The Motorcycle Diaries (CD - 2004)

This acclaimed soundtrack, mostly consisting of composer Gustavo Santaolalla's haunting score, features an eclectic mix of Latin styles. The music here is a hybrid of South American folk music, mostly from Santaolalla's native Argentina, also the homeland of the film's main character, the young medical student and future revolutionary Ernesto "Che" Guevara.

Most of Santaolalla's compositions are quite reflective. "Leyendo en el Hospital," "Chichina," and "Partida del Leprosario" showcase his sensitive acoustic guitar playing, while other tracks, such as the moving "De Usuahia a la Quiaca," feature the ronroco, a mandolin-like Argentinean instrument (and one of Santaolalla's specialties). The brief interludes "Montana" and "Circulo en el Rio" are moody atmospheric pieces that contrast effectively with Santaolalla's distorted rock-like guitar riffs on "Apertura" and "Cabalgando." Rounding out the album are tracks by other artists. "Chipi Chipi," which features the vocals of Maria Esther Zamora, is a lighthearted novelty tune, while Jorge Drexler's "Al Otro Lado del Rio" is a gentle, acoustic number that won the Best Song award at the 2005 Oscars. minimize