An oddly charming, touching, gently humorous seventh LP by the Queens, NY-based singer-songwriter, returning to his birthplace of Montevideo, Uruguay, to record a tribute set of song to the place where he grew up and capturing a sense of dual identity – immigrant and native son. Largely a lo-fi, quirky affair, Wauters explains his this in a short intro piece on a tinkly old piano on Amor Montevideo, and the shorthand title. There’s a catchy, folky, explanatory style to his delivery, a sort of Jonathan Richman troubador with a South American style and candour, with a random mix of strummy guitars, further piano, gentle basslines and hand drums, for which he enlisted a group of local musicians. If It’s Not Luv is the catchy English-language opener, but Manejando por Pando gets the Latin flavour flowing with syncopated rhythms, sliding simple synth sounds and further piano. Some of the tracks feel more like musical sketches and improvisations (eg. Lonely By Myself), but there’s a gentle beauty to many of the tunes, such as the piano and woodwind and guitars of the wistful Canción Mamá, Dime Amiga, Ando con Mideo, the upbeat, sun-filled gentleness of La Lucia, and the wistful feel of Mutuación, which really comes into its own in the latter part of the song as the drums and piano and chorus of voices all kick in. Transportive and warm, a lovely tribute with an otherwordly, old-time flavour and fondness across 14 short numbers. Out on Captured Tracks.
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