People expecting the same ol’ from the Caifanes and Jaguares frontman might get confronted with a surprise–not because it’s a giant departure, though, like you might expect when someone talks about “big surprises” referring to new music from a known face. In fact, Saúl Hernández seizes the opportunity to try something new on material that feels like what we’ve come to love from him.
The first single to be released from Saúl’s second solo album, Mortal, adds elements that sound very Sixties like organ, and the main guitar that wouldn’t sound out of place in a Phil Spector production from the era (although, to my ears, it also slightly resembles the opening riff from Metallica’s “Enter Sandman,” but that’s maybe because I’m crazy or something); melodically, “Me Buscaré” will light your Caifanes/Jaguares pleasure points. The song talks about finding yourself in someone else while also searching for that person; like most of his songs, it blends the mystic and mythic with the emotional in (almost) impenetrable but instantly memorable lyrics.
While the Caifanes reunion is still going strong even with guitarist Alejandro Marcovich’s defection, Hernández is preparing to face a different kind of beast on his own. Mortal will be composed of studio and live tracks, and it’s due out on October 21st.