This is the album that sent Alejandra Guzman's career
into orbit in her native Mexico, and it also served to expend and
consolidate her popularity in many other Latin American countries
too. It attained multi-platinum status and, with the aid of her
first movie 'Verano Peligroso' released around this time, it
firmly established our Diva as a real icon. Yet despite it's
success, ETERNAMENTE BELLA is probably Ale's least cohesive album
of any that she recorded for Melody Records. This is mainly due to
the fact that this is her transitional album. ETERNAMENTE BELLA
represents Ale's attempt to cross-over from pop urchin to rock
diva, and even if the would-be Queen of Rock hadn't yet arrived to
claim her throne, she was definitely letting it be known that she
was well on her way. All this makes for an interesting and
occasionally quirky sort of album, but no less enjoyable for that.
In fact, this crossing over forms part of this album's particular
charm. There's enough pop here to keep the pop fans happy and just
enough rock to pique the interest of rock fans.
Mind you, having just said all of the above, you'd never guess
from listening to the title track alone that our Ale had Rock
Queen aspirations! 'Eternamente Bella (the song)' is pure mid-70's
uptempo euro-pop with barely a guitar in sight, rock or otherwise.
This track sounds quite unlike anything else on offer here - in
fact this sounds more like a Eurovision Song Contest entrant! It's
a fine stand-alone track, but actually sounds more at home on the
compilation JUGO DE EXITOS than it does on here. In retrospect, an
odd choice as a title and the one song that least reflects the
album as a whole.
But title track apart, this album lays the more organic
rock-sounding foundation of guitar, bass and (real) drums that
would eventually become the bedrock of virtually all her studio
output throughout the '90's, up to and including the outstanding
CAMBIO DE PIEL. As far as ETERNAMENTE BELLA goes, what we have
here is a production sound that is not far removed from that of
Heart (Wilson sister's rock band from Seattle) albums at the
height of their popularity - circa '85-'88 around the time of 'Bad
Animals'. This becomes immediately apparent on the opener
'Sheriff', a rebellious song that gives Ale the opportunity to let
rip as a rock vocalist. Perhaps not the best opener for an album
you'll ever hear, but certainly not one that Ale should be ashamed
of. A good one that certainly pins the ears back a bit. The
grandiose 'Un Grito en la Noche' however is much better - a
sprawling broad-sounding stadium rocker that is absolutely built
for the live rock masses. It has a nice lucid guitar hook, and I
love that spiralling instrumental break!
Apart from acquiring a solid reputation as a rock vocalist over
the years that followed this album, Ale has also been very strong
on heartfelt, emotive ballads - and there are two excellent ones
on here. Firstly, 'Llama por Favor', a song which sees Ale in one
of her more vulnerable moments and is comparable to Heart classics
such as 'Alone' or 'What About Love'. Likewise, 'Cuidado con el
Corazon', a tender song that portrays the heart as a delicate
thing that could be easily crushed in this unfeeling materialistic
world of ours. Again, Ale is caught wearing her... er... 'heart'
on her sleeve.
Personally, I find these Ale/Heart comparisons almost
unavoidable - particularly where this particular album is
concerned, and you'll probably find me making one or two more of
these comparisons as you read through other album essays on this
Homepage. This however should be taken as no slight on Ale's part
whatsoever because at the height of their popularity, Heart were a
truly awesome band. I love 'em! And yet I would happily hold the
rock and rock-ballad elements of ETERNAMENTE BELLA up against the
best of anything that Heart ever did. That's how highly I rate the
majority of this album!
After the hiccup of 'Eternamente Bella (the song!)' comes
'Estoy Bien', an urgent Billy Idol-esque rocker that is probably
the nearest thing to an out-an-out heavy metal track that this
album has to offer. The brief church organ intro is a neat touch,
though Ale soon makes it clear that she isn't here to offer
prayer! It's certainly way better than 'Sheriff' and would have
been the better opener. But it isn't, so there y'go!
'Guante de Seda' is an all-time Ale fave of mine - a very
solid, grinding guitar-based funk-rock track that is akin to
Robert Palmer's 'Addicted to Love'. Delicious, though probably not
as heavy - unless you turn the volume up a bit! In fact the only
thing wrong with 'Guante de Seda' is that it's only a piffling 3
minutes long. This is one that I could listen to all night. Ale in
top flight!
After 'Guante de Seda' we're pretty much camped in pop
territory for the rest of the way. 'Que Me Das' is an uptempo
radio-friendly power-pop track with an irresistibly catchy chorus
and is embellished with the kind of dramatic backing vocals that
is usually the trademark of Meatloaf/Steinman albums. 'Di Que Si.
Di Que No', also uptempo pop for radio consumption, is one that
feels as though it ought to belong on a major Hollywood teen-movie
soundtrack. It has a wonderfully melodic keyboard backing and it
stands up as one of the strongest cuts on this album. That rolling
fade-in intro is a nice touch too, making the whole thing feel as
though it ought to be showing us the title credits! A classic!
'Camara de Gas' is a perky little number (which probably sounds
like a description of someone we know!?). Despite its title, the
lyric does not chronicle the pioneering invention of the camera
that was powered by gas. This is a pop-tastic 'oo-bop-bop',
twisting-by-the-pool track. Again, the song sound unlike anything
else on this album, but unlike 'Eternamente Bella (that song!)',
Camara de Gas' feels totally at ease here and brings a fitting
close to an enjoyable platter.
Although Ale was making very determined strides towards the
rock arena with this album, I think it is fair to say that she
hadn't quite reached her goal just yet. But as the saying goes,
the journey itself can often yield its own rewards. That's
basically what we have here - road leading to a place rather than
the actual place itself, and there are quite a few gems to be had
along the way. It is also fair to say that this album probably
sold in multi-platinum quantities on the strength of it's 'pop'
elements such as 'Camara de Gas', 'Di Que Si, Di Que No', 'That
Song!' and also the two ballads, rather than the rock tracks. In
fact, one wonders if her pop fans were ready for our Ale as Rock
Queen just yet?
As I've said, the organic rock sound that we've come to
associate Ale with these days really began here with this album.
Ignoring the covers album DAME TU AMOR, ETERNAMENTE BELLA is the
ideal musical bridge between the pop debut BYE MAMA and her first
'proper' rock album FLOR PAPEL.