In “Blur,” track six on the Marías ‘ new album “Submarine,” vocalist María Zardoya proclaims herself as an avoidant. Zardoya’s breathy voice sings about refusing to elaborate on any questions about the “mess” she’s made of her life, mainly because she can’t bare to recall the painful memories. It’s a brave acknowledgment to make considering Zardoya, now sitting in her ex-boyfriend Josh Conway’s home studio, is openly discussing her life-altering breakup, what also happens to be the material for the Marías’ 14-song sophomore record and the follow-up to their critically acclaimed Grammy-nominated debut, “Cinema” (2021).
Jazz-tinged and decorated in red, “Cinema” was a breezy collection of love songs narrated by Zardoya’s sultry sweet vocals that slide between English and Spanish. “Submarine,” mainly consisting of English lyrics, got its inspiration from films like Krzysztof Kieślowski’s 1993 drama “Three Colors Blue,” in which the protagonist of the film endures isolating, emotional pain after losing her entire family in a car accident. Alone and depressed, she begins a rewarding yet agonizing journey through self-discovery.
In similar ways, “Submarine” gives credence to the notion that every heartbreak serves a purpose. In the case of “Submarine,” the plotline begins with the electric “Ride,” and ends abruptly with “Sienna,” largely because there is a deluxe version of the album (“an extension of ‘Submar.
