Clandestino

Well, yeah, not transcendental, is it? I can parse its appeal; but it doesn't appeal to me, not very much. But one must be fair

Shit bussing, very catchy and fun to listen to Highlights: Clandestino, Bongo Bong, Je ne t'aime plus

Loved

Hard for me to write this one as it’s way outside of my wheelhouse.

Great album, chill listen

Refreshing, bouncy tunes. Latin origin but songs are still relatable. A different and welcome record.

Wasn't sure what to expect from this, but ended up quite enjoying it. "Bongo Bong" and "Welcome to Tijuana" are my top picks.

I went into this album not expecting much, but it was an entertaining listen. Much respect to Manu Chao for recording and producing this all on his laptop.

Can't understand most of it, but I liked it anyways. Nice and chill.

Hard to not like but still not something you have to listen to.

It was just fine

It definitely is some cool music - something that I haven't really heard of. I wouldn't say that it is my type of music, however, and the vocals don't do it for me.

Wasnt expecting much but thgis way up there. Much better than a lot of sit on this list. + the Narcos vibe

Very unique and diverse album.

Just didn’t do it for me

It was a beaut

This album brings so many memories and emotions. In early 2000 you could hear Manu Chao and his "Bongo Bong" everywhere. Such a great song, extremely likeable beat and a very specific singing makes it an all-time hit. However this was my first time listening to the full album - "Clandestino". And although Bongo Bong is the biggest hit on the record, the rest of the tracks are also really good! A good mix of slower and more uptempo songs, mix of languages, generally positive atmosphere maintained across full 40 something minutes. I will gladly come back to this album every year or so, for another trip down the memory lane.

Rating: 9/10 Best songs: Clandestino, Bongo bong, Je ne t’aime plus, Mentira, luna y sol

6/16, 38%

Interesting. Didn’t know what to expect but it’s catchy and I enjoyed it mostly. Wouldn’t go out of my way to listen to it again though.

This is definitely out of my comfort zone but I quite enjoyed it. The songs are catchy and I love his voice.

not really my style.

Interesting mix of musical styles and languages. I preferthe reggae tracks.

Hate his voice. Music was sometimes alright

I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. Bonus, this was the first Spanish language album I listened to that was in Spanish, English and French. 3.5/5.

Me gusta, tiene canciones pegajosas y otras de las que por unos meses no podías escapar: estaban en todas partes. En todo caso, me aburre rápidamente.

Bits of this were enjoyable, but not the songs in English.

I think this does what that Eels album I disliked so much hopes to do. Where that album feels cute and kitschy, Clandestino feels inspired and important. Grown from the deep well of one global traveler’s observations of the world. It has that purpose behind it, plus it’s a hell of a lot of summer fun. It sounds of an artist who saw the potential in music’s hip-hop inspired, technological revolution and saw a way to capture his own unique voice and political vision through those new tools. Recorded and produced on the road by Manu via his laptop, Clandestino is a unique and inspired work of global music that I’m excited 1001 has introduced me too. Can’t wait for the summer so I can play this again, appropriately.

A pleasant surprise of an album! I liked it. It got a little repetitive toward the second half, but I found the blend of genres really surprising in how well they worked. A lot of these records I feel like I've heard before and don't remember where from. Just really liked it overall, 3/5

Granted there is certainly a nostalgia factor here, but I listened to Manu Chao when he first released his music and honestly it is still great. Unique and fantastic sound, I like it.

Big ups , rest still sounds average

this was a breath of fresh air! manu chao's clandestino is an easy, fun listen. it's different from other albums on this list by the virtue of it being world music (which is just too vague of a term!). but i enjoyed some incorporations of hip hop and electronic music. the concept of this album is cool and is, i think, the reason why it comes across as so fresh. traveling to different locations to record music on a laptop might be a very 1998 thing to do, but i enjoyed it anyway. 3.5

I had never heard of Manu Chao, but was pretty impressed! The way one track flowed into another was immaculate here. He traveled from location to location recording this album, and it really shows; this is sung in four different languages and played in a corresponding cultural genre, and Manu does it all masterfully. It all just made for a great mix of music. He isn't particularly doing anything revolutionary here from a musical perspective, but the blend of languages and genres certainly makes this a unique creative outlet. At the end of the day, it seems like Manu Chao just really enjoys making music, and he makes it fun to listen to.

Surprisingly meta

bango bong was poggo

I like the travelogue concept - but I'm having a hard time getting into this, it is so disjointed and never really comes together for me.

I'd heard "Bongo Bong" on a CD Sampler that came with CMJ magazine back in the day, but I'd never been interested enough to seek out the whole album. That was the right move apparently, as the rest of the album doesn't have the same charm. Quirky stuff, and at times enjoyable, but not anything I'd want to listen to again.

Honestly don't have a big reaction to this... which means average.

I thought I'd like this one more, but with each song going into one another, it flows so much I can hsrdly tell songs apart, and makes everything blend together. Doesn't help when some songs use the exact same backing music as well. It was alright overall, certainly some good stuff, but it left a lot to be desired. Right down the middle with this one.

3.5

Spanish, French, English singing, interesting but not grabbing me.

Really dig this. It's kind of a Tito Puente crossed with more modern beats.

I'm not in the "Worldwide" genre at the moment. This might be good for dinner music in the background, but that doesn't happen much in my world.

Not my type, but pretty okay to listen to.

Antipatičan do boli

This was OK. Nothing wrong with it really. Just not my type of music

This is a French indie rock / rap album? It has a low quality production value that was probably very cool when it came out in the 90's. It's so common place now, that it sounds cheap. It really did not grab me. It wasn't abrasive to my ears, but I can live without it.

A nice, breezy listen. It was cool how some songs blended into others. Also, the amount of languages covered -- I noticed at least Spanish, English and French -- was fun to go back and forth between, especially as I speak two of those! All in all, a good listen. It seems like Manu Chao is far more well-known internationally than domestically, so it's fun to be exposed to his stuff.

Today's listen was very interesting! Spanish/French vocals with a bit of English mixed in! The musical accompaniment was highly influenced by Spanish culture though it sounded like. Beautifully intricate Spanish guitar mixed with modern sampling and rapping techniques left you with a very interesting sound. What I like about these international albums is that it isn't necessarily something I would ever have discovered on my own. I like hearing how other cultures music have different influences. Even though I didn't understand most of what was said, the beauty of the music that was made still came through. Overall, a great listen today. Nothing spectacular, but it was still very good! Favorite songs: Luna y Sol, Clandestino, Welcome to Tijuana, Minha Galera, Mama Call Least favorite songs: La Despedida 3/5

C'est pas forcément ce que j'ai l'habitude d'écouter à 2h du matin mais je n'ai pas détesté l'expérience

ça m'a beaucoup moins saoulé que prévu c'est peut être le doux printemps

Emblematic of my early 20's. I certainly remember bumping through the jungles of El Salvador listening to this one and spending a lot of time with my friend Matt listening to this and probably driving a little fast in his VW. Not one I voluntarily revisit.

Not something I thought I would enjoy. I didn't enjoy it but it was tolerable simply because it was different.

The variety of languages and styles makes Manu Chao stand out among world music. Chao has been called Latin alternative, but it’s interesting because he’s Spanish rather than from the new world. Despite his European origins, he brings a lot of Latin influence into his music, along with a melange of other styles. I don’t always enjoy his voice, but the mix of styles is pretty cool.

I mostly don't know what Manu is saying because he sings in "French, Spanish, English, Italian, Arabic, Catalan, Galician, Portuguese, Greek, and occasionally in other languages", but despite the language barrier, Clandestino is varied and interesting.

¡Este álbum es fantástico! Me encanta la musica y la voz. Suena como la banda sonata de Narcos México. Las tres primeras canciones son mis favoritas. Me gusta como Bongo Bong se convierte sin problemas en Je Ne T’aime Plus. Bien hecho. Estaré escuchando este álbum muchas veces en el futuro.

I liked this a lot more than I expected, which was to not like it at all. Couple really neat songs on there. Might throw a few in a playlist.

Album has a nice, kinda lo-fi vibe to it that I like, but the tunes just aren’t that strong. Kinda dull. 2.5/5

I understand why some people would like it but it's not for me. It's ultimately the same Latin feel over 16 tracks with some back to back songs have the same backing track. Not for me 2/5

Better than expected

Pleasant to listen to, Mano negra more my kind of thing, 3 stars

Meh

Wish I had heard this one sooner. Great vibes. Bongo Bongo!!

Pretty cool album, foreign vibes. Would be a good listen on a summer day.

Not what i expected

Decent tone but didn't have a clue what he was singing about

Very jolly! Liked it, having never heard of him before.

2.75

Coherent?

First album I hadn't already heard, and I really enjoyed it. It needs a few more listens to come up with a definitive review.

Middle of the road for me

Not for me

I mean this is fine... just sounds like typical Spanish hippie music. Those dudes you'd see in a botellon with dreads not really drinking but smoking a ton of weed. I thought I recognized the guy from "Me Gustas Tu" on a different album. 6/10.

I know nostalgia is making me overly generous but I'm sticking with it.

Started strong, didn't stay there

My dad texted me about this album

Fun music. Good in the background. Bongo bong is tons of fun. There's enough here that I would search out this album while making tacos or chili in the future

Love this. Unusual (to me) but easy to enjoy. Spirited but not bouncy. Very catchy. Sometimes a little silly, sometimes a little sad. Altogether a really interesting album that I'm glad I've been introduced to. Just the kind of thing I'm looking for from this list.

Eigenlijk totaal niet mijn straatje, maar toch erg gezellig.

Normaliter niet helemaal mijn ding, maar op een zonnige vrije dag prima te doen.

Het zonnetje schijnt!

Jeugdsentiment!

Flow of the abloom is excellent and each song flows flawlessly into the next. Excellent Alt Latin Great instrumentation very enjoyable album to listen to

Clandestino is the first full-length solo album by French-Spanish singer-songwriter Manu Chao. It is a world music album with tracks in different languages, but primarily Spanish. European consumers really liked this album as it has been certified in many of those countries, but no certifications in the USA. This was a cool, ethnic album to listen to even though I cannot understand the lyrics. I always appreciate hearing popular music from other cultures.

3 star

Funky tunes by the king of bongo

Ranskalaisten suursuosikki! Vaikka on vitsiä, on silti taiten tehty. Hyvää mieltä.

Suojautuu yksitoikkoisuudelta hienovaraisin keinoin, ja seurauksena kuulijan mielenkiinto pysyy yllä. Toimii. Kannattaisi silti kokeilla duuripohjaisiakin biisejä - eivät ne aina ole niin naiiveja kuin voisi luulla.

skyder en lømmel til det her musik

meh

I didn’t make it through the second track.

Coll album, I like the production 4 stars

Not my vibe.

Enjoyable sounds and rhythms

There’s a school of thought which ascribed to Spanish culture a reactionary and backwards character which prevented any significant artistic or cultural products emerging from the Iberian peninsula. The origins of this character is rooted in the belief that Spain’s subordination to both Islamic and Christian fanaticism has imbued its people with a lingering aversion to the enlightenment values which gave life to some of the most precious artefacts of European artistic achievement. (see: the Black Legend on Wikipedia for more on this stuff). Truthfully, you can kind of see what is meant by this theory, even if there are glaring historical inconsistencies underpinning its premise. While I am not even 200 albums through this project, the contribution of Spain to the canon of popular music is practically nonexistent. Its folk music lacks universal appreciation, and when it comes to popular music you can just forget it. The eruption of punk in the country, which had already invigorated most of Western Europe in the late 1970s, came too late and with seriously derivative results (a prevailing trend). What has this to do with “Clandestino” by Manu Chao? Well, I would argue that the ex-Mano Negra member achieved one of the most significant Spanish contributions to popular music with this offering - even if he isn’t exactly, well, Spanish. His ancestral connections to the country are, in fact, to the Basque Country, which is a less than enthusiastic participant in Spanish identity-building. That being said, Manu Chao’s use of the Spanish language is some of the most poetically ingenious you will hear. While the general locus of the record is found, rather predictably, in the idea of loneliness and nomadic uncertainty, he illustrates this sense of vagrancy with some really biting social commentary and sardonic wit. The multi-lingual approach to his songwriting compounds this placelessness which doesn’t so much torment the narrator, but rather confronts him as an inescapable reality. Additionally, the record has a lot going for it sonically. It’s a really unique hybrid of Latin folk, hip-hop and punk which just works on so many levels. It’s a blend that’s hard to describe without sounding too reductive, but just listen to the subtle combination of genres on tracks like “Bongo Bong” - it sounds equally at home in the sun-bleached bars of Havana as it does in the rustic Parisian ghettos. It’s a concept album in the loosest sense, but is so rich in thematic depth - and these two things should not be conflated. The album is so far from pretentious, that it delves so profoundly into its philosophical material. So… Vive La France? Arriba España? Gora Euskadi? Yes…

No quiero sonar hater, pero no me gusta casi nada esta música. Siento que la onda contestataria y revolucionaria que trata de mostrar es meramente una pose, y cuando uno pone la lupa sobre lo que nos está contando, se aprecia un mensaje tan hueco como el corazón de las grandes corporaciones. No sé, capaz lo tengo que escuchar en otro momento y cambia mi perspectiva.

Expresión tolerable de postmodernismo. El problema está si se la piensa como un manifiesto político o la respuesta genuina de un territorio oprimido. Es cierto que los sonidos y las letras sugieren algo de eso, pero lo hacen tan solo como un ejercicio, la posibilidad lúdica de una combinación, que, al final, termina siendo exitosa. La instrumentalización es pequeña y las texturas, suaves: los materiales diversos se armonizan. Y en última instancia, por más que políticamente tal armonía pueda ser fútil, o incluso la solicitud de un conformismo, también amplía el espectro de lo imaginable, crea una especie de no-lugar. Y no todo tiene que ser realismo.

Es un disco absolutamente genial, las melodías y los instrumentos emanan alegría, mientras que la letra describe un mundo corrupto. La mezcla de idiomas en algunas canciones me genera una satisfacción tremenda, a su vez que siempre me dan ganas de moverme al ritmo de la musica. Todo junto, me hace disfrutar mucho más. 8/10

yo se que es musica del campamento anticapitalista del nuevo mas pero este disco me hace acordar mucho a cuando era chico que sea una especie de placer culposo de mi papa y ahora un poco tambien el mio pd posta me baño yo no me discriminen

lo disfrute pero a la mitad ya lo queria sacar. supongo que no estoy con ganas de estas cosas ahora

This sounded almost like a pastiche at times. Pleasant enough, but Bongo Bong was a bit silly.

Not my kind of thing. I didn't really listen to it. Even as background music it passed me by.

Ok, so this was interesting! As with most music that falls under the “worldwide” umbrella it’s obviously going to appeal to a certain customer rather than a 40 year old, fat Scotsman. But, I enjoyed it for what it was! Not going to be racing down the local record shop for it though!

Vaguely interesting but by no means essential.

May be worth another listen

absolute banger album

This is ridiculously fun. Upbeat, super catchy, great beats, fun lyrics. Is it the most innovative thing ever? Maybe not, but who cares? This just makes you want to dance and party. Love it. It's exactly the music to play when you want to make a tedious task more upbeat. Will absolutely keep this on regular play.

Really enjoyed this one. Melodies are light as air but extremely catchy.

The sound of white dreadlocks.

<3

A good solid offering. Deceptively simple tunes delivered with skill. Didn’t have a clue what was going on but it was all pretty catchy

Pretty good!

Hmm okay

Such a nice summer vibe record! Yeah, I've only known Bongo Bong, but the rest is very laid back as well! It has some nice layers, cool sampling and nice melodies. The vocals and lyrics are not too great, but still enjoyable and fit the songs well! Key tracks: Clandestino, Desaparecido, Bongo Bong, Je ne T'aime Plus, Mentira, Minha Galera 7 out of 10

Very interesting album. I’ve heard potentially one Manu Chao song before and a friend of mine has been recommending his music. Finally having listened to it, I definitely enjoyed this. Catchy and fun Saved tracks: Clandestino, Bongo bong, Je ne t’aime plus, Welcome to Tijuana

Varme minner fra Roskilde. Helt knall

Wish I had taken Spanish in school. I faithfully listened to the whole lp. The videos gave me an idea of what some of the songs were about. I liked the music, the Mexican folk style. I even found a Playing for Change video of Clandestino with an amazing mix of musicians

Interesting multi language album. Never heard of this one. After listening, I definitely want to dig in a little to see why this made the top 1001 list. It's seems like it has a pretty big impact in Europe, even though it didn't make as big an impact in the US (at least English speaking).

Manu Chao’s “Clandestino” is a really fascinating tapestry of cultural and geographic musings that fall into each other without really ever clashing. Chao, a polyglot, sings in up to four languages on the album, and with each language, he pulls influences from the respective cultures, making the album a melting pot of ideas and sonic structures that are still cohesive. probably because Chao is selling a message of universal oneness and peace. but that cohesion, a few songs in, begins to breed repetition, till the music blends into itself. the album is light and breezy, sure, but that lightness begins to work against it: all of it fades into the background, with nothing truly lush enough to stand out. though i admit this is not music i would naturally gravitate towards, i can appreciate the courage in Chao’s ideas and thematic leanings; how he not only sings of unity, but strives to sound like it too. but the music just lacks the gusto to really hold itself together — and maybe that alone says a lot about the world it’s hoping to unite.

Man(u) had me hooked by “Bongo bong.” An exceptionally fun world album which breaks the mold for a genre I usually don’t enjoy. Lots of shining songwriting moments and fun instrumental flourishes which run throughout the album.

p822. 1998. 2 stars. Eclectic collection of songs, ideally suited to sun and warmer climes. Unfortunately it is January in Stoke and it's currently -1. Perfectly acceptable fare, but not sure it's essential listening.

dobarrrrrrrr

This is mind expanding stuff! I prefer the faster stuff, but that’s probably just personal preference.

I am unfamiliar with Manu Chau, when I received this album to listen to I admit I was not looking forward to it. I assumed it was a typical latin-pop-dance album...boy was I wrong. This album charmed me from the opening. Subtle but deceptively complex arrangements and production. Stylistically diverse and always interesting. The vocals are nasally and won't be to everyone's taste but the singing always comliments the arrangements. This is so much more than pop musidc. Its magic is in the way it offers a folk music feel while maintaining popular sensibilities. 4 stars

Groovy

Good vibes

Slaps

Started off quite strong but got pretty repetitive and boring as the album went on

It's not the best music ever made. It's certainly not the best produced album. The lyrics are simplistic bordering on silly. But not of that even remotely matters. This album is 100% vibe. The mixture of samba, latin, cuban rhythms with French, Spanish, English, Portuguese and Italian lyrics about the joys of life (sex, drugs & music) make this a refreshing, open, relaxing yet danceable album. It there ever was an album that captures the spirit of backpacking, this is it. The album lets its songs flow into one another. Like visiting a new city on the same continent, not too far away. Sometimes just changing a ska-organ for a bossanova guitar and changing languages, while letting the underlying sounds continue and all of a sudden you realise you went into a new song without noticing. I remember the summer of 1999 when this album was everywhere on mainland Europe and probably elsewhere around the world. It captured a vibe and spirit and now, re-listening to it, I can see why. It's clever, worldly and a joy to listen to.

Disappointed with this. I remember the CD doing the rounds back in the day so was expecting to recognise a bunch of this. But only Bingo Bongo was familiar and that was not as good as I remembered. Along with a few other tracks, it felt a bit sparse and I was waiting for something else (drum and bass remix?) to kick in. Other tracks I found the nasal tone really painful.

Album divertido, pegajoso y con buenas letras. Super disfrutable

I loved this. Never heard of him before. It's weird and low-fi before lo-fi was a thing. I have followed him on Spotify and will be listening to more of this. This is exactly the kind of thing I signed up for.

Top 3 Songs: 1 - Luna y Sol (8) 2 - Malegria (12) 3 - Bongo Bong (3)

Overall a pretty cool and unique album. Songs were a little hit or miss for me, but a few bangers on here for sure.

Not my cup of tea. Some of these songs might work as music for breaking bad though.

Excellent from start to finish, listened 2.5 times yesterday and for sure will listen again 4.5/5

I had never heard of this artist before, but loved it! Good variation of sounds (and languages) and I enjoyed all of it. Listened to it twice and enjoyed it just as much the second time. That’s five stars from me dawg.

Relaxed, far-flung music to background a stressful time at work. I’ll give it a more concentrated listen later.

73 / 1069 I had listened to the start of this album many times but not all the way through. I think it loses a little steam as it goes on (or I’m just overly familiar with the start!), but quite good. Solid 4 stars.

I used to work in a machine shop where my boss would BLAST norteño 8 hours a day everyday. Think constant accordions and twangy guitars absolutely blaring in your ears. It's polka from latin america. 15 years of therapy and I'm still on edge when I hear even the slightest honk in the background. I had shivers even thinking about pressing play on this album. Pleased to report, I made it through. It's a chill album with a good flow and no accordions.

Ehh... it's ok. It doesn't move me in any way though.

Different and enjoyable

Relatively standard, but enjoyable.

I knew of Manu Chao from a few tracks a friend had put on some mix CDs twenty years ago. I was definitely a fan, although I never looked for more of Chao's music. I've been missing out. This has such an interesting and engaging sound, and with only a basic knowledge of Spanish, I caught enough to want to decode the compelling lyrics further. I loved listening to this and I would like to listen to more!

Musically this was fun. Lyrically, I cannot really judge, so the album gets a pass on that. If only some of the other albums that we’ve had were not in English…

Varied, interesting, and fun. Will listen again!

I have a few songs by Manu Chao from some mix tape I received many years ago, but never listened to an entire album. Really enjoyed this! The French-Spanish angle was interesting too. Great!

Another great example of an album I would have never listened to were it not for this list. Pretty interesting set of cuts, even though I can't understand most of the lyrics.

I think that maybe I should like this more than I do. It’s similar to Devendra Barnhart who I have liked. I find the Tijuana one quite funny because he’s from Paris, what does he know about sex and drugs in Tijuana.

Had a lot of fun with this one. High energy, enjoyable, welcome to Tijuana, tequila, sexo, marihuana!

not really for me but i see the appeal

I do not speak spanish so I almost skipped this one, but I'm glad I didn't. I would usually only give albums I can't understand a 3 star review to be fair, but something about this album's melodies really hooked me. so i gotta give it a 4

It was almost impossible to avoid this album if you went to college in the late 90's. They were playing it in the cafés, you could hear it in partys and that girl that just went back from Barcelona with dreadlocks always had a copy of the CD in her bag with a Che patch on it. I personally never cared for it, but Je ne t'aime plus is really good, almost makes me think of Jean Leloup and I gotta say that it now holds a certain nostalgic value for me. Deep down I hate this, but I can't give it less than 3 anyway.

Je ne t'aime plus

Album is too long, 30 minutes would have been enough.

I had no expectations and was pleasantly surprised. The first half is made of very strong songs with original and creative beats. After that, the album seems a bit too long winded and the quality is slowly turning down. Glad I listened to it.

Nice enough and I enjoyed the rhythms and energy. The fact that I didn't understand a word made it difficult to give a higher score.

I had a great time with this one, I loved the eclectic and multicultural energy here. It did get a smidge samey by the end of the record, but otherwise it was excellent.

I was honestly quite shocked, as I think I made a preconception based on the album art. But this truly blew me away, with a good sonic blend and both emotion and playfulness staggered throughout.

Def not a fav.

Clandestino by Manu Chao is a true gem of an album that effortlessly blends together a diverse array of musical styles, from reggae and ska to rock and Latin American rhythms. The result is a truly unique and vibrant sound that is both energizing and deeply soulful. One of the standout features of Clandestino is Manu Chao's ability to seamlessly incorporate a wide range of cultural influences into his music. From the laid-back reggae vibes of "Bongo Bong" to the Spanish-language rock of "Mentira," Chao effortlessly blends together a variety of styles and influences to create a sound that is truly his own. In addition to the diverse musical influences on Clandestino, the lyrics are also a highlight of the album. Chao's lyrics are politically charged and thought-provoking, tackling issues such as immigration, social justice, and the human condition with a keen wit and intelligence. This is an album that is sure to surprise and delight listeners with its unique blend of musical styles and thought-provoking lyrics. It is a true testament to Manu Chao's artistic vision and talent, and is a must-listen for fans of world music and anyone looking to expand their musical horizons.

Cool quirky music

enjoyable

A couple of really catchy tracks, but nothing too surprising

v̶̢̹̋̉i̷͓̒b̵̹̎͐e̴̹͍̅ỹ̷̢͘͜

Makes me want to travel :)

I didn’t understand it. But I liked it.

See listening notes to this. Current fave: la vie à 2.

Nääh, ihan lepposia rytmejä jotka kuitenkin jättää kylmäksi.

Ei manuchaohype oikeen muhun silloin purrut, eikä nytkään

Fun all the way! Party in Europe.

30th November 2022 Listened in the office. Came home on the train and watched White Lotus. Reminds me of Adam Fuller.

I like this album a lot!

This album was a pure vibe. Very, very interesting musically. Favorite track: Mentira

Nice Latin music

Damn nice

Musik, deren lyrics ich nicht verstehe, geht mir echt schwerer rein. Vom vibe sehr nice!

No thanks

Very upbeat. Great leadoff for the week.

I really enjoyed this album and this is why I started this challenge, to be exposed to music from around the world.

Not my type of content, but I thought it was pretty good.

I liked this! I liked what another reviewer said about how it was respectful of the culture while still being accessible. I have mad respect for anyone who performs music in multiple languages. “Bongo Bong” was the highlight for me.

Prefs: Clandestino, Desaparecido, Bongo Bong, Je ne t'aime plus, Mentira..., Lagrimas de Oro, Luna y Sol, Welcome to Tijuana, Dia Luna... Dia Pena, Malegria, Minha Galera Moins pref: La Despedida

Excelente!

01-Nov-2022 I've never even heard of this artist, so will be intersted to check this out! Good to see some other countries represented in the list.

Highlights: Mentira, but the album flows so well it's very easy to just sit and listen to the whole thing.

- Never heard of this before - Not usually my thing, but some catchy songs - Liked the switching between languages - Fav songs: Welcome to Tijuana, La vie à 2, Desaparecido

Really good surprise. I was not expecting to vibe so much on this album. The sonorites are really catchy and the mood quite good. I would definitely listen to that again. The album is maybe on the longer side and becomes a bit repetitive at some point but I had a great time.

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

A catchy mélange of French, Latin, Reggae and whatever else. MC is a great songwriter, political and satirical, and an amazing performer, as my co-judge and I discovered 20 years ago. Bongo Bong was a big hit in my spinning classes. The theme runs throughout this album, and his next one. I found the original fron Manu Negro a few years earlier, which sounds like it could be a Beastie Boys version. I'm amazed he played mostly every instrument and recorded it on his laptop. And this went gold in Canada!

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.

How have I come this far along in life without having heard of this guy or this album. It's the oddest thing I've ever heard. It's like Spanish trip hop with sampling and rhythms that go around and about. Not really tracks as such as it bleeds from one track to another. No real substance as it feels like pop music and certainly not punk rock. Not sure if it deserves one star or 5 stars.

Another one from the bootleg era, I thought it was from like 2002 because that was when my sister downloaded it. I also thought many of these songs came from different albums lol. Also I should mention my mom loves this album. I myself think it’s great, I think I used to find his voice a bit annoying but I don’t anymore, also I use to dislike the fact that he is French but sings like latino, but I guess my views towards cultural appropriation have shifted a bit. The music is great, the concept amazing and the soundbites funny, soulful or thoughtful af. Marcos may be a controversial figure (not really tho) but damn those speeches hit. To the funny guy reviewing this album with his backpacking experiences: there are no cheap corona imitations here in México, you uncultured swine.

It was Spanish, it was French- what more can be said? A good tonsil dance

I appreciate what he’s doing but that sound is not really my thing.

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

I'm very sick today. Barely upright. This music does nothing to speed my recovery. It's too bright, too happy, it hurts my brain. It's like a never-ending mariachi interlude from Breaking Bad that takes up the whole episode and makes you curse Vince Gilligan for his shenanigans. Grading on a curve today to balance out my harsh attitude, and points added for Bongo Bong. In the end it adds up to neutral.

Jamaika vibes

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.

Not for me

It was ok and I’m glad I listened, but won’t be seeking out again.

Interesting listen, much different from anything I would normally listen to. Not really my thing but I thought some of it was enjoyable. Really impressive that he made the whole album on a laptop in the 90s while traveling the world.

Nothing on this album did it for me.

I really enjoyed this but it did get a bit samey by the end

Is this guy bleeding from the head? Is he okay? Getting Adam Levine vibes. This one lost me at Bongo Bong.

When I was at university I met a girl towards whom I felt an instant attraction. Funny, cool, beautiful and whip-smart, perhaps her only ostensible failing was that she seemed to take a shine to me. That, and she loved Manu Chao. Imagine, my friends, how exhilarated I felt to have managed to make it to her bedroom. Imagine how deflating it was to learn that she couldn't wait to turn me onto 'Clandestino'. Listening again to this brings back pungent memories of nodding along, muttering crap like "yeah, this is some dope shit" and feeling like I was slowly going insane through a combination of young lust, desperation and in-the-moment loathing of Manu Chao. Anyway, I mellowed and she went on to work for the Conservative Party. I don't hate 'Clandestino' as much as I did back then, but it still sucks. I think 'Bongo Bong' was used in an old Fifa game.

Cool

I liked this it's a fun album

Enjoyable in parts but it all sort of just passed me by in a mass of sound.

Fun mix of genres.

There are a couple of decent party tunes on here, but otherwise it didnt do much for me

Gago!

I think I would have enjoyed this more if I spoke more foreign languages other than English. Aside from that, this is a solid album.

Nice latin blending

By track four I had become seriously fed up with this irritating noise. Not worth using the electricity to play was my opinion at rhat point. From then on things got worse. Trite, meaningless and tedious songs with very overworked vocal patterns make this an album to miss. Teria sido muito melhor se ficou clandestino mesmo.

international music that I am just not educated on to declare why its on this list

Punk lyrics with Reggae sounds, I very much enjoyed this album.

3.5/5. Really catchy stuff.

Pretty good listen.

Great!

Meh

A lot of the sounds remind me of early Gorillaz. Lots of great tracks and a great vibe overall.

Nervte damals, nervt heute genauso.

I honestly tried, but this isn’t for me. If I need to throw a Cinco de Mayo party, I’ll have some music to play.

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.

For poseurs only. Much better music can be found in this genre.

This was certainly listenable but I would have enjoyed a more dancey vibe. I hadn’t realised that YouTube had progressed to the Bueno Vista Social Club which I was really enjoying ! 3 I think ?

Initially wasn't that impressed but went to bed singing one of the songs.

4/6 references made

Few iconic ones, rest is veel vant zelfde. Leuk zomers sfeertje wel

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.

Good

Not bad really. Some decent chilled out tunes.

It was a good one time listen but I’m probably not gonna listen to it again

Enjoyed this. I'd only heard Bongo Bong before but there's lots of variety here.

Meh

3.3 - This album immediately transports me to a hostel lobby circa 2001. There are tapestries of Ché Guevara and Bob Marley hanging on the wall. I'm sipping on a lukewarm cup of Nescafé waiting to use the communal computer so I can book my next train ticket. Some Belgian chick who I just met is sitting across from me explaining why George W Bush sucks. I nod my head politely, mostly tuning her out and listening to this music bumping in the background. "Did the singer just rhyme 'Tijuana' and 'marijuana'?" I think. This scene which may have excited me when I was 20 just seems tiresome now that I'm older. And that's exactly how I feel listening to this record. There's a chill vibe throughout but it's overall uninspiring.

not mine but epochal

Not in the mood, didnt pique my interest

This was pretty awesome,

Fucking manu chau can fuck right off

Enjoyable album

Not really my thing

Not my kind of music at all. I can see the merit, though.

Pretty good overall, definitely a noteable album for its time. Loved how he switched to french for one song

Good vibes

An eclectic multi-cultural, multilingual experience, Clandestino is a tour-de-force of rambunctious ideas that, regardless of the language barrier, burst through with vigor and intrigue. Manu Chao's patchwork of sounds benefit from never staying past its welcome and largely blends from one song to the next and keeping the listener attentive with each step. Favorites: Clandestino, Bongo Bong, Je ne t'aime plus, Mentira, Mama Call, Welcome to Tijuana, Malegìra, La ve à 2.

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

Folk, rock, 1998. I'm sorry, but "sex & drugs & rock & roll" is much better than "tequila, sexo y marijuana". Just not my cup of tea.

7/14/2022 - ALBUM #168 Today's Album: "Clandestino" by Manu Chao - As with most latin albums I review here, I have to address the disconnect between myself and the music due to not understanding the language. But, like many other albums I give this disclaimer when reviewing, it was actually a really pleasant listening experience. The opener Clandestino welcomes the listener in with these swinging bass melodies and a chilled out shaker groove. There are some interesting vocal effects going on in the chorus and I think it sets a good tone for what is to come. I really like some of the production choices on this album, with this descending, ‘video-game’-like, synth sound being used throughout the tracklist, tying many of the tracks to one uniform theme, and there is overall a lot of attention paid to the way the vocals interact with the instruments. Bongo Bong is a pretty fun and lighthearted track that still follows the chilled out groove set up by the first track, but brings some more auxiliary percussion and some english vocals to spice things up before carrying into ‘Je ne t’aime plus’ with the same groove. The album actually transitions very smoothly across all the tracks and just does a really good job of getting the listener lost in a swaying latin groove and keeping them there, even if you don’t speak the language. I really appreciate the layered guitars and stringed instruments that create the instrumental backbone for many of the songs and I think the bass is mixed really nicely into the back to the point where the focus is drawn much more on the tone of the bass than the attacks and movement (even if it do be movin’). In the songs where the band implements some english lyrics into the mix like Bongo Bong and Mama Call, I really start to see the chain of influence from this band to groups like Santana and even later contemporaries like Sublime. They end up being some of the most enjoyable moments on the record for me for fairly obvious reasons. Overall, I think this album is a great demonstration of the state of latin music as the 80s were coming to a close and the baton was being handed back and forth between groups like this and prominent latin acts like Santana. If you enjoy latin music that occasionally caters to English speaking peoples or have ever enjoyed a track from Santana, this album is a great history lesson in that sound. Highlights: Clandestino, Bongo Bong, Mama Call, Welcome to Tijuana, La vie a 2, Minha galera Score: 6.75/10 A dense meditation on Latin music by an achieved French artist

It was alright. I’ll relisten in the future to see if I like it more than I do now.

I thought I'd go in totally disliking this, but WOW. I definitely had heard "Bongo Bong" before on another CD, but I'd say I dug "Lágrimas de oro," "Sol y luna," and the title track the most.

I was well irritable this day, its hard to say whether I didn't massively like this because of that or it wasn't for me. Soz but a 3 start not much to say from Chole

I love this album, it's a banger. Reminds me of Josh Watson circa 2008-2010

probably a lot cooler if i understood the language

Nur das eine Lied…

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

This is a funny feel good album. I like the rythms. 2.5 ⭐

Not my favorite

It's fine. That is, the music is good, but ultimately left me cold. Indeed, I have struggled in writing this review solely because I don't have anything interesting to say about it whatsoever. This very sentence is a travail to write. Still, I shall endeavour to bring you insight. Manu Chao is a French-Spanish singer songwriter who, after the breakup of his group Mano Negra in the mid-90s, took a quest across Latin America to imbibe as much of the music as possible. To that end, he collected a multitude of pirated radio samples, which he then scattered throughout this album (hence the title). Along with this, he sought to continue his mongrelish, catholic eclecticism by merging as many genres as he could muster, with son, reggae, hip-hop and French pop being notable influences on the album, and also by singing in French, Spanish, English and Portuguese. So, the sentiments behind the album can't really be dissed, and the music isn't actually bad, but you unavoidably perceive the album's bizarre sameyness. You know how if you mix all the meats together, from rattlesnake to human, it all just ends up tasting of chicken? Clandestino has that resultant poultriness. Now, nobody will slam the taste of chicken, but who has chicken as their favourite meat? Manu Chao travelled the expanses of Central and South America and brought you back some chicken. You wouldn't complain, but could you hide your disappointment successfully? I once had a gourmet burger in South Korea with a French engineer who would always play Bongo Bong in the bar. He liked Bongo Bong because he found it funny and groovy, which is fair enough. Still, I didn't have a chicken burger, did I?

Utter horseshit

Didn’t care for all of it, but I did enjoy how Manu Chao weaves through different genres & languages

Утром было слушать задорно, вечером уже похуже. Самобытность

This was fine. I'd listened to a bit of Manu Chao before when I was a teenager (it was the exotic international stuff that you listened to because you thought it made you look sophisticated rather than because you actually enjoy it). It's great background music for a bar somewhere where it's sunny, the sea isn't far away, and you're sipping cocktails. Unfortunately I'm in my home office in Bethnal Green and I'm sipping a cold coffee (cold because I made it about an hour ago, not because it's supposed to be). Sun's shining though... Still, not really for me, fine to stick on the background but nothing more. 2/5.

Love the mix of styles and cultures.

Some cool songs and a nice listen overall. Nothing jumped out to me so I didn’t save any though.

3.5 / 5 Heard this one before. The more I hear it the better it gets.

Muy bien

It was OK. I dont really know if this album is a great of its genre or not since it's not something I really listen to at all. It was a pretty enjoyable experience overall but it felt longer than it really was.

Bouncy and spicy and inventively sampled and layered, plus enlightened-sounding and fun to listen to. This monolingual globalist knows he’s missing a lot of meaning and subtlety and probably irony, too. Still, doesn’t quite get to life-changing or deathbed-worthy. 3.4

Entertaining, and wow - the diversity of language.

Let's be honest here. Bongo bong is a hit. Could be an album of silence with that at the end and were still giving it 4 stars...but it's not silence, so 5

Good vibes

5/10. Eh.

Didn’t care much for it. 4/10

Surprisingly good. I’m usually not interested in Spanish music, but this was different. 3/5

Sure it is almost entirely in Spanish but the album easy to listen to. Overall it was just alright. I don't really remember any of the songs particularly.

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.

Very fun and lively. Definitely something to tap your foot to. However, probably not something I'd add to my regular listening, but something to put on when I fee like listening to something very upbeat.

I had no idea what to expect but I rather enjoyed it. I probably forget I ever listen to it in a year.

While I enjoyed this much more than anticipated, not sure I’d reach for it again. Love the guitar, horns, energy, production though.

It was fine. not something i'd listen to again.

It seems good. I would be very happy if this was the background music in a restaurant with servers who barley spoke English. I have no frame of reference to if it's any good or not, because it's not my normal thing. But I didn't dislike listening to it.

Borrows freely from his global vagabond exploits, slipping between styles as fluidly as he does between songs. Never less than buoyant, even when he occasionally turns contemplative.

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.

This was jazzy, cool background music.

Was ok

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.

This was a cool one! As always, I welcome international music, especially of the Latin Jazz-y variety. An interesting mix of styles on here. A bit less energy than I would've hoped, but still a good listen through. Fitting for the warm spring weather. Favorite tracks: Desaparecido, Je ne t'aime plus, Welcome to Tijuana, Minha galera. Album art: Just a guy standing there, really nothing to say to that. His outfit gives me pirate vibes. The whole thing feels ripped from a Just Cause game. 3.5/5

This album is so much fun, full of joy a frivolity. I'm keen to explore more. Faves: Clandestino, Bongo bong, Welcome to Tijuana

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.

No thanks.