10 years removed from his 2014 passing, I thought it would be opportune to revisit the former Soda Stereo frontman’s solo catalog and rank the albums non-chronologically, with the best left for last. None of them are duds—some of them have more magic than others.
Also, there are no compilations, live albums or specialty records on this list. Just the five straight-up studio albums he released in his lifetime. And so, as he titled one of them, here we go…
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[BMG U.S. Latin-2002]
After writing the soundtrack for the movie + bien (or Mas Bien) in 2001, Cerati released Siempre Es Hoy, which was expected to rock out more and rely less on electronica, but the opposite turned out to be true. More lighthearted on its surface than its predecessor, Bocanada, despite upheaval in his personal life at the time, Siempre Es Hoy, however, was received in a lukewarm and unenthusiastic manner, despite being a radio-friendly, dance pop record. It has its moments, but album number three showed signs of creative fatigue. He'd put aside his electronica leanings and go back to guitar-based rock his next time out but Siempre Es Hoy remains Cerati’s lowest selling solo album.
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[Sony-2009]
After a decade-plus association with BMG, Cerati returned to Soda Stereo’s original home, Sony, for his final album. Mellow in a way not heard since Bocanada but without that album's heavy electronica vibe, Fuerza Natural leaned more towards a poppier, singer/songwriter vibe. It also includes "Cactus", a song in which Cerati once again explores his native country's folk music.
A sprawling affair that covers much diverse stylistic ground, it was Cerati’s favorite of his post-Soda career. Flawlessly executed, and with some brilliant moments, the record lacks a sense of cohesion, unfortunately, a likely byproduct of branching out musically and the uncertainty—in terms of creative direction—he felt going into the studio.
[BMG U.S. Latin-1993]
Although his solo career did not formally start until after the conclusion of Soda Stereo's 1997 farewell tour, Cerati’s first solo album was released while he was still a member of the band—Soda bassist Hector "Zeta" Bosio co-produced the album and played on the title track—and months before Dynamo [Sony-1993], Soda Stereo's penultimate album, saw the light of day.
Despite the lack of a concert tour to promote it, the record did not go unnoticed, becoming a favorite among Soda fans, with songs from the album being performed live more than a decade after its release. Among these tunes were the title track and "Bajan", written by fellow Argentine rock legend Luis Alberto Spinetta in the early '70s.
[BMG U.S. Latin-2006]
After the low sales of Siempre Es Hoy, rumors of Cerati releasing a straight up, guitar-fueled rock album were pretty intense. They also turned out to be correct: the Argentine rocker revisited his past glories and turned up the amps for his rockingest album—loaded with overdriven guitars, fiery solos and reminiscent in different ways of Soda's last three studio albums, to the delight of fans wanting him to rock out once again. Such was the anticipation for Ahí Vamos that it went platinum on pre-orders alone. It was later hailed as a triumphant return to form.
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[BMG U.S. Latin-1999]
Having wrapped up his commitments with Soda Stereo, Cerati began the next stage of his music career with his second album, Bocanada, a batch of sample-heavy, electronic art pop with touches of neo-psychedelia that firmly established him as a solo artist. Five singles were taken from Bocanada ("Puente", "Paseo Inmoral", "Tabú", "Engaña" y "Río Babel") each with a corresponding video clip. Moreover, "Verbo Carne" was recorded at the legendary Abbey Road Studios with the London Session Orchestra, conducted by Gavin Wright.
The crowning achievement of his solo catalog and one of the all-time great pop/rock records recorded in Spanish, Bocanada is a creative, vibrant and ultimately intoxicating tour de force.
[While promoting Fuerza Natural, Cerati suffered a post-concert stroke in Caracas, Venezuela on May 15, 2010. He spent the next 4 years in a coma and died in his native Buenos Aires on September 4, 2014. He was 55 years old.]
