Reviews (page 6 of 7)
mi ero presa bene con il genere World ma cos'è sta cosa? che barba e che noia ancora una volta
“Cool conga solo—I wish that was the entire record,” said no one ever. I give it a bonus star for the musicianship and general raucousness.
cuban? haven't heard a lot of this style
God this is hard to listen to. Stupidly repetitive and the vocals are horrible, just shrieking away. It may have been amazing back in 57, but I don't want to listen to it again.
Drums and voices.
Just not really my thing
Rating this for greatness or influence or whatever is pretty impossible for me. I respect it, seems like some good drumming. But it was a lot of the same. I would like to have it next a pool with a mai tai maybe. And that's probably reductive but whatever
Ok, that's enough.
If you like the first 10 seconds of these songs, then you are going to like the entire track because it's SO repetitive. Musically, I enjoyed this (minus the repetitiveness). But the vocals drove me up the frigging wall. Take those away and I would have given this another star.
#74 It's not bad, just not something I would ever listen to.
my kingdom for a guitar
you like bongos? you'll love this! good rhythm and beats, but its repetitive as all hell.
This should be for me. I should like this. But it’s just bongo bongo bongo I don’t wanna leave the Congo over and over! Try a new instrument
Sabu Martinez, commonly known as Sabu, is a percussionist, and that fact is felt throughout this album, with the percussion playing the major role. I can hear a variety of drums and Sabu is truly slapping and striking away, and he does it exceptionally well. However, the percussion alone isn’t enough to keep my interest. The rest of the music feels lacklustre. The singing fails to captivate, and the compositions aren't particularly impressive. And unfortunately, the repetitive drumming also fails to get me into that state of trance that other songs in the genre do. On a positive note, the guitar playing, when it's there, is enjoyable, and I appreciate the album's overall sound. As a result, I think it serves well as background music. But when listening more attentively, I find it falls short in many areas.
not my bag - salsa/south african/cuban something or other
I didn't overly mind it but I don't want to listen to it again Sabu
Bit monotonous, no? I guess it was an exotic curiosity in its day…
Haven’t had one that sucked this hard in awhile
It's like the soundtrack to every Nandos meal I have ever eaten...
Spanish chanting intensifies. It would be a lot better if each song wasn’t the same 10 seconds of music repeated for 5 minutes. 3/10
Hmmm. This is good. But I’m not sure if this is white boy wannabe posing. So it gets two till you can convince me otherwise.
this album was boring as hell but at least it counts towards my spanish log
bad
It's not for me, but it's a bit better than I was expecting. The songs are pleasant enough for the most part and they don't actively irritate me. That said, the bullshit tracks of them screeching can do one. I started to enjoy it way more towards the end, until I realised Spotify had segued into an altogether different album!
Lots of bongos, could have used more cowbell. Everything is hard panned to one ear or the other, its not great when listening with headphones.
Some of Sabu is fun and exciting, most of it is obnoxious and annoying. I wouldn’t recommend to anyone I like.
I’m sorry to say I don’t get it. No melody or narrative to hook me in, just pure rhythm
An entire album of congo music wears out its welcome rather quickly
This just wasn’t for me
This album was enjoyable enough, but it feels like it was pretty inaccessible. Lots of call and response which can get a bit grating. Rhapsodia del Maravilloso was the standout on this album mainly for being a departure from the heavy drum work into guitar work which is splendid. I can't see myself going out of my way to listen to this again, it's pretty repetitive and I found that after Rhapsodia that the album kind of flew by me. On a repeat listen it didn't stick in my head any more than it did the first time. This album for me is a 5/10, wouldn't be upset if I heard it in the background but would probably skip it if I was in charge of the music.
not for me. It's a little too grating. that Simba song felt like an Ice Pic into my brain
I can appreciate the groove but I don't think I'll revisit. Not enough going on. High 2 or low 3.
A couple of good tracks here in an otherwise fun but middling album. 2.5 stars.
I mean, it all kind of sounds the same. I guess that's ok as it's...ok, but just waiting for it to be done. Some hip swinging was had.
A couple of these songs started out good or had good parts but it was just too discordant and yelly for me.
it’s freaky
Palo Congo is interesting, some of the instrumentals are nice but it often goes too long for my liking.
Cool for the first 15 minutes then gets old quick.
Doesn't seem quite as old as it actually is. Not much more to say, too repetitive for me.
Found it quite interesting for a song or 2, but that was plenty. I got the jist of it after that. Nice to have stuff like this on the list, but won't be rushing back
while I can't deny the talents of Sabu, the recording is largely dedicated to long flat examples of some rythyms that dont change and have little or no orchestration so the appeal is very limited. I did find the second to last and last songs to be better because they involved more orchestration.
Kyllä tää oman aikansa piti otteessa, mut pidemmän päälle tuli korvista ulos
I wish I could enjoy this more but something is definitely lost in translation.
Not really my thing. Lot of drums.
It aight. Good energy but too much shouting. 4.5/10
Not my favorite.
What a strange recording to have on this list. Do you like the conga? If not, then this is going to be some rough 40 minutes. Almost impressed with the range going directly from the almost unlistenable 'Simba' to the groovy 'Rhapsodia del Maravilloso'.
Not really for me...
Wow bongos
Palo Congo starts well with the opening track but then quickly loses its way. Way too much bongo, way too repetitive, it's nearly 70 years old and it shows. Not really a fan of the genre anyway, it gets a low 2 because it's inoffensive, just not very good.
Yeah, the man loves a bongo. It's simple, repetitive music, and it gets a bit wearing after about 10-15 minutes. Sadly, the album lasts 40. 2/5.
Si t'aimes les congas c'est cool.
No es para mi
2 tracks were cool....
Lots of high energy congo / bongo drums, primitive guitar, very repetitive, simple Latino lyrics. Not bad during an elliptical workout, would be a lot better at a late evening party with extra hot salsa and plenty of tequila! Liked it enough to rate it (1.957*s)
To drum at this speed, with this repetition for 6+ minutes straight is a feat in itself and I can respect that. What I don't respect is why this album has to be heard before one dies. I don't like the call-and-respond format of the vocals, a lot of it sounds like Speedy Gonzales yelling to Chiquita Banana Lady. There's a few songs where the rhythms are decent and somewhat primal but I'd rather just be playing the drums myself. Interesting listen but not putting it on.
I can get down with a conga/bongo beat for a while and this album was just enough at 40 mins. Felt like I was in a drum circle at playa de venice or casa de Estrella. Simple and repetitive so not a high mark on the rating. Not the worst so far either...1.8.
No bad, just not for me. The chants get really repetitive.
I didn't hate it but there are a lot better latin congo albums out there. This ended and Spotify started playing another, similar, artist and I had the thought, "finally this is getting good." Then I looked and saw it wasn't this album anymore.
South American folk music. A lot of call and response singing. Songs too long for what they are. The drums and sparse guitar were nice though.
I don't care for music which is mostly percussion, just don't find it very interesting, and a lot of this is only conga drums and shouting. The tracks with guitars are ok
interesting 50s drum & jazz
Not my jam. Favourite track: Tribilin Cantore.
This is just too much. Brilliant stereo recording. But 40minutes is far too much, unless Congo is your thing.
It good be good but it is too repetitive and noisy
J'aurais vraiment aimé aimer cet album, mais honnêtement c'est beaucoup trop niche comme son. Je suis sûr que ça a eu un impact sur la scène latine, mais ça a vraiment mal vieilli. C'est impossible à écouter avec des écouteurs. Le style de vieux stéréo est beaucoup trop irritant : on a l'impression d'avoir deux moitiés de chansons dans chaque oreille en même temps. Aussi, ça fait comme si voir un groupe de ce genre dans un jam session serait vraiment intéressant, mais pas au point de l'endisquer. 3/10
Well, I just didn't get a kick out of this. Feels like a token world music inclusion.
Just not my cuppa. A bit too... Hectic?
Not for me
sabu's ability to play deeply complex rhythms at the speed he plays them at while also managing to make it sound structured and coherent impressed me. unfortunately this album was a total chore. at a club or party, in the right live environment, im sure this has unbelievable energy. the recording is stiff however and as cool as the rhythm play is, i dont think i can ever love music as un-melodic as this. i would never go as far as to call this not music (and it's probably straight up racist to do so), it is far too expressive (a core goal of art being expression) and technical to be insulted in that way. things shine on tracks 3, 6, and 8, which all feature prominent and fascinating guitar melodies played by arsenio rodriguez. i would be much more interested in an album that blended the guitar playing of those tracks with the rhythm section on the rest of the album. honestly just for introducing me to rodriguez's guitar skills, this was worth the listen
This album does not belong on this list.
3/10 I'm glad they're having fun and for that I'm not going to give them one star. I'm not going to listen anymore but I wish them well. 5-14-2024
No. No in tune with my "western ear". Sounds like too much banging and shouting.
So entertaining!
Boyfriend said it’s nice music to fall asleep to…? Anyway, I think the recording is a little flat, with modern recording techniques it would have a lot more depth and balance. Still pretty swingy but I would like this a lot more live I think. Now it’s just a lot of noise.
Not my bag
There can't be too many congueros (players of the conga (a tall, narrow, single-headed drum from Cuba)) with international recording contracts in 2024, so just as well this exists from 1957. Although the thing it does is well done, it is a bit of a museum piece and 20 minutes would have been enough to illustrate the point. Rating: 2/5 Playlist track: El Cumbanchero Date listened: 23/04/24
Good for a certain mood and setting. Not something I could listen to at work, but good for cooking dinner
Cuban rumba. Me resultan siempre repetitivas las canciones.
Not terrible, I actually really love the percussion and guitar. But my god this album is super annoying to me
I get it, but it hasn't really stood the test of time.
Meh.
Couldn't get into it. Too repetitive for me.
Lucky to be getting a 2 to be honest. Quite like the guitars at times. Too much conga. 18/100
Interesting but not essential
Messemble que j’aimerais ça théoriquement, mais en réalité ça me tape vite sur les nerfs
Total not my style... mostly anoying
Not really a massive fan of this. I feel it's what people listen to 70 years on when they are trying to be trendy.
not for me.
It was exactly as I expected it to sound. I can respect the genre and the influence this had on it, but it’s just not for me.
Repetitive
Notable tracks: El Cumbanchero, Aggo Elugua, Billumba-Palo Congo, Choferito-Plena, Rhapsodia Del Maraville
Unfortunately I find myself stuck once again in an album that is quite repetitive. The language barrier definitely doesn’t help, but I’m also thinking a lot of this is on whoever mixed the album. We get a lot of vocals that could be/ARE great, but it sounds like we are listening to them sing from miles away. However, this album has two fun tracks im fond of. “Rhapsodia del Maravilloso” and “Tribilin Cantore” both of these tracks feel like a breath of fresh air after most of the earlier tracks in the album are the same bongo patterns with the same guitar.
Just couldn't get into it.
mmm ok?
Ahh the eternal question - how much Congo is too much Congo. Turns out the answer is pretty much anything more than one song’s worth.
Felix called it caveman music. Pretty fun but couldn’t get through entire album
Good but not my bag
I am clearly not the target market for this album.
I appreciate a lot of things about this album, but it’s a bit too rhythmic and repetitive for my taste. Just not for me!
I don’t want to work I just want to bang on the Congo all day. This is some old school instrumental stuff that is fun but overall pretty boring. Nothing against it just not really for me. 4.0/10
A little boogaloo goes a long way but I bet this blew the roof off of 1957. Added ‘Tribilin Cantore’
Minimal Viable Jazz. There really isn’t much happening. A guy tapping away at bongos. Some vocals that are bit like found sound recordings. And that’s it. I quite like it, in some ways. But I’m not sure of the significance for this list?
While I appreciate the artistry, I can't say the album hooked me.
congas & bongos, ok.
Eläimellistä menoa
Un album qui a eu pour seul mérite de bousiller une journée de la triste vie d'eltrapeze.
Pues entretenido, entiendo por que está aquí. Me dio un poco de conflicto algunas lyrics creo que es algo que no entiendo bien pero pues se aprendió
I love the Spanishy stuff but it did sound like someone was hitting a frying pan with a spoon for most of it
Not for me I'm afraid
Cuban rumba. Me resultan siempre repetitivas las canciones.
I was really into the first song, I love music of that style. After that it became insufferable, just noises.
Listened to this while playing Aeon's End with my partner against Hollow Crown. We lost twice. Hmmm...I kinda was excited to hear an album like this...but I feel like there HAS to be better examples of this genre than this. The vocals were a bit tough to digest at times. The second track had my partner and I shouting back in a call and response manner, so that was pretty fun. A solid 2.
Jungle drums - it sounds like a soundtrack from 1970s Tarzan movies.
The influences are cool from a historical perspective; afro-cuban is something I got to learn about thanks to this album, but the music itself didn't do much for me. This is primarily drums/repetitive beats.
Je l'ai écouté y'a 2 semaines mais je crois que c'était chiant
Cuban rumba. Me resultan siempre repetitivas las canciones.
Gear: Focal Clear Artwork: 🪘😃🟨 Production: 🔥👌🎯 Music: 😅⁉️🤔 Rating: 🪘🪘/5
Unique, and very far from my usual listening. Glad I got exposed to it but probably won't play it again
so much of this takes me back to my childhood at the hindu temple - the drums, the call and repeat - that I am both nostalgic and grateful to have understood the universality of that experience, even if I cannot see myself ever coming back to the recording. live, however, is a different story.
Not add bad as the other reviews make it out to be 2.75 stars
Didn't get into it but didn't really try
Hey bruh, go jam out on some congos. You over there, go beat the shit out of that bell thing while me and the boys yell some random shit. We'll be played in Cuban restaurants in the states for all time!
Some songs were interesting, but some were way too repetitive and unenjoyable. I liked trying something that's pretty different from what I usually listen to, though. Maybe if I were more used to this type of music, I'd like it more.
Niet mijn genre, en niet boeiend
a cultural immersion into some spirited music. Not for my repeated listening but I enjoyed the flavor of the music and percussions.
Fine for what it is, but I wouldn’t revisit
lively and upbeat, but to be honest, most of the songs are pretty redundant.
Yeah, it's like the drum circle at La Universidad de Mexico Centrale got some studio time.
From the genre name I thought I'd enjoy this more, but it ended up having a lot of long periods of not a lot
Best Song: Tribilin Cantore. Nice guitar work. Worst Song: Billumba-Palo Congo. It turns out you can repeat a vocal phrase too many times in a single song. Overall: Pleasantly rhythmic but unpleasantly repetitive. Something about the relatively raw vocals repeating certain phrases for minutes at a time did not work for me.
OK. Preferred the songs with lyrics
My husband: "Is this nothing but fucking drums?" Well no, but actually yes.
Egg
I’m usually very lenient on old non English music but this was the worst one I’ve gotten in recent memory. It’s a lot of annoying call and response with not a lot of interesting instrument work. At this point I think I’m more engaged with the albums again but I’m just in another rough patch. Since this album was so lame, I decided to relisten to southern rock opera and the generally positive 4 turned into a confident 4 because I really enjoy the overall themes of the album on top of the garage blues sound. Southern history and politics were some of my favorite topics in college and I really liked hearing a non-academic, non-literary perspective of the South and segregationism. I especially liked the three great Alabama icons spoken word thing (which is crazy for me) and the song about George Wallace that followed. I have no idea if everything was true but I found Wallace's portrayal as a blindly ambitious demagogue as opposed to hateful segregationist (which he still embraced) to be a really interesting perspective.
Just not my music
unfortunately mid
No one wants a 40 minute drum solo
I wasn't impressed by either the percussion or vocals on this album. Nowhere near as good as the Tito Puente record we already heard.
Not my style I think. I can appreciate latino music for sure, but this version of it isent very appealing to me
I’m sure this was culturally significant but not quite my cup of tea
Latin bongo music. That’s it really. Thanks.
Some bops are OK, where the guitar is the lead Melody or some singing.
I wanted to like this a lot more, as a drummer, and I'm sure it must have done a lot for the horde. But this was just not a good "album." I guess it's good to hear once and to know his name.
cool?
Very good but too too much for me. I couldn’t listen again.
really not my vibe. long et pénible. que des bruits de congos 3/10
While I do appreciate some great latin music this focus on percussion seems a bit too meandering for me. I can enjoy it in the back but that's about it.
Bingo bongo sur un moyen temps. Du gros jazz latin. Gros style pas commun. Pas deg. Nice découvert though. (2.5)
2.5/5
I actually enjoyed the first song, but the rest of this is pretty shit.
This one didn’t sit well with me. Again it may have to do with my growing up and appreciation of other genres more. I just can’t seem to connect with this type of music, same goes for world music, I just can’t vibe to it. 3 out of 10
Couple of nice songs. Interesting sound.
Starts off wild and free but grinds itself into mediocrity rather quickly. The improvisational spirit is there, but the instrumentation is so sparse and the vocals too annoying to sustain even the short runtime that’s there.
I love the sound. For maybe 5 minutes. Unless I've got some rum in me, I wouldn't be able to listen to a whole lot more of this.
40 minutes of conga drums is way too much.
Dude really likes congos
Meh.
Damn, talk about a u-turn! I've got a bad case of sonic whiplash going from The Lemonheads yesterday to this today. I'm sure this record is revered for a reason but all these fucking bongos and congas are doing my head in. It just sounds like a noisy construction site. Not for me.
Buenos noches senor - the music is non stop congas. Not really made for me but I'm sure is important to the culture.
I started each song. I did not finish each song.
Got a little bored
Not my thing.
Did you know that one who plays the conga is a conguero? That might have been the most interesting thing I discovered from this album. There's a reason why percussionists (i.e., drummers, but congueros too) aren't usually the band leader. Guitars, piano - those are good lead instruments. Percussions are good accompaniment, and good for a nice solo from time to time. I felt like congas and other percussions were the only thing I could hear for the first two songs, except for terrible vocals. Thank god the third one introduced some nice strings. Not as good as that Bongo Rock album, and I thought that was just okay. Like that bongo album, I recognize the novelty here but it gets old fast.
Really not my thing.
I was pretty so so on this one. I just didn't find it terribly interesting and probably missed the whole purpose. the instrumentals were great, and at least in concept I found some resonance with the call and response.
This guy is from Spanish Harlem and was / is still a pretty big deal just not in the U.S. Spotify says that he's got a ton of fans in Colombia, Chile and Mexico City and nearly 300k monthly listeners. Lots of banging percussion and repetition. "Look Kids! Big Ben!" This was a difficult listen but fortunately only 40 mins. long.
I got to learn about conga drums. Some of it sounded Latin. Some of it sounded African. That is all.
I need more than loosely organized congas and bongos to keep me engaged. It sounds like they invited tres hombres to out conga each other and added highly repetitive vocals. No bueno.
Eka biisi oli lupaava, muuten tämä oli sellaista, joka pitäisi kuulla ja nähdä livenä. Ainakin kävelymusana jää vain askelrytmiksi
Ok, en välttämättä jaksanut kuunnella näitä ihan loppuun saakka. Mutta olin kyllä joka biisin kohdalla aidosti kiinnostunut siitä, minkälaista takomista SEURAAVAT raidat toisivat tullessaan.
I liked how interesting it was, but that’s about all I have good to say about this album.
2.4/5 Best: Choferita-Plena Worst: Asabache
Mostly fun…except for the whistles.
Not going to lie, made me do a little shoulder shimmy whilst working. Appreciate it, but ultimately does not take up a permanent spot in my library
It’s not doing it for me, all very messy and shouty.
Not bad, but not great 2.5
Misschien was ik niet in de mood maar ik kreeg helemaal de ieks van dit album! Hoge hartslag, snel ademen, het was niet niks. Dat terwijl ik juist hoge verwachtingen hierbij had. Vandaag 2 sterren maar ik geef het nog een keer een kans binnenkort!!
boooooongooooos
Ok
Parts of this I found interesting, but overall it was pretty tedious. 2 stars.
There is not much latin American percussion in here and I'm a bit at a loss as to what to make of this. The conga playing is clearly great, and the mainly chanted call-and-response vocals add to what is quite a minimal sound palate. Rhythms and tracks that were crying out for just a bit more melody.
Tikkie Tok Tikkie Tik. Not bad, but also not something to put on again.
A bit of a mess, this, but I did not hate it. The later album Sabu's Jazz Espagnole is much more digestible and looks to have been produced with more care.
от кубинской румбы сильно большего ожидала (впрочем, не люблю латинскую музыку)
I prefer the more melodic tracks to those (like Asabache) where the army of conga players takes center stage, save for a few chants. IMO congas are better suited to a supporting role. It’s interesting that according to the Wiki page, the only critics to pay any attention to this release were 1001. That said, it was adventurous for Bluenote to release this in 1957. Between a 2 and 3 for me.
The first song, Rhapsodia was good and so was the last song, Triblin cantore because it had bit more variety with a guitar. But I wasn't moved by the other 6 songs in the middle. I am a big jazz fan but Afro-Cuban jazz just doesn't do it for me. I found the recording of the congas here to be too forward and prominent and it just dominates the sound.
more nandos music. bet cristiano ronaldo listens to this when he's on his way to go and do some noncing.
Wah wah wah
Palo Congo is the 1957 debut album by conga player Sabu Martinez with Arsenio Rodriquez and his brothers Raul and Quique. This is a Cuban rumba album with a focus on percussion, specifically the conga drum. This is one of the more interesting albums that I have listened to because of this 1001 albums journey. It wasn't bad, but it's just drum beating with unique vocals over top.
I respect the musicianship, but was not in the mood for 40 minutes of bongos and Santeria chants.
This fucking website made me listen to religious African music. But when I think about it I ironically enjoyed my catholic church's songs about Jesus so I guess I can ironically enjoy this one too. First Listen?: Y (no shit) Fav. Track(s): the one with the congas Rating: 2/5
Interesting but probably not going to be a regular listen.
so... I generally like this kind of music, it can be fun and energetic and tropical but the singing (musically) was a weak point and if the main balancing component to weak vocals is just bongos... it's not great. the song(s) with guitar faired much better than those of only bongos to my ears. Bongos by design and function are quite repetitive and need a solid musical balance to be effective. In the end, it just didn't feel *fun* to me, which is the only reason I ever listen to this genre of music.
hispanic folk music
Pretty okay, I liked the style and this is quite raw, it's both interesting and also a bit boring. It was nice discovering but I don't think I'll listen again. 2.5/5
Another background musicable latin music album. Nothing special. 1.5/5
Not my taste, so 2 stars
The other day, as I worked in my garden, I heard someone down the block practising such rhythms on a djembé. It was hypnotic and virtuosic at the same time, like this album. Glad I discovered such a witness to the roots of much music today!
Found this more repetitive than some others in the genre.
Not my cup of tea. But good background music when you are focusing on a task.
Look, I love Afro-Cuban music and percussions in general, but that one in particular got tiring real fast. Sounds like they had a lot of fun doing it, but it also sounds like I had no business listening to it.
Good, but not enough to stand out. Neither bad or good, I'll probably forgot about he existence of this album in 5 minutes
It's a cool album if you're really into cuban rumba and percs, but I don't feel it really uplifting, engaging or catchy. I'll probably even forget I ever listened to that. The guitar parts were great and refreshing, tho.
Got better as the album wore on, but I will give it a miss
Heard before: no Another album where I’m sure the context would elevate it - if I was listening to the band perform live, I might tell you it’s amazing. Listening to it while doing the dishes, however, I got lost and bored.
okay. This style of music is not my favorite.
An interesting listen, and an important "historical" document for fans of the genre (and conga players, I imagine). But I doubt even them will select this as the sort of album out of whom they take the most pleasure overall. But what do I know about those things, eh? Number of albums left to review or just listen to: more than 900, I've temporarily lost count here Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: approximately a half so far Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: a quarter Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more important): the last quarter (including this one)
Música étnica, con indudable ritmo, mezcla con ritmos latinos igualmente. No me ha llamado nada la atención
So 'Sabu' was a percussionist... that makes sense. The tunes with guitar etc are delightful, but 4/8 tracks of just hypnotic drumming and vocals is a lot, even for me. Probably best experienced live, outdoors, while performing some sort of mystic ritual.
Didn’t mind this but got a little repetitive by the end
Good
What the fuck?
not my thing at all
I liked Rhapsodia Del Maravilloso. The rest was not for me.
I can imagine this encapsulates the Cuban sound very well but to me an average listener its just loud noises that come off as very annoying. Especially in the second track which is just frequent yelling over bongo drums. However I did actually really enjoy the opening track. It's probably something that I just don't understand but this isn't an album I would be running to tell my friends and family about.
it's good for a couple of songs as it's very different and the bongo solos are awesome, but by the end it feels like just bongos and shouting
This is another album I'm not equipped to judge. But I'll do it. :) Pros: These songs only have percussion, one guitar, and vocals. That's actually an impressive level of simplicity. Also, I do like the "call and answer" vocals on a lot of these songs. It's fun. Cons: I don't get it. I don't really know what I'm listening to, what makes it good, who else performs in the genre, etc.
Muy mnie también.
Great conga playing but not my style for a regular listen. Glad it was included though
I respect it.
Yeah, it’s peppy.
Aparte muziek. Iets wat ik normaal nooit luister. Klinkt wel gezellig. Een heel album is me wel iets teveel. Heb ook geen idee of dit album beter of slechter is dan normaal. Voor mij persoonlijk leuk voor een paar nummers, maar niet helemaal lineair te luisteren. De nummers met alleen getrommel irriteren me vooral. **
Not great. Congo drums not the move
I want to be respectful of other cultures, but this ain't it. There are three tracks on this album that are worth mentioning. The others are repetitive, borderline nonsensical calls-and-response over congas. Lots and lots of congas. Congas for days. You better really like congas if you're going to pick this one up. Best track: Choferito-Plena
Really puts the "Afro-" in Afro-Cuban. Typical Latin sounds morphing into tribal beats and back. Good grooves, but really repetitive and a bit too raw for me.
4/10. The second song was pretty annoying. Wait, I think that might just be the whole album. The songs are so long and repetitive. The ones that are just instrumentals are actually alright, but nothing super exciting. Overall not my favorite, but nothing that stands out as awful
i didn’t hate it but i didn’t really like it. i thought it was kinda boring and repetitive but i liked the drumming, but it was a lot of similar stuff throughout.
I might be able to chalk this up to my own ignorance but I just couldn't get too into this. Not being much of a samba fan at all, I can still give credit to the decent musicianship but I don't love the singing ("Simba" in particular is especially annoying). Maybe would be more up my alley if this were all instrumental - e.g. "Rhapsodia Del Maravilloso" is a highly enjoyable uptempo song highlighted by fantastic guitar playing. 2 stars for feeling like I can't rate it properly - just not my bag. 3/10 2 stars
It's ok.
Not my vibe, I couldn’t find the gem but still quality sound.
Didn't hate this but not feeling it today, couldn't finish.
Just a bunch of talk
Different, but not particularly good
Wouldn't seek the album out to listen to again.
Classic 50s Cuban music with some afro vibes. 4/10.
was fun to listen to and read about
1957, Cuban rumba
cuban jazz. Enjoyed some of the more tuneful parts, but also a lot of rambling rhythmic chanty bits that were repetitive and boring. Not sure this is my kinda thing, don't think i'd listen again.
Not my type in of vibe
Wel lekker latin albumpje, maar niet geweldig
Doesn't do a whole lot for me, it's not offensive and just sorta there. It was in the background while I was coding and it wasn't the worst. Very rhythm heavy, obviously. But, ehh. I finished the album and some other random ones came up in the playlist by Sabu (Volvera for example), which were much more interesting.
Enerverende afrikansk trommemusik. Meget gentagende og langt. Ikke noget for mig
this is the type of thing that would be really cool live but i just wouldn’t listen to casually
Boring. Normally I can atleast appreciate the instrumentation or the uniqueness of the more foreign albums but this one was just not doing anything for me.
I just couldn't get into this at all, 1/5
Palo Congo was a tough listen. Rumba and Afro-Cuban percussion-led music have never really been genres I would like or listen to. One of the great things about this challenge is that it introduces me to music I would never normally seek out, and I always try to approach those albums with an open mind. However, this is one that I struggled to get much from. While I can appreciate the musicianship and understand how impressive and influential it must have sounded in 1957, it simply didn't resonate with me as a listening experience. The percussion and performances are undoubtedly skilled, but without strong melodies or songs for me to latch onto, the album felt more like something to admire than something to enjoy. It's an important record historically, but not one I can see myself returning to. Favourite tracks: None really stood out for me Least favourite tracks: Nothing specifically, but the overall style just wasn't for me Album artwork: A striking cover that certainly catches the eye
Did not finish
ok def not my genre, so prob wont listen the whole album but i will try to appreciate it the sound is of course i guess ok, some of the songs are ritualistic, i don't know i mean as cultural anthropological thing or study is nice but for the musical artistry im not sure about that. 1/5
I feel like this is the punishment dished out to all those people who said this list is too western, and too pop and rock. Surely there’s world music out there that was influential which wasn’t this. Please give us that instead.
My life isn't long enough that I absolutely had to hear that before I die. I would have been just fine without that experience. 1/5
There probably is depth to it but I really can't hear it
Well, that was, uhhh, interesting. Lots of banging and sound making.
Bona noche Kaiiiip jis priskiriamas prie geriausiu albumu ever 🥸
Not for me 1/5
Terrible
Painful
ich mag das instrument nicht und das genre nicht und finds mega anstrengend
Banqué mucho que me pongan un disco latino en esta aplicación de mierda, dentro de puro disco yanqui viejo del orto
Konnte ich leider gar nichts mit anfangen.
Each song begins great then you realize you're about to listen to the same lyrics or instrument pattern for the rest of the 5 minutes. Every song does this.
terrible
How is this part of the top 1001 albums.
Not my kind of music
Not a fan, listened to it 2 times. It really made me feel nervous for no reason.
Sabu – Palo Congo (1957) On Day 77, Palo Congo was a complete miss. It lacks any discernible soul or a cohesive concept that makes it worth a full listen. When I finish a project, I want to have memorable points to hold onto, but this offered nothing. Even the supposed highlights like El Cumbanchero didn't land it just wasn't a good listen. It felt like a collection of rhythms without a heart, earning a definitive 1/5.
I can’t judge whether this is good or bad, but I do know I don’t like it at all
I gotta be honest, I could have used a little more bongos. I got a fever and the only prescription is more bongos! Seriously, it does not move me at all. Just background music. The kind of album that guy in college made you listen to because it was gonna change how you listen to music.
No es mi tipo de música.
Unless you are drunk on a dance floor, this music grates the nerves.
Nah
A fucking drun solo track? Get to fuck.
Esoteric
Hard to get my arms round this one
To save time they should have put on the credits, "assume everyone was playing congas or bongos unless stated otherwise"
this is like the first song on earth
No likey
The website ate my review!
Too much bongo shouty
I don't know the historical relevance of this album, but I really disliked it.
pratique pour apprendre a dire bonne nuit,
The beats are pretty good. Didn’t enjoy the music, though. 3/10 Ho Hum
I have the greatest respect for the Blue Note label. The fact that this lot are on it means that they must be good. So I’m wrong and they’re right but not right enough to inflate my star score. 1/5 22/1/26
First torturous album I've had in a while. Boy that second song made me wish I didn't have ears, and I can even understand a little bit of what they are saying. The cacophony of drums and chanting was awful, though. A few more painful songs along the way, but some of them weren't horrible. If the only positive note I can give is that "some songs weren't horrible", it's a 1 for me dawg
I thought, maybe it's just not for me but I could see the technical competence or something, but I couldn't even get past the second track. Not for me for sure
honestly not very fun to listen to. feels. well. dated so it’s not fair bc they keep sending me all this iconic stuff without impressing on me its originality
ugh
En bongotrumma gör inget album. Här har Blue Note, som brukar vara liktydigt med kvalitet, verkligen gått vilse i iverna att hitta nåt nytt och spännande. Det saknas låtar. Det bara trummas och ibland ylas det. När stränginstrument får vara med blir det bättre. Men inte bra.
from the first track, I knew I was in trouble. What an annoying album.
Today was my last day (working) at the prison, except it nearly wasn’t, because this album made me want to commit a murder.
Interesting that this came out on Blue Note Records because it’s more like ‘brown note’. It’s a very dank, claustrophobic listen and the restless conga and chanting makes it feel like I am being held prisoner in some jungle village and they’re about to get the cooking pots out. Occasionally there’s some nice guitar bits that break up the conga monotony but that’s a small solace. 1.5 stars.
3/10
Way too much conga. 1/5
Overall: 1/10 I don't enjoy listening to some people who can't keep a tune yell over some percussion. I don't see why this would be essential listening. Fav Song: El Cumbanchero
Never heard this before….never will again hopefully.
Очередные нигеры с нищим блюзом/джазом
I was taught by adverts, "Um Bongo, the drink it in the Congo". Sounds simple, but today I realised things may be more complex. It seems that just about everyone on this album is playing a "Conga", an instrument that originated in the "Congo", where "Um Bongo" is allegedly drunk. However, one performer also plays the "Bongo". I believe the main artists are from Cuba, nowhere near Africa. From some quick research, it seems Bongos are smaller than Congas. I'm confused. Just how many Conga/ Bongo players are needed on one album? It seems that they spent all of their money on Conga/ Bongo kit and forgot to have singers, or any other musical accompaniment. So they had to let the poor Conga players double up by shouting random stuff and twiddling on guitars here and there. Maybe they told them that this noise would be fixed in the production, but then they forgot to do this? I can't believe it was intentional to release this album in this form. Actually, it sounds like the only production was to randomly pick conga drums and assign them to the right or left channel. One star, maybe if they had brought in a few singers it could rise to the dizzy heights of two stars.
Meh
1- Star (1/15)
A lot of noise, a lot of congas and random shouting. Some ok bits, track 6 best of the bunch, sounds quite exotic and a lot calmer than most of the album.