Love Is Te Quiero Performed by Alina Celeste
I just listened to this album three times in a row while I tried to figure out how I wanted to describe it. Did I want to start by saying this album is light and airy? Or maybe filled with infectious melodies? How about a showcase for Alina’s lovely soprano? After several stops and starts, I think the best way to start is by saying, Love Is Te Quiero is all of these things, but most importantly, it is music to make you smile. From the opening notes of “Love Is” through the closing chords of “Los Pollitos,” listeners will feel their spirits lift while their and minds and bodies fill with joy.
Alina Celeste’s Cuban-American upbringing is evident throughout the entire album as she deftly weaves bluegrass, Caribbean, and Latin American sounds together to create a delightful tapestry of songs. The eleven tracks are artfully arranged to smoothly flow back and forth between those performed in English and those in Spanish. Featuring repeated lyrics set to catchy tunes, every song invites listeners to join in no matter their native language. Standouts include the 1943 Spanish children’s song “Vaca Lechera” and “Baila Conmigo.” If you are looking for storytime songs, try “Coquinas” which will have children counting to ten in Spanish, while “Clap Your Hands” will get children up and moving. (The words mama and papa in this song can easily be changed to suit your audience.)
Love Is Te Quiero will find a home with families and storytime presenters alike. For a taste of Alina Celeste’s style of music, take a peek at her vast catalog of videos on YouTube.
The album opens with the title track which in a very meta way is itself an earworm. The simple melody, combined with catchy lyrics – “It’s an earworm, it’s not a wiggly worm, it’s not a squirmy worm, it’s just another term for a song stuck in your head” – will quickly engage listeners and play on repeat in their heads. A combination of original tunes and cover songs fill out the album’s often rock/pop tinged Americana sound. Some of the songs are just fun little ditties like “Her Name Was Lady” which gives a list of the names given to a variety of different goats while others like “Fuzzy Brown Vine (aka Poison Ivy)” teach children valuable information. “ABC (The Writing Song)” provides a new tune to learn the ABCs by as well as encourages children to try their hand at all kinds of writing from short things like haikus to long novels. Many listeners will relate to the very true tale of “Carsick” while others will appreciate the message of “Don’t Let them Get Yer Goat.” A couple of special guests join in the fun as well. Molly Ledford appears on her original tune, “Sunsphere” while Billy Jonas joins McCollough on the polyrhythmic chant, “Green Means Go.”
*While taking a listen to the 13 songs in this collection, take a few moments to check out the album’s cover featuring artwork by Knoxville-based printmaker Riley Bronough. Riley first came to McCollough’s attention when his wife bought a couple of Riley’s prints at an art show. Liking the look of the linocuts, McCollough contacted Riley and the Earworm album cover was born. What at first appears to be simple line drawings featuring just three main characters quickly becomes a seek and find for some of the things mentioned on the album. For more information on Riley and her art, visit www.cleversomedayprints.com.