Las Siete y Media

A second album after a very good first one always entails added pressure in order to fulfill the expectations of fans but, needless to say, it is much better than being backed by a bad first album. If Canciones para el Tiempo y la Distancia was less of a gripper than Ferreiro's prior period leading Los Piratas, this second mini LP, Las Siete y Media (seven songs and a half, presumably) confirms that inside Iván Ferreiro, rock is fading away like a candle. In spite of the sporadic fast guitars and drums found at the end of several songs (which is, by the way, one of the things that keeps Iván Ferreiro's music away from both the Spanish teen-oriented pop of La Oreja de Van Gogh and the songwriter style of, to name one, Nacho Vegas) this second work is definitely more pop than rock. Something that really distinguishes this album from the previous one is that although it also contains a fair amount of good songs like "Me Toca Tirar" (which brings to mind Los Piratas' hit "La Sal" and "Piensa en Frio" among others), it clearly lacks the excellent songs of the debut album. Also, it needs more than one or two listens to pierce the honeyed pop that envelopes Las Siete y Media and get to Ferreiro's strongest feature: the ability to compose evocative lyrics that convey deep emotions exactly by not falling into lyrical blatancy. This metaphorical riches can be found in songs like "Tristeza," "Extrema Pobreza," and, particularly, "Dias Azules" ("escrita en una página cursiva de una prosa de madera/sin rima, grabado en mi memoria como en piedra") comparatively the most potent and convincing cut which, as the last song, leaves a satisfying and hopeful taste in the listener's mouth but, at the same time, leaves too the doubt as to whether Ivan Ferreiro will keep on screaming what he feels or, on the contrary, the rock will definitely burn out in him.