Reviews (page 11 of 14)
3/5.
Fun and enjoyable Cubano music
3/5 nice easy listening. Good for focus since it's in Spanish and I don't understand the lyrics.
It's fun
It started off very island/cruise feeling and ended moving to a traditional jazz feeling. It was almost like two different albums. Loved the part that was more jazz than island feel.
It's lovely, it's just not my thing. Doesn't move me.
Nice, can see why it was popular.
A whole hour I waited and my burrito never arrived!
I genuinely enjoyed listening to this album. I listened at work, but I feel like it'd be perfect for a walk or cooking.
Još jedan gdje ne znam šta da mislim. Ispočetka mi je bilo onako zanimljivo i simpatično, poslije je smorilo i zbog dužine i zbog monotonije. Druga šansa: još uvijek mi je teško procijeniti ovaj album, ima svega od recimo Chan Chan koja mi je postala jedna od najljepših pjesama ikad do nekih koje su mi stvarno kao test strpljenja. Pa hajmo ih zasad ostaviti na trici, ali imam osjećaj da ću se ovome opet vraćati.
Fun sound. Though not something I’d put on outside of wanting to be in a Latin mood
Nice Latin sound. Wish I understood what they were singing.
Nice to listen to.
As inconsistent as I find this album to be, the moments that are super fun and groovy still manage to make it worth listening to overall.
A weird album. Like you're sitting in a restaurant on holiday with a bit of Laurel and Hardy soundtrack thrown in. Give it a listen, you will know what I mean.
Sounds similar to street band music you'd hear on any street corner in Mexico or Central America. The Afro-Cuban jazz produces some notable moments but nothing sublime imo. I'm more partial to swing jazz, bossa nova, etc. It may just be cultural, but I can't help but feeling a bit meh about this after first listen. May just need more time to sink in. I definitely preferred the latter half of this album, roughly -- everything from "Candela" onward.
This is pretty great. Not sure how I would have appreciated when I was younger, but, that's life.
Not my vibe. It was pleasant enough and can respect the craftsmanship of it but didn’t grab me.
Enjoyable! This make it into the pool day back ground music list!
Fun and unique….for a bit
It was an enjoyable album to listen to. The first half was real strong, but it did fade toward the end of it.
A fun foray into Cuban jazz. I played this at countless dinner parties back in the day. In fact, I got tired of it. Still, a great album from an era locked in time.
I love the vibe of this album. I just can't listen to the whole thing though while sitting in a windowless office, staring at a computer. Take me to Havana and then we'll try again.
ai como é bom latinidades. 3,5
I should check out more Cuban music
Not really my type of music but definetly pleasant to listen to. Chan Chan is a really catchy. I love the general vibe of this album but its just not something i would returm to and its also bit bloated. 7/10 Favourite: Chan Chan Least Favourite: Pueblo Neuvo
I mean, I couldn't understand it so tough to connect. It sounded fine, I liked the variations in song styles, singers and sounds etc, so could appreciate the music a bit, but reading about it sounds like it rides classic love tropes, humorous, sad, and funny.
I was not sure about this one, but I really liked it. Musically,they were amazing. They played their instruments perfectly. It was also a fun one to listen to.
09/06/2025 I couldn't really get behind this one.
some amazing influential music here, i enjoyed it and can respect it as a cultural landmark
Great back ground music. Remember how huge this album was in the late 90s.
Well I hope this doesn't mess up my Spotify playlists 😂 I didn't hate listening just that I didn't know the words
Great hotel lobby music 💃
Was good but ended up being background music
good listen
A pleasing piece of background music but probably not worthy of all the hype and adoration around it. I think I probably bought it at the time but like now, I can kind of appreciate it without being bowled over.
Relaxing and warm vibe to the album, nice to listen to but nothing special for me.
Fun but quite samey, enjoyed a couple of songs but didn’t end up finishing the entire album
3,75
Not great but very listenable. Not worth a star in either direction
Cool Cuban jazz. I’m old enough to have watched the film when it first came out. You’d hear this everywhere. It’s like a cool smooth party. Some songs are more improvisational, other more lyric, cool stuff. Three stars.
Pretty good, not my typical sound.
not my favorite, decent, but not what im into
Mellow, jazzy? I like it!!! The shorter songs especially are punchier but they all have such a sweet nostalgic feeling.
Its a good album to cruse to, such a great feel to every track
6/10 It's cool - the musicality is top drawer and I like the feel to the album. However, there are no stand out tracks I'd say I love and it gets a little too jazz for me. But obviously great and worthy of it's place on this list
3,5
Have heard it before and listened again - can really feel the passion here from these musicians getting a second chance at recording. That being said I think it gets a bit overrated because of the background of it, it has several highlights but nothing that massively sticks and it is functionally a compilation so it doesn't really have a great throughline as a record. Obviously this is a feature of this challenge as you only get a day with each album and some records just need longer to present themselves to you, so I foresee a lot of 3 stars for a record I like on first listen but I haven't had time to sit with yet - but I have heard this one before and it is definitely a 3 star project.
This transported me to another place and time. I was surprised this was only released in 1997, but it makes sense when you realize this was a project designed to preserve Cuban music of the past. The opening track Chan Chan made me feel like I was on vacation — or at least a fun restaurant. It sounded familiar too. I’ve probably heard some of these songs (at aforementioned fun restaurants) even though I’ve never put this album on myself. I wish I owned a house with a patio so I could host a summer dinner party and put this on. But a random Tuesday in my kitchen will have to suffice.
Writing positive reviews isn't near as fun as writing negative ones. Bad news for me, this is another positive one. Here we go: It's 1 hour of very beautiful Cuban music. It has a very warm vibe to it. I listened to it 3 times while going about my evening. It's the perfect background music for cleaning your bathroom or hosting a dinner party. It would just fill the room, create a sense of place... I felt like I was at some sort of Cuban lounge where the lights are dim and I'm smoking a cigar and sipping a whiskey.... I don't like cigars or whiskey, but I wanted both while listening to this album. The instrumentals impressed me more than the vocals... some of my favourite tracks were purely instrumental. Really the piano driven ones were the best, Pueblo Nuevo and Buena Vista Social Club specifically. That piano tone is just incredible. It reminds me of a Mars Volta track called L’Via L’Viaquez... which I'm sure was influenced by more traditional latin music. Also I swear there's a couple tracks that sound vaguely Hawaiian and remind me of the music in sponge bob square pants... this is compliment. Orgullecida for sure is one. Overall, it's a real feel good, warm, inviting album. I hope that the lyrics match this vibe and aren't horrific or something... but perhaps that would also add to the intrigue of this album. I may never know though... i have no plans to learn Spanish. Which leaves the vocals on the album feeling almost like another instrument in the mix... in a good way. Anyways... really good record.
буенос диаз, пидрилаз
Liked it. Because I don't know the language I just tried to absorb the vibe. Chan Chan was the standout as the rest of the tracks merged, they were warm, rhythmic, and deeply human. While not background music in the modern chillout sense,I did find it good to have on while I did chores as it does have that kind of breezy, atmospheric charm that makes everyday moments feel a bit more cinematic. It made me think of Dexter in the non dramatic moments ( there was definitely a strong Cuban/Miami sound in that show.)
The only real gripe I have with this album is that I picked it up the day after Cinco de Mayo.... The generator missed that for me, because this would’ve been a perfect soundtrack. That aside, Buena Vista Social Club is a fun, vibrant, and beautifully arranged album. There's a richness and authenticity to the music that makes it easy to enjoy even if you're not fluent in the genre. I can definitely see myself returning to this whenever I’m craving that smooth, classic Latin vibe.
Latin
Ok to dance a little bit.
Difficult to fairly grade music from a genre I have so little knowledge of, but I will say I really enjoyed this. I remember hearing a lot about this maybe 10 years ago, I'm not sure if there was a rerelease of the doc or they performed in Boston or what, but it was on my radar and I enjoyed it then too. Do not mean this in a disrespectful way, but its perfect cooking/hanging background music. Great vibes. Sounds great. Without having a single complaint I feel guilty putting it at 3, but that's where it's going. I just can't say how this stacks up against other all time greats, can't comment on the lyrics etc etc. Maybe its a 4 or a 5.
Track 3 is called "A Quarter of DICKS"
Good for background music on a Sunday morning. Musically tight, a little repetitive in the rhythm from song to song.
Exactly what's advertised. Makes you feel part of the group
It was cool listening to more traditional Cuban music. I didn't really have any standouts, but the album was solid nonetheless
Great Cuban music, can’t believe Ry Cooder was prosecuted and ordered to pay $25,000 because this album was in breach of the “trading with the enemy” act.
Chill and something different.
Drag album, baš me vraća u prošlost i kad sam prvi put igrala Tropico 😁 Ne mogu reći da mi je najbolji ikad, ali volim ga čuti. 3/5, 5/10
Really nice sound just don't care about a couple songs
I accept that I'm just uneducated on this, but to me it just sounds like every other Latin styled music. Not saying I don't enjoy it but I can't piece out the differences that makes this stand out Will I listen to again: 1%
3 maybe 4
While this isn’t really my bag, I can definitely respect the sheer talent of the band as a whole. The instrumentation is quite good and well composed. The album is a brilliant celebration of Cuban music in general. I don’t really think it’s going to stick with me for a long time, but I’m still very happy to have spent the day listening to it nonetheless. Very curious if I recognize any of these songs while watching a show or movie at some point.
3.5
Wonderful sound. Definitely not the music i'd listen to, but you can sense, feel, and hear the passion and talent for the music in the way they play their instruments. Felt like i was at a mexican restaurant lol
Buen disco. Composiciones muy representativas de la zona. Al escucharlo me imaginaba en el patio un día de calor, con estas canciones de fondo en un parlante. Hace muy bien el trabajo de transportarte hasta la habana. Me sorprendieron las partes de guitarra, hay canciones con muy buenas violas para tocar.
A nice and pleasant listen with a lot of soul, but somehow not something that I think I will revisit any time soon. Some songs are better than others but nothing is truly great in my opinion.
Un point bonus parce que j'ai écouté ça un 8 avril sous la neige.
I like the slower beats and relaxed vibes. The singers are very good.
This album was a Big Deal when I was first starting to think about music, and I hear it in the wild quite a bit. Maybe a tad overhyped at the time but classic. 3.5
dragged a little in the back half, but lots of fun
Quite cool, feel asleep to it on the train. Did feel a little bit samy but I would listens to it again
general: the instruments >> songs rly long but there’s a lot of variety in the album top 3: veinte años (the blend of voices is peak) candela el carretero
It’s not something I could listen to regularly, but it is good for what it is. It sounds like a lot of Cuban music I’ve heard, but maybe it’s the originator? It sounds like it was a huge influence on a lot of that music at the time coming to prominence. I respect it for what it is.
Не дослухала, але непогано, для настрою потанцювати сракою
Sounds like the soundtrack for any movie set in a Latin country. Very soulful, well done.
New to me. Great voices and harmonies, refreshingly not in English, pleasant enough but I got bored fairly soon.
A fine album. Good to have on in the background. Excellent sounding vocals and instrumentals but never an album I am going to put on again. Just not a genre with a lot of repeatability for me. 5.5/10 (2.75/5)
awesome
Summery and pleasant, but it starts to be too much after a while. I'd like a song or two on a playlist, not a whole album. 3.5
Cuban songs i like it. Joyfull to listen.
groovy
Definitely enjoyed the guitar based songs more than I enjoyed the piano based one. That said this album was a real joy to listen to. Felt like I was in Cuba on a nice sunny morning, drinking in the sun and the heat. The sound of music. Nice for a bit of a grey morning
The first few songs I thought were amazing. I’ve heard these songs covered by bands when I visit Cuba, so it was awesome to hear the original. As the album went on, I found that it grew more… stale? More boring? I don’t know how to describe it but basically I didn’t like the back half. I’d put it on again so I can listen to the first few songs again.
Fun background music
I really wanted to like this album more than I did.
Good solid music. A little more old school Cuban, I was thinking it would have more modern flare. But all around an easy and enjoyable listen.
A pleasant album of Cuban music.
this album was inescapable in the late 90s. it was fun to revisit it.
Perfect for a grey Monday.
Nice beats for the right setting.
A great album to transport you to another time and place.
I liked this a lot and am certainly saving it for vacation tunes. That said, I don’t really have a good rationale for rating it above three. But I’ll be vibing to this again soon, tequila in hand.
The most 3 of 3 albums to ever 3. I liked it. Not something I’d typically listen to and had a nice vibe. Not sure how this would compare to other music in the same variety so tough for me to say just how good this is.
This album is a vibe and I enjoyed it. Didn’t blow me away but still a fun listen. 3.25/5
I owned this. Listened to it a lot but would be happy to not hear it again now.
Yeah yeah. World music. This one hit big. You look good putting it on at your dinner party when the baba ganouch comes out. Not that interesting tbh.
Beautiful musicianship and singing, really nice listen and nice to be exposed to Cuban music. Felt the first half of the album was better and possibly it was 10-15 minutes too long, but definitely something I could see having on in the background again
I wasn’t blown away by it. Lovely album yes but i found nothing that particularly stood out or drew me to it?
Classy, warm and clean. I think everyone sort of knows this record, having listened to it or not. I had never listened to BVSC, but of course knew the art and the genre. Anywho, I liked the record, but I didn't "get" it. This album is so popular and revived the "world" music scene and I just don't get how. However I did like the record, it had a way of taking you to the beaches of cuba and just perfectly captured that vibrant sunny feeling, I think I'll have to listen to this record a few more times and maybe I will get it. For now though I appreciate it and overall enjoyed it, its fun, just not excellent. Favorite track: Chan Chan. Overall score: 7.0/10
Made me want to lie by the pool.
Easy listening Latino style. Sunny music full of emotions, happy and sad.
Pretty cool Cuban album that starts off with a few strong songs, but doesn’t hold the fire the full length.
Too subdued
This album warmed me up over the snowy weekend. Favorite track: “Murmullo”
I mean it’s all good, just not my genre… feels like I should be on holiday listening to this- I am at work. Depressing
Vibey
Memories of drinking rum on the ski hills
love murmullo, love the pianos
when i read ensemble of cuban musicians i already knew it was gonna be good and i did definitely enjoy it, i listened to it twice, the only complaint i have is that the music all through sounds very similar but you can look past that as it is good, but my bigger complaint is that towards the end it started lacking, so i can’t give a 4 xx to the person who gave a one star because “not in english” respectfully, what the actual fuck??
It's another one of those where I can picture myself somewhere else as a tourist. I can't understand the words, but I can enjoy it.
Quite delectable, but it doesn't stand out to me in any particular way. I enjoyed the more energetic tracks at the beginning, but I felt a bit lost towards the end. A solid 3/5 listen
Pleasant, nice background music.
a little long but pretty good!
I have no frame of reference for this music!
It was all in Spanish so I can't vouch for the lyrics but the music was ok.
Enjoyed the piano led tracks, love the album title + title song
If you don't have positive feelings towards this, I doubt the existence of your soul. It's so easy to listen to. Favourite tracks were Chan Chan and Candela, or any of the ones which were piano led. I was probably not in the right environment to fully enjoy the vibe, but vibe I still did. 3 Stars. Good Album cover as well.
fun listen, strongest at start
I feel like I'm sipping a cappuccino while eating a bran muffin in a coffee shop in the '90s
I like this album, definitely outside the realm of music I would normally listen to. Good for a relaxing summer day outside, or any kind of day where you're OK with time moving slowly. Although I liked this album, I can't see myself coming back to it a lot but glad I was exposed to what seems to be considered a quintessential work of Cuban music.
It's not for me, but it's crazy how much of this I recognize. Seems like this modernized production of traditional Cuban music and brought it to a larger audience. Mostly standards but in some ways the definitive versions.
Generally I am not a listener of Cuban music, I have very little knowledge about Cuban son. However, for a first step into these Central American rhythms, it was not bad at all. In fact, the jazz touches make it not at all distant to me and allow me to praise this album a little. I recognize that it is not the kind of album that I would listen to again or in a usual way since, as it happens to anyone, there are melodies or lyrics that call my attention or touch my soul without the need to think about it or analyze each song structurally. But, undoubtedly, there are high points that deserve to be named and have allowed me to see that fiery, or rather Caribbean, side of this Buena Vista Social Club presentation. Pros: Dos Gardenias, Pueblo Nuevo, El Cuarto de Tula, Candela and Amor de Loca Juventud
Perfect mood-setter on a Sunday!
I definitely enjoyed it but definitely wouldn't listen to the entire album in one go again.
I liked it, I'd probably listen again.
love Spanish songs and the first one is this. Nice vibe and jazz is good.
Relaxing, good music
this was a vibe and put me in a pretty good mood
3/5
Nice collabs, sets a nice mood
Decent Spanish album, a bit slower than I would have liked, but a solid listen. 3.25/5
Nice vibes
It's well-made and the history behind it is cool, but it's a style that doesn't seem to give me a whole lot of mileage. Fine in the background.
A nice album. Didn’t really pull me in but a good listen.
I deal with foreign language albums the same way I deal with foreign language movies. I’m not letting the fact I have no idea what they’re saying deride me from the experience. Though they haven’t found a way to give subtitles while you’re listening like in movies. Maybe someday… I like that there are albums that like to take me out of my comfort zone. The “world” albums I’ve gotten so far tend to do that. This one is perhaps the most accessible. Speaking as a white dude with no trace of Latin blood in me (my mother’s side of the family has a lot of origins. Can’t say Cuba was one of them), this album really does invoke the sense of relaxing on a beach or at a nice restaurant. It truly is a unique vibe that only an album like this can bring. The thing is though, that after a while, most of the tracks started to blend together. There is a good mix between love songs and traditional Cuban songs. And Pueblo Nuevo is a really good jazz song. But I can’t say it clicked with me. I enjoyed it, but I not dying to go back to any of it. That’s a personal preference problem with me, it seems. I still respect this, however, and I hope those who listen can look past not understanding a damn word being sung to find more enjoyment than I could. Favorite track: Pueblo Nuevo Other hits: Chan Chan, Candela, Buena Vista Social Club, El Carretero
Buenos dias mi hijos y mi hija. Estamos aquí para mi revisión des amigos de la band 'buena vista club social'! und scho bini usgschosse mit mim spanisch, obwohl ich mich bim lose vom album sehr fest wie en Kubaner gfühlt han, wieni i mim 60er jahr Chevy d Strasse vo Havana entlangfahr, mit de Zigarre im Muul under mim mächtige Magnum-Schnauz, eme verschmitzte lächle ih mim ledrige, bruun-brännte gsicht und ready für en wiitere arbeitslose Tag gfüllt mit Schach spiele im Park und am Strasserand ufeme Bänkli sitze. ich bin sehr happy das mal was anders chund als Ami-albe, finde d Pedros aber denn doch ehner durchschnittlich. Isch fun gsi zums eimal lose, aber het jetzt ned en song druf gha wo mi richtig catchito het (Ussert vlt de classico Chan Chan) Dadefür gern drü Mal e Jahresmitgliedschaft im Buena Vista Social Klöbb! (PS. für all Film-Interessierte: es git e Doku vom Wim Wenders über die Band und d Musig Szene in Kuba - sött no guet sii, het en el oscáritto gwunne) Dios mio y hasta luego!
I need to see this documentary one day. Music is solid but I think would be heightened by seeing the film.
Some nice latin music for the background. Nothing felt particularly special or catching to me.
Наверное, я никогда не слышал кубинской музыки вот так, альбомом, со всей серьезностью. Музыка хорошая. Лучшая песня - Chan Chan.
.
Love this band. Have seen them perform and they are great.
Was a big hit in the 90s, and I can see why that might be the case: this is very expertly played and produced, very relaxed Latin-Jazz. It's just that this kind of music if very far removed from my musical tastes, so that I did not enjoy (as in: even get through) this album at all. 2.5/5
Good, not great. Like scenes from a festive restaurant, house band the attraction and reason seats are filled. But after 5 minutes, with hustling waiters and bustling busboys buzzing around like ants at a picnic, your attention slips to your food and your company. What’s left is part of the background.
Did not expect to enjoy this one, pleasantly surprised
Amazing performances through and through. These are clearly legends. But they sound like it - a bit listless and tired. And this is music that should MOVE you start to finish. As played here, it is perfect elevator / background music.
This is enjoyable
Starts out as standard Mexican restaurant music, then some nice variety kicks in. Some jazzy stuff. One song sounded like Peanuts La Bamba. Good for a single listen.
Goeie werkmuziek
Nice. I imagine myself in the cuba, just finish surfing , pull out cigar from my vintage backpack , sitting in the wooden bar ordered pina collada and just vibing But reality is I’m in Riga it’s -1, some strong wind Alerts, and winter just started
I really like the brooding menace of Chan Chan - and have heard this track a lot over the years. The rest of the album is a bit more forgettable although a pleasant listen.
another Far Cry 6 soundtrack, fun tho.
It's pleasant background music. That's about all I could hope for from it for my musical taste. A good solid 3.
now that's a pretty solid vista
Meget chill og afslappende, tydeligvis ekstremt skilled!
I’ve always wanted to go to the forbidden island. So much culture and history. This album is just one small taste of it.
Makes me want to wiggle my hips with my hand on my stomach.
I like this. Very chill.
Hello and welcome to Jazz Club. Great. Really great. Tonight, we're giving it a 3. Nice.
5/10 Very soulful 11-25-2024
I know the group, but not really the music. I feel like I don't get anything out of it at home, maybe I would at a party or curated into a DJ's set, but like this, almost nothing. Few tracks did make me feel like I should learn to dance.
If you like jazz, this album is a 5. Unfortunately, I don't like jazz.
Songs i liked: a fair few These tracks sound great, love the style and it's an album I reckon I could go back to. It's an album that doesn't affend the ears and gets the hips moving, not sure how this compares against other albums in it's genre so let's see what koffi delivers. Low 3.
Enjoyed this and as per other reviews have suggested, wonderful holiday listening. Wouldnt go full on giving it the Buena Vista big one like the others, as doubt I’d be able to pick it out of line up of other similar Cuban music
very good Cuban music. I like that it can be played today and it doesn't sound like it was from a few years ago, much more than 30 or 40. very cool album
Not my style.
nice vibes, but more for passive listening
It was decent background music
Cuban music has a special place in my heart I hate it but I love it
Frunky
i've never really listened to spanish music before but this was fun
Really vibey and well made. Hard to click when it's in a different language, but I can still groove. This is a lyric blindness dream. Favorites were El Cuarto de Tula, Candela, and Buena Vista Social Club
fun album
Pretty good!
I’m sure it’s very culturally significant but it just didn’t really grab my attention for much of the fairly long runtime. The first song was great though.
P good, enjoyed the vibes
This was nice enough, but it didn't really do anything much for me.
I know this album is very popular and great background music. This is not the sort of music I ever think about listening to, but it was good.
Had good vibes, strong band, good tunes. I enjoyed it. 3 stars
I generally don’t actively engage with jazz, but it’s nice to have on in the background. This is quite nice background music.
soft, comfy, easy, gentle. ideal album to listen to on a weekend afternoon where you don't have responsibilities but you do have a porch beer
Good album. Just not necessarily my thing.
Good one this
I found it good but repetitive.
It is a good album, but something I need to dig into over time as it is quite extensive. Intellectually I find it very good, but it doesn't quite hit it for me personally.
Not bad, but not my bag
A party of an album! I like the holiday atmosphere this creates - makes me want to 💃 (I did actually - badly! Haha). Great guitar, and an uplifting listen throughout.
Constant grooves but not much more
This was cool! Listened to this with Jess on the drive to Liverpool and the word she used to describe it is ‘vibey’ which is pretty accurate. Talented group of players and good to listen to something I would never think to put on otherwise.
This takes me back to when I worked in a restaurant, this cd must've been one that was constantly on rotation. Won't have heard this for probably over 15 years but I feel it is etched into my memory. I can't deny that it's pretty good, but I feel this experience has somewhat tainted it!
Blind album and artist. Decent listen and kinda fun, but not for me.
gypsy kings vibes
Chan Chan 3.5 De camino a la vereda 3.6 El cuarto de Tula 3.4 Pueblo Nuevo 3 Dos gardenias 3.3 ¿Y tú qué has hecho? 3.1 Veinte años 3.2 El carretero 3.2 Candela 3.3 Amor de loca juventud 3.2 Orgullecida 3 Murmullo 3 Bueno Vista Social Club 3.1 La bayamesa 3.2 Score: 3.221428571
Nandos
3.5
6.8 ★★★ It's fine well recorded, great players, but the music didn't strike me a anything out of the ordinary. Kinda by the book.
Enjoyable music, but a bit long and could be more varied. 3.5 stars
Pretty cool Cuban jazz record with lots of nifty playing and some of the best Exotic Socialista Hotel singing on it. 3.75 Cuban Cigars out of 5.
Nice pleasant listen, seems like a mood album. When you are in the right mood it’s might be a fantastic album. That said I’m going 3.5 for this and 3 for the project.
I actually have this album, popular at the time. Very nice as background music and feeling the cuba salsa vibes or so.
Starts of very nice; later I lose attention although it is still ok in the background.
El inodoro está en el bano 🗣️🗣️🗣️
Very cool guitar work. We enjoyed it quite a bit.
I wouldn't normally seek this type of music out, but I enjoyed this style and the energetic sound behind it.
Lovely on the ears
Not my jam, but understand why it’s on this list. Found the different styles jarring and disjointed.
Fine.
I have never really listened to Cuban Music so this was an interesting start to this project. At first, I wasn't really into it but there were some songs, especially near the middle of this project that I found to be really interesting. There is a Wim Winders documentary about this album that I'm definitely going to watch. 6/10
Sit back and relax to the sounds of some authentic Cuban plucking.
I used to hate this album, when it was released I couldn't bare listening to it. I not a fan of latino rhythms, and hearing these old men singing was not really moving me. More than 20 years later, I thankfully grew up, and though I'm still not a huge fan of the genre, I can appreciate the music. It's laid back, well executed, and you can here the sun pouring through every note.
The main driver behind this album’s acclaim is its background. A celebration of music that is rarely, if ever heard outside of where it is performed. And it’s a beautiful result. Incredible chemistry between members, some of them out of retirement, of the Social Club is constantly proven throughout each track - it’s easy to feel the sense of skill in the recording studio. The main takeaway from this for me is not the music itself (although it is consistently impressive and a few tracks are absolutely excellent), it is instead the question that arises - how much worldwide music are we, the consumers of the West, missing?
Pleasant
embodiment of the immaculate vibes of drinking a giant margherita in a mexican restaurant.
not exactly my cup of tea but i enjoy the instrumentals so its a 7/10 for me
Loving the guitar. Something I’d definitely listen to again on a sunny day. Some of the songs were longer than they needed to be but overall good. Highlights: De Camino a La Vereda Dos Gardenias
Foreign to me
I can see why it was so popular, it’s just not a genre I get into.
sehr schön für laue Sommerabende
I find this one hard to describe, it's pleasent enough, but I'm unsure what it is. And I'm unsure if it's something I'll return to in the future Standouts 3/5
I felt like I was chilling on a secluded beach in Cuba. I don't know how often I'll come back to the album but I've saved it.
Good gentle background music. Nothing particularly noteworthy, but pleasant.
This was a fun listen, however for me there wasn’t much setting it apart from other mariachi music that I’ve heard. Musically, the style is always impressive so you can’t really go wrong. Notable Tracks: - Chan Chan - Pueblo Nuevo - Veinte Anos - Orgullecida
I bought this CD is 1997 when it was THE thing to own. It would celebrate your diverse musical tastes and rejection of modern pop culture. And I listened to to it expectantly...but Meh. Pleasant enough, and I appreciate the journey into Spanish Language folk music...but it ended up on the back of the cupboard. Listening to it in 2024.... still the same. Pleasant, but doesn't make me want to track down more. Maybe I'm the heathen.
why didn’t you say about this album, when it came out it was An instant classic, and it really defined the era. Listening to it now and hit just the same.
Nando’s toilet
A lovely album to have on in the background, I enjoyed 3/5
Som vanlig när det gäller denna typen av musik är det inget man går igång på. Men detta var iaf rätt piggt, och man förstår ändå att det lika gärna hade kunnat vara nåt man diggar. Man blir iaf lite glad!
Är väl kanske inte musik jag själv sätter på, men gillar ändå detta och den goa feelingen man får av att lyssna.
'Coffee table LPs...' sometimes do please.
Good
The first few songs were all the same and not really my vibe, so I got a bit nervous. The later parts of this album have a nice variety of sound. I’m glad I stuck it out.
Good world music album. Relaxing.
Pretty good. Guess it's a nice background album, gives a nice ambience. Don't think it's great for active listening (especially because I don't speak the language).
pretty good, wasn’t really in the mood for it
Pretty good, I liked it. 7/10
Sounds nice, though I fear To judge, I'm underequipped. That is what she said. I remember seeing this album on the shelves in '97 and hearing the buzz around it. Back then I wouldn't dream of taking a chance on it with so many other [hip hop & R&B] options available.
Listening to Cuban musicians is a great way to remind yourself you are not very good. Felt like this stated off cool, but got too mellow for me as it went. Rounding down to 3. music: appreciated. (⌐■_■)
Thoughts before listening: Well this is quite fitting coming right after listening to Milton Nascimento's Clube de Esquina. I know this album was a big deal upon its release, but I do not believe I have listened to it. I also don't believe I have watched the accompanying documentary. I have been surprised by how much I enjoy the Central and South American artists on this list, so I look forward to listening to this as well. Review: Well this is quite different than yesterday's album. Where Milton Nascimento's music pulled from the traditional sounds of Central and South America but mixed with more modern styles, this album leans in heavy to the traditional music of Cuba. Its a really chill sound that is instantly recognizable as background music in restaurants or movies, but I have never dug in. This makes for a pleasant listen with excellent musicianship that sounds as if you wandered into a Havana jazz club and saw a bunch of old timers on stage performing. I'll give this 3-stars
Once again, this type of music is full of joy. Even if it's not entirely my thing, I can't help but enjoy it somewhat.
3.25. A classic which introduced a to me new sound
Me senti em Cuba
Eight of the nineteen songs featured in the film are on this album. And there are no duds in either format. Ry Cooder has never stopped collaborating - as a sideman with everyone from Beefheart to the Stones, as a band member with Taj Mahal, as a leading player in the 80’s & 90’s world music explosion & as a composer for at least twenty films, notably Paris Texas, for Wim Wenders, who also directed the film of Buena Vista Social Club. The album just flows - and, as you listen, eyes closed, it transports you to a nightclub in Havana (listen to the piano arrangement in Pueblo Nuevo).You can feel yourself being serenaded at your table. The opening track Chan Chan is perfect. A beautiful album.
Definitely not my usual type of dog walking music. Felt like I was in an episode of Narcos but enjoyed it all the same. Probably won't go back but you never know.
Yeah not bad. Interesting guitar work, but not really my style.
I've heard of this band. Never listened to this album. Maybe even saw them at a festival. Definitely was not expecting this style of music. Legit.
Reminds me of working the kitchen. I'm a software engineer now. I don't miss working in the kitchen. Good chill summer vibe background music, but not something I want to actively put on when in an active listening mood.
An enjoyable surprise.
❤❤❤❤❤ for "Chan Chan"! A pleasure to listen to although it´s not my prefered style of music. 3,5
My dad owns this on CD, it's in his car in fact. Due to this, I have listened to this multiple times since I first heard it back in ~2017 or so. Listened to it another 2 times for this review just to make sure. There's unfortunately a reason why I only remember Chan Chan, or why every time I search "Buena Vista Social Club" I only ever turn on Chan Chan. The album itself isn't bad, nor did I experience a single moment that I disliked, it's just that the rest of the album does nothing for me. Like a fat stripper or plain rice.
Even though I cannot understand what is being said, the album is pretty cool. It starts off with energetic songs, and then becomes rather soft with many songs featuring piano. This isn't really the type of music I'd normally listen to but I was able to enjoy it. The song "Candela" is a little too repetitive for me.
Had some really good tracks. 3.4.
I enjoyed this album ... the tracks featuring piano were especially good.
3 out of 5. First time listening to BVSC and while not usually into this style it was a fun listen.
Played the 25th anniversary edition. Chan Chan is good and I like the jazzy, piano driven tracks like Pueblo Nuevo, Murmullo, and the title track. Most of the rest sounds like generic Latin music to my ears. Still an easy *** for Chan Chan and the piano pieces.
Ok this entire album is in SPANISH? 😭 This album is so fun but I wish I knew what they were saying lol The beginning songs were very like party but then it got much slower for like majority of the album and I’m like what happened Fav was candela 3/5
I fw this quite a bit, but it’s not something I could see myself listening to on my own accord. GREAT vibe music tho. A sold 3.5.
fantastic start and considerably less fantastic mid-end :( the unclean and acoustic approach to recording the album makes it unidentifiable as a late 90s record in some regard, giving it super fun authenticity and some silliness that is often lost in works via overproduction 3/5
I think my Uncle Ian introduced me to this album many years ago, but I seem to have lost the tape and never got the chance to hear it until today. At first, Ry Cooder's name caught my attention, as I know him from the soundtrack to Crossroads, and something else cool he released at about the same time. Still, Cuban music isn't really in my wheelhouse, so I approach this with trepidation. Will it be, as I suspect, suitable as background music in cafes, Mexican restaurants, or other inconsequential locations? Is it going to be what those four entertaining owls played to Rango in the desert? The answers are: Yes and Yes. But it is also well played, dynamically recorded, and quite fun to listen to at home while doing the dishes or other boring chores. As an aside, some of the repetitive choruses seem to have a touchpoint in African tribal music. Not bad.
Buena Vista Social Club The Guardian told me I should buy this back in 1997, so I did, likely thinking it would make me appear cool and eclectic. I did enjoy it, but it didn’t have much longevity in my barely formed 18 year old brain, so I don’t think I listened to it between 1998 and now. Of all the music outside of the Western Europe/North America bubble, I do find myself drawn more to North and Northwest African desert blues and Indian stuff like Call of the Valley the other day, rather than things like this in the central american/caribbean/latin american genres. Maybe it’s the spanish guitars or the jazz adjacency but it never quite fires my imagination. However I did enjoy it today, maybe out of nostalgia and maybe because it was a nice sunny day, but also because it is genuinely good. The various lead vocals and lead vocalists are superb, I love that they are a bit older and have that great lived in, slightly frayed around the edges feel. And the harmonies are excellent throughout. The playing is also great, giving the whole thing such a languid, sunny feel, although often there is a detectable air of melancholy. I obviously don’t know what they are singing about, it could be about lost love and family or worker co-operatives and production quotas, but it doesn’t matter, it sounds great. However, unless you are really into this type of music, an hour is a lot. There’s no doubt it does start to feel quite samey after about ½ an hour, and although it doesn’t really drag, it’s one of those where you could accidentally restart the album at any point and you wouldn’t necessarily notice. Highlights for me are the first 3 tracks, particularly the first one Chan Chan. Ry Cooder’s slide on this is great, subtly adding to the track and giving it a very pleasant hint of bluesiness. I also really liked El Carretero and Orgullecida. The rest, while very nice and atmospheric, didn’t particularly register. Overall I’d say it’s right in the 3s. Very listenable and enjoyable, and I would listen again, but doesn’t quite resonate enough with me over the course of an hour to push it into the 4s, despite the obvious quality of musicianship 🇨🇺🇨🇺🇨🇺 Playlist submission: Between Chan Chan and Orgullecida, I’ll go Chan Chan
Agree it’s an album to listen to before you die. No way I’m listening to this again.
Music for holiday, not for prepping a radiator to be painted. Not sure why any better than other holiday music?
Funky.
Pleasant if I was in my 60s and was throwing a dinner party, but that's a while till that becomes me. Faster tracks were much more enjoyable, slower ones not so much. Nice to hear, can see why it's on this list, but generally not for me.
This is good. It's mellowed-out mariachi music which is much more enjoyable.
If they had taken off like four or five songs from this album it would have gotten a 4 from me. It was really enjoyable and loved the sound. It was fun, festive, and full of life. Again, I really didn’t mind not being able to understand pretty much anything they were saying. However, I really wish this hadn’t been as long of an album, it started to drag about halfway to three quarters of the way through.
I remember listening to this with it first came out and it was part of Peter Gabriel's REAL WORLD collection trying to get people exposed to new sounds. I bought all those releases thinking it made me cool. I liked this one, 3 stars
Easy listening but I didn’t connect with any songs in particular.
Very relaxing.
116/1001
apart from the one song everybody knows, not much to see...
Meh
Not super interesting but not bad Standout songs: El Cuarto De Tula Candela
As the weather gets warmer, and we are less than two weeks away from the start of summer, life calls for more music like this. Something that represents summer break, the heat, and relaxation. Based on the cover alone, I was ready for a vibe. And a vibe it was. This album feels so fitting for the summer, and paints pictures in my head of people driving around with the sun roof open, or on the beach, with this playing in the background. And I love how large of an ensemble this group is. You can feel the energy through the music, and I really get the feeling this was something created because of the love they all share for traditional Cuban music. I’m just a little disappointed though. When I listen to an album, it’s pretty clear to me whether I like it or not. I dislike the music I dislike, and I love the music I love. I don’t feel like I ever really have to justify that to anyone, or explain that why I don’t like a record is because I’m missing something. But I think today may be an exception. I wanted to like this more. Really badly. But something about it just didn’t seem to really click in my brain. But I also don’t feel qualified to speak on this. This is very far out from what I generally listen to, and this also isn’t my culture. But I do feel like I have a little bit of experience with this kind of music. I wish this blew me away like I was expecting it to. I still respect it for everything it is. Rating: 5/10
Feels like drinking cuba libre -- nice taste, well made, nothing too exciting.
The BVSC was an interesting mix-up from the recent picks. First thing that hit me was how well the recording quality was. I am going to relished to this when I have my good headphones available. Overall this isn’t my normal jam, but I enjoyed it. I picked up on the In the Heights Musical soundtrack nod in Candela. This reminded me of my brief stint in Belize many moons ago. Favorite track was the opener Chan Chan.
Music to eat a chicken butterfly or sell copious amounts of cocaine to
Really good vibes, had a good time listening
A solid entry into a genre I know very little about. I’m looking forward to giving this one another spin, as I feel like there are a lot of great nuggets in here.
I don’t think that I can give this a true rating- I listened to it while I was driving, and was unable to look up the translation for the lyrics. Overall, I enjoyed the instrumentals and the overall vibes of the album.
It’s like being on holiday, sounds good.
I liked this more than I expected to. I thought it was really pretty and the faster songs made me want to dance.
Got nervous when the first 2 tracks sounded very similar but there was more variety as the album went on. Generally fine with this music genre and this was decent.
I’ve listened to this before. As always, it’s fine.
jazzy, liked it
First track is amazing, an all time favourite. And then we're in a cuban restaurant waiting for a song you recognise. Nice enough - nothing wonderful
Fun album.
Very nice! Shame I never heard of them!
Good ol Spanish music. A good time
Nice island vibes.
Nice and pleasant. This would be some great beach music.
Super enjoyable listen - didn't leave a review after I listened because I wanted to listen again. But I realized that once I was done with it, I haven't thought about it since. Will maybe listen again some day but not one that stuck with me for the long haul.
Another that was fine but where I felt no compulsion to finish it.
Literally didn't understand a word of it, but honestly enjoyed quite a bit of it. Not sure why it's on this list, and it certainly felt like an album that belonged closer to 1957 to 1997, but overall a decent enough time. 3/5
Not bad
Maybe.
Fire! Not the kind of music I typically listen to but this was awesome.