Reviews (page 5 of 8)
I appreciated reading the story behind this one, especially the anecdote about the cow he met in a Rio favela that gave him a new sense of purpose. It gave me a good context to appreciate the music even more. It wasn't enough to score a 4 but it's on the high side of 3. I respect Clandestino.
As I listened to this the sun was shining through my window & this record was perfect for my mood today & uplifted me while working. Very much enjoyed it & it’s not something I’d choose to listen to ordinarily.
Topp næs!
Mikkl uppáhaldsplata. Manu Chao er frábær.
100% terrible
fun! didn’t listen to the full thing but liked the sound
Cool vibe but won’t return
Some days I'm not in the mood
- ganz unterhaltsam, ging echt fix rum - insgesamt nicht die Musik, die ich super oft hören kann, aber mal als kleiner Mood Booster im Hintergrund funktioniert es ganz gut
nice album. sommerlichi vibes. wöri weder lose
I wish I could understand a damn word of this. But from his tone, I’m guessing he wasn’t singing “death to puppies,“ so I feel confident in saying I liked this.
A lot of fun and, as a result, I will round up; however, I don’t think it is better than other good world-music bands.
Nice change of pace, but I can't say I loved it.
A lovely free-wheeling album. Relaxed, laid back beach vibes. Perfect sunshine music
very chilled out south american spanish vibes
This is great! Chilled out and funky and fun. I will definitely be revisiting this!
Never heard of this, but I’m enjoying it. This makes me feel like I need to go on a world music journey and search popular and folk music from other countries. The melody is super catchy. This album was a lot of fun and great to listen to first thing in the morning.
Fun music, English, French and Portuguese !
Fine
I always want to like these world albums but it’s hard when most of the songs are in foreign languages. I liked some of the music. But nothing really was great for me.
started off good. simple and catchy but faield to keep my interest at the halfway through
absolute fire bongo bongo
This was an unexpected pleasure
Kinda campy. Interesting, but mid.
Very fun, love the Galaga sounds.
Manu Chao is king!... of the bongo.
Makes ya wanna get up and dance! (Get up and baila? Bailamos?)
Amazing
Although I can't understand anything, the album seems to be somewhat ok, it can be rather samey and they really love using that one laser sound effect. low 3/5
Love this album
Surprised how much I liked this album. Very groovy but understated, upbeat and fun, it felt like the backing track to a holiday through South America. Catchy minimalist dub/reggae stuff I think would make for great background music to a party
Rating: 3.5/5 Favourite Track: Mentira Honourable Mentions: je ne t'aime plus, Desaparecido, Mama Call, Bongo Bong Manu Chao is the Bob Marley of Latin Pop Mixing Portuguese, English, French, and Spanish together, Clandestino (a term for undocumented immigrants) is an album that expresses both frustration at the state of the world and compassion for the people in it. This is Manu Chao's first album after his departure from his band; recorded using a small laptop as he travelled throughout the world, busking on the streets. Overall, this album is cohesive and polished. I like the acoustic, stripped down approach to the instrumentation with the inclusion of layered samples and overdubbed vocals. Some of the tracks lacked distinction from the other ones, but overall this was a very chill and, at times, upbeat listen. Hear him when he comes, he's the king of Bongo B).
I quite enjoy Manu Chao
It’s ok I guess
This is interesting, and a worthy inclusion, but not well-enough aligned with my taste for anything above a 4.
I think the lyrics are probably the most interesting part of this album and I can’t understand any of them so a tough one to rate
3.3 interesting dude and pretty good album. I listened to the Robbie Williams take on bongo bongo. It's the musical version of the American version of the movie old boy.
Lots of goofy fun personality all over this record. Bong bong or whatever it is being really weird and kitschy.
It took a few songs to get into it, but I enjoyed listening to this one. Probably closer to 3.5.
-damn how many languages, how many fusion genres… I have to hand it to this guy -the end result of this bravery? a record that is a liiiittle bit overambitious and kitschy maybe. but it has some great highlights. I will always say yes to anything involving Latin American fusion and Brazilian cuica drums -god I cannot fucking wait for summer -Favorites are Luna y Sol and Malegria
When I first saw this album, I expected to hate it — but I didn’t. Clandestino is energetic and fun, with some great guitar moments and a handful of standout tracks like "Bongo Bong." I especially loved how "Bongo Bong" flowed into "Je Ne T'aime Plus" — fantastic! I struggle with lyrics in another language since I love hearing the story behind a song and following where it takes me. Because of that, I’d rate the album 2/5 — but I can definitely see why people like it. Favourite song: Bongo Bong Least favourite: There were a lot of songs I just didn’t connect with. Album artwork: Cool cover.
Really good enjoyed it
good easy listen. I enjoyed it. I dont know how much I would go back and casually listen though.
A unique album, bouncing between languages and vibes while staying rooted in a laid-back Latin-reggae sound. I really enjoyed the continent-hopping feel of this, and it helps that it’s a fun listen. Best song: Desaparecido
Not really ground breaking but nice to listen to.
Muy bueno
Гений, создавший уникальное звучание и лучший альбом латиноамериканской танцевальной музыки. На альбоме Clandestino представлено все что могло только относиться к танцевальному жанру в 1998 году: гитарное сопровождение, качающие синты, заводная драм партия в латиноамериканском стиле, тексты на 5(!!) разных красивых языках и многое другое. Альбом просто невозможно описать на словах, поэтому я рекомнедую каждому ознакомиться с творчеством Manu Chao, особенно с этим альбомом. Атмосфера альбома потрясающая, подходит для прослушивания в различные жизненные периоды, но в особенности рекомендую слушать для поднятия настроения. Лично мне по звучанию напоминает музыку Джесси Пинкмена из Во все тяжкие, которую в эпизодах он слушал в наушниках. Потрясающая находка из списка «1001». Танцевальные 5/5.
That was pretty fun. It suffers a bit from ending up being samey, but I've liked it overall as a project, the transitions between songs, the vibe. If it tried to be a bit more, it'd be an easy 4 and a 5 contender, for now I think it's a tricky 4. Edit: Listened to this one so many times, I cannot think of giving it anything than 5 nowadays.
Wikipedia billed this as a reggae album, but it's really not. I caught glimpses of the Gorillaz in here, but - for the most part - it's its own thing. Impressive that the songs are in different languages with different vibes. It's an interesting album for sure.
One or two clever ideas stretched too thin.
Loved this, just had a niggle that after the bongo song, that catchy lock seemed to be quietly under every track after.
Kinda reminded me of Gorillaz
tequila sexo marijuana
6/10 - There were some interesting songs. One of them he was just welcoming me to Tijuana and it was nice. I do not think I will relisten.
It was fine. Got pretty boring after a while
low-mid
There’s no soul to this. It’s a shell of what Latin music should be. I can see a Spanish high school class using this to translate or recite. It’s music to ignore while you stuff your face with chips at a Mexican restaurant.
I was gonna chalk this up to another case of the non-english entries being randomly generated, but apparently people actually listen to this guy
Manu Chao reallytakes me back to the late 90s and school. World music. Part of every NMS hangout. Lovely on a summer evening. Spanish-French guy who travelled through South America. Chill.
Not for me. Only gave it a couple of tracks.
Classic!
⭐⭐⭐⭐ 8/10 Very strong album. Songs flow smoothly into eachother which is really nice. Album goes on for a bit too long
started to get tiresome by the end but some cool stuff in here
On one hand, the mishmash of languages and musical styles feels a bit like that yellow/sepia filter you see on American movies set in the Global South. On the other hand, I really like this, not because I'm some fucking hippie backpacker, but because this is a synthesis of a lot of the music I grew up listening to. Every song feels like a lullaby.
Y'know, I dug the vibe, but there weren't really any specific songs that stood out to me. I liked the way various elements came together - felt patchwork (in a good way) at times.
Decently fun multilingual world music, but nothing really grabbed me
Quite like the Latino sound. Not something I would listen to much.
first time heard 4/5
I really thought I’ll hate it, but it was really fun
Bongo Bong was the only saving grace
I really like the two popular tracks: Clandestino and Bongo bong. I'm always a sucker for harmonies and I like the guitar sound. If this album also had "Me gustas tu" that would push it into 4-star territory for me. Interesting to learn that the band originated in France but this album is primarily in Spanish, and they sometimes sing in other languages too.
Sonically varied and interesting enough to make this a strong 3, even as the quality of his singing occasionally left me feeling like I was listening to a children's album (until he invariably began sining about marijuana).
His nasal voice starts to grate over the course of a too-long album but it's mostly unobjectionable.
Een album vol nummers waarbij je Chris Zegers met z'n zonnige overhemd een stukje te ver open lekker breeduit ziet lachen naar locals tijdens de opnames voor 3 op Reis, terwijl hij hem even lekker uit de broek laat hangen op kosten van de Publieke. Chris Zegers relaxed op een scootertje. Chris Zegers mijmerend op een strandje. Chris Zegers plechtig in een kerkje. Chris Zegers dankbaar in een hutje met een bar. Chris Zegers die joviaal een bal trapt met een kindje, waarbij ze laten zien dat je samen gewoon plezier kunt maken door middel van de taal van sport en spel, ondanks de taalbarrière. Een soort Spaanse en Portugese reggae met heel af en toe een stukje Engels, gemaakt door een Fransman. Regelmatig zo'n stukje radio/televisieopname ergens in het nummer verwerkt en af en toe even een 8bit geluidseffect van de lokale gokautomaat of iets dergelijks. Verder een hele hoop herhaling, om je te hypnotiseren en je ietwat te vertragen tot het tempo van het eiland. En uiteraard kan de oplettende luisteraar een quica (de Braziliaanse wrijftrom) ontdekken. Ik krijg enorm zin om dictatortje te spelen, want het doet allemaal denken aan het overwegend zonnige eiland van de game 'Tropico' waar je zelf als een soort Chris Zegers de bevolking onder de duim moet zien te krijgen. Ik vind dit best leuk, maar een 4 gaat me net iets te ver. Bongo Bong kennen we, de andere grote hit staat niet op dit album. Een 3,5 was perfect op z'n plaats geweest, maar bij gebrek aan halve sterren moet ik op de 3 drukken.
Always loved this one. I learn so much specific Spanish 🤣
Nice vibe, cool mix of languages. This genre isn't really my thing but it's very pleasant background music and makes you want to tap a foot along with it
So, beyond any doubt this list needs more non-anglophone music. I’m not convinced that this is really the best choice to add, but I’m still grateful for it being on the list. It will, obviously, receive the obligatory extra point for being not in English, if for no other reason that’s to piss off the twats who give this a low score for being in French.
Becomes grating as it moves forward draining the joy from the cultural source of the music. Flat and uninteresting.
Breezy, catchy, charming, interesting. 7.5+/10
Spanish but relaxing
Clandestino Desaparecido Bongo Bong Minha galera
Quite good fun.
A beautiful and soothing album written while the artist was wandering in Latin America and South America for 4 years, and the contented nature of the tracks shines through
I love Manu Chao. They always bring a smile to my face and make me want to move.
Listened in high school and learned some songs in Spanish class. Good stuff. Nothing amazing for me, but enjoyable
Surf club memories
Pretty groovy and fun. I had the pleasure of seeing these guys play right before rage against the machine at Coachella '07. The crowd was going bonkers!
Spanish, French, and English vocals. Varies a lot, and it's all good.
i like it, but i don't see what so crazy about it. enjoyable but i don't think its a must listen tbh the concept for the album is awesome. super ahead of its time for 1998. actually really impressive because this does not feel like music recorded on a probably shitty laptop in the late 90s. actually listening to that with that in mind makes me like this album a whole lot more tbh, ignore the beginning of this review this album is cool af
Fine. Not quite my thing. Pretty sure I heard this playing in the background at a Borders Books & Music way back when.
This was a nice surprise, something I thought I didn’t know, but I recognized at least one of these songs. Might not run right out to check out more, but I was pleasantly surprised.
Not my favorite from Manu, but a really good one.
Not really my tastev
Ahh I loved the first half soooooo much. It would've been an easy 5 star, but the other half was a little bit less amazing. Still, I think it deserves to be among my other 5 star albums. Light 5
The way I love this album is unrivaled .. I would give a 10 if I could
Really awesome
Not my thing
Equally confused and impressed by this French/Spanish/English quasi reggae album. Great in the background but not something I'm seeking out.
Annoying, but not that annoying, just kind of unimpressed as a whole. Sorry, Manu, you seem nice. 3/5
Awesome
Jaaaaa! Heerlijk!
It was good. Not my jams, but good. My Spanish is good enough to understand 1/2 the song lyrics which puts me in a weird place.
Subversive, sublime, takes me right back to a time and place
Took me a bit to get into
Holy shit this is the “King Of The Bongo” guy?! That’s crazy. I have no idea why I know this song, but memories of it were buried deep in my subconscious. As far as the rest of this album goes, it’s definitely Latin flavoured, but aside from that it feels fairly generic. There’s a real lack of passion in his voice, which I feel doesn’t jive at all with this style. There’s voice used throughout that feel super out of place and clunky. This feels like the soundtrack that a taco restaurant owned by white guys would play to try to sound authentic. It misses the mark for me. 2*
I don't really have a whole lot to say about this. It's a fun album with some fun songs. I don't think it's particularly groundbreaking or even especially notable. *shrug*
A. Very relaxing album with influences from both Spanish and French music. Cool to vibe with
i really wanted to like this more
I liked this a bit at the beginning but it got tiresome as it wore on. Not for me.
A fav
Clandestino seems like a fun and vibrant listen, with its eclectic rhythms and global influences. However, not understanding the lyrics makes it hard to fully connect with. It’s possible I’d enjoy this more if I could understand the lyrics.
What a fun album. Never heard of the artist or album prior to listening. It's so uplifting and happy. Reminded me of summer holidays around the pool and on the beach. Could almost taste the tequila and lime. Perfect de stress. Brilliant
Definitely a throwback for me, it's been a bit. This album is great and just has a wonderful groove and vibe to it, nostalgic for sure. Listened to it a couple times. Great stuff!
Spanish rege
Não conhecia o artista, mas gostei muito do ritmo e das letras. Pelo poder dado a mim, concedo a este artista o título de cidadão honorário de Fortaleza. Minhas músicas preferidas, dentre muitas: * Lágrimas de oro * Mentira * Welcome to Tijuana * Minha Galera * Clandestino
Solid listen. Different than I normally listen too, which was refreshing.
It's Manu Chao baby. The man almost deserves a 5* for the first five songs alone, but gets a bit boring in the middle unfortunately. Spikes up in the end again. Everyone's favourite FrenchxSpanishxEnglish musician! Great latin vibes.
TIL that, in spite of all the spanish in his music, Manu Chao is french?! I was convinced my entire life he was latin american. The first few tracks flow so well into each other. Really vibed with this, 5* Fuck the reviewers that trash this or any other album only because it isn't in english; what a shitty, close-minded, ignorant take. Highlights: je ne t'aime plus, desaparecido, bongo bong, luna y sol
Amazing artist and album!
Such a positive vibe this album, no matter the topics. Always a 5
One of the more unique ones I’ve heard in a while. I liked the vibe.
When every hippie bar and cafe overplayed this record as cheap background music it cheapened it - but listening it to it now, with the a fonder heart through being able to take some distance from it, it's truly a wonderful record. The urgency and melacholy of this record is hidden behind the ridiculous singles in King of the Bongo and the seemingly generic Je ne t'aime plus, but these are rays of light in an otherwise rather dark record. Songs about desperation from mass migration, a desperate view of the world as full of lies and a general picture of misery - all hidden behind pokey light reggae guitars. Is it good because it's dark? No - it's good because a manic polyglottal lyric - jumping from colonial language to another, Manu Chao documents post-colonial aftershocks in a personal way, without preaching or condescension, and interweaves these stories and political views, with his own internal struggles, while without really knowing what is going on, it's a reggae bar party album. And when I did stumble upon Manu Chao live during the tour of this record - it was a mad punk show - with a nod to these sweet dark songs, that end up in massive mosh pits. As a record? It's well paced, it's interestingly produced - simple yet packed with aural nuggets - adding the the urgency, madness, melancholy and sweetness. And screw those hippies for almost ruining it for me. The leftist teenager in me still feels his heart strings pulled and now it feels somehow even more relevant.
Refreshing change of pace
Good vibes but not for me
Diversity in this list is good. More of this
Really good
Latino Music at its best.
I'm surprised to see anything in Spanish in this list, but that said I'm not surprised that it's Manu Chao. I've never been a big fun, mainly because although it seems to represent an ideology of freedom fighters and seems to have some important substance behind, it's actually doing this fight more harm than good. This kind of attitude is the reason Spanish left-winged parties aren't taking seriously, the culture of the weed-smoking, hippie-ish and artsy that gets completely lost in the arts themselves rather than doing anything. This is what they did to punk in Spain, and it feels like it was purposefully orchestrated to make the remainder of strong-left representatives an absolute joke. Rant over, this isn't bad - it's catchy and fun, I just wish I could see it as just that.
this album is very urbane and worldly; makes sense because this guy traveled all across the world to make this album. many songs features are in a few different languages. while it's not fully for me, i do appreciate the very tropical and sleazy sound the album has. the kind of music that makes you feel like you have a margarita in one hand and a cigar in the other. chao's voice especially is really unique compared to other artists like him.
7/10. This is very dope and cool! :) The cover art gave me electronica vibes, for some reason, so I was somewhat surprised that this is actually a world music album. :) It was definitely a fun listen. Unfortunately, I'm really not a fan of the vocals in this album, and the songs seemed to alternate between songs that I like, and songs that I dislike. :) I enjoyed "Luna y Sol" enough for me to add it to my Liked Songs playlist on Spotify, so that's good. :) I wish that there was more ethnic Latin American music in the set of 1,001 albums. :) I feel like I'm being too generous with my sets of four stars. Whatever, this album will get a set!!!!! :)
morsom listen, sjanger jeg liker veldig godt på sommerhalvåret spesielt. Får meg til å mimre til kultur jeg gjerne skulle vært del av. kommer tilbake til denne om halvt år!
Lurte på hvor jeg hadde hørt stemmen hans før, en film eller serie? Nei, Fifa. Stemmen hans hadde passet veldig bra i en tidlig 2000-tallet animert film om en rotte.
Like been on holiday in Benidorm drinking a cold beer in a bar and in the shade. Great when you’re there but instantly forgettable when you get home. 1/5 12/12/24
Only listened to 2 songs. Couldn’t be. Bothered with it
Muito bom
# Album Name: Clandestino # Artist: Manu Chao # Rating: 2/5 # Comments: I was wondering to myself - i know this guy. Where have i heard him before. Then i realised it was in most of the backpackers in SA i stayed in. Good times. Sadly, this album was not as good as that. Couple of good tracks like Desperacido and bongo but thats about it. # Top Tunes: Desperacido / bongo # Would I listen to it again? Nahhhhhh
Nothing is objectively bad here, it just didn’t hold my interest.
not a big reggae guy, this is pretty ok. just really didn't grab my interest at all
A fun an energetic celebration of so many cultures and genres. Not something I'd normally think to put on, but a really entertaining listen. I also have incredible respect and admiration for Manu's production and song diversity. Plus anyone who can sing in multiple languages on the same album is really cool. A solid listen
I liked this one. They're pretty repetitive but I like the backing track he reuses. I will probably only revisit one or two of these tracks but I'm glad I got to hear it! 3/3.5
I almost really loved this album, but I found it hard to get past Manu Chao’s vocals. Musically, I found it very interesting. A lot of genre hopping, combinations of different styles and cultures. If it were a different singer or all instrumentals it’d likely get a higher rating. Still enjoyable nonetheless.
I know this artist. Never really listened to it. I do know the style. I dig this album.
If you lived in France around 1998 or 1999, there was no way you could escape this album, it was just everywhere (to the displeasure of my hardcore punk friends, lol). Manu Chao has Spanish origins on his father's side, and he drew inspiration from his many travels in South America and even recorded parts of the album there on his laptop, but he is also French, you see. And he was already a celebrity in French alternative circles thanks to his iconic former band La Mano Negra. *Clandestino* is his début, and also, his crowning achievement as a solo artist. And whether you like the album or not, you just can't deny the man had a singular vision for his music, which interestingly, he found through a trial-and-error process related to his fragile psychological mindset during his travels. Said insecurity somehow fit with other stories told about Chao. I for instance heard that he could sometimes be a little tyrannical with outside musicians in the studio. Other people say he pillaged the works of obscure music players he met during those travels in the Spanish-speaking parts of the world. But maybe those stories were just unfounded rumours... Anyways, the tones are here softer, more minimal and more polished than in La Mano Negra (even though seeing Chao play live with his new band proved that he could still be very excited, hectic and even totally bonkers on stage). More importantly, the result is as evocative and cinematic as what Manu had accomplished with La Mano Negra, and probably more accessible for the masses, as the international success of this album proved. I didn't immediately like *Clandestino* though. I slowly came in terms with it, and now readily recognize it conveys a quite timeless atmosphere. And the stories around the record only emphasize its singular quality today. Sure, its 'global' sounds can come off as 'gimmicky' at times, like a laboratory version of the sort of music you hear very far from home, here recreated through incomplete snippets and blurry memories. But that's exactly where the impressionistic poetry of the music also surges. Sometimes there are graceful ways to embrace clichés. And Manu Chao has certainly found an interesting and evocative way to do it here. 4/5 for the purposes of this list of essential albums,. 9/10 for more general purposes (5 + 4) Number of albums left to review: around a hundred, as I've gone over the 1000 line and this generator is including albums from all editions of the book Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 438 (including this one) Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 258 Albums from the list I won't include in mine: 319
its good, upbeat and fun, but not something that I am really into. I would be dancing if this came on in the right environment, but I am not going to listen to it at home
What most artists want - a unique sound. 3/4 making it 4 for interesting international pop
one of the most well thought-through concepts for an album I've heard in a really long time. I'm writing this review on a ThinkPad, a newer (Lenovo) model of the (IBM) laptop Manu Chao recorded Clandestino on. ThinkPads are some of my favorite computers ever made, particularly because of the bang you get for your buck. mine was a model released in 2015; I think I got it for less than $200, and it's still chugging along with minimal issues! apart from being great at the everyday basic things you want a computer to do, it's also allowed me to do a bit of light gaming, and it can even run FL Studio! the idea of making music on a portable computer (whether it be a laptop, a sampling machine, a tablet or what have you) is so ubiquitous in 2024 that children are using online apps to make songs in their school music classes! let alone all the bedroom producers and artists that have achieved huge prominence in recent years. but an album recorded on a ThinkPad being released in 1998 kind of breaks my brain a little bit! Chao was surely ahead of the curve here, right? in a way, he's an early harbinger of the future democratization of music production that came with the beginning of the 2000s, when MacBooks, all of which come with GarageBand, and inexpensive (or even free) DAWs became ubiquitous in the software realm for all operating systems. the decision to use such an inexpensive machine as a basis for this album's recording process comes with some distinct musical advantages which Chao takes pretty great advantage of. while he recorded all the music here, he was living a somewhat nomadic lifestyle following the breakup of his previous band in France, traveling throughout his former home(s) in Europe as well as Latin and Central America, never staying anywhere for long (although he did hang out with the Zapatistas in Mexico for a while). all along the way, he was recording these songs. the variety of locales is depicted not just in the wide array of genres and sounds explored across these 16 tracks, but also the four different languages in which the lyrics are delivered at one time or another. it's a perfect way to illustrate the LP's themes of loneliness on the road. the little details even add to the narrative! often, one track ends with the first few seconds of the track that comes after it, so the transition happens at an unexpected point. it's a great way to keep the momentum of the tracks going, simulating the rate at which Chao was moving from one place to the next. but what really ties everything together is how at home he sounds in every musical setting he presents! Latin musical motifs permeate the majority of the tracks, but there's also nods to dub, reggae, house, folk music and plenty more, all unified by his warm presence as a vocalist, with always just a touch of despondence thrown in. this is exceptional music borne out of exceptional circumstances. strong 8/10.
Great vibes all around
Interesting listen with multiple different languages, nevertheless no track really grabbed my attention as special.
Not for me
4 - Very fun to listen to. Many times I found myself finger drumming to the rhythms.
Not something I'd typically seek out but it was quite enjoyable.
Known and liked the track 'Bongo Bong' for year. Cool record in general, but nothing really jumped out as outstanding. Just a nice chill record.
I enjoyed this album for it unique content and chill. I recognise Bongo Bong and Je ne t'aime plus from the Robbie Williams album ‘Rudebox’, an album that will definitely not be on this list. This is an album I could imagine popping on occasionally, just for a change. An excellent addition to this challenge.
I hadn't listened to this album before, but I recognised Bongo Bong from the Tiktok/reels zeitgeist. Its such a funny phenomena hearing songs which maybe weren't that popular when they were release, or getting a second wind of popularity in short form videos over the last few years! I enjoyed this one - loved listening to the different languages and chill vibes - would listen to it again while working!
i don't think this very often -- if there's anything the English speaking world doesn't need it's being catered to -- but i do wish the CD to this had some form of translation in the liner notes, not just for my dumb monolingual ass wholly unable to understand what the significance of "Mentira" is, but for the Spanish speakers who don't know what "Bongo Bong" is about and the French speakers who don't understand what is being said on all but two of the songs. i think this need to note check is maybe a little less important on other releases in other languages where the feeling of the song comes through, but in instances like this (or other genres like Chanson, Nueva cancion, and a significant amount of MPB), it feels like the message is more important than the sound of the music itself. for this, i feel like i can't really derive as much enjoyment as others could without consulting middling to bad translations -- but then again, maybe those translations hurt those who can't understand the English sections as well. other than that, i think Manu Chao does a good job establishing himself as everyone's troubadour. how the guy performs imparts a lot of energy on you even if you aren't wholly down with the whole "reggae on acoustic guitar" sound. as of 2024, the ratings show the album losing steam per track, but if you asked me, i couldn't really tell you when the album left its groove or spun its wheels. whether Chao, a Basque-French polyglot that struck up a friendship with the Zapatistas, is the best person to discuss the the plight of the migrant or the homeless or the heartbroken fuckup is up to you, but i think regardless of your stance, he sells his understanding well.
Pretty meh. Not bad. Just not really my taste either.
A pleasant listen, a charming time capsule of a 90s vision of globalisation, world music and polyglot vibes-based social commentary. The album flows well from track to track. Spanish textbook, Erasmus-core.
I could have gone without the spoken word parts and I didn't really understand what the heck he was singing about because I'm not cultured enough to know Spanish. This slacks off towards the end, which can be expected on an album with 16 songs, but this is really good. I have absolutely zero idea what he is saying but I do know what he's singing is catchy and I like it. I literally have no idea what the genre for this music should be and I hope the words aren't offensive as I sing them in my car. Lacking context of other music like this, I feel like this was a great listen and should be in the book.
Brazilian nonsense - I ain't got time for this
Not for me. 2.5 stars.
Good for background music
Didn't really care for this one.
Even though I don't understand all the lyrics, each song was so communicative of atmosphere that it hardly mattered. Really appreciated this listen
Some of the tracks are pretty catchy, others are repetitive.
This was right up my alley. Great album, I will definitely return to this.
3.7 - Grew on me and think it was pretty okay overall
A bit of an odd record. Bongo Bong is the standout, I quite like it but it also feels like a novelty song. Not really sure how to feel about this record overall 3.1/5
Well that is just pleasant, don’t speak Spanish but it is a language that just sounds musical. On holiday today and this sounds just nice.
5/10 Not for me, but I don't hate it
Didn’t know what to expect with this but I liked it. Cool vibe
Manu chou Clandestino Probably settle between a high 3 and a 4. Bongo Bong -> Je ne t'aime pe, is an unbelievably good transition and such a great back to back set of songs
cool cool cool
cool vibes, gotta be in the right mood to put this on though
Stopped listening frist song.
Overall it didn't capture my attention as I hoped. Typically I am drawn to the music but I think an understanding of the lyrics may have helped here. Maybe one to revisit but for now, struggling to rate it any higher.
拉丁永远这么动听
Can't believe we found the origin of the Robbie Williams' Bongo Bongo song...and somehow, it's not as good?? This was a decent album that made you want to dance, but it isn't a huge standout for us.
Won me over!
Reggae. By a French artist. Singing primarily in Spanish. Its very chill. Nice.
Fun.
pleasant enough, not gripping, Spanish/French grooves
I wish I understood it, but the the sound wasn’t bad.
This is what I came here for. I’ve never heard of this guy and have not listened to much of this style of music. So this was a new experience. This album was quite a trip. He sings in three different languages and obviously has a lot of different influences. Somehow it works. This was a lot of fun and I wouldn’t mind listening to more. I think my favorite song is welcome to Tijuana.
This was one of the most watered down Latin Music albums I’ve heard. While not 100% in Spanish, most of the album sounds like it was made to suit a white music critic’s palate. So it makes sense that the same Rolling Stone that left out Prince from the greatest guitarists of all time, think this is one of the Top 500 albums of all time. It’s not bad, but there is so much better Latin music out there to enjoy.
There are a couple of good tracks on this album, but the remaining songs seem canned.
My ex-wife used to listen to this all the time. I never liked it then, and I like it even less now due to the memories…
After the first two songs, which are very nice and have an excellent upbeat, the album just falls into a hole of the same reggae-inspired songs without much originality, even with good lyric work. It's not something to be disliked, but it probably is also something not to be remembered.
french artist multuple languages
I have never heard of this album or artist before, but this is a great album! Good on every level and meter that I would judge an album with, and produced expertly without the benefit of a huge studio. 4/5
Not for me
bad
This is a long way from my taste. If it were on in the background while I was sitting in the sun drinking beer, I wouldn't get up to turn it off. But I'm not in the sun drinking beer, and I don't have to get up to turn it off. So....
I love when this list gives me a band I'd never heard of that goes somewhere I didn't expect.
Not really my bag Latin music but you can tell this album was made with a lot of joy.
A good listen, but got strange at times
Very boring but has good politics so there's that? Idk I don't care about this but maybe if I was European and an annoying lefty weed person in 2002 this would be my vibe
Easy listening, and again great to see variety on this list. Clandestino was my favourite track, it shuffled on after the album was over and I listened to it again.
Chill latin/spanish vibes. Super easy listening
This wasn’t bad. I want to be exposed to albums I haven’t heard before and this album meets that criteria. I liked “Bongo Bong” quite a bit. Not really my thing overall, but I’m glad to have heard it. However, the guy looks like the drummer from Blink-182 if he lost a bet that required him to wear the stupidest clothes in the world.
Energetic and fun but don't see myself coming back to listen, cool that he's got that tik Tok song doe!
Saved Prior: None Off Rip: Desaparecido, Je ne t'aime plus, Mama Call, Luna y sol Cutting Edge: None Overall Notes: I'm happy for him because he seems to be happy. I'll take my couple of saved songs and we can go smiling our separate ways. 2.5 rounded down.
I've always found Manu Chao pleasant on the ears, but feels a bit like empty calories. His albums don't have much variation, so not great for anything but background music
I don’t really have the context to appreciate this as much as I should. Why do I know this name though?
Really enjoyed this one, very vibey. Would put on in the background again.
Pretty good
I really like latino music. The beats and the energy overriide any pressing need to understand the language. It is kinda like techno where the lyrics, if there are any, are often too distorted to quite tell what they are saying. Yet still, the energy -- the love -- remains. Now there is nothing directly wrong or fundamentally missing from Manu Chau but for some reason I never stopped and held my breath or wanted to jump up and dance while listening. Not that I need to have this to enjoy an album, but with latino music I like to envision dancing around in a Carmen like gypsy dress and being sensuous. It is like that feeling of being swept away that latino music gives me often. So with that kind of not as present... Yeah, it was OK.
Another one of those albums that makes me wonder, who on earth is listening to this? Just a bunch of drum machines.
I judged this book by its cover… and I’m pleasantly surprised. This album was enjoyable to listen to. Spanish, English and French all wrapped up into this package. There’s even some retro video game sound fix mixed in. Am I seeking out more Manu Chao? Probably not. Was this a waste of my time? Not at all,it was a fun listen!
Ok album, was prolly good tho
There were a couple of moments on this that I really enjoyed, but it's definitely not my thing.
Not for me.
I enjoyed way more than I was expecting. Quite interesting mix genres, both traditional and contemporary. Key tracks: Clandestino Desaparecido Bongo Bong / Je Ne T'Aime Plus
not totally my thing but very enjoyable, some very nostalgic bangers in there
Wild vibes. Loved it. All over the place, linguistically and musically.
A Billy Basic Plucker. Lucky the majority is in a foreign language as his lyrical content in English was embarrassing. Bashing out big bollock bongo around town. Wanker
This sounds like I recorded it.
What a delightful chill surprise. Will definitely play again.
I found his “South American” accent super annoying. Otherwise this is fairly bland and inoffensive music, but nothing that connects with me.
Fedt meget anderledes og et enkelt hit
Didn’t understand a word so, idk how to rate it fairly.
This was a light fun musical album. It felt like one track flowed right into the next as if it was 1 long song with many movements. Its impressive that it covered English, Spanish and French effortlessly. And there were are number of styles and familiar riffs they worked in, some that I couldn't quite place but I did here them use the riff from Tequila . I also thought the production and instrumentation was top notch and inventive. Enjoyable world music. 3.6
This was a bit of a surprise. A nice and easy listen. Sure, there are some tracks I didn’t care for but overall a good listen.
Seems fun enough, does not hit with me though. Will I listen to again: 1%
I thought I didn’t recognise the name Manu Chao, but after some extra research I definitely do know Me Gustas Tu. That’s not on this album though. The album cover gives Mexican vibes, but more googling tells me he grew up in Spain and France. Anyway, the music. I absolutely love this album. The way that the tracks flow together makes for a really pleasant album experience. The way that Chao flips between Spanish, French and English impresses me every time. Despite being objectively not this genre, it reminded me a lot of la musica cubana, pero él es de España y Francia. De todos modos, me encanta este álbum. Lo buscaré en la próxima feria de discos.
This album was soo good in my opinion. I thought some of the songs were very beautiful and well written. I enjoyed the his nasally yet powerful voice. It really added an extra layer to the music.
Very chill and enjoyable album
The voice: irritating yet funny The music: not my style yet interesting and well done The melodies: not usual, simple, almost childish yet good and happy. I like how certain instruments and melodies are transferred to adjacent songs, gluing them to an album. BONGO BONG is THE classic but sits well with the other songs.
This was some neat vibes. I wasn't expecting French out of nowhere.
Zaskakująco dobre. A nawet bardzo. Nie tylko Bongo było dobre, ale też na przykład Luna y sol. 4/5
I can't really find anything special about this album. Not for me.
I won't say it was terrible, but i'm quite glad it's over, I got very little out of that experience. Don't like the guy's voice at all, none of the songs really stand out, it all blends together. Especially at the end, tracks 10-16 i didn't even realise had happened.
This is another one of those ones I would probably put on in the background to just chill/vibe to. It was an interesting listen and I did not mind the time at all spent listening to it. I thought the mix of languages was cool. However it wasn't really a love for me somehow. I can't put a finger on why but it felt just a little to the left of something I would be into more. Still, definitely didn't dislike it so it's a 3* for me.
Nice vibe. Expand your world music. Here!
4.5
An interesting listen 3/5
Got me moving and grooving in a few songs. Also i feel his spanish intonation is good so could be cool to try to study the songs and understand them for learning spanish.
#334. Is this bad? It is not. Do I want to listen to it? I do not. 3/5: fine Song added to playlist: Clandestino I've created a playlist on Spotify that consists of the best and/or my favorite song from each of the albums in this book. This list can be found here if you are interested: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7MAXDGLWlwLkFLb8veGfkA?si=FqkQQPgZTFWG0jAUJXLFZA&utm_source=copy-link
One long slightly annoying song.
I wasn't into this back when, and it was heavily overplayed then, but it's a really good vibe now. Late summer lends itself particularly well. Good job, generator!
Un ensamble único.
A nice surprise--I had the lead song on a compilation disc 25 years ago, and the accompanying songs keep the groove going. My rusty spanish makes it fun to grab out the phrases I understand. Really engaging here. Seems to hold up; surprisingly contemporary. Driving. Hypnotic. Endlessly creative.
Cheered me up and made me smile. Loved those beats!
I loved this. I thought I might miss the traditional Latin percussion that propels a lot of this Central and South American music, but Manu Chao brought the flavor through other elements, and I appreciated his seamless blend of English, French, and Spanish. Super cool.
I dug this. Chill, fun. Nice melodies. Not sure how I'd improve it. Only getting 4 because it didn't blow my mind. But I could definitely see returning to this.
Fun album. I wish I could understand the languages, as after reading about him it seems like he’d have some interesting things to say. Some infectious grooves that bring the energy (sometimes party energy, sometimes moshy energy with lighter instruments), and some more laid back tunes (somewhat reggae ish). Respectable musicianship that serves the song but isn’t flashy, with particularly prominent bass and acoustic guitar. But overall not leaving a huge impact on me.
Why is French and Spanish rap so much better than English?
The songs, firmly in the minor key mode category, are underpinned by acoustic instruments, giving the tracks an exotic edge. Meanwhile the vocals and arrangements are upbeat and groovy, making the album stylish and very listenable fusion style, sunny pop music. The tracks don't outstay their welcome either. Superb all round.
Great fun nice rythms and cheeky songs. King of the bongo is a banger
3rd track started to irritate, 4th continued to do so. Never really recovered after that for me.
Stylish, upbeat and groovy.
Aunque tuve que escucharlo, no voy a ponerle el 1. Le pondré un 2. Las canciones más insoportables son las que yo recordaba del disco. Pesao.
Favorite Track: Clandestino
I wanted to translate these songs to really understand because they were really fun and interesting. My body just wanted to move along and dance with the music. It was an interesting mix of traditional sounds with modern influences. I do not have a lot of experience with the world music scene so this was a great opportunity to be exposed to something beautiful, talented and amazing.
¡qué buena onda!
This was a fun chill vibe. I liked it!
I enjoyed a lot of this. Pretty fun listen. I can’t say I loved any individual track. But I also was never bored. 3.5/5
The album starts the listener in a Mexican desert town with a run down cantina that looks to have had its fair share of abuse, but if one can place the initial impression behind them, the bar is well-stocked and the cocktail menu is surprisingly diverse. The servers are attractive, and the vibe is fun. It is as though one walked into a speakeasy with a desolate front. This album would make such a great change in gear on any music rotation, and that is high praise from this reviewer.
This album was interesting to say the least. The different languages being spoken on this was certainly impressive and unique but it was something that I did not care for at all. The vocals as well were a bit annoying at times and laughable. But it wasn't all bad, there were plenty of decent and catchy songs throughout the album. The listening experience was more enjoyable than the actual album itself. Best - Clandestino, Bongo Bong, Mentira, and La Despedida Worst - Lágrimas de Oro, and Welcome to Tijuana 2.50-2.75/5
Great Latino jams, if that’s what you’re looking for!
Never heard of this before. So many tracks packed into quite a short album. Enjoyed the language combinations. Love music with this kind of sound, especially in the summer. Highlights: Clandestino Lagrimas de oro Luna y sol
The language barrier makes this a little tricky to rate. That aside it is a solid album with a cool vibe.
I expected nothing but got so much more out of it than that! I really enjoyed some of the infectious Latin beats.
This was much better than the previous Spanish album but still didn’t really stand out as very special.
It was ok. 2.5
nope.
Entertaining album. I thought it got a little long though.
Ah Clandestino! A very fun song from when I was learning Spanish! Very chill alt-reggae stylings.
This fits this hot weather today. Some transitions were very smooth. Others not so much.
Ma pensa te che piacevole sorpresa. Non più clandestino, ha cittadinanza nella mia playlist
Better than expected.
Idk what this is but here goes! Oh nvm I know this song “Clandestino.” Why are all these songs familiar? I don’t like “Bongo bong.” Same with the French one. This reminds me like Chicano Batman a lot.
Went into this with no expectations. Actually based on the album cover I had LOW expectations. But man this was such a fun time. The whole thing flows so well, it’s fun, there’s variety of sounds, languages, energies. Is this 5 stars? It’s certainly close. He has a new album next month and I think I’ll actually seek it out, so that’s probably all the praise this album needs. Its actually made me wanna look further into this dude.
How fun. It’s a pick me up album that celebrates the culture of Latin America in a beautiful way.
Pretty sure he just hit record with no preparation at all and just kept going in one take. For the whole album.
I dont really like it
Jolly, easy to listen to, not really my thing
This one's alright. It's certainly better than the last non-English album I got (fuck you Koffi Olomide). Is it the best one I've gotten? No. I definitely liked the albums from groups like Sigur Rós and Os Mutantes more. However, I can certainly see quite a bit of value in Clandestino, even if it's not really my thing personally. One interesting thing about this album in comparison to others is that different songs are in different languages. Most are in Spanish, but some of them are in French, Brazilian Portuguese, and even English! The writing is decent from what I can tell. It's got some good variety. The singing is pretty interesting. It's kind of Sgt. Pepper's-esque in a way. The sound is pleasant. It doesn't go on for too long, and none of the songs do either. It's pretty fun. Overall, this is a decent album that I can see the appeal of. 3/5.
I liked the street recorded sounds and they fit in well with the songs. I could not understand that much because of the language difference. I did like the music and his voice for much of the album. I probably would not seek this again to listen, though it was better than most albums for sure. Gets a 3, but really a 3.5 if I could.
It had a very unique style and my small Spanish vocabulary helped me understand what he was singing and saying throughout
This week has been nothing but mediocre albums that I could’ve died having been content never having heard. His voice was good but I didn’t understand very much at all due to my Spanish not being muy bueno. The one song in English I didn’t like it didn’t flow at all. I would give this a 3.5 if I could but I can’t so it gets a tres.
it was a decent listen, but would I ever seek it out again? no. a solid "meh"
Breath of fresh air. I love delving into music I haven't spent a lot of time in. This is awesome. The title track is irresistible.
Clandestino is a sun drenched, cross cultural escape. Its reggae rhythms and raw energy are infectious, though the lo-fi, repetitive production can occasionally feel monotonous. Still, its unique charm makes it a memorable, sticky record. "Welcome To Tijuana" is the highlight for me, just pure vibes.
Actually a nice Latino music, very enjoyable and made me want to do little dance moves. Somehow they made all of their songs really melodic and also the switch from one song to another was absolutely flawless. I then continued listening to other recommended (by Spotify) songs and I jammed for another hour or so, very good stuff. I was a bit tired that day but this album made me feel very excited, but it also matters who you're with when you're listening to this.
Nothing special.
It threw me a bit because it's mostly in Spanish as far as I can tell, but there were snippets of English and French sprinkled in to some songs. A nice little peppy album for the most part, the kind of music I'd like to move around and dance a little to
MINT
This guy seems cool. World music sure has a sound.
Not for me
Very catchy in 1998. Very catchy in 2024.
I enjoyed this album quite a bit, it's a nice take on reggae and the overall atmosphere is very pleasant.
da kommen Erinnerungen hoch, aber außer Bongo Bongo ...
I liked, but I can't listen to foreign language music regularly
Depending on one's state-of-mind while listening to this album, one might wish to light up a joint, nurse the hangover, or bang year head against a wall till you stop hearing anything but your heart-thumping in your ear. Somewhere, they will use this album as torture techniques to get the hardest bastards to start talking. And in any hostal, or backpacker inn, all across the world, this album is staple of the daily playlist... 2 ** because I will respect the effort... but Jezus H Christ, this gets old fast.
Very chill vibes here - mentally taking note of "Bongo Bong" for... reasons.
Completely forgot about this album. When I was in high school, so many of my friends were obsessed with the track "Bongo Bong" to the point that it became more of a novelty than anything else. The album itself is clever, with an almost seamless transition between every song across the album with exception of a few pointed stops. As a whole, it definitely feels like it was written to be a singular project more than a collection of songs thrown together. Overall, I enjoyed it, even if I'm not likely to come back to it for another listen anytime soon. The immediate nostalgia upon hearing "Bongo Bong" was a trip though, right back to my freshman year of HS. A strong 3/5
Short and ridiculously catchy this is a great listen from genres far from my comfort zone. Strong 3, maybe 3.5 but rounding down.
He does what he does but it’s not quite my thing.
Would put on during dinner with my parents.
Álbum traz um frescor, uma paz. Excelente! A variação das vozes, e as harmonias de reggae com a pegada latina formam um som complexo muito legal. Já gostava quando ouvia no início dos anos 2000.