March 27, 2010

On Jorge Drexler's latest album, "Amar la Trama," the Uruguayan singer/songwriter —perhaps best-known for his Academy Award-winning song "Al Otro Lado del Rio" from the 2004 film "The Motorcycle Diaries"—delivers another set that encourages repeated listening. Poetic lyrics address some of his familiar themes: fated encounters, global wanderings, the South American experience and the universal wonder of everyday moments. Drexler and a diverse band of musicians recorded "Amar la Trama" in front of an audience during a four-day period in Madrid. Highlights include "Toque de Queda," on which Drexler returns to his Southern roots musically and thematically (the title means "curfew") in a duet with Spanish actress Leonor Watling, who's also the mother of his son. The jazzy pop fanfare on opener "Tres Mil Millones de Latidos" can seem fussy at times, distracting from Drexler's voice, which is more expressive when set off by quieter arrangements. That's apparent on tracks like "Noctiluca," which is dedicated to his son and features electric guitar, drums and some evocative tinkling from a child's music box. —Judy Cantor-Navas

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