Reviews (page 2 of 15)
I don’t understand any Spanish but this was an enjoyable album with easy listening and relaxing songs mixed with songs that put a little bump in your shoulders.
Talented musicians. Just not my cup of tea musically.
vond het op een gegeven moment een beetje veel van t zelfde
écouté en pleine session tricotage, l’impression d’être une mamie cubaine sur sa chaise à bascule. that was a good experience!!!
Increible, este album es perfecto, cálido, nostálgico, divertido y melancólico. 10/10
My last album! The project is complete. What a journey this was and what a great album to finish with. I don’t know much about Latin music or the other styles on Buena Vista Social Club but I enjoyed this very much. I know that I will return to listen to it again in the future. This project introduced me to many such albums.
If this doesn’t make you wanna move and doesn’t make you picture beautiful things in your head maybe nothing ever will. The opening tracks are great and Candela picks things up in the second half. Slightly uneven by nature but always a pleasure.
Je preshot: "Ah bah c'est sympa on pourrait mettre ca dans un café" Par contre les chansons sont un peu répétitives. Ca change du rock
Culte, Intro Culte, Milieu Culte, Fin culte. Seul bémol: au bout de 14 chansons t'en as marre de la musique cubaine mais ça fait toujours du bien d'y revenir de temps en temps
Cool music. Gives Italian vibes
Sopivan rentoa ja letkeää musisointia. Tätä voisi kuunnella kiireettömänä viikonloppu aamuna kahvia juoden.
Like background music in a Mexican restaurant. Easy harmless listening
Colorful, groovy music straight out of the streets of Cuba. Fun display of their local sounds and instruments, pretty diverse sonically. Many songs with tight, vivid instrumentation and some slower jams to break it up. Every song is really good, vibrant and dancable.
Good stuff. Very laid back and chill album. Would put on in the background for sure
The movie is really good and those sweet geezers with their passion for music are a delight. As an album I find it rather boring, though. It has a nice and relaxed sound, yes. But the music is very repetitive, has little to no dynamics and all the songs are too long and sound pretty much the same. Not for me.
An album giving me immediate chills is always a good sign in my book. I am someone who isn't well-versed in Latin music, so I was blown away by the instrumentals, having not heard anything like it before. Beautiful, tight vocal harmonies too. It made me feel serene at times, and had me joyously dancing around at others; I love when an album encompasses a variety of vibes. I want to keep this in rotation in the future, so much so that I'm adding it immediately to my vinyl wishlist (as I need to spin this on a Sunday morning expeditiously). 4.5/5 rounded up Favorite tracks: Chan Chan, El Cuarto de Tula, Candela
Pretty good, now I see why it has a Broadway musical.
Not sure I understand all the hype with this album. It was fine, but didn’t blow me away. I liked a couple of the early tracks, but got bored as the album progressed.
Amazing
Something certainly different and all the better for it. The first few tracks are like a party in downtime Havana with the later tracks moving to a more melodic sound. Either way these musicians can certainly know their art and the interplay between them is superbly captured. This was a breathe of fresh air when it first came out in the late 90s and it has stood the test of time as it sounds just as fresh today.
The album and documentary that made most of America realize that Cuba exists and has really good music
Distinctively Cuban, you’re immediately transported to a room filled with open energy, love, hospitality and dance. Raspy hollowed vocals charges through a myriad of pure instrumental vibe.
A deeply sweet reminder of Cuban music's duality: the rhythm and beat entwined with lyrics of lost love, violence, death, and disaster.
hahah najhladniji dan da podseti na leto sto je nekad bilo pre tri dana
I liked the vibes with this one, a fun listen.
This album was pretty good, it started to feel repetitive quickly tho, but I do appreciate the Spanish drums
I LOVE this album. Its a breath of fresh air compared to lots of music you can hear on the radio nowadays
I like the fresh sound. It’s fun. It’s perfect for picking cherry tomatoes.
First latin music pick for me and I'm an absolutely unwritten paper when it comes to it. They put together a huge band to really achieve a great variety of cuban styles so on this album alone there are a ton of genres and styles I have never heard before. This will probably require a bunch of listens for me to get it but I'm curious for sure. Since I dont speak any spanish I can't say anything about the lyrics I can only judge the music itself. I really love the guitars and laúds and whatever string instruments they used throughout nearly every song. Very good playing and it gives those dance vibes in combination with the drums the congas and bongos and again whatever they use I dont know. What I do know is that those rhythms are pretty uplifting and overall just bring across good happy feelings. What I assume are trumpets are also killing it. Thats something I do love about latin music that they involve instruments like the trumpet a lot. Overall though its hard for me to remember individual songs its more like some 1 hour latin medley. I don't despise the music at all I actually like it but I'm not able to stay focused on the album through the whole hour it becomes backgroundmusic every time. A great backgroundmusic though. Like I said I assume my knowledge on latin music is just too small to understand the greatness and nuances of the music but I will eventually get there on my musical journey and this one will be the first to get a relisten when I'm there. 3,0/5
I really enjoyed this album, but I prefer older afro Cuban music and would probably choose one of those albums over revisiting this one. Still really good though. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
It sounds like the cover. It’s a vibe, just not always my vibe.
it felt like I was sitting outside a cuban restaurant drinking an aperol spritz in summer
Feel like I'm in Spain and I should join a latin dance class. I feel groovy like I want to move. Defintley a vibe, perfect vibe for a sunny morning or afternoon at home. Or at uni. Out of 5 I'd give it a 3.7
Amidst different flavours of rock, punk and indie this was a lovely chill breath of fresh air.
Quite enjoyed this, good to have something a bit different occasionally
Hard to rate. Very pleasant background, but not sure it is much of an active listen
Love the Cuban son style but the improv bits dragged on a bit. A good variety of light and shade, quick and slow. Quintessential Cuban flow. 4/5
אנחנו ממש אהבנו את האלבום, היה כיף להאזנה. (נטע) אהבתי את הוייב של הסלסה. (אורי) חושב שזה אלבום טוב לשישי בצהריים לפני שנצ
there is no suitable rating other than 5+++ faultess. so beautiful from start to finish, thank you Ry Cooder for introducing us to Compay Segundo & his buddies. Had to get a new copy of this back in the day because I'd played the 1st one to death
A butterfly. It twists and turns elegantly in the air in spurts. Time seems to wait for its cue. Bright colors. Happiness.
An absolute joy. From the back story to the conception to the execution - perfectly imperfect. That it moved the needle in pop culture is nothing short for miracle. This is what music is. This is what music can be and maybe should be. One can't help but be reminded of this with every listen. The warmth this album radiates is palpable. Mesmerizing.
Given the size, and clear effort that went into this album, I'm surprised this is the only studio album they released. There is definitely an array of talent, I will give them that much(hell, it's an ensemble). I just found myself a bit bored towards the middle of the album. Favorite Track: "Buena Vista Social Club".
Just okay. Very peaceful and calming. Not so much for me. 6.2/10
Fun Cuban music, highly enjoyed
Maso, bueno me gustaron las músicas tipo las ondas pero algunas me aburrían
I like my latin dance music just a little more frenetic, but obvious masters of the craft. Watched the movie in HS and general impression was the same, just a little too tranquilo.
Cargado de sabor y ritmos que inevitablemente te hacen mover el cuerpo, Buena Vista era un álbum que tenía ganas de escuchar hace bastante tiempo y me gustó mucho, no me sorprendió como esperaba pero aún así es un gran álbum que explota de canciones que definen el sonido de la música cubana.
Favorite Track: De Camino a la Vereda
I sat jn an old wooden folding chair. One slat was missing, but who cares? A paper cup of rum in one hand, half-finished cigar in the other. I gaze out at the dancers, their grins so wide you could trip over them. I used to do those energetic but precise steps too. From time to time the trumpet wakes me from my reverie, reverberating off alley walls older than anyone can remember. In the darkening twilight I tap my toes involuntarily. In the distance a dog barks.
This is why I'm here. This is an album id never have pick for myself. Don't understand a word of the lyrics but the rhythm and vibes is perfect. I could listen this this endlessly
Now this is a fucking vibe.
As an American monoglot, I can't exactly full appreciate the art and music being created by bands like Buena Vista Social Club, yet I can still sense the talent and joy out of a record like this. Overall a rich blend of African and Latin styles that makes for a pretty entertaining listen, even if it overstays its welcome with the lengths of some tracks. You really do have to appreciate the work that musicians like the Buena Vista Social Club have put into preserving and showcasing their musical culture to the world.
Really nice background music. I enjoyed trying to translate some of the lyrics
I don't like jazz very much, or its derivatives, but this is alright. Would be nice for a long car ride
Nothing revolutionary here, quality musicians playing quality music. Good to put on in the background in a good way.
This is fun as heck, but also the language barrier is a thing. Standouts are Chan Chan, Dos Gardenias, Murmullo and the title track.
It’s a very aesthetic album but not sure if it’s my favorite I like this one for the most part, everything’s very pleasant from the instrumentation to vocals to the overall vibe they’re conveying. There’s definitely some songs that are hard not to tap your foot along; it does a great job of sticking to its identity I do think the variety just kinda sucks in this one; especially with foreign language albums I’m looking for something to really differentiate each song since I don’t really get the lyrical portion, and I really don’t think any individual song stands out Still though, it’s nice background noise and it’s yet another new country to add to our list, so I’ll take it. Not sure if I’d listen to this one a ton when we have just better (imo) albums in the genre, but it was fun enough
Turns out if you get a bunch of guys to play the same music they've been playing for 50 years it tends to be pretty dang polished. There's a good variety in this tracks as well. Lots of little subgenres that make it so each track does have a lil something something special to it. It's a very quintessential album methinks
Interesting stuff, with a bit of backstory and a bit of history. Cuban traditional and folk music, recorded in a studio that somehow makes it sound like it's a genuine club. Good melody, good rhythms. Obviously cannot rate lyrics since I understood less than 3% of what was sung. Very pleasing, deserving of its accolades.
Ah, the irony. They set out to swoop down on Cuba, gathering weathered musical luminaries of a lost generation, recording the music conserved from half a century ago that they finally were allowed to play. Thus saving a specifically cuban variety of latin music: a cultural heritage that simply would have been lost otherwise, as these artist were unrecorded. Or so the story goes. Thing is, to the unenlightened and only mildly interested in latin music, this sounds exactly like any other latin disc put together by some old latin geezers. This opens a huge gap between the cultural value of this and the reception of people all over the world, for some reason expecting something _more_ than just good latin music, though they never were interested in the genre in the first place. Forget the hype it caused. Get it if you're into latin music. But if you aren't, this will educate you, but might not convert you.
Good vibes and chill, but I would never listen to it on my own (or again)
Love it. Not new to me but the idea of putting together 78 year old legends with 13yo savants and everything in between to make an album of classic songs to introduce to the rest of the world was glorious
I love when music transports you to a daydream or a vibe. This did exactly that. Favorite track: Chan Chan
I mean a very nice vibe, but if we're being honest it does start very well and then drift into background music after the first few tracks. Fave Tracks: Chan Chan, De Camino a la Vereda 3.8/5
Listened to this in a few sittings. Good sounds but a little goes a long way with me.
Not a bad album. Just not for me. Fairly middling really. But at least it's something different.
Really enjoyable, transports you to Cuba. Only 4 stars because I sense this is the washed down accessable version of this genre and there's probably some much more important Cuban Jazz/folk albums
I’ve been given three albums by the cure until something Latin came up here. Thank God. Beautiful.
Bueno
I listen based off sound and vibes (which I’m not proud of) and this really hits the sweet spot for me. I’m glad I don’t speak Spanish because I don’t want to know what they are saying. It’s perfect to me just the way it sounds.
5/5
No idea what they are singing about, but I like it.
Super pleasant listen. Very chill. Also the music is generally really tight and well performed.
solid 4.0. Álbum muito agradável que é bem produzido e tem um nicho bem específico, apesar de ser um pouco mais longo que o necessário. Favs: El Cuarto de Tula, El Carretero, Candela, Orgullecida.
keeps getting better with (my) age
My grandfather used to listen to them. Now I understand why... They play as if time didn't matter, savouring the flavour of happyness.
the album was good!!!! suprisingly, very fun, i always wanted to listn to something like this, like its so narcoy i absolutely loved this
A really nice album, but my favourite bits were by far the more jazzy its as the others got a bit more samey. Still really good on the whole though, I just wish it was all jazzier.
Superb album, and with the incredible story behind it which introduced Cuban music to many people worldwide. I was a little later to the party and been enjoying since the early 00's, bit I really have been enjoying it. While it's all Cuban, there is still a great variety between the songs, each created using wonderful musicians and beautiful voices. The album is a delight from start to finish. If you get a chance to watch the film about the making of the album then you have to watch it
Great iconic album
Pretty fun listen, interesting throughout
Top
An absolute delight for your morning coffee
5/10 For some reason for a few decades now I thought Buena Vista Social Club was an early 2000s indie/emo band so today's discovery that it's instead a Cuban ensemble supergroup is kind of messing with my mind. Why did I think that? Where did that idea come from? Why didn't I try listening to the group back in like 2005? I don't know. Anyways, the album is fine. I don't find it particularly interesting or outstanding, but it's certainly listenable. For some reason - and call me crazy - I could see it being the basis of a really successful musical.
Muy bueno, ya había escuchado algo de la cultura de cuba y este álbum fue increíble. El instrumental, la letra, la cultura y las voces son fantasticas
Maybe not my go to for casual listening, but these musicians are masters of their craft.
This was a surprising 5. I found myself longing for beaches and rum, enjoying the scent of a cigar on a warm summer evening. A true gem that I wouldn’t have found otherwise.
This isn't the type of music I consciously seek out. I remember going to a spanish-language music concert when I was a senior in high school, and I thought the music was fun and upbeat (probably because it was more pop/dance-style music). But my tastes have matured in the intervening 13ish years, and this music is a more serious affair. The instrumentals are sweeping and well-crafted, and the vocals are passionate (you don't have to know the language to understand that). Some songs are more somber and some are more upbeat. The beats in general are quite catchy. The first song, "Chan Chan" caught my interest immediately, and it's probably my favorite one on here. Overall, this album is wonderful and complex musically to listen to.
Favorite track(s): Chan Chan, El Cuarto de Tula, Dos gardenias, Candela, Buena Vista Social Club
the best old school music
Pretty Good. Will play again tonight
Really good acoustic sounding stuff
Digger dette albumet, Najs å få det igjen! Chan Chan El Cuarto de Tula Viente Años Sikkert mye bra videre og husker ikke måtte jobbe.
Utrolig fint. Behagelig, flott, va akk det eg ville ha på ein mandag<3 Føle det sko vært eldre, men va jo bare fra 97 Vettkje kor, men eg har hørt chan chan før... Orgullecida va dridsøde Beste sang: Chan Chan
Somehow, I knew about the movie (which is apparently about the recording of the album), but I'd never known that there was an album? Maybe it was a bit longer than I tend to like, but I had a lot of fun with this!
красивая музыка но я люблю ещё текст. jazzy
This is a good album. I remember when it came out and enjoyed it then. It becomes a bit repetitive by the end but I enjoyed it overall.
Those cubanos can really son!!! Smooth, jazzy, and perfectly capturing a moment in time that had been mostly forgotten by the world before Ry Cooder travelled to Cuba to recapture it.
I wish I could rate this higher but I probably won’t be listening again. But the vibes were immaculate. The piano stood out to me as being really good.
While one might see "latin jazz" and think high-energy, danceable grooves, this is relatively restrained; its beauty lies instead in its overwhelming warmth. Everything about it is joyful, tender, gorgeously bright. If it doesn't get the 5 it's only because I struggle to say much more about it. I'm familiar with the Son Cubano genre, and there's nothing quite blowing me away here. That's not to say it doesn't deserve its flowers though - it made me smile the whole way through, it's an adorable album all around! Standouts: De Camino a La Vereda • El Cuarto De Tula • Dos Gardenias • Candela • Amor De Loca Juventud • Buena Vista Social Club • ¿Y Tú Qué Has Hecho? • El Carretero • Orgullecida • Murmullo
Solid album with great vibes, but not sure this would have a spot in my rotation due to the length. But I appreciate the cultural aspect.
This is the pinnacle of Cuban musicianship that managed to be captured in what appears to be a miraculous record. The story behind the recording alone spawned an Oscar-winning documentary. It is a delicate record, transporting the listener to a different era of spiced rum and floating cigar smoke. Phenomenal.
Someone please help me, my hips won’t stop moving, it’s been 24 hours!!! But seriously this is such a beautiful album, I want this on vinyl so I can throw it on when I’m cleaning the house or angry. It’s a showcase of the power music can have, a good song can change your entire mood & this album is full of songs just like that.
Slow, nice sound at first. Like a "coming home" type of energy. "Chan Chan" feels so warm, so so warm. Also really enjoying album's name and the way the album looks and feels humane.
I dunno. Its not bad but I also have no idea what's going on
I like Orgullecida. It reminded me of Hawaiian music.
Уютный и расслабленный джаз для летнего дня на веранде за чашечкой кофе или в ресторане за бокалом вина. В качестве фона и для создания определенного настроения выполняет свою роль, но на большее не тянет
The album shines when it leans more into the rumba than the ragtime-esque jazz instrumental tracks. The highlights are instant classics but there’s a bunch of filler too.
I bought the CD of this album when it came out and listened to it fairly regularly. It's excellent music, and culturally important. Strong recommend.
На удивление приятно и душевно, местами просто мед, хотя вроде совсем не моя музыка, как так получилось
Нормуль
В целом норм локал музыка, иногда можно и послушать
не фанат такой музыки - 3
No notes.
I couldnt really understand spanish but the instrumentals made up for that.
Heard of them before but in my head they were a rock band, I think I must've mixed them up with Bombay Bicycle Club. Wow, what a surprise! This is exactly what I mean when I say I want more music not in English. Not a single bad song here, just some better than others. I might listen to this album some more this week because it's great 4/5
Honestly reminds me of being on holiday with my family. When looking up the lyrics, especially of El Cuarto de Tula. It has a lot of deep meaning that I would never understand on the surface. I was even at first going to call this "light-hearted music" (not true). Love the sort of jazz in some of the songs; it makes them almost romantic and playful. Even with some dark lyrics.
Groovy album, love some good latin jazz with cuban sounds. 3 stars 7/10
Starts out smooth and melodic, a chill vibe, great harmonies. Huge range of latin styles. Some sections where it almost feels improv. Great infectious energy, very very talented. Too improv jazz for my tastes.
Great stuff! My parents listened to a lot of Latin music as a kid so this was a nice throw back Gonna have to watch that wim wenders movie now
(rip lost review) was a decent album, very chill allegedly a showcase of several musical styles, but couldn't tell you what those are
Has a nice vibe on a certain day could probably sound better.
This was a cultural phenomenon when this came out based on the movie. Brought the Cuban sound mainstream. Some good harmonies. Fun song structure but everything kind of blends together.
no me gustó pero porque no escucho este tipo de música
Classic
Interesting enough to maybe come back to
e foarte bun. mi a placut ca imbina mai multe genuri( jazz, latino, soul)
Perfect for a hot nostalgic summer
These are some nice vibes, but yeah, what they guy who reviewed it and said about drinks in the sun is too right. Give me sunshine and alcohol and this is an easy four by the pool.
Out of the 90+ CDs in my collection currently, this is the only one that is completely in the Spanish language. Granted, for all of the Hispanic communities I run in, I do not myself claim any fluency to the language, much less any origin to those who do. I am simply an external admirer, a lover of music, and someone who believes strongly in connecting to the music in which one’s roots draw from. And these players are masters at this kind of music. Now, also, this is an interesting case of “‘world/ethnic music’ songs that the edges of the mainstream enjoyed,” making it probably the perfect album in that vein for this book to put on the list. But the music! The music is incredible too. “Chan Chan” is an obviously important song on this album, being the opener, the single, and easily the biggest song the band has made. And on top of all that, it’s absolutely incredible. A vision of delirious, heat-induced lust over this absolutely beautiful, lush, incredible instrumental, something that will become a commonality across this whole album. It’s suspenseful, it’s well-played, it’s beautiful. Same thing with the next song, which is just this jubilant little tune, at least musically. The lyrics less so, but I get the feeling that that doesn’t matter much in the grand scheme of things. It has several moments of wonderful vocal performances, moments that are even more plentiful on track three, “El Cuarto Del Tula,” whose fiery lyrics match the song’s drawn-out, fast-paced playing. The chorus of “Ay Mama, ¿Que Paso?” (Oh mama, what happened?) really communicate some sort of urgency, that the song’s topic of a burning building would imply. The next song is a piano-led instrumental played prominently by 90-year-old Rubén González, one of the many skilled, old collaborators who took part in this project. His name, along with Ry Cooder’s, Ibrahim Ferrer’s, and a few other notable collaborators, is listed on the album’s cover. There are a few other notable songs on here, such as the romantic “Dos Gardenias,” the intense “Candela,” and the album’s instrumental title track. Overall, while it can sometimes seem a bit overlong, this is a furiously incredible album that I cannot recommend highly enough, and frequent often. 10/10 DOES IT BELONG ON THE LIST: YES REASON: Quality and undeniable cultural relevance
I don't know what these chaps are singing about, but I am here for it
No notes. It's not the type of music I usually find myself listening to, but if I'm ever in the mood for some Spanish guitar and vocals, this will be my first pick. 9/10
TOTALMENTE A SENSAZIONI, NON VOGLIO CAPERE NULLA DEL TESTO. CUBANO E CARAIBICO AL TOP. RIENTRA NEL TIPO DI MUSICA CHE METTEREI COME SOTTOFONDO IN VACANZA, TRANNE LA PRIMA TRACCIA, CHE REPUTO LA MIGLIORE. PIACEVOLE, E SE DOVESSE ESSERE UN HOTEL SAREBBE UN 3 STELLE SUPERIOR. 3/5
I enjoyed some of the songs individually, but I don't have the ear to listen to an hour of this kind of music without it getting kinda boring and samey
Celebrating the forgotten musicians of Cuba, Buena Vista Social Club's sole album is sun-kissed delight to listen to. You don't need to understand the language to enjoy the immaculate vibes this record brings. The playing feels loose in the best way possible and makes me feel like I am wondering through the streets in Cuba on a beautiful day. I will certainly be watching the documentary about this interesting project.
Just not for me, but not bad.
Likte det godt, men det ble i overkant langdrygt
Fikk ikke hørt så mye på denne. Fint, liksom, men er ikke helt min kopp med cubansk kaffe.
I love listening to a good performance by good performers. When the performance is good enough, the song itself is like a bonus. This is what this album is for the most part: Ok songs on top of a good performance. Due that, I feel the mix is a bit too muddy to really enjoy the performance to the max. I'd move the mix a few notches away from "recorded in a room" feel to a "pristine studio production" quality. Not all the way, but let's pop out these performances a bit more. Songwriting wise, obviously Chan Chan is the standout, probably a timeless classic. Tough that it's the first song, since the rest is suffering in comparison. If we remove Chan Chan, do we have a 5 album? In my opinion, no. It's an album full of safe musical bets. Safe bets can get you to 3 or 4, but we need a bit more than that for a 5. These guys can play, but the songwriting leans too frequently on known forms.
Would buy. Loved it.
Son cubano/Bolero Favorite Songs: De Camino à la Vereda, El Cuarto de Tula, El Carretero, Candela Least Favorite Song: Pueblo Nuevo To whoever said in their five star review, and gonna quote this person, “If you left a 1 star review with the reason stating why being it's not in English, get the fuck off this website,” preach. This was a good album that showcases their roots and wanted to show this to the public, and while I’m not going to get every single track off of this album, I did enjoyed the album for what it was. While I’m not going to give it a better score as again I don’t see myself wanting every track, this is an album that I would recommend to those who wanted to listen outside of their English comfort zone. 7/10.
Fun
This was fun a Spanish ditty
What a lovely album for a sunny Saturday morning! This was so nice. Having a good time with a genre and artist I hadn't tried before, away from my comfort zone and usual frames of reference – 1001 can be joyous! It's a long album that gets quite samey – you could lose three or four tracks and still get the idea – but I really enjoyed the ride.
I'd heard of and ignored this for years. God knows why? Obviously I just wasn't ready for it. It's all good and happy stuff with some heavy toe-tapping tunes. I thought it could be just a bit too much of the same thing but as the album moved on there were variations which kept me more than interested. One or two of these tracks at a time would be enough as a quick fix when you need a lift sometimes but the whole album is altogether uplifting and a joy. I enjoyed it much more than expected and have now watched the DVD of the same name. Their sounds make even more sense now. A poor but happy-go-lucky people and rich with the love of their music - and it shows when you hear it. Whatever genre of music you favour I can't see how you could dislike this album. It just oozes with...I'm not sure what - not happiness exactly but perhaps fun?? It doesn't matter - I just wish there was more. This is the best thing to have been revealed to me since starting this process. Talvin Singh was an eye-opener but this is a step up from that. Thank you, Ry Cooder.
I adore this record! I could listen to it every day of my life and be very happy
One of those records I could listen to anytime, anywhere and instantly feel a little happier. Timeless, joyous, recorded with a beautiful warmth and space, a one of a kind gem of an album. The film is also brilliant.
What was really interesting about this album was how you can maintain movement/interest in each song with diversity of percussion. I feel like a lot of the chord progressions were similar but I was never board because I was hooked on the drums the whole time Highlights: Y Tu Que Has Hecho, Candela
Very fun listen, sets a great tone for your day. Weirdly relaxing? There are a couple of snoozers on here but it mostly keeps the energy up for the whole run time.
Very nice. Not my usual cup of tea. cheerful and romantic. Good for background sounds.
Okay, but this is not something I would listen to if it was not on this list. ★★
The hits surely take you back… but overall not something I will come back to.
An old fave. Was really into this when it came out. And went to see the film. When I was in Cuba went to see Compay Segunda’s grave. It’s been very overplayed in coffee shops etc but good to listen again after many years.
Started nice but too long and forgettable. Fatiguing to listen to since it’s not really my preferred style of music
This was lovely background music for sitting in the sun and reading a book. I am not remotely qualified to evaluate the qualities of this as an album but it was the perfect album for the context.
Have always had a soft spot for this album, likely because it was just a bunch of dudes doing their thing when they suddenly just find fame just by virtue of being recorded. It’s very vibes based music and although there is a huge amount of technical prowess under the surface that is neither showy nor obvious. I find the most interesting bit about it is the interplay between instruments and musicians - there is often a lot of back and forth between members but all seem to share front stage generously such that there is rarely one instrument that stands out above all others. This album shows what music can be - soulful and community building.
This was great! Love the Cuban feel and was interesting to read a bit of their history on Wikipedia.
Surprisingly like it ! Chill
All time classic. Deep in the DNA
this is the chilling relaxing music i LIKE
Love the vibes
Fantastic sound and construction, but hard to differentiate tracks, largely as I don’t speak the language
For some reason, I think of this as a “cafe” record. Did Starbucks sell this next to Norah Jones? That’s an unfair comparison. BVSC is much more listenable than Norah. I’m ready for fruity cocktail by the beach. Not my musical preference but I appreciate the musicianship. Always love hearing music from other areas of the globe - this list gets bogged down in English language albums, and I want to be challenged. 3/5
This was brilliant. My In-laws are of Jamaican heritage and I could hear them and their musical tastes throughout the album. It is jazz with a Caribbean flavour. Loved it on a dark and cold winters night
Salsa merengue FODA PRA CARALHO. Vontade de fumar um charuto cubano com um whiskey do lado.
Está guay, no es lo que escucho habitualmente pero hay días en los que entra muy bien. El álbum entero se me hace un poco bola pero tiene algunos temazos sueltos.
Didn't know the language
Easy to listen to.
mi gente cubana
i listened to this album 20 years ago and didn't relisten to it becuase i didn't want to legally buy it form my local walmart. 4/5 rating anyway its not the beatles or led zepplin or whatever
Another example of an album having great sonority and great culture. Amazinh listen!
An interesting album that was a pretty fun listen, but was unlikely to really stay with me. The album is intended as a showcase of Cuban (esp Afro-Cuban) musicians and sounds, which it achieves, but its jazzy sound also suggests it comes from a broader ‘Caribbean world’ that would include New Orleans, so it’s far from detached from other music. Overall though, I’m not sure this style of music can rise above background music for me. Enjoyable, but probably needed more cultural knowledge to fully appreciate.
Going by the hour I spent in the company of this rather large group of Cuban musicians, the Buena Vista Social Club seems like a cool place to visit, but maybe not for quite so long. I appreciated this album’s role as a tasting menu of various Cuban musical styles, but it was a case of diminishing returns for me; most of the better tracks were stacked towards the start, and by the end, my attention was starting to wander. As always, however, I’m glad to see some representation of music beyond the Anglo-American pop/rock world on this list.
Nice latin they sound and are old but the effort of getting them together to perform worth it
Que disco excelente. Ouço desde seu lançamento. Uma obra prima
Loved this album, but I do have a preference for lyrics i comprehend 😔
I spent the last hour of my shift on my own, pacing around the lobby and trying to steady my nerves after having fretted over my car troubles all day. On a day when I needed to relax and ease my mind, Buena Vista Social Club showed up at just the right time to help mellow me out. A nice and gentle soundscape full of Cuban guitars and jazz, this album danced through a variety of musical stylings, united in their pursuit of a singular relaxing vibe. The name is quite accurate, as listening to this album feels like I'm dancing along a city street and listening to the chatter of a tight-knit community enjoying life. It also sometimes reminds me of SpongeBob video game music, but this is absolutely meant as a compliment. I do tend to prefer the songs which lean further into a slinkier, lower tempo jazz sound, but nothing here completely loses me to the point of falling out of step with its vibe. The wide array of different vocalists and vocal styles also goes a long way towards keeping each song feeling unique, on top of the varying instrumental approaches. As an album, Buena Vista Social Club is a bright sunny day, easy to wander around and get lost in. Highlights: Chan Chan, De Camino a la Vereda, El Cuarto De Tula, Pueblo Nuevo, Dos Gardenias, Veinte Años, Orgullecida, Murmullo, Buena Vista Social Club
This is a subtle one. The film is amazing in the first place and it’s great on record too, but without being flashy or having that massive hit of something to grab you… it creeps up and gets into your hips.
Imagine the scene, the humid Havana air is almost a relief after the hot and sweaty bar. The music was jumping and despite my age and dodgy knees the rhythm was inescapable and I danced… that’s what this album is like but I was listening to it in my office in Sussex and whilst the rhythm was captivating it probably wasn’t the right place for this album. I’ll test it again when I’m somewhere suitably tropical
VIVA CUBA!!!
Salsa bops
solid party tunes. Not much to say but good. 3/5
This is not really my thing so I'll try to be objective. The group really does a good job creating an ambiance of just chill, laid back, happiness. They are very clearly talented
it was ok except the piano which was my least fav thing ever on this album but still, not my music taste so it got 2 stars
Number: 205 Familiarity: None (1) Rating: 3 ======= It was decent. Not something I would normally listen to but great for what it is. I liked the variety.
Love this album.
FINALLY, some good fucking food Whole thing bangs. Great album.
loveeeeeeeeeee
Iconic
Undeniable quality.
I don’t speak Spanish, but I speak trumpet. Great sound, had a fun time.
LOVE THIS. feel like im underwater in SpongeBob or im cooking a really cool pasta with all fridge ingredients in my garden in Spain . Loveeeeeee
WORK ALBUM!!!
3,5 me deixou triste porque não to num bar na costa de cuba
Sublime music. Never fails to raise the mood.
Pretty fun and jaunty Cuban record early on, showcasing the country's musical roots. Gets pretty repetitive though, but I think this music is meant to be more ambient or danceable anyway.
I wrote a whole thing about this album but forgot to save so heres a summary - Murmallo was really good good instruments fye wish english tho
I need to learn Spanish so I can enjoy this even more.
This quickly all blended together, but it was a good blend
Couldn’t bring myself to care
I had forgotten how much I liked this one - another one we played the hell out of in my record store days.
Maybe I would enjoy it better if I had actually watched the Wim Wenders documentary.
Nice mix of different styles, perfect cooking music
Fun, I don't know if it was good but I enjoyed it.
very good vibes
Starts strong then begins to outstay its welcome.
pretty sure there are tunes on this that are on the Nando's restaurant playlist
I have heard this before. My dad would play this album when I was a kid and something's have stuck, the trumpet solo in "Chan Chan" is one of them. The opening is strong and has that classic Latin/South American feel and sound. At the time I was a kid there wasn't anything else like this that I could listen to and I think this helped it stick to me why millions of others as one of the best selling "world music" albums. I feel like this album is perhaps a bit too long. I listened to the 2021 Remaster on Apple Music and didn't listen to any of the bonus tracks but it was still maybe 3-4 tracks to long. There is variety of the tracks but I'm not so much of a fan of the slower more piano focused tracks, "Pueblo Nuevo" and "Orgullecida" Track wise: ⭐ All of the first 3 tracks / Dos gardenias 👍 The rest 👎 Pueblo Nuevo / Orgullecida / Murmullo 🗑️ None
Like sitting in Nandos, without the chicken loveliness.
Lay me on the beach of a tropical island pls
Danke Ry Cooder!
Vibey songs, starts off with the best one on the album
Didn’t mind it I enjoyed the different genre for once.
Don't know why, but this very much hit the spot right now. Joyous.
• fast alle Lieder hören sich immer sehr ähnlich an • ist als Hintergrundmusik ganz nett • mir persönlich ein wenig zu langweilig
Sommerlich, entspannend. Abends auf der Terrasse beim Sonnenuntergang passend 👍
Hätte ich nicht die Aufgabe gehabt es ganz zu hören, hätte ich es wohl nicht getan. Bereue ich es, das Album gehört zu haben? Nein auf keinen Fall. Es war schön mal was entspanntes zu hören was einfach im Hintergrund läuft. Werde ich es mir nochmal anhören? Das ganze Album wahrscheinlich nicht aber vielleicht einzelne Songs wie Chan Chan. Das Album wirkte sehr ehrlich auf mich, was wir gefallen hat nur leider ist die, zu Beginn präsente Energie nach und nach verschwunden. Die ersten Lieder, die energievolleren, gefallen mir. Wäre das ganze Album in dem Stil gewesen hätte es vermutlich 2,8 von 5 Sternen bekommen, da es die Energie aber verloren hat, muss ich 2,3 Sterne geben. Also 2 glatte.
Trevligt! Fin historia bakom bandet också.
Det har något men blev aldrig riktigt intressant i längden.
Började bra men jag tröttnade lite mot slutet.
could definitely get into this
es directamente un 5, hay un conflicto en mi que pensaba en darle 4 por ser un disco de covers, pero se lo merece
(10/10) some of the most lush and beautiful music I've ever heard. The arrangements are fantastic and there's so much passion and life in these songs. Highly recommend.
Enjoyable if I felt like listening to some Latin music
This was a chill vibe! I’m a good mood now that I’ve listened to it!
Percussion sections continue to be my favorite aspect of Latin American music, and in a broader sense, the natural acoustic instrumentation. I especially appreciate the drum that sounds like an udu. This album kind of reminds me of the last one we heard from this genre, in that it's mostly Latin American, but you can hear hints of Jazz and North American influence. There is definitely a noticeable quality of sameness, but that is also part of playing music in a particular style. Maybe my ears are not in tune with this kind of music enough to hear the subtle differences, but it's easy for many songs to sound similar. Still, there was enough variety between minor key and major key songs to keep me mostly interested, despite the length. I'm feeling a solid 3
This one came out in 1997, and was somewhat of a sensation. Produced by topnotch American musician Ry Cooder, and featuring a number of mostly older (and excellent) Cuban performers of various traditional styles of music from Cuba, this is high quality throughout, and well deserved its success, which helped to make the individual performers much more well known in the US and elsewhere. Featuring a wide variety of styles and instruments, and one excellent song after another (no filler here!), this album deserves a 5-star rating. Not only are the songs great, but the musicianship is, too (virtuoso, even) -- the percussion, the instrumental and vocal performances, everything.
I was going to give this 5 stars, but then as the album went on it lost some of its luster. Maybe I didn't like the style of songs later on, the energy dropped off, or the spell wore off. I don't know. I really enjoyed it though. It's an album I had listened to before. Afro-cuban music in general has a hypnotic quality about it that immerses you in rhythm. This is no exception. It's a delight to pick out individual parts of the band, but it's also a delight to let the whole sound entrance you, make you one with rhythm. I'm actually glad that my brain doesn't register the meaning of the lyrics because it is freed up to process the vocals like any other instrument - as pure melody and rhythm screw it, 5 stars
Nice music for nice people.
I know it's coffee shop music but it's really good. So the way they made it was a British executive and an American guitarist walked around Cuba and recruited random musicians to come into a studio? Is that cool or not? It's cool that the random musicians were good, so I'm gonna say yes.
Odd.
One of the Best Latin albums
Very pleasant. Charming music. If the sun is shining, this sounds even better.
Solid album. Front to back solid.
Pueblo Nuevo
Love it. Know it well
Sunny day chill
3.5★/5 [07.13.2026] 07.16.2026
Lots of fun songs.
Просто неплохо. вообще с этим жанром ничего общего не имел. тем не менее, достаточно приятно прослушал до конца.
First listen
Aika monipuolisesti latinogenrejä, tarkemmin ottaen väli-ameriikan. Kaikki tosi chilliä, vähän ehkä liian chilliä että vähän alkaa pitkästyttää mutta oikeassa tilanteessa toimii. Parhaat: De Camino a la Vereda, Buena Vista Social Club
I’ve always loved the singer featured on “Latin Simone” on my much played copy of Gorillaz first album and tried in the past to figure out who he was then forgot about it. That is until I listened to this album and recognized his voice immediately. What an interesting story behind some incredible music.
beste een vibe maar k versta dr geen kut van
A fun time, chill and relaxing.
For the people that complain that this is not in english, fuck you, you pretentious fucks! This was beautiful! Finally there is something different on this list, something from another culture. Amazing latin jazz record, I even recognized some songs that I didn't even know were from this band. Absolutely deserving. If I were not in the train I would have danced the shit out of me, and I don't know how to dance. P.S. Fuck you again to those who cry that this is not in english. You are the worst type of people.
Its beautiful and a great homage to Cuban music, culture and vibe. Listening to great musicians play the music of their culture and their people is a beautiful experience.
Really dug the Cuban club vibes. This was a lovely listen.
Enjoyed the Tunes but not for me on a regular basis
wow
Excellent musicians, transported from the first chords across the Atlantic to Cuba.
I was in Cuba when this was new, and all the street musicians played Chan Chan for the tourists. I got to think of it as kind of cheesy after that, but on listening to it again, it’s not bad.
that was great like I'm sucked into the picture on the album cover for its runtime
Not sure if living in Southern California has giving me a new appreciation but really enjoyed this lively album.
I don't know
Hermoso, bonitos acordes y una ambientacion de 10
Uhh I didn’t like it that much. Chan Chan was I guess better than the others
almost walked in front of a bus while listening to this. a trauma album for me.
i have nothing to say
Byoona vista
Håller ganska bra fortfarande, själfull cubansk musik. Men en timme lång, för mycket... 3,8
It's fine, it's good, latino jazz and all that.
This was ok. The instrumentals were well done and were the selling points here. Buena Vista Social Club is kinda slower, downtempo easy listening, that faded a bit into the background but made for a nice morning working. Not really my thing but pleasant. Standout tracks were "Pueblo Nuevo" and "Murmullo" - loved the piano and slide guitar. 3/5
Its good and outside my music taste. I like it y era un bueno tiempo.
Ultra nice, auch schön, endlich mal ein Album zu hören, das nicht aus den USA oder GB kommt. Einfach ein gut gemachtes Album, die Songs sind wie aus einem Guss.
Well... It's got all the hallmarks of something I'd really love, folk songs, guitar, etc, but something about it just isn't clicking, which is disappointing. I like it. I don't love it. But I really like it.
Liked it a lot.
one of the GOATs!
I don't know Spanish enough to follow the lyrics, but my overwhelming feeling listening to this is sadness. A lot of the music sounds like it should be happy, but it just isn't. Good background music for dinner, but too sad to listen to at work.
I remember when this came out. We listened to it a lot in my highschool.. particularly my percussion class! I didn't like it much then. Now, it is very much for me. Very warm, I love the simple but lush percussion. I am really enjoying how languid Pueblo Nuevo is. El Cuarto de Tula has some great playing and listening, too.
Ok but not my style and a bit goofy
I swear i’ve heard a lot of these songs as background in film and TV, most likely Dexter. Incredible playing. Incredible vibes front to back. Some of these tracks are absolutely beautiful. A LITTLE bit too long here and there but there are so many worse ways to spend an hour.
I remember liking this when it came out back in the day. It's novel and a peek into the Cuban culture. Pretty solid on listen now but now quite a 5.
Hearing Chan Chan for the first time after 15-20 years immediately felt like coming home. What a legendary piece of music history. A journey through Cuban history of melancholy and still full of positive vibes.
yall mind if I speak a little espanol
Entrancing. So much soul, idiosyncratic jam, and flow. Hypnotic and warm, glowing like the environment of some flamboyant speakeasy in a distant locality
Not in English. Did not listen.
Favorite song: Chan chan
Meh
The music is good, just not for me.
Incredible Latin jazzy tunes. Makes me wish I was in Cuba with a drink
Ry Cooder (yes, THE Ry Cooder) produced & plays guitar (among other instruments) on this very interesting and joyful album of Cuban music that I likely never would have heard if it wasn't for me doing this 1001 albums project. So as much as I bitch about the list sometimes - it certainly has introduced me to some essential music that without Dimery's book there is no way in hell I would have ever heard. Being introduced to wonderful new music (new to me) is exactly why I'm doing this project and I'm grateful for that. I know next to nothing about Cuban music (outside of a few huge names like Ceila Cruz, Tito Puentes, Buddy Morrow and Machito, etc.) but the little I have heard I really like how it makes me feel like dancing but also napping on the beach with a fun coconut cocktail! This music grounds me and sometimes nothing soothes the soul as much as your bare feet touching earth. I grew up in used record shops and have seen this album about a million times and never picked it up - I aim to change that this coming holiday weekend. Cuba libre!
latin, 1997 -> 4
Chan Chan and viente anos has been on my liked for a long time. I really enjoy some Cuban and jazz music. Very classic for a summers cocktail and dance day
I like how the songs in this album bring awareness to problems in Cuba,the lyrics are meaningful. I also like the instruments used in the songs. I'd give this 3 stars.
Honestly, I’m not even a massive jazz guy, but this one completely surprised me. It is just so easy to listen to and has the ultimate chilled vibe.From the second it starts, you can tell these musicians are just top-tier. The talent is insane, but it doesn't feel like they're trying too hard—it’s just super relaxed and natural. It’s the exact kind of record you want playing in the background on a proper sunny day while having a few beers in the garden.Definitely a massive, pleasant surprise. Perfect album to just put on, sit back, and completely unwind to. Solid four stars from me.
very pleasant album, always a fan of Cuban vibes
Ry Cooder for the win!
sounds like im on vacay but apart from that, the instruments went all out. theyre so fking good at what they do and damn i loved it
Knew of them and the album, but never heard a note of it. Therefore I was looking forward to listening to it as I'd heard good things, but ultimately I was disappointed. More a case of not my cup of tea than it's poor, but just found it a bit boring. Shame.
Don't know much about this style of music, but a very chill listen.
i never listen to spanish music but i honestly really liked the uplifting feeling i had while listening
summer vibes but 3/5 stars!
Hell yeah. Great listen.
My first 5 star album. I thoroughly enjoyed the production on this, so much so that I didn't even realise it was different people. I love how harmonious the voices are in many of the tracks as well, it gives an eerie feeling (that I very much welcome). I may not understand the language spoken but I believe music transcends language, and this is a great example of that. PEAK.
(6 estrellas)
There’s an almost calypso feel to some of the songs on this record. It’s like Harry Belafonte introduced us to Caribbean music and culture in the 50s and BVSC re-introduced it to us in 1997, only this time instead of Trinidad, we got Cuba. The music is so passionate and even sensual, I could listen to them for hours. I typically complain about the length of albums if they exceed, say, 55 minutes, but there are exceptions, and this is one. Ibrahim Ferrer had a beautiful voice. Compay Segundo played guitar with passion and fire. Exquisite music that speaks to the soul. Went ahead and watched the documentary. Totally worth it. And scratch the calypso comparison - this is a unique music culture and should not share a spotlight with any other genre. 4 stars
hell yeah
Beautiful and warm world music perfect for many listening situations.
Made me wanna shake my can !!!!