Diego Garcia
Laura
(Nacional Records)

As the frontman of the band Elefant, Diego Garcia was always something of the Latin lover sort. Now with his solo career, keyboards have been replaced by Spanish guitars, and the weight of time and experience has entered Garcia’s words. As the title indicates, the album centers around unrequited love and a quest for a woman known as Laura, who happens to be Garcia’s wife now. It’s a beautiful testament to the power of patience and art, persistence and passion.

This is definitely a coffeehouse kind of record, and I don’t mean that in a pejorative sense. Instead it’s something to mellow out to and to appreciate in peaceful moments. Peace, or at least personal growth, has helped Garcia hone his sound into something lush and understated.

“Roses and Wine” features quiet horns that tug at the heartstrings, while “All Eyes on You” sounds like something John Lennon might have written while basking in the sun on a warm beach. But it is the title track and the muse of the record that stands out the most. Garcia’s tone is beautiful, but his guitar is a voice of its own, summoning just as much emotion as the most eloquently penned line.