Record Rack

**** Joan Manuel Serrat, “Sombras de la China,” BMG. Together with Cuba’s Silvio Rodriguez and Pablo Milanes, this Spaniard revolutionized Latin pop in the early ‘70s, bringing to his songs a new context of sociopolitical commentary, a literary sensibility and a highly poetic use of words.

Unlike the other two, Serrat hasn’t lost a bit of his focus or inspiration. His new studio album has the same vitality that defined landmark efforts such as “Mediterraneo.” Maturity has tamed his most whimsical aspects, and his songwriting now concentrates on instrumentations of the most delicate nature, using a balanced mix of guitars and keyboards, with occasional flute or bandoneon.

From the tale of a seaman who exchanges a dexterous shadow play for a glass of beer (the title song) to the story of a father who hopes to save his daughter from poverty by sending her to an audition for a TV commercial (“Princesa”), the lyrics utilize the most tender aspects of the Spanish language, revealing an irrepressible sense of nostalgia and a commitment to the contemplation and chronicling of life’s most elusive and bittersweet aspects.

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Albums are rated on a scale of one star (poor), two stars (fair), three stars (good) and four stars (excellent). The albums are already released unless otherwise noted.