Another Operación Triunfo alumnus,
Manuel Carrasco is among the few who managed not merely to launch but also to sustain a successful solo career. Wisely avoiding burnout and overexposure, his fifth album,
Habla, comes a full three years after 2008's
Inercia.
Carrasco's stock-in-trade is confessional singer/songwriter pop/rock, such as the first single "Otoño, Octubre," and sweeping romantic ballads, such as the three tracks recorded with the Rome Symphony Orchestra. Indeed,
Habla was a bit of an Italian holiday for
Carrasco, as he chose to record in Milan under renowned producer
Claudio Guidetti, of
Eros Ramazzotti fame, but also -- and crucially in determining
Carrasco's choice -- responsible for the last two albums by fellow Spanish singer
Sergio Dalma, which were among the highest-selling records in Spain during 2010 and 2011. ~ Mariano Prunes