Buena Vista Social Club

Score: 70 If you left a 1 star review with the reason stating why being it's not in English, get the fuck off this website. That isn't constructive, it's not a review, and it certainly isn't a review of the album. It's nothing and you're either a dumbass bigot or you don't know the right time and place for jokes. This album starts off incredibly strong and slowly throughout its runtime becomes a little more average and tame. All the while the production and instrumentation are great, but the tracks become slower and a bit less exciting. Very chill and enjoyable. This album also made me very hungry. I'm giving it a 5 to counteract some of the dumbfuck reviews

I felt like a sexy latino on a sun drenched beach in a quiet fishing town in Cuba sipping pina coladas and smiling at the world. Then I got angry that I wasn't on a beach in the sun, drinking and punched a wall.

Well, that was an unexpected joy to listen to. I don't understand a word they're saying but dang if I don't wish I did. They seem to be having so much fun. In some ways, I'm glad I couldn't understand what was being said. It made the whole album into a killer soundtrack for work that enhanced the experience but didn't distract me from the words I was writing. Musicality is so on point it should be bleeding. Just really great.

I love this album. Haven’t listened to it in a long time. It’s the spirit of Cuba - and by extension - the Caribbean. The songs have a folk-tune, comforting quality to them that transfers to the listener, even if you can’t understand all the lyrics.

Perfect jazz album. Really took me to an happier place

Not in English.

Blended harmonies, sugary melodies, complementary percussion, buttery voices. A pleasing medley it'd be churlish to pretend isn't, well, pleasing. So I happily tolerated it and would be unlikely to object if I ever heard it again even though ultimately polite musicianship doesn't lift, cleanse or scratch my soul and music that tends too agreeable makes me a tad dis. If that sounds contrarian I guess that's because, to an extent, that's how I like my music - with contradictions and contradistinctions. To put it in a less assholish way: I tuned out a lot That seems to be part of the design here, which I don't get. That's like opting to get your hair stroked when you could get your butthole eaten ;) Okay, now I am being churlish. It was very pleasant.

So yesterday, I got the Pogues, an Irish band..my heritage on my mother’s side. Today, Buena Vista Social Club, a Cuban group…my heritage on my father’s side. I’m not saying the generator is sentient (I am), but there sure have been a lot “coincidences” as I’ve embarked on this journey. Because of my aforementioned heritage, this record hits right for me. I’ve heard it many times before and enjoy it thoroughly. It’s great. It’s a glimpse into a culture that, for some reason, the government of the country I call home has made as difficult as possible to experience in person. They do business with countries that behead journalists and countries that practice the same type of government as Cuba’s, but that little island 90 miles from Florida, they’re the ones we really need to put in an economic chokehold. It’s not because they’re inherently bad, it’s because *we can*. I’m ranting, but it’s fucked up how America treats Cuba, so it’s nice to have a slice of that part of my genetic make up (in the form of this record) that I can visit without having to bend over backwards to experience - All I’m saying is that it would be infinitely easier for me to hop on plane and visit Ireland than it it would for me to even think about getting to Cuba. Well, this review turned out to be depressing.

What a way to while away a dark Monday morning. Instantly transported to a cool Cuban bar, with swaying rhythms and cocktails to hand. Perfect.

Even though it compiles lots of different musicians, there is a great flow to this album. I particularly enjoyed the piano tracks. Highly recommended!

Whoa, nice! So soon we're back in Havana! I recognized this name immediately, and I realized that's because there's a documentary by Wim Wenders about this project that's in the Criterion Collection. I'm not sure what I expected, but it wasn't this. This is some great Cuban music--less jazzy, and more organic than what we heard on Machito. At points I think it could use more energy, particularly in the vocal performances, but it's still a trip worth taking. I could never dislike an album like this. Inevitably though, when it comes to Latin-American music, I can't help but compare what I hear to Totó La Momposina's "Pacantó," which is one of my all-time favorite albums. This doesn't reach the same high-water mark for me, but it's still great. Lots on here to love. Favorite tracks: El Carretero, Chan Chan, El Cuarto de Tula. Album cover: Pretty simple photograph, but I think it's mostly effective. I really like the BVSC stamp, that's a really cool design. But I also think they could've gone with a more exciting, more culturally indicative picture. Actually, this reminds me of that Oasis album cover, What's the Story, Morning Glory. That was two years before this, so maybe these Cubans were huge fans paying homage to their love of Wonderwall. 4/5

The concept behind "Buena Vista Social Club" (the album and especially the band) is fascinating. Today I learned the original Buena Vista Social Club was based in Havana and had its heyday in the 1940s. Fifty years later, this band was formed from an ensemble of Cuban musicians (some young, many retired after having been active in the 1940s). We shouldn't ignore the fact the project was masterminded and produced by white American Ry Cooder, which raises an interesting debate around the merit of Western-branded "world music": why must lists like these prioritise Latin-American/Caribbean, African or Asian pop tailored towards Western audiences? Putting that aside for a moment though, at its most basic reading "Buena Vista Social Club" sees an ensemble of retired Latin-American people celebrating the music bringing them all together, reaching back into a shared history of a pre-revolution Cuba. It's basically the Avengers of Latin-American popular music, which is super-cool. It really made me feel invested in the album and root for the people involved: here we have a group of dozens of musicians audibly having the time of their lives and getting lost in their work. It's a great set-up, although much of it ended up a bit lost on me. I'm a total novice in Cuban or Latin American music: I'd never heard of the trova or filin so can't appreciate the intricacies of those forms of music and how they're celebrated here. It was inevitable that after a few tracks, the similarities to my ears began to blend together and the album was best enjoyed as a background accompaniment to a sunny day. Highlights? The laid back piano running through "Pueblo Nuevo"- and the ecstatic release when the trumpet bursts in. The danceable high-energy of "El Cuarto de Tula" and "Candela". The call-and-response of "De Camino a La Vereda". I could, of course, still appreciate the emotions and vibes coming across: "Buena Vista Social Club" is carefree, relaxed, breezy. It's a lovely way to spend an hour and made me want to learn more about the styles/lyrical themes so that I could come back to this in future and enjoy it more.

This is not music I would normally listen to, but I can appreciate its quality nonetheless. The record starts of well with the energy and swing of Chan Chan and El Cuarto, but Pueblo Nuevo's, or danzon in general, is not something I would find time in my day to listen to. The slower Dos Gardeniaas and Veinte Anos bored me quite a bit. This is a well executed and original album, but it does not fit my music taste very well. Overall score is a 4/10.

Like a refreshing sip of iced cool water, an immense breath of fresh air, a much needed sigh after undergoing a repetitious round of heavy lifting. No amount of language barriers can contain the musical synchronicity present in this album, a complete blessing from a country that was once forbidden and sequestered. No club is cooler than the Buena Vista Social Club.

Came across this before on another chart. It's pretty highly regarded and plays well- soothing and transporting so it's mood music. You don't need to know what they're singing about. In fact that helps to concentrate on the music. Highly accomplished ensemble - smooth and co-ordinated and although this grates on some people it really hits the spot with me. Superb.

Cuba's best musicians gathered together in 1997 to recreate the island sound of the 40's and 50's. This is what resulted and its fucking magical. Authentic and timeless. 5/5

Good fun, I’m trying to decided whether this would be better if I could understand Spanish or maybe because i don’t understand the lyrics it makes seem more profound. They are probably just singing about really mundane shit just like Taylor swift does.

Each song conveys and incredible warmth and depth. Infectious beats, sweet melodies. Absolutely fantastic.

What a refreshing album from a talented group of Cubanos. I can definitely see myself spinning this again in the future in order to set a mood, transport myself to another place, dance, or meditate on our brothers and sisters in this intriguing country. I can hear joy and pain in each song, much like Jamaican reggae or Latin/Mexican mariachi music. I am ready to get out of this country and hide in someone else's culture for a while....

File this away with Manu Chao in the 'things that I only ever listened to to impress girls' cabinet. Not memorable in any way, can appreciate that there's a range of styles there, but don't particularly enjoy any of them. Not unpleasant background music, so it can sneak a 2.

Fuck no! First world, early new century granola eaters going to have their latte to the fair and inclusive café right in their basement, and feeling great about themselves for oh such an open view on the world around them. Bleurgh!

Back when it came out, this was everywhere but in my ears somehow, and it’s lovely. The instruments sound like they’re within hand’s reach, set into intricate patterns - there’s a formality to this that enthrals. Everything has its turn and place, and you don’t need to understand the order to admire it. Sounds like these dudes played together for decades, which they probably did.

One of my all time favourites.

Great vibe throughout. Musicianship and cultural importance meets on this album. Sometimes the impact outstrips the actual music and this is one such case. Deservedly considered a classic.

i am shocked 81920480218409281094/10

❤️

Buena vista!!!!

Lovely album. Really enjoyed the Cuban vibes and African overtones. Dad enjoyed it too. I made him listen in the car. I would most certainly listen to this again

I don't recall how or when, but I have heard of this band before. Regardless, I really enjoyed listening to this album. I love the rhythms and percussion, and all the layers of music on top of that great foundation. Such rich textures.

It's a nice easy listen, but I'm not really invested in it. I found it a bit much after about 6-7 songs. If I were watching them play in a Havana club while sipping a rum cocktail then this would be 5/5.

Chan Chan is easily top 100 song. And the rest of the album brings me back to the trip Liz and I took to Cuba in 2017 in that brief window when it was legal.

have already listened to this a billion times

I love this album! So good, and Ry Cooder's musical contributions don't stick out.

Excellent album that brings together a who's who of Cuban musicians to create something truly wonderful. This album is at once listenable, danceable, and features some amazing musicianship and arrangement. This will going into my rotation.

I mean, its an all time classic of all time! The idea behind Buena Vista Social Club was to revive pre-revolutionary music of Cuba, listening to this record definitely paints that landscape.

It's the cheesy backpacker hostel mainstay, but still warms my cold heart

Heard this when it was released. Ridiculously enjoyable and authentic. One of my go to albums when I'm looking for something different.

Love this album, always feels like a tropical escape. Great songs, wonderful feeling I get from it. All in all fantastic for an album where I don’t understand a single word.

Memories 😊

Classic, no surprises

Muy bueno y sabroso

maravillosa musica cubana

Cannot beat this classic! Truly beautiful music from la isla. I played this for my abuelo and he wept.

All-time classic. Always enjoy listening to this, front to back.

This was so uplifting, relaxing and coooool. I really enjoyed it

I heard “Chan Chan” in college in…music theory, I think? Anyway, I really liked that song, so I anticipate liking the rest of the album. Yes, I absolutely loved this album. It was so relaxing and beautiful and just good. I should download it.

Perfect

I need to listen to more latin jazz.

Sin lugar a dudas. Solo es cinco porque no hay seis.

Fantastic album, well worth a listen.

Some fantastic stuff on here bringing that kind of Latin jazz back to the forefront

Absolutely joyous.

This was a wonderful album to have on in the background while I worked today. Loving the latin sounds.

What a beautiful album.

Buena vista social club - cuban like!!!

Cool!

Back when this was new, I heard it and decided that I would be Cuban by the year 2000. It didn't work out, sadly.

I want to buy foodtruck now and sell some sandwiches

Ry Cooder was the one who founded the band to preserve the traditional Cuban music known as Son cubano and Bolero. He took several of the best musicians one could find in Cuba and recorded with them an album that made cultural borders dissapear as pretty much everyone felt and still feels the groove, the energy and the warmth these recordings give out. It is a magical album that no one will be able to replicate. The hour of playtime this album offers is filled to the brim with these special and one of a kind songs that transport you into the tropical streets and beaches of Cuba. The first track 'Chan Chan' already offers one of the albums most iconic moments. I don't know if it's just me but I feel like I always remember this song the most when I think about the album. The repeating lyrics that make up the hook and most of the song are just so easy on the ears while sticking in your mind for eternity. It is a beautiful song to begin the album with as it perfectly introduces a lot of the sounds and instrumental themes the album expands further on. It's genuinely one of the greatest non-english songs that I know of. Especially the trumpet bridge makes this such a mesmerizing experience. The next song 'De camino a la vereda' expands on the lush sound that the opener started. It is as memorable but with more happening throughout with more dynamic and melodic changes. the chorus is really great and the vocals are often as beautiful as you could imagine them. It is just such a lovely song to listen to with so many great and wonderful moments in it. I absolutely love it. 'El cuarto de Tula' goes a much jazzier way by not only having a sort of Jam sound to it but also by being pretty long with 7 minutes. But don't be turned away from that as it is another incredible song. It uses the trumpet in a very "Spanish" way, if you know what I mean. It really flows the whole way it plays without once feeling like it gets boring or unfocused. The different vocals that sometimes raise from the repeating chorus. A truely incredible song with many moments that add tons to the album. The instrumental 'Pueblo nuevo' seems to add a lot from early 20th century Jazz with the piano driven melody and the bass. It does feel a little out of place with the overall dense and lush sounds that the album featured so far but the song isn't bad because of that. It's a pretty good song with some nice moments and a great flow and some of the details are actually done really well, it just didn't NEED to be here. There is a lot of Bolero on 'Dos gardenias' which is actually a pretty short song when compared to some of the songs here with just a little over 3 minutes but it does get amazing pretty quickly. The vocals and their delivery are on point and the bass is really interesting here, I'm not even sure if it is an actual double bass. The song is really good but it doesn't achieve the catchiness that some of the first had. '¿Y tú qué has hecho?' keeps the Bolero ballad form while having some pretty decent vocals but the main attraction of this song is the guitar which flows so well throughout the song and when the time arrives to take the main presence, it does it perfectly. It's a great song but it does feel a little rough around the edges and like they could've pulled more out of it than they ended up doing. A female vocalist joins the established male cast of singers on 'Veinte años'. This song is what the last two did good but makes it better. The two vocal styles work together so perfectly that it keeps enough interesting moments for the song to feel much denser and fuller. It's slightly weird after the bridge but in the best way possible. A great song through and through. The albums second half starts 'El carretero' which is sonically also pretty different. It's hard to pin down what it is exactly but the drums are much different, the details aren't as all around but they still work and the structure and how the vocals are worked into that is just different. Don't get me wrong, it's a beautiful song and a lot of the "bird sounds" add much to the overall feeling the song gives off but it's just different. It feels a little like a sitar might pop up out of nowhere even if that doesn't really make sense. Great song... Great song... 'Candela' goes back to the sound that the album right when it started. It's a lush and energetic song with a great performance and incredible moments. This is how the album and the musicians work the best. These types of songs feel the most honest and warm and are simply the best way that Cuban music can sound: lush, dense, warm and full of great energy. It's a perfect song, no discussion. There is some interesting Blues incorporated in 'Amor de loca juventud' and it works really well. It's a lovely song with some nice performances and guitar work but I overall don't care for the song as much as I do with most of the other songs. But as I said, the guitar is the true highlight here. It's got the playful sound of a warm late night that you enjoy with loved ones on the beach. It's a great song, still. Similar to before, 'Orgullecida' adds some American touches, this time with Ragtime and some Bluesy nearly "Country"-like guitar. It's a cute song but it doesn't scratch the itch that most songs do here. I still like it especially because the vocals are really lovely but mostly the song moves past me without sticking certainly strong. 'Murmullo' goes back to the Jazz some very Jazz Pop sounding rhytmn sections and piano while still keeping the Afro-Cuban influences and vocal styles. It's a lovely song the feels like a great mix between these two genres but again, I prefer this album with the dense arrangements and less with the laid-back Jazz parts even if they are still great. The instrumental title track 'Buena Vista Social Club' follows with the same old Jazz sounding boundaries. Even if it lacks the vocals, it is presented in a very well working way by going much more into the Jazz than previous songs did which removes the expectations for the dense Cubano even if that means that it feels a little out of place in the album which does make me a little conflicted. It's a really good song but they could've pulled much more out if it than they did in the end. The albums closing track 'La Bayamesa' feels even more out of place. It's got neither the Jazz nor the dense Cubano. It feels more like a vocal centred Folk song of Cuba. It isn't a bad song, it's pretty good but it feels aged and like an extra that wasn't really needed. It's good that it's quite short because if it was longer it'd be pretty annoying. favourites: Chan Chan, De camino a la vereda, Candela, El cuarto de Tula, Veinte años least favourites: La Bayamesa, Orgullecida, Buena Vista Social Club, Pueblo nuevo Rating: strong 8 https://rateyourmusic.com/~Emil_ph for more ratings, reviews and takes

really good, a breath of fresh air when it came out in the heyday of Britpop. seemed to be played everywhere at the time, listening to it now brings back good memories of London bars and restaurants in the late '90s. thoroughly enjoyable [EDIT - 5 in a row that I own, how long will this pleasant but unenlightening streak continue?]

I want to play Tropico

Amazing voice and an amazing album. This album makes you feel like the time has stopped and the only important thing is to enjoy this amazing moment and the outstanding voice of the singer 5/5

One of my favorite albums of all time. It’s not just one of the best latin music albums of all time, it’s just one of the best period. Alway takes me back to when my dad originally bought the CD in 1997 and would play it constantly.

A classic.

9/10, loved this album for a long time

Chill. Relaxing. One of my top 5 all time jazz favorites.

Está en el top de mis álbumes favoritos

uno de los albumes de mi vida. no lo he escuchado por que ya lo conocia

Love this! I've heard a few songs from this, I had no idea there was a whole album

This was an absolute joy to listen to. I never thought I'd give a five star rating to a Japanese metal band, but there it is! 5

Such a beautiful album. Relaunched several careers for these amazing Cuban musicians. Ry Cooder deserves a Nobel Prize. A must-have on any desert island. It’s a five.

only problem with this album is that i was stuck in the office listening to it instead of on a beach

OK, so, Ry Cooder. I've heard of him before. cause... the generator gave me Talking Timbuktu before. that album's pretty boring i suppose. why are you everywhere in the field of promoting world music? can i have some paul simon or david byrne please? but anyway this is pretty decent. 5/5

Terrific arrangements and musicianship. Would play this any time for anyone.

im sure this record isnt Encyclopedic in all the song forms it covers but the breadth still feels titanic, and the group of no less than 20 credited musicians just takes to all of them in full effortless flight. the songs are wonderful and have endured for a reason but the playing and the timbres are the most obvious thing that my brain kept looping back to. there is a variety of emotional vibes to the material itself but the performance of it is always imbued with so much Joy and Grace above all else...the love for every note played just oozes. one of these albums that has just grown in power even more after having finished it...feels unassumingly like a Journey to look back on

One of my very favourites - soundtrack to every holiday

huge fan of Ry Cooder, and although I have heard of the Buena Vista Social Club, I've never listened to the album before. Wasn't disappointed

Have always loved this album, but haven't listened to it in a while. It's fun to listen to it with new ears. Propulsive and full of energy.

See, this is exactly why I wanted to do this

From the first seconds I knew it is really good album. Discoveries like this are still keeping me on the list after almost 600 albums drawn.

Sensational

Very good. Like, very very very very good.

Heerlijk!

Easy 5

A genre-defining album.

Wow! What a bop! This all sounded so familiar but so tight and well constructed. I enjoyed every moment and a few songs went into my on repeat playlist.

This record is excellent, and so is the documentary about it, so I won't go into too much detail talking about it. Listen to this, watch that. Buena Vista Social Club is a collective of a score of musicians, most of them elderly Cubans who were in their prime during the 40s and 50s. The group gets its name from a long gone social club/night club in Havana from the old days, before most night clubs were shut down after Fidel Castro took power. These musicians sound vital despite their advanced age, and the music sizzles like a hot Havana afternoon. The clubs closed down long ago, but the music never went away. It all sounds very natural and free. The album cover shows Ibrahim Ferrer walking through the streets of Havana, and that's where he was recruited to join the group. He was on his daily constitutional, where he would shine shoes for extra cash. Within a span of 5 years, he's performing at Carnegie Hall, winning a Grammy, performing for Puff Daddy and Jennifer Lopez (he dedicates a song called "Mami Me Gusto" to her, the old smooth talker that he is), and he's recording a track for the first Gorillaz album. It blows my mind, that if some exec from a "World" music label didn't recruit Ry Cooder to come to Havana to record an album (not this album mind you) the world outside of Cuba would never have heard of this guy. Ibrahim Ferrer was very talented (he died in 2005), but it's not like he was the best singer in Cuba, he was just the dude around the way! What other musical gems are just hanging out in Cuba? Summer's just about here, so put this record in your ears, and take a stroll through the neighborhood and imagine Ibrahim is walking by tipping his hat.

Nice listening experience from some great musicians.

I have always loved this album. It is top tier of its genre.

STAYED on REPEAT in my house. a classic. though kinda weird that this had a mainstream life of it's own.. this is just music I grew up with. I can't imagine a bunch of white people suddenly into boleros??

Лёгкая, жизнерадостная музыка. Легко представить, будто сидишь в кафе на берегу океана и неспешно потягиваешь коктейль... 8 из 10.

I've never been that much into cuban music as it all sounded quite similar: relaxing in the sun enjooying time on the beach... all had that groovy minor feel and it just didn't feel intriguing. This felt different though. More creative and expasive, opening my lens to a really unique cuban culture that is so heavily unappriceated. I love this album and certainly one of my favorites that I've listened to. If you're leaving a negative review because you don't understand what they're saying, wtf bro? This music wasn't intended for you to understand, appriceate the fact that it's not attaching itself to the dumbass american culture that is your love language. Just enjoy the music lol

Zonnige gezelligheid

Absolutely glorious rhythmic fun. I never get tired of this album, and it was so much fun to rediscover it. The bonus tracks were another nice treat. I've heard that the reason Cuban jazz musicians were so good was the strict Soviet classical training they received in technique and music theory combined with the Afro-Carribean influence elevated their jazz to rhythms into unheard territories. That cowbell meter holds it all together, and the clave--that mysterious space between the beats is where the magic really happens.

Great album 5/5. I knew most of the tracks already, but discovered some new hidden gems.

This was honestly a breath of fresh air. It was catchy and managed to keep me engaged and listening even when the songs were about 7 minutes long. Truly a great album of its time.

Latin jazz from the Cuban group. Upbeat, groovy at parts, and so relaxing. A wonderful listen. 4/5

I remember when this album came out, my parents and all their friends were obsessed with it and played it at all their dinner parties, so my parents played it around the house a lot. I remember at some point feeling cynically like it was a 'world music' play that was more about novelty than anything. But then I listened to it myself as an adult, and I've landed on two things: 1, it's great if people get exposed to a new genre of music, and 2, this album rules. I love it. It's nostalgic for me and from reading about it, for the musicians who made it. Made in the 1990s but with a 1940s sound. I love the horns and the guitar especially – beautiful stuff.

Top quality Latin music! A shout out from Brazil to my Latin friends in Cuba!

Classic