spanish). December 11, 2014. Retrieved February 15, 2021.
  3. ^ "25 años de Corazones: El disco que cambió al pop chileno | Retrospectiva". Cenit Uno (in Spanish). May 14, 2015. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
  4. ^ Pérez, Patricio (December 10, 2014). "Beaucheff 1435: el disco perdido de Los Prisioneros". Rata.cl (in Spanish). Archived from the original on September 19, 2015. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
  5. ^ a b c Villegas, Ricardo (May 20, 2020). "30 Years of 'Corazones,' The Album That Cemented Los Prisioneros as Political Pop Superstars". Remezcla. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
  6. ^ "Disco "Corazones" de Los Prisioneros cumple 30 años". Cooperativa.cl (in Spanish). May 20, 2020. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
  7. ^ Silva, Ignacio (May 20, 2020). "Corazones: 5 curiosidades a 30 años de su lanzamiento". Melómanos Magazine (in Spanish). Archived from the original on November 30, 2020. Retrieved July 28, 2021.
  8. ^ "A 29 años de Corazones, el alabado disco de Los Prisioneros". El Mostrador (in Spanish). May 20, 2019. Retrieved March 22, 2024.
  9. ^ Hernández, Miguel Yáñez (May 20, 2020). "#Corazones30Años: "Corazones", el disco de Los Prisioneros que marcó una etapa". Agenda Chilena (in Spanish). Retrieved July 28, 2021.
  10. ^ English, Jorge (January 2, 2022). "¿"Tren al Sur" en versión metalera?: Lanzan el cover más extremo del clásico tema de Los Prisioneros". Fotech.cl (in Spanish). Retrieved October 4, 2022.
  11. ^ Donoso, Freddy Stock (September 1, 2015). Corazones Rojos (in Spanish). Penguin Random House Grupo Editorial Chile. p. 164. ISBN 978-956-9582-20-2. Retrieved October 3, 2022.
  12. ^ "A 29 años de Corazones, el alabado disco de Los Prisioneros". El Mostrador (in Spanish). May 20, 2019. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
  13. ^ "250 albums del Rock Iberoamericano". Musiteka. April 2, 2015. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved February 18, 2021.
  14. ^ "Corazones: elegido entre los 50 mejores discos de la música chilena según Rolling Stone". La Rata (in Spanish). May 20, 2020. Retrieved February 14, 2021.
  15. ^ EMOL (November 9, 2001). "Trivia de carátulas: ¿En que línea del metro salen Los Prisioneros en la foto de Pateando Piedras?". Archived from the original on September 15, 2015. Retrieved July 28, 2021.
  16. ^ "Amiga mía, la versión de Jorge González + Javiera Mena para Joven y Alocada". Zancada (in Spanish). April 7, 2012. Retrieved February 18, 2021.
  17. ^ Daza, Baltasar (May 21, 2020). "Los Prisioneros: 7 canciones de Corazones en la voz de otros músicos". La Tercera (in Spanish): latercera.com. Retrieved February 18, 2021.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Corazones&oldid=1236187666"