Trilingual and Philosophical Swaying
Mexican, Chilean and French artist, Adan Jodorowsky, known also as Adanowsky, released his newest album, The Fool in April. Having worked as a producer for many artists, including León Larregui, Bandalos Chinos, Daniela Spalla, and Natalia Lafourcade, his latest record has a high bar of standards to reach.
The Fool is an album that touches on the many themes of life, from break ups, and missing someone, to self forgiveness, personal development and resentment. The Fool incorporates Jodorowsky’s heritage, being partially in English, partially in Spanish, and adding on specks of French throughout. The album seems to take its name from Tarot, where The Fool represents new beginnings, faith in the universe and initiating a new journey. It can also be a reference to one of his early works, a song titled “Don’t Try to Fool Me,” featuring singer Teri Gender Bender. With many sonic references from the 80s, The Fool is an album full of poetry, new takes on old sounds and vulnerability.
“When The Angel Comes” begins with heavenly synths, and overall has a calm demeanor. Karen O’s voice harmonizing and singing in unison along with Jodorowsky’s fit perfectly. Jodorowsky’s raspy and low voice highly contrasts Karen O’s bright and ethereal sound. Although the track’s instrumentation relies on synths a lot, percussions like the snare and the tambourine carry the song along. The guitar shines most on the bridge, with a soft solo that doesn’t disrupt the song’s feeling. “When The Angel Comes” is a nice album opener, and sets the listener up to be more open to the rest of the album.
“Chain Reactionary” featuring Grammy winner Beck starts out with prickly strings playing in pizzicato. The sound is sharp but peaceful and reminiscent of rain against a window. Adanowsky’s vocals align with the strings in the chorus, giving closure to the song’s motif. During the bridge, the voice is processed and almost robotic, but somehow highlights the song’s nostalgic aura.
Vocals match guitars in the intro of “You Want To Give Up,” and become a constant motif throughout the song. Adanowsky’s vocals are noticeably doubled and spaced in the mix, giving the listener an mild illusion of mild phasing in his sound. In the outro, Adanowsky adds a few phrases in french, “Maintenant, tu sens ce que je sent,” (Now, you feel what I feel), “J’ai si mal,” (It really hurts) and the forever classic “Je t’aime,” meaning I love you.
“Noche Fría” is the album’s first Spanish track. Calm drums, an acoustic guitar and droning piano chords wrap around the listener’s ears and pull them into the song. The title translates to “Cold Night”, a perfect title for the song, which talks about a breakup. Adanowsky talks about how much he loved the relationship, and is sad it’s gone. “In my hopes, I see you once more, I hear your name eternally,” is one of the most romantic lyrics in the song, and highlights how gut wrenching the breakup was. The song is soft, but not forgettable.
“El Adiós” reads like a poem, and feels like an interlude. The instrumentation fits the nostalgia in the lyrics, with mainly acoustic guitars being picked and not strummed, the song feels dreamy, added onto by a drippy, reverbed piano that makes the listener feel like they’re waking up from their slumber in the most pleasant way. This song is like coffee in the morning of a rainy weekend, giving an unrepeatable feeling. The song is philosophical in its lyrics, “There’s no return in a goodbye,” “what death do you desire, what end do you wish for today?” and “there’s no gift in nostalgia” make the listener contemplate their life and their choices as they listen to this track.
“Todo es Perfecto” picks the album up, being significantly more upbeat than the past tracks. The song talks about Adan growing as a person, and accepting that his old self is gone. “Where is the me that took care of me for so long? He kept me well yesterday, but he’s gone today,” realizing that his old self has served his purpose and is gone, but he misses it, and urges himself to stop comparing himself, to his own self, as growing also means transforming into a different person. “The man I was died, and I must forget him,” is a lyric that many of us need to adopt into our own lives, thanking our old selves for bringing us where we currently are, but realizing that we’re now different, and need to approach it as such. “The force that lives in me is fearless, […] everything live throws at me, I embrace it, I open my heart.”
“Te Fuiste,” Spanish for “you’ve left” is a nostalgic song about missing someone after a breakup. “You were unreal, a beautiful flower,” Adan misses his ex lover, retelling the story of their relationship, and asking for one last kiss, and her leaving him. He’s sad and resentful, “Time consumes me, I don’t even know why I woke up today.” The song is like a slow 80s groove, a classic song which people dance to even if the lyrics are sad. “Te Fuiste” closes with a funky piano and surprisingly clashing and squeaky distorted guitar, which sounds disruptive given the song.
“Agradecido” begins with synths, strings, and very chill drums. Adan talks about wanting to be thankful for what he has and not focus on what he lacks. The song ends with a string of very groovy “la la las,” which make the listener sway from side to side as it ends.
Adanowsky’s voice is relaxing and soft on “Alejandro.” The song that is an ode to his father. Alejandro Jorodowsk is a Chilean-French film legend that made his most iconic films in the 70s. Currently, Alejandro lives in Paris and has been known to read and teach Tarot, enforcing the possibility The Fool is also homage to Adanowsky’s father. He closes the song by singing, “Thank you today, dreamer Alejandro, you know well that your love is radiant, an Eden.”
“Ser Yo” serves as the album’s closing track. Spanish for “Being Me,” Adanowsky finally accepts himself as an imperfect being, “Con lo bueno y lo peor,” the good and the worst. He refuses to stop himself from being himself, and being free instead. “Now I can finally exist, no one hold me back!” He closes the album with powerful lyrics “There isn’t a flower that the wind hasn’t shaken. Every dream I forget, returns in the form of love.”
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