Yendo De La Cama Al Living

by Charly García

Charly García - Yendo De La Cama Al Living

Ratings

Music: ★★★★☆ (4.0/5)

Sound: ☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5)

Review

**Yendo De La Cama Al Living: Charly García's Masterpiece of Madness and Melancholy**

In the pantheon of Argentine rock, few albums capture the essence of creative genius teetering on the edge of chaos quite like Charly García's "Yendo De La Cama Al Living." Released in 1982, this sophomore solo effort stands as perhaps the most cohesive and emotionally resonant work in García's extensive catalog, a remarkable achievement considering it emerged from one of the darkest periods of his life.

Following the dissolution of Serú Girán in 1982, García found himself adrift in a sea of personal turmoil, battling demons both internal and pharmaceutical. The album's title, translating to "Going From the Bed to the Living Room," perfectly encapsulates the claustrophobic domestic wandering of someone trapped in their own psychological prison. This wasn't just artistic metaphor – García was genuinely struggling with depression, substance abuse, and the weight of being Argentina's most celebrated rock iconoclast during the country's military dictatorship.

What emerged from this creative crucible was a sonic tapestry that seamlessly blended new wave sensibilities with García's signature piano-driven arrangements and biting social commentary. The album opens with the hypnotic "Nos Siguen Pegando Abajo," a deceptively upbeat track that masks its subversive political undertones beneath layers of synthesizers and García's characteristically nasal vocals. It's a perfect introduction to an album that would consistently juxtapose pop accessibility with profound darkness.

The crown jewel of the collection is undoubtedly "No Bombardeen Barrio Norte," a sprawling epic that begins as a gentle piano ballad before exploding into a cathartic rock anthem. The song's plea not to bomb Buenos Aires' affluent neighborhood works on multiple levels – as anti-war protest, class commentary, and personal metaphor for García's own mental state. His piano work here is nothing short of virtuosic, channeling influences from Keith Emerson to Charly Parker while maintaining his distinctly Argentine sensibility.

"Yendo De La Cama Al Living" showcases García's remarkable ability to craft pop hooks without sacrificing artistic integrity. The title track itself is a masterclass in melancholic introspection, with García's vocals floating over a bed of analog synthesizers and drum machines that somehow manage to sound both futuristic and timeless. Meanwhile, "Promesas Sobre El Bidet" delivers García's trademark absurdist humor while maintaining the album's overall emotional coherence.

Musically, the album represents García's most successful integration of new wave and electronic elements with his rock foundation. Working with producer Joe Blaney, who had previously worked with Talking Heads, García created a sound that felt contemporary without abandoning his roots. The production is crisp yet warm, allowing García's piano and vocals to remain front and center while incorporating subtle electronic textures that enhance rather than overwhelm the songs.

The album's legacy cannot be overstated in the context of Latin American rock. While García had already established himself as a revolutionary force through his work with Sui Generis and Serú Girán, "Yendo De La Cama Al Living" proved he could maintain that creative edge as a solo artist. The album influenced countless Argentine musicians and demonstrated that rock en español could be both commercially viable and artistically uncompromising.

García's subsequent career has been a rollercoaster of brilliant highs and concerning lows. Albums like "Piano Bar" and "Say No More" showed flashes of his genius, while his well-documented struggles with mental health and substance abuse have often overshadowed his musical output. His infamous hotel window incident in Mendoza became the stuff of rock legend, cementing his reputation as Argentina's most unpredictable artist.

Yet through decades of controversy, creative peaks, and personal valleys, "Yendo De La Cama Al Living" remains García's most enduring statement. It's an album that captures a specific moment in time – both personally and politically – while transcending those circumstances to become something universal. In an era when Argentina was emerging from military rule and García was emerging from his own psychological darkness, he created a work that speaks to anyone who has ever felt trapped between their bed and their living room, searching for a way out of their own personal prison.

Today, the album stands as essential listening for anyone seeking to understand the evolution of Latin American rock and the genius of its most enigmatic practitioner.

Login to add to your collection and write a review.

User reviews

  • No user reviews yet.