Reviews (page 4 of 8)
The album really brings something catchy in every song. Seems like you know or heard all of the songs in the past. The mix between language and some spoken part make are also good imo. Only downside I could see is that some of the sing are really similar... 3.5/5
Manu Chao first came to my attention when he produced Miriam and Amadou's Dimanche a Bamako. That 2004 record is probably my all-time favourite World Music record and it continues to be on high rotation today. Manu Chao epitomizes World Music, he was born in Bilbao (Basque country) and grew up in France and speaks like 10 languages. He also infuses his music with a huge range of styles: reggae, salsa, French chanson, Afro-Cuban, latin, ska etc., but the common denominator is that it is all undeniably catchy and fun.
I confess I was a little worried seeing the cover and the 1998 release date, but this is not what I expected- it’s really very nice. For starters, I’m a sucker for CDs where all the songs bleed into each other- check- and this CD does it extremely well too, with a consistent mood that evolves slowly, like a single long track. There’s also strong consistency in the sound, which is lovely- very heavy echo, strong bass (the bass is excellent, and carries a few tracks), light acoustic Latin guitar and Latin percussion. And the smooth transitions plus the consistent sound make it feel like a concept album, which I love. He mixes it up just enough to keep the listener interested and surprised throughout- e.g. adding electric guitar, chorus vocals, and horns on “Luna y Sol”, which is probably the gem of the CD overall. I’m not sure I’d call any track except that one super-catchy, in part because he’s not as focused on melody, in part because I don’t understand a word of what he’s saying. But they’re all fun, and he does rockers like “Malegria” and ballads like “Desaparecido” about equally well. Very solid.
Not even sure where Manu is from. This album is an eclectic mash up of world music. Moving seamlessly from Latin to reggae to African styles. Nice. Worthy of the 1001 albums list
Impossible not to enjoy Manu Chao's music and the impact his debut had on exposing people around the globe to world music. One of my go-to artists for chill music that anyone can jam to. And boy does he love his marihuana.
You might not expect a French/Spanish singer armed with an acoustic guitar, sound collages and the ability to sing in French, Spanish, English, Portuguese, Arabic and Greek (just to mention a few) to be one of the world’s foremost figures when it comes to progressive musical thinking challenging a variety of political and humanitarian causes globally. Nevertheless, that’s exactly what Manu Chao is as he encapsulates the spirit of punk way more than most contemporary bands of the genre. Recorded in Estudio Clandestino (basically his laptop) I’m amazed at how alive this album sounds. Being recorded on the go and whenever the opportunity and creativity allowed for it really works wonders for the songs. Whether he sings of the King of Bongo, welcomes you to Mexico or challenges the state of the world in enough languages for at least a couple of world leaders to understand, time just flies by when you’re in the great company of Manu Chao.
I liked this it's a fun album
Gago!
Nice latin blending
Punk lyrics with Reggae sounds, I very much enjoyed this album.
A lot of the sounds remind me of early Gorillaz. Lots of great tracks and a great vibe overall.
I really like "Bongo Bong" and "La Vie à 2". This genre of music, for me, depends largely on context. In a cantina eating Mexican food? Yes. Cleaning out the garage? Not so much. But I enjoyed listening to this album.
Very enjoyable piece of spanish music, and very colorful and not at all samey and boring. Good stuff. Heard it on a drive with my mom and she's fluent in spanish so she kept translating what she heard and told me about the songs. Love the vibe. 4
Idk what to call this, but I enjoyed it way more than expected
Classic Manu Chao. Easy listening.
Enjoyed this. I'd only heard Bongo Bong before but there's lots of variety here.
Enjoyable album
Pretty good overall, definitely a noteable album for its time. Loved how he switched to french for one song
Good vibes and chill sound. Caribbean influence with spanish flair. This is the first album I hadn't heard before being recommended here and I like it. Maybe not an everyday listen, but around a campfire with friends would be the perfect ambiance. Pass the puff and relax into the mood.
He IS the king of bongo bong.
The undisputed King of Bongo, baby.
king of Bongo Bong
probably a lot cooler if i understood the language
What happened to this book in 1998? They put Kid rock and Korn in over Neutral Milk Hotel...This album is certainly great, welcome to Tijuana is a fantastic criticism of the problems plagueing City and the country associated. Bongo bong into Je ne t'aime bang in their own soft way. The smooth flow from song to song is almost unnoticable and all the samples used have clear and important uses within the album. Language barrier aside I have trouble getting past a bit of the cheesiness in the songwriting. Maybe it's my lack of affinity for alot of the traditional latin sounds but I find that everything that is not the beat of this album to be so much more captivating. Great album, will probably listen again sometime but not often 8.3/10
Muy bien
Good vibes
Mi pare di avere a casa dei miei il singolo di Clandestino. Parte bene, ma tra le prime 3 'Bongo Bong' è un classico insuperabile. Bello bello, non un capolavoro.
Is the second half really boring or is it just the effect of post-nut clarity that I got in the first half? Freaking Latin music.
Perfect album to listen to at the beach or just to relax, this was really fun. Short quick songs mostly in spanish but some english too. I liked the variety.
4.5
No me esperaba encontrar a Manu Chao en esta lista. Creo que es una acierto incluir algo tan ecléctico y no anglosajón. Y las primeras 5 canciones especialmente buenas: "Clandestino", "Desaparecido", "Bongo Bong", "Je ne t'aime plus" y "Mentira...". Se merece 4 estrellas.
Ik versta niets van de Spaanse taal, maar het geeft me wel een bepaald vakantie gevoel. Verder klinkt het ook wel weer een beetje "kaal" op den duur. De liedjes lopen echt in elkaar door. Het nummer "Je ne t'aime plus" klinkt nog helemaal als "Bongo Bongo", haha. ****
these vibes transcend ethnic boundaries
Znowu powialo egzotyka, ale tym razem jeszcze dziwniejsza niz zwykle, bo album Clandestino pana Manu Chao moznaby zaliczyc do krazkow ktore dziwne, ze staly sie klasykami na tyle zeby pojawic sie chocby na liscie generatora, bo jest to debiutanckim material pana Manu Chao, ktory rowniez jest ciekawa postacia, bo spiewa w dziewieciu jezykach, glownie po hiszpansku, wychowal sie we francji, a jednak jego muzyka nawiazuje bardziej do latino, a cala plyta byla narywna w warunkach praktycznie domowych podczas podrozy po swiecie, a to przeciez rok 98 i debiutancki krazek, wiec o ile ile z poczatku sadzilem, ze slysze cos zupelnie nowego, to jednak po dwoch hiszpansko brazylijskich trakach pojawilo sie bong bong, ktore gdzies juz slyszalem, ale nie moge przypomniec skad je znam, moze glownie przez ten sampel gdzies sie przewijajacy, no i jest to jeden z trzech utworow po angielsku, co do sampli to sa one trzonem muzycznym albumu, bo skoro robionie przez jednego, prawie, czlowieka to oczywistym wydaje sie wykorzystanie samplowania, do tego dochodzi kwestia skitowych dialogow wplatanych do poszczegolnych piosenek, ktore czesto gesto traktuja o postaci pana Subcomandante Marcosa, ktory jest pewnego rodzaju powstancem, wojownikiem o wolnosc rdzennych mieszkancow poludniowego meksyku, wiec pomimo tego ze niektore traki moga sie wydawac wrecz jesterskie, to czuje ze przemycane sa tutaj pewnie glebsze wartosci zwiazane z wolnoscia i komentarzem polityczno spolecznym, discog okresla plyte gatunkiem pachanga, muzyka zywa, wrecz zabawowa, potwierdza tez ze liryki brzmia zartobliwie i lekko, ale jednak niosa ze soba pewny komentarz nierzadko w czule miejsce, nie czesto zdarza trafiaja sie takie plyty, ktore czuc tak dobrze nawet nie rozumiejac wiekszosci liryki jak ten pick listowy, czuc w tym czlowieka, 45 minutowa calosc sklada sie z 16 trakow, wiec sa to raczej krotki utwory, ktore bazuja na domowej roboty beatach, lejerowaniu sampli i wielojezykowych wokalach pana Manu, hajlajtami plyty poza wspominanym bongowym songiem byl dla mnie tytulowy opening clandestino i welcome to tijuana, nie bede sie zaglebial w biografie artysty, ale udalo mu sie oddac ducha hamryki lacinskiej na tym nagraniu, wiec chyba musial samemu go doswiadczyc
:)
Genuinely really interesting latin music. The album flows beautifully from one track to the next exploring a variety of worldly sounds not often heard by guys like myself. Unique production notes include the use of field recordings from this guy's laptop in 1998! Perhaps commonplace now, but a total novelty back then. Excellent music from outside the usual US/UK stream.
pretty groovy found it to be like an 8/10 not anything above exceptional but still fun and enjoyable
Fun album, Bongo bong is a banger! Enjoyed Manitira too. Lots of different languages and instruments, and a nice relaxed, easy sound. Would definitely listen again.
Awesome album, nice to be reminded of this one.
Had a lot of great bops on it. One or two songs were a little annoying
Gdyby nie Bongo Bong i Welcome to Tijuana to prawdopodobnie dałabym 2
Znałem 3 utwory z płyty, całość niezwykle pozytywna i spodobała mi się o wiele bardziej, niż się spodziewałem. Dobry vibe, uśmiech na twarzy i wielojęzyczne piosenki, czego chcieć więcej.
Bardzo ciekawy mix muzyki latynoskiej, francuskiej, afrykańskiej podany w trzech językach. Bardzo rytmiczne piosenki, niebanalne użycie języka i coś innego niż standardowe amerykańskie/brytyjskie przeboje. Bongo bong to klasyczny banner, również z Me gustas tu, które nie jest na tej płycie. Ciekawym zaskoczeniem było Welcome to Tijuana. Mocne 3.5/5
Nie moja bajka jako gatunek, ale w sumie za to fajne latanie po różnych językach, wesoły vibe, przyjemne rytmy i parę oczywistych bangerków daję słabiutką czwórkę.
You know I’m here for the Spanish vibes that are also French sometimes
Bom
That's a good one
čim san čula prvu pismu san znala da ću guštat! nisan ni znala da je pola pisama s ovog albuma ono šta cimi svira na gitari zadnjih po godine. samim time ocjena je veća nego šta bi bila da mi je prvo slušanje budući da ovo nije nešto šta bi sama upalila
Travelling Australia in 2006 it felt like Manu Chao and Jack Johnson were being played in every hostel & backpacking bar. For that reason got a lot of sentimental love for this album, which to be fair is a pretty fun, easy listen
Better than I thought
Hmm. I dig this, but my limited Spanish puts me at a disadvantage. This sounds like the soundtrack to the amazing Netflix show Narcos. I'm guessing this was playing on a loop at all of Pablo Escobar's various homes. I would totally listen to this around the house regularly though, which is one of my major criterions for a great album.
Had a great listen, I loved the different influences and languages. Overall great album with tracks that made you fly away to a different countries
feel good music. nostalgia album for me.
This is definitely the best foreign language album I've gotten so far. They switch between English, Spanish, and French and it flows pretty well. Very catchy as well
3.75
classico
The reggae-influenced stuff tends to be hit or miss for me, but this was definitely a hit. I found myself shamelessly vibing to (nearly) every track and could see myself listening to this entire thing without stopping.
Liked it - some different elements to the songs
Good
great vibes, need to bookmark for summer time!
Kind of interesting to see how many of these songs I actually knew. Which were most of them.
Actually enjoyed this very much!
bongo bong
Why is this actually really good? I seriously thought that I would hate this, but I was vibing. It's really fun, even if there's a language barrier. Speaking of languages, it's really impressive - guy sings in over 9 languages according to Wikipedia.
Never heard of this guy before, after listening I gotta say I was pleasantly surprised. Lots to love here, super catchy vibes. Will come back to this artist for more
I'm not exactly sure how to rate this album so I was tempted to just give it 3 stars and be done with it. It does feel somewhat generic, but I'd imagine that's just because I'm not super familiar with this style of music. It was a fun listen though so I'm bumping it up to 4 stars.
Best Song(s): Luna y sol. Malegría. Upbeat and high tempo songs that wake you up out of the otherwise relaxed atmosphere. Worst Song: Lágrimas de oro. Just wasn't a fan of the "rapping" near the end of the song. Overall: Really fun album that seamlessly transitions between chilled out café music with outright lively dance songs.
Un début tonitruant de la part de notre Manu national, qui m'a rappelé mes escapades à la plage dans la voiture de mon voisin, grand fan de Manu mais également de Christophe Maé. Un personnage haut en couleurs mais d'une extrême sympathie. Petit point d'attention, il ne faut surtout pas confondre le Manu de Manu Chao avec le Manu de Tu me mets quelques whites, ces deux individus n'ayant absolument rien a voir.
Very fun I danced around the house
Not really my general area of expertise but I really dug this. It was catchy and upbeat and didn't edge too far into the more obnoxious elements of a lot of Latin music I've heard.
Fun album. Banging for a summer party.
multilingual album of which i don't speak many, regardless the songs are nice and sound poetic. Musical composition is great. Surprisingly good album for a street busker
4/5
Predivan
Super album that makes a good mood. Because of the simplicity it makes it fast moving. (7/10) FT: Clandestino, Bongo Bongo
Super chill and interesting.
Tällainen latinorallattelu ei ole normaalisti ihan kaikkein mieluisin genre itselleni. Manu kuitenkin yllätti ihan positiivisesti, ja levy tulikin kuunneltua useampaan kertaan. Ensimmäisen biisin kohdalla piti ihan tsekata lyriikat englanniksi käännettynä, enkä pettynyt. Positiivinen ja aurinkoinen levy keskelle marraskuun pimeyttä. Nelonen!
Surprisingly good. Could see myself using one of his songs in an edit if I ever visited South America
Buen concepto de un disco de una sola rola.
Me encanta. Muy bueno.
Aquest va ser el punt en la seva carrera que les forces van confluir i totes les mostres que havia deixat anar amb Mano Negra, més un nou toc més llatí i més personal van donar origen a EL disc de Manu Chao. El posterior encara conservava alguns temes interessants, però a 'Clandestino' va ser on els astres es van conjurar amb l'artista per fer el disc de la seva vida, i on la seva particular barreja d'excerpts, tonalitats, idiomes i cançons sobreposades van adquirir tot el sentit i la força. Només una major aposta estilística el separen de ser perfecte
Corazon Mi Corazon
Listened to it twice in a row, about 4 songs awesome and the rest good
// Favs: Bongo Bong / Je ne t’aime plus / Mama call Score: Strong 3 to Light 4
Хороший альбом, сохранил себе пару песен. Но долго слушать надоедает
Lies, lies from tiny eyes. Manu, stop trying to lay claim to SHACK's crown as King of the Bongo.
this is better than enrique!
Really enjoyed it!
So many languages and so much groove
8/10 - Not something I'd ever listen to but solid music
There is no reason not to like this
Reggae, étnica. Interesante.
Creo que todo mundo ha escuchado al menos "Clandestino" (la canción) y posiblemente alguna de las otras canciones, pero nunca había escuchado el disco completo. Es un disco muy interesante. Es como un electrovocal progresivo, con muchas cosas ocurriendo al mismo tiempo: - El uso de "samples", algunos de los cuáles se repiten a través de todas las canciones. - La mezcla de idiomas - La mezcla de estilos musicales: la base es como electro-reggae autóctono, pero no podría clasificar la música como un estilo específico - Lo diverso y "universal" de las letras: una mezcla de "protesta" contra los gobiernos, pero también de amor / desamor. Es un disco que se puede escuchar bien tanto en europa como en latinoamérica. Una nota especial sobre la canción "Clandestino": ahora que conozco un poquito más la situación geopolítica y que he tenido oportunidad de platicar con franceses, es claro que la letra se refiere a la situación de los inmigrantes en Francia, pero tiene un eco escabroso con la situación de los migrantes Mexicanos (latinoamericanos) en Estados Unidos. Hablando sobre el aspecto musical, tiene canciones muy agradables y poderosas, no sólo por la música, sino por la letra y los "samples" que eligió agregar en algunas de ellas. Es sólo que a mi gusto, hay algunas canciones un tanto aburridas, lo cual bajó un poco la calificación.
Ecléctico total. Si bien no es mi estilo, hay que ser sincero respecto a lo increíblemente variado y rico en influencias que es este álbum (no por nada su popularidad ha abarcado gran parte del mundo hispano parlante). Es genial como logra condensar cada influencia sin comprometer su simpleza y el flujo del álbum. Para mí un sólido 8/10
I dont speak spanish so I obviously did not get the lyrics but his singing is very cool. He had a lot of nice melodies under his belt. Great spanish album
3.5
Otroligt! Det är är ett album jag redan lyssnat en hel del på. Det är något med Manu Chaos musik som bara gör mig glad. Jag fattar ju absolut ingenting av orden han sjunger, men det spelar ingen roll. Det är känslan i musiken som gör det. I de snabba låtarna som "Luna y sol" blir jag sugen att dansa på ett sätt jag vet att jag inte behärskar. I de lugnare låtarna kan jag bara luta mig tillbaka och drömma mig bort till en annan plats jag aldrig varit på. Bäst: "Clandestino"
Cool use of sampling and mixing of languages
Such a relaxing music. I will definetely revisit it again.
Liked it! Some cool reggae and ska influence
I love Bongo Bong
Quite enjoyable to listen to, added to library. Already knew some of the songs so some nostalgia there as well. 4
good "worldbeat" music. catchy spanish tunes and great guitar.
Thoroughly enjoyed this album. The upbeat sound throughout really carried this for me. his vocals were kept me interested despite the language barrier on most tracks and otherwise I could just listen to his guitar and get into a groove
false
Un disco performance, recuerdo clarito que a Manu Chao lo descubrí, como tantos otros seguramente, por el exitazo "Me gustas tú". Disco performance porque es un pastiche, porque así como recuerdo cuando un profesor en Letras nos decía que una guía telefónica no es literaria sino hasta que se incluye dentro de un texto literario y se resignifica, Manu Chao hace algo similar en la música cuando incorpora discursos (esas palabras del subcomandante Marcos), extractos radiofónicos, quizá televisivos, hasta "La llorona"... Me gusta sobre todo que las pistas son continuas y disfruto especialmente la triada (y sus transiciones) de "Desaparecido", "Bongo Bong" y "Je ne t'aime plus". "La vie à 2", acaso la única que refiere explícitamente un tema amoroso, también me parece destacable. Aunque hay comentario social, creo que se diluye y se deja muchas veces en el aire, no aterriza. Las melodías siempre bien y por alguna razón, toda esta mezcla de sonidos, de recursos, me recuerda a M.I.A. Podría ser como un álbum hermano de Arular (o primo, por sus distintas tradiciones). También lo sentí cercano a la trova en esencia, pero no en la ejecución. Si Clandestino se lanzara hoy, podría ser acusado fácilmente de cultural appropriation. 8/10
Classic chill music
very good
habs mir nicht wirklich angehört, aber eure Bewertungen sagen, dass es ganz gut sein soll. Also will ich das Album trotzdem mal mit vier Sternen würdigen.
Awesome, hits for bbq and work
this was great - like hearing nicola cruz for the first time, only with more languages!
Like
English, spanish, french, portuguese. Two first songs better
I like it. Good music. 4
It’s slightly repetitive but it does have a groove that I can appreciate. It just keeps going throughout its run.
Honestly, a pretty solid listen. Usually in the category of albums where I don't have the cultural history with the genre to properly rate it, but this one was a vibe. Still gonna rate it in the middle, but solid album.
Its like when the contractors working in your neighbor's yard have their radio on too loud.
You find us here, listening to Manu Chao, in what passes for a Salford heatwave, and I think this album was the first time in all of this particular episode of stifling heat that was 'fun' rather than 'annoying and a sure sign of climate breakdown'. It's super laid back, got some nicely eclectic instrumentation - including real Brazilian influence, all the way down to one song switching to Portuguese I think. It's probably not one to bang on very often, but the next time you're trying to retain your sanity by popping a Solero down your drawers, this would be a very nice accompaniment.
Serious good vibes from this album! Such a hit parade.
Interesting
I thought today's album was okay. The first 5 tracks were the best and I thought I might initially go higher, but I kind of tired of it by the end. 3 stars.
Fine.
Great for a sunny afternoon in the garden
It's...fine. Listenable, seems pretty playful, not too much jumped out at me (although the French and Spanish lyrics washed over me). Nice, not sure I'd go back to it.
Busker puts out a record - usually you pay $5 for this at the show at the bar, or off the street from them. It was exactly what was on the label.
Not a lot of votes from me on this record. I enjoyed my time with it, but probably won’t even remember it next week.
The music is jangly, digitally ornamental, crawling and sprawling, and full of latin flavour. Chao's voice does become mosquito-esque at times, but maybe I'm just hungover and pissed off.
Good listen
There’s an old saying that punks are nice people who dress up to look mean, while hippies are mean people who dress up to look nice. This thought, plus various musings on backpackers and my former role as one, meant Clandestino had a lot of prejudice to overcome. I mean look at the album cover for Christ’s sake. So. Did it win me over? No. Did I hate it? Also no. Sounds like a mostly harmless three stars and move on to me.
Definitely an interesting record. Not sure I’d listen again, but I’m not complaining if it’s on.
Really fun, pleasant, upbeat album.
Está difícil este. Por un lado me gusta. Es piola cómo mezcla sonidos, mashea instrumentos y cosas ajenas a la música y con eso moldea varios temas y géneros. Los hace propios y únicos a sus temas. Nadie duda al escucharlo que es Manu Chao. Y si no es él, es una imitación. Y las letras, siempre comprometidas a lo que está pasando. Pero por otro lado lo escucho y lo siento tan ajeno a algo qué escucharía hoy que me dio cansancio cuando iba llegando al final. No dura mucho, las canciones son cortas, y aún así se me hizo eterno. En otra época hubiera sido más alto el puntaje. Hoy, por los hits nomás y lo que supo representarme, es un 5/10
Manu Chao's Wikipedia page has a section entitled "Interview with the University of Southern California (2010)" that consists of 5 paragraphs summarizing an interview he gave to the University of Southern California about his views on different world issues. This sounds like tourism but it's pleasant for the most part
Actually wasn’t bad
Mmmm no sé. Siento que es de esos álbumes que hacen los blancos para gente blanca y le ponen género “latino”, lo que sea que esos signifique. No voy a negar que hubo algunas canciones que sí me gustaron, pero hay otras que sí están para escuchar en otro estado y no en tus cinco sentidos.
The language switch ups on the songs is a refreshing touch. Likes: Clandestino; Desaparecido; Bongo Bong; Luna y Sol
ok, gøy med noe litt annet
eh
I was in a car crash with an ice cream truck and went to Heaven. “Sorry,” said St. Peter at the gates, “you can’t die yet. You haven’t heard ‘Clandestino’ by Manu Chao.” “Okay, lay it on me,” I said, and Peter played it on his Bluetooth. “All right,” I said afterward, “that was fun, a little goofy, not bad. He’s got a song on there where he calls himself King of Bongos and there’s not a single bongo on the track. Kinda weird, fine. But c’mon man,” I persisted, “did I really have to hear that before I went up?” “That’s not up to me,” said Peter with a glance over his shoulder as thunder rolled in the near distance. “Besides, you have about 500 more of these to go before I can let you in.” “Man, why’d He even send that truck at me?!” I said—and the thunder sounded again, much closer. “I. Don’t. Make the rules, son,” said Peter with a hard stare. “All right, I get it,” I said, sitting down on a bench. “Next album better be Sabbath or some shit.” And that’s when the lightning struck.
Not a fan of latin music sadly, though it could be worse. Btw, the music line in bongo bong is driving me nuts. I've definitely heard it sampled in some other alt song but I can't figure out which.
waar Mano Negra de soundtrack voor een feestje is, is dit meer de soundtrack voor de opkuis erna
This is an interesting one, as we get a mix of both Spanish and French-spoken tracks, with some English here and there. Everything flows pretty well too, offering more of a laid back vibe throughout. That's...about it. It's an easy listening worldbeat/reggae album that doesn't do much more. Side note: I can't be the only one who kept hearing that little Galaga sound effect, right? Seemed like it was in almost every track. Interesting choice.
Latin
Latin pop / ballad-vibe
Fun. French?
ok
interesting
This album starts out strong, but as it went on I slowly lost interest. This album is good, but it starts to sound like the same song over and over again. Still a decent album though. Mid 3.
Me encanta que sea en mi idioma, es un sonido muy particular de la cultura centro americana. Me gusta mucho escuchar este tipo de música. Más allá de no descárgame la mayoría de las canciones, me parece un álbum fantástico.
Nice. Probably too early for a modelo but shit
Very enjoyable if not particularly memorable. Will definitely wait for the weather to warm up and put this on while out in the yard with a drink with some fruit in it.
The album equivalent of Top Thrill at Cedar Point: all the excitement at the front and then a long flat coast to the finish. There is some variety in flavors and the smooth transitions are neat, but that second 3/4 is pretty unremarkable.
It was fine, it sounds sunny at least. Stand-outs - Bongo Bongo - Je ne t'aime plus
All blends together (in a good way) and hits a really fun mood. Highlights: "Mentira", "Luna y sol", "Malegría"
Would not have assumed this guy was French, sounds like it draws from a Latin American sound to me. Was alright background music, can only really remember that king of the bongos one, I suppose as it was in English. Couldn't really say there was anything that grabbed me mind. 2.5, I'll be generous and round up.
Recognised bongo bong, but not sure where from. The rest was fine, nice on the background. Nothing more. 2.5
Some tracks are cool (Luna y sol) some are preeeetty lame (Bongo Bong and Je ne t'aime plus...) but generally the sound is coherent enough without dropping into droning or grating. I like featuring three different languages lyrically while keeping the same sonic identity, that's interesting. I'd call it just good enough to get a 3 exactly. All that said, this is the second time this week the French have fooled me into thinking I was about to get some sick ass tumbao bass or something similar but then I DIDN'T and I'm getting a little MAD (I know Manu Chao has Spanish and Cuban parents but he was born in France).
Enjoyable. But one of the songs in the front half of the album ends with the worst sounding cotton mouth I have to deduct it aT LeASt one whole star for that bs.
Very difficult for me to rate non-English albums, since I'm missing so much context when I listen to them. Sounded nice at least.
I wish I was better with my Spanish, but I enjoyed the listen. Did not finish it, unfortunately.
Mid
Not bad but also not really my thing
Kinda interesting influences and songs, a nice change of pace. I'd listen to it again.
Allt eins, en ágætlega gott eins. Tvær og hálf stjarna hækkuð í þrjár.
extra star for being bilingual
Done
Bongo bong is a tune tbf
Pleasant in parts. Repetitive throughout. Very chilled, slightly humorous. It's fine.
I have to apologize to Manu Chao. I was not aware of his game. Bongo Bong was still charting when I visited Europe so that was my only exposure to him. I assumed he just did goofy joke songs. Turns out he’s actually a pretty serious musician.
Quite fun and easy listening. A lot of the accompaniment is very, very similar 3/5
Het is echt niet het weet voor dit album zeg... Zo zonde, want dit is echt wel een lekker zomers rock(?) albumpje. Zonnetje, blouseje, drankje. Ik vibe m wel hoor! Bongo bong is natuurlijk een ontzettend bekend nummer, maar ik heb bij alle 4 de eerste nummers sterk het idee dat ik het eerder heb gehoord. Kan zo zijn gezien de plays, maar kan natuurlijk ook gewoon komen doordat dit een heel erg lekker album is om weg te luisteren. Zou me weinig verbazen als dit voor veel mensen de makkelijkste manie is om buitenlandse muziek te gaan luisteren. De muziek zelf is ontzettend 'Cubaans'? Althans dat is de relatie die ik er bij heb. Nooit gedacht dat de guy van dat bongo bong nummer daadwerkelijk een goed album zou kunnen afleveren, dat daarnaast ook wat serieuzer is dan op het eerste gezicht lijkt. Het druipt van de sfeer en dat komt grotendeels door de soundbites die door het hele album zitten. Daarnaast ook de muziek die gewoon 'vibet'. Alleen, misschien is het gewoon het genre, maar ik ben er na een half uur eigenlijk wel heel erg klaar mee. Latin muziek, het is gewoon niet heel erg mijn ding als ik niet aan het strand zit en/of een cocktail in mn handjes heb. FAVO: Desaparecido, Bongo Bong, Welcome to Tijuana
Je ne t’amie plus Desaparecido Bongo Bong La vie a 2 Clandestino Malegria
3 straight down the middle son Good vibes good times. Bongo bong - generational track and my vote for “song of the challenge so far” Don’t say it don’t, say it - did this influence/influenced gorillaz? The transition from this English track then to the French continuation/remix after was seamless and very enjoyable. Was very pleased by the language weaving couldn’t recognise any more. Unfortunately the start was the albums peak (went back and listened to it twice). I felt I may have scored higher with all the outro parts/intervals etc with the Spanish dude on the phone so I could catch the themes. Manu chao has revived us from hell all hail manu chao the king of bongo. That was a tough two day stretch. Enjoyed dipping into a different genre I’m normally indifferent to. On a flight to Ireland had nothing better to do than provide a long winded review. Don’t know if I’ll have time to listen to Thurs/fri unless I get the AUX cord for the drives. No The Doors.exe detected.
This is very different than most of the list, which is a good thing. It was interesting how many songs were sung in Spanish, some in French and some in English. I liked how the songs blended in with one another and the acoustic guitar playing was pretty tasty.
felt like i was on holiday
claro
welcome to tijuana (tequila, sexo, marihuana). kinda slapped tho ngl
Not something I’d regularly listen to (perhaps just because of the language barrier), but there are some sonically interesting things going on in this album. For example, vocals that are prominently placed on top of other vocals, almost like someone is speaking to you as the song is playing.
I don't know this one at all but apparently it's like the soundtrack to shitty hostels all over the world? That's seems weird and oddly specific. So the hostel thing totally fits. I feel like this is a good album if this kind of music is your jam. It's not really mine. I didn't mind it once through but was ready to move on before it was over. I don't think I'd come back to this or really explore anything else from him. It was a one and done for me. 2.75/5
I enjoyed learning the story around this album (that it was recorded in various locations around the world on a "clandestine" laptop).
Maybe more so than being king of the bongo, Manu is king of using 80s video game sound bites. Am I the only one who keeps hearing Galaga/Space Invaders in the background? This was an enjoyable listen and he uses the organic sounds recorded out in the real world very nicely. They compliment the mix and add to the overall feel.
Fun little album to mix things up and get the hips shaking. Not something I’ll have in heavy rotation but fun to mix things up. I think gotye stole a note and tone from Bongo Bong for somebody that you used to know.
Silly, but with style. This guys has lots of sex. How could he not?
I can tolerate this.
World music is a nice addition but I'm not crazy about this one. It feels very monotone and samey across the board. Usually the music can transcend a language barrier but in this case it doesnt quite hit the mark. Also his voice is very high and it can be a bit grating.
Normally I am all about the kind of stuff but I dunno. I really didn’t like this guys voice or performance. Very nasally and weird. Musically it was good but vocally it wasn’t up to snuff
Like how seamlessly the tracks ran together. Dislike the weird high pitched noise that appeared in almost every single track.
Meh
Not bad. Listenable at least.
Not bad - no complaints.
This was pretty cool and pleasant. Not something I feel like I'd relisten to much but I liked it.
I always have complicated feelings assessing an album that is, primarily but not exclusively in this case, in a different language than the one I speak natively. On those songs I over index on the music to the detriment of the message the lyrics may be carrying — and yet I often feel like this focus on the musical content also has some benefits too. It would be great to be able to flip that focus switch more easily on all music. To be able to critically appreciate the different registers or modes in play at all times would be optimal. And yet, it's so hard to do. Manu Chao's Clandestino is sharing a message that we may be able to suss out even with a language barrier between the ear and the mind, and while I can appreciate it, I am saddened that the depth of appreciation can only go so far in these circumstances. And the music? Since it is what I'm most attuned to in this instance, I enjoy the blending of genres. This, to me, isn't "world music" but it is worldly and borrowing from different traditions while signaling how it leans on them only enough as starting-off points on a new journey.
Not my jam, but it is a jam
I liked the music more than the vocals.
автор трека me gustas tu, который не на этом альбоме в целом вайб именно этого трека звучит богато, живо и аутентично ничего плохого только затянуто 3.3
I expected to say "I respect this, but it's not for me" and call it a day, but it was way more listenable than I expected. Interesting that something that comes across so Latin American is from a French guy. Plus, who can resist a lyric like "Welcome to Tijuana / Tequila, sexo, y marijuana"? Best track: Welcome to Tijuana. 3⭐️
This is the second Spanish language album I've gotten this week. Actually this one has some English and French as well. Manu Chao is a talented artist and I enjoyed this album more than I expected to. But it's not the type of music I see myself revisiting again anytime soon. 3/5
As many others have said, it's a vibe. It's a little loose and doesn't seem intent on being too poetic or musically intricate. I didn't know about this album but from the very top I had a sense of what I was about to hear, just from the cultural relevance and prevalence of this sound -- thanks in no small part, I'm sure, to Manu Chao himself. But I'm not sure I'll remember having heard this album, given time.
Fun for a few songs, but it all sounds very similar throughout the album
Eklektisk og legesygt album. Der synges på spansk, fransk og engelsk. En sjov oplevelse der til tider sender mig mentalt på strandbar med en piña colada i hånden og en cubansk cigar i munden. Det er dog ikke en tur der er så god, at jeg har lyst til tage 3 gange på en dag.
A very latin-inspired album with multiple languages used and seamless transitions between each song. I thoroughly enjoyed the overall vibe despite being a foreign album. Feels like music I'd hear on the radio in Mexico. Did some research on the opening track "Clandestino". A nice composed song that talks about the issue of immigration. With "Bongo Bong" being a very quirky tune that surprised me. Rest of the tracks were good. Wish I could understand the lyrics more. However, an enjoyable album in general.
So clandestine I’d never heard of it.
3.5
- Kan godt lide det - Har aldrig været kæmpe fan af at lytte til musik, hvor jeg ikke forstår sproget?? Eller jo synes det er fedt at lytte til musikken i det, men det siger mig bare ikke lige så meget, som når jeg forstår teksten
I’ve never heard a truly multilingual album like this before, so that was really cool. The songs are pretty good, and I think the language barrier makes it a little more difficult for me to fully appreciate them. The music is very enjoyable, pretty laid back and comfortable beats with Manu Chao’s smooth singing over top. I’m glad I heard this one before I died, but not sure if I’ll revisit it.
Fascinating lyrics and refreshing beautiful instrumentation, offputting vocal style. Also I noticed a lot of these songs started to blur into one another. Reminds me of the exact situation I had with Pescado Rabioso's Artaud (exactly the same setup except Spinetta's voice is gorgeous) but less worthwhile. An interesting effort and obviously put together with a lot of passion, but not for me.
Sounded like every other Manu Chau album I have heard. Interesting to start then more of the same
Muy bueno, la vdd se sigue sintiendo muy actual
As I’m writing this, it’s freezing outside. It’s dark and the porch is recently shoveled for snow. There is no way whatsoever that I can judge this album fairly. It’s not something I would listen to casually, but I wouldn’t mind it being on in the background at a summer party. Except for Bongo Bong, which is a horrible little tune.
though this reggae latin pop rock genre thing is not for my taste, i thought the album was nice and vibey. chill music. i wish i knew some spanish of french, i feel like i would've enjoyed the album a little bit more this way
Ciao
Fun and versatile, he bongs his bongo with pep and cheer
I'm always interested when they include music that's not primarily in english, not enough of those from what I've seen from the list! With that said, this isn't too impressive of an album. I'd like some latin influenced music that's not also a marketable kinda bland pop record. It's not terrible, but I see no point in ever hearing this again. Maybe if go and hang out in mexico I'll recognize Clandestino playing in some bar somewhere and I'll shazam it and be like "oh yeah! now that I'm hearing this again I'm liking it". Fav: Clandestino Worst: Bongo Bong probably
Manu Chao seems like a very chill guy. That being said, the music is a bit underwhelming. He has talent, the instrumentation on this album is pretty good and he can be diverse, but most of the songs kinda go nowhere or have pretty boring vocal performances. It starts off well but quickly drops to just ok.
It sounded okay, don’t speak a word of spanish tho so
3/5
Cool album. Worth the listen but probably won't listen again
Different. First time hearing this artist. Not my favorite but enjoyable
I think I just gotta start going into every album with low expectations so I can always be pleasantly surprised!
Never heard of Manu Chao before and, regardless of me being British or not, it's really nice to have something originating outside of the UK to listen to on this list. The difficulty with listening to music that is sung in a language you don't understand is that you don't feel fully connected to that music, even if you can appreciate the musicianship of the artist in question. Listening to "Clandestino" and "Desaparecido", the first two tracks on the album, this became immediately apparent. Whilst I loved his voice and the dreamy south American inspired vibes of this, it was difficult to fully appreciate the music. Despite this, the general vibe of "Luna Y Sol" was incredibly uplifting, proving that music can still have an emotional effect even without understanding it's lyrics. The whole album was pleasant to the ears; Chao has an incredibly soothing voice and his ability to sing in many different languages is nothing short of remarkable.
hmmp not bad at all. Not really in my bailiwick but I do like this one.
Really not into this one.
Eh
Another that just faded into the background. Nothing too offensive to turn it off but also nothing that really stuck out. Like buck owens, I could easily listen to this in the background of the right place without even flinching. Gets a 3 cause I would willingly listen again
No way, er jo king of the bongo for faen! Og så kommer samme låta på fransk rett etterpå? Based. Til å være langt utenfor mine musikalske preferanser, er skiva ganske god. Jeg liker ikke alt, men låter som Mentira har en veldig fin vibe. God & spennende produksjon!
Denne plata traff meg bedre enn jeg trodde den skulle. Har allerede måttet sette på "Bongo Bong" flere ganger etter gjennomhøring. Åpenbar banger. Liker soundet godt, og jeg kunne godt hørt denne plata med henda bak hodet på divanen, men det blir fort litt ensformig. Flere av låtene høres litt ut som varianter av den samme komposisjonen. JEg trodde "La despedida" og "Mama Call" var da capo for "Bongo Bong", som jo er litt mye når de faktisk har den på fransk allerede.
I listened while driving through the redwood tree lined hills of woodside, CA and this was a perfect companion for the ride.
ngl loved the bongo song
If listening to Spanish reggae sung by a French guy isn't stepping out of your comfort zone, I don't know what is anymore.
Not for me but good to see on this list
5.0/10
Fun album Standout songs: Bongo bong Mentira Malegria
Possui uma sonoridade interessante, meio que lo-fi. Uma faixa derrete na outra, transições ótimas que tornam a escuta fluída e agradável. A voz do cantor às vezes fica um pouco irritante, mas ainda assim acho notável o quão eclético o disco é, nos estilos vocais e musicais. Também acho curioso o fator poliglota do álbum, que vai do espanhol, pro português, francês e inglês. O som passa rápido. Uma escuta divertida, animada e reservada simultaneamente. Recomendo e escutaria novamente, mas não mudou minha vida. 3/5
This album is a party. Luna y Sol was a standout. Repetitive at times, but I didn't mind it. Definitely was jamming at points to this one.
That was one of the weirdest albums i have ever listened to. Never thought I would hear French reggae. The French words in this style are hilarious sounding. Bongo Bong was an absolute heater I must say that was fun. There were some really cool interesting songs on here. But some really bad songs. Hard album to rate so we will go 3.
The transition from Bongo Bong into Je ne t'aime plus is pretty sweet. This started out as a potential 4 but slogged on. Still a very solid 3.
Really didn’t think I was going to like this but it goes pretty hard lol 3.5/5
His voice becomes quite grating after a while. I like some of this album but a lot of it is very similar, the beats are a lot of fun, and there is great use of the Brazilian whistle in there. Also Bongo Bong is so fucking massive
I'm sure I'm not the only person, but I first heard Bongo Bongo in a college class when a professor played it. At that point I had heard nothing like it and was hooked. Then I tried to listen to the rest of the album at the time and didn't really appreciate it like I do now. Is this what music in a hostel sounds like all the time?
I'm a sucker for music. That makes me feel like im somewhere warm and sunny and this is no exception. The rhythms, the vibes, the breadth of the ideas and the presentation all make this music to smile to.
Enjoyable
An almost pleasant listen although it is not my preferred style of music. Plus the hit "Bongo Bong - Je ne t'aime plus" aka "King of the Bongo". 2,5
Wouldn´t listen to it again but its good for sure
Clandestino is pleasant and gently immersive, but it never quite sinks its hooks into me. The stripped-down acoustic grooves, looping motifs, and multilingual fragments create a light, almost weightless atmosphere. It’s easy to have on, and there’s an undeniable warmth to the sound. At the same time, that lightness works against it. The repetition that gives the album its cohesion also causes it to fade into the background. The songs blur together, and while the vibe is consistent and agreeable, it rarely turns visceral or emotionally gripping. I appreciate what it’s doing more than I feel pulled into it. This feels like music meant to accompany life rather than interrupt it, and in that sense it succeeds. For me, though, it stays in the realm of “nice” rather than “compelling.” A solid three stars: likable, atmospheric, and easy to live with, but not something that demands focus or repeat intentional listens.
It was okay for some background listening and I ended up adding "Clandestino" to my liked songs, but for the most part I found it very repetitive. Honorable mentions to "Welcome to Tijuana" and "Bongo Bongo."
You know that toy Lazer gun sound in really cheap toys. Manu Chao likes that as I've heard that sound throughout the album & it makes me giggle everytime I hear it. It is very prevalent in Welcome to Tiajuana. The language barrier is kinda hard to overcome but the wonderful guitar picking is nice. He seems to put a nice earwormy grooves around interesting soundbites I don't understand. Bongo Bong is a fun quirky song. I'm getting a French-Spanish Bob Marley vibe. 3
Really like his multilingual approach. Unfortunately frontloaded and a little too long
Ganz angenehm.
Dolid vibes
Vibes senor
If you want to know what's playing on the jukebox while you're nursing a cerveza and sitting in front of a steaming plate of arroz y frijoles in the sketchiest cantina in Tijuana, it would be this.
Pretty enjoyable latin album.
Easy listening even though it was in 3 different languages at least xD
manu hallou! de dude isch huge gsi i rember mini eltere au meega glost. es isch biiitz reggae. bitz gutmensch bitz jooo kiffe. clandestino aber sehr geil dure zweistimmig. uuh disst er sini alt band? wege mano negra illegal. desaparecido irgendwie sehr cute. kenni au. wird glaub fast alles mol ghört haa hä. ok es wiederholt sich seeehr fest. ok bongo bong au huuere iconic. er het s meiste uf sim laptop underwegs ufgnoh? im 98i?? what? ah es goht flüssend in je ne t'aime plus übere huere noice. ah und endlich französisch. fun dass er eimol glichzitig tous les jours und sie mon amour singt überenand. goil. lagrimas de oro salsa?? luna y sol chli techno okay? ich finds mit de ziit bitz nervigggg??? welcome to tijuana seeehr weird. ich find er tönt immer als hetter gad spanisch glernt. sochli gad vom ustuschjohr heicho type of guy. würkli tequila sexo marijuana?? ES ISCH UNAGNEHM CHLI?? dia luna dia pena isch sehr herzig. boah isch das erfrischend zumen uf französisch ghöre bi la vie à 2. würkli ischmer nöd klar gsi wasi mengmol a ihm komisch gfunde ha aber uf franz tönter sooo viel authentischer.
uuultra gspaannt hotte chline taktwechsel ER SINGT RECHTS hahaha bongo bong lose ohni as acid denke isch UNMÖGLICH wiso funktionierts so guet?? es isch soo goofy s flowt soo guet RIESE SAMPLE damn heavy background vom manu :( hmm ich han spass aber d lieder sind schochli glich gad für mis ohr jaaa de schluss het sich zoooooge. weg dem glaub eifach es guets 3
I have no idea how to review this album. It's jsut so far from anything I have familiarity with to feel like I'm being fair. Positives: Really impressive to hear at least 3 different languages on this album, and if I understood the spanish lyrics correctly I enjoyed the theme of immigration and cultural mixtures. It was also pretty cohesive as an album given the cool transitions. Negatives: His voice was not very good and I cant say any of the melodies were particularly memborable, I cant see myself ever listening to this again
It's worth translating the lyrics - there's a depth to them.
Not as bad as I expected it to be.
This is fine music to have on in the background of a Peruvian restaurant while you're sitting alone at the bar drinking a watery paloma waiting for the off-track betting joint next door to open so you can go gamble away your alimony. Not all of it! But most.
Easy going vibes that is quite impossible not to like. Nothing spectacular but it certainly makes my head nod to the beat
3
Ik heb altijd het idee dat Manu Chao latin muziek voor dummies is, waar het alle stereotype boxjes aan vinkt en de zomer in huis brengt. Dus het zou moeten aanslaan bij mij, aangezien mijn kennis der Latijns-Amerikaanse muziek waanzinnig gering is. En met dit weer ben ik best gevoelig voor elke kans om de zon in huis te halen. Toch moet ik zeggen dat het toch wel voelt als een veelzijdige weergave van een muziekcultuur van rondom de Caraïben. Elke keer denk je dat het langzaam gereduceerd wordt tot die stereotypische strandtent muziek, maar hij herpakt zich best vaak met een verrassend sterk liedje. Al met al niet onaardig, en het vult de nodige vitamine D weer een beetje aan in geluidstrillingen en vibraties. 7/10 Highlights: Clandestino Bongo Bong Mentira Minha Galera
Jaunty and calming! I have to wonder if I could understand the lyrics more if this would land harder with me, although the occasional English track (e.g. Bongo Bong) have Sesame Street level lyrics,so maybe not.
3 stars
So is this dude Spanish or French. I don’t get it.
Enjoyed this more as it progressed
Clandestino 3.7 Desaparecido 3.5 Bongo Bong 3 Je ne t'aime plus 3 Mentira… 3.3 Lágrimas de Oro 3.2 Mama Call 3.4 Luna y Sol 3.4 Por el Suelo 3.5 Welcome to Tijuana 3.2 Día Luna... Día Pena 3.3 Malegria 3.5 La vie à 2 3.3 Minha Galera 3.2 La Despedida 3.1 El Viento 3.4 Score: 3.3125
Expected to hate this since I’ve not been fond of others in this genre in the 1,001. Surprisingly it was pretty good. Decent melodies and singing. Weirdly, this debut album plus his second from 2001 and his most recent from 2024 are all in Dolby Atmos surround on Apple Music. The 4 in between 2001 and 2024 are not. I need to join a group of 1,001 Surround Sound Albums You Need To Listen To Before You Die…
3.5/5
Didn't understand most of it, but it had a decent rhythm.
Pretty good Spanish language album. Pretty laid back. I enjoyed my listen.
Not the biggest fan of Many Chao
I can appreciate the talent but it’s not something I’m going to seek out for my listening pleasure.
It’s okay
Eclectic, low-fi, poppy album that has some bangers yet takes several artistic turns.
very surprised by this. wasn't expecting to like it; not my style at all.
Another nice change of pace
I really have no knowledge of this type of music, so don’t know if it’s good or bad. I didn’t dislike it, but every song sounded the same, and nothing really seemed to go anywhere. It’s … fine, I guess?
Very pleasant surprise!!
The Lonely Planet of albums, music for tourists who insist on calling themselves travellers, the Che t-shirt of artists. A topical tropical dream of counter-globalization, of a world of cultural exchange as resistance, of hybridity and translation and multi-lingual genre hopping code switching as a global musical commons, of joyous self expression and feel good partying. A dream that curdled over and after the 1990s and was revealed to be just a French guy on holiday, primarily a project of bourgeois first world self-making, just as subject to the stultifying forces of capitalist co-option, of commodification, standardization as any other cultural product - something that becomes just another cultural signifier, the default soundtrack of a certain kind of bar, hostel, or cafe in the gringo district of whatever popular backpacker region. Still, some of those evocative trumpet parts, latin harmonies, and Jamaican basslines really are pretty nice and laid back. An album I've heard a thousand times without ever putting on myself but never minded at all.
This is fun, festive Latin music that randomly and occasionally spirals into French pop. Sort of a bewildering album as a result, but on the whole it's undeniably fun and would be a great soundtrack to laying poolside with a margarita in Cabo.
Interesting and fun. Vocals are double tracked and panned hard left and right.
This album was okay. I feel like it would have been better if I spoke Spanish, but it all seemed like a blur to me. 3 out of 5.
- Verassend plezant - 0 nummers toegevoegd aan MMMM - 1 nummer toegevoegd aan ZZZ
I can smell this album and feel the sunshine of Mexico in it. And maybe a little bit of sepia.
Good vibes but it’s November in the UK so not the ideal setting for this. I’m probably never coming back to it tbh.
Manu Chao’s 𝘊𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘰 is a colorful, borderless mix of Latin folk, reggae, and worldbeat, stitched together with radio snippets and multilingual lyrics. It captures a restless, global spirit and carries a strong political message about migration and identity. Still, the heavy use of loops and recycled motifs makes the album drag after a while — what starts as hypnotic can become repetitive. Inventive and important, yes, but not quite the masterpiece it’s often made out to be.
Nice change up. Interesting mix of reggae and Latin styles and French, Spanish, Portuguese and English lyrics. Never heard of the artist or this album before. Interesting story behind it, and even more curious it found success. For me it's a bit haphazard stylistically and the fact there's two songs with identical instrumental backing is a bit distracting.
Pretty sure I have the song “Bongo Bong” on my poolside playlist. I laughed when I realized this was the full album to that song, but I enjoyed it! This album would sound better in a bathing suit with a piña colada.
En mi ingenuidad (al igual que con Gotan Project) pensé que este era un proyecto latinoamericano. De la poca representación de este lugarcito del mundo en esta lista. Pero no, Manu Chao es francoespañol. Que lata. Fue como tomar coca-cola y al final darme cuenta de que tenía endulzante.
6/10. Not the target demographic
Not my style but was fun good mood music
Not fully my vibe but pretty interesting.
Manu has put together quite a debut with his Clandestino laptop. Lots of variety, and telephone conversations in the background, and sirens/ wind effects. Had to laugh with Welcome To TJ, a good representation of his work. (3.3*s) Bravo por tequila, sexo, marihuana!
The multilingual Manu Chao puts together an appetizing album. I dig the sound bytes and simple laptop produced beats. "Bongo Bong" and "Welcome to Tijuana" were my faves. Had a good time with this listen. Give me mas Manu. Mucho gusto...3.1 etoiles.
Manu Chao has some creative beats and production tied throughout the album. He switches between languages pretty seamlessly which is a nice fold. I'll admit I was enjoying the first half of this album but I don't think it held up throughout the full duration. While it fizzles over the back half it is still a decent entry as it offers something unique and new. Glad to get the exposure to something like this as I can't imagine I would have heard of it otherwise. 2.59 stars
i have no idea what he is saying, but i dig the tune.
Was ok but not my thing.
Unique.
Probably not something that I would listen to often. But I would definitely jam to this on a trip south of the border.