I stand by my words that Eduardo Alegría, from supergroup Alegría Rampante, is the Puerto Rican equivalent of Morrissey. Their new song, “La Iguana en la Ventana,” proves my point. Unlike in previous singles, the band trades their signature contained storm for an all-out rocker, complete with infectious guitar riffs and one of the most clever critiques of love in troubled times.
A couple of days ago the single was released as a free download, but the best part about “La Iguana en la Ventana” is that it came with an accompanying video that’s as charming as it is disarming. The video, the third collaboration between Alegría Rampante and 9a5 Cinecrew, features the band’s frontman nuzzling a mannequin-like lover (Mikephillipe Oliveros) who just won’t wake up. He’s been sleeping in bed with his eyes open, immobile and oblivious to Alegría’s troubles until…BAM! I won’t ruin the ending, but it involves a chair and some sexy (?) moves.
The song, much like the video, is a little more complex than meets the eye. With an opening line like “Para esta comunidad fracturada, el árbol que no rinde frutos es candidato al hacha,” the track functions as a poignant critique of Puerto Rican society’s hypocritical attitudes toward LGBTQ communities. These attitudes are, in turn, reciprocated by the government in a vicious circle of intolerance. With “La Iguana en la Ventana,” Alegría not only gives us a beautifully powerful track, but also a chance to pause, rethink what we value, and then dance.
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(Photo Credit: Claudia I. Cornejo-Amaya)