As the former frontman for New York-based indie band Elefant, Diego Garcia is a singer-songwriter one will either love or hate. On his latest disc, Laura, his lyrics are not particularly noteworthy, but the overall musical atmosphere certainly is.
Album standouts like the sultry “Roses & Wine” and the Spanish-guitar-laden “Inside My Heart” have immediate staying power, luring listeners into a sonic chamber of love. These songs are hypnotically sexy — mood music to which one should bathe in rose petals or delight in exquisite morsels of chocolate. Whether it’s intentional or not, Garcia certainly takes the Latin lover appeal and runs with it, with sensual music and lyrics which detail love and heartbreak in quite a literal manner.
For some, Garcia’s lyrics will come at just the right time, reflecting just the right sentiments. For others, the lyrics will be the deal breaker. They are exceptionally literal, and generally quite somber; “Nothing To Hide” lives up to its namesake with the lyrics, “Baby, you know the skies will be clear/ And oh, baby, how I wish you were here/ In my heart/ I’ve got nothing to hide,” and other tracks, like “Stay” and “Inside My Heart” do similarly.
What is to be loved about Garcia’s music is rather inexplicable, and lies in its simplicity. Garcia’s music is appealing on the basest of emotional levels. If lyrics are not of particular importance to you, Laura might indeed be the perfect mood music for romance.