Siembra

I've never really listened to salsa before, but holy fuck. Throw me a bag of tortilla chips because this was delicious.

9/10. I like salsa music, but not usually enough that I can sit through 42 minutes of listening to it fairly actively. This had a lot more variety of sound than I am used to hearing in salsa, which is no doubt biased by me listening more closely to this, but still a very enjoyable album.

There are many excellent things about this album. The musicianship and production are clean and tight and the vocal delivery is energetic. I'm not terribly knowledgeable about salsa, but I was struck by the complexity of the harmonies and arrangement. Some of the bass work in particular was incredible. Overall, a great album that makes me want to learn about the various styles of Latin American music

Reino Unido - ¡presente!

I enjoyed this far more than I thought I would. Couldn't help but dance while listening. The songs flowed really nicely and the music itself was punchy yet not too in your face. Hasn't won my heart yet but definitely a good album

I was really surprised by liking this album as much as I did. I have never cared about Salsa in any sort of way, but this just sounded really good. It seems like it mus have been a blueprint for pretty much anything that was good about any Salsa album ever released after this one. It was a joy to listen to and sort of half-dance around in my chair while working (maybe this one is better for remote work than at the office though).

I love a good horn section, and the horns here are INCREDIBLE. The musicianship is off the charts all the way around, and the storytelling is rich and clever to boot. I enjoyed the sarcastic West Side Story reference. Best track: Pedro Navaja

Thanks for this. What a magnificent album.

First non-english speaking album, and man what a jam. Saw some comments saying all the songs sound the same and I couldn't disagree more, every song was a totally different song, just under one genre, and it was enjoyable throughout. Some songs went on a little long, but that's okay! It almost feels like something you'd hear in a game like Katamari.

This shit slaps. I loved dancing to it. Didn't know salsa slapped this hard

Well.......This sucks. We should start a site "1001 Albums You Should Pass On Before You Die"

sooo good, stellar musicianship and the brass section is fantastic. Some of the songs are really long but I don’t think that’s necessarily a bad thing given that it’s meant to be danced to. Lyrics were poetic and beautiful and even funny at times, and they’re sung with so much flair. 10/10, need to dance to this sometime

I don't want to be that guy but literally all salsa sounds the same.

Super fun! Never heard these before. Made me want a dirty cocktail

We've had a handful of Latin jazz-y albums by now, enough where it can be difficult to differentiate. But this one is probably my favorite so far. Very vibrant, very danceable. A good time start to finish. I guess that's to be expected from a salsa album; I can hear the difference, but I'm not very knowledgeable. Regardless, this was a great listen. Fantastic instrument work, especially the percussion. I can see why this was such a smash hit. Favorite tracks: Buscando Guayaba, Pedro Navaja, Siembra, Plastico. Album art: The flowery border is cool, but the baby pictures just feel out of place. Doesn't seem '70s at all, let alone salsa music. Seems more like an Anne Geddes throwaway. Confusing, but I don't hate it. 4.5/5

Siembra I found this very enjoyable, more so than I was expecting. Although I’m still slightly ambivalent about Salsa, I found the undeniable energy with added disco accents quite pleasing. The Sly Stone disco funk bass and string intro to Plastico is excellent, and although it shifts more into salsa it’s a great track. Maria Lionza also has some nice disco bass, both of these kind of highlight the NY latin influence on disco. Pedro Navaja must have been an influence on Escape by Rupert Holmes, the verses are very similar. I like the refrain of Buscando Guayaba, the change of tempo with Dime and the slightly sinister tone and strings in Siembra, but it’s easy to let this drift off a little, as to my unknowledgeable ear the songs do broadly sound quite similar. Nevertheless I do like the breezy charm and generally upbeat nature, despite, from what I gather, the socially conscious lyrics. I suppose this type of music always carries the tang of Salsa classes in village halls on Tuesday evenings, but the little bits of disco and the obvious quality of the playing make this a very listenable mid to high 3. 🕺🕺🕺 Playlist submission: Plastico

IT'S SUMMER

What a fun and wonderful album! I’m so glad to be back in the saddle and greeted with these sonic delights. This is my new go-to for when I get that itch to tap my feet.

Clasicos de la salsa que ya conocia casi todos pero nunca el album completo. Espectacular

Me encanta.

Je ne vous cache pas que je ne m'attendais pas, en lançant cet album, à accorder la note maximale, vous connaissez ma réputation. Trêves de plaisanteries, aujourd'hui je vous propose un petit quizz. Pour jouer c'est très simple, il vous suffit de répondre à la question suivante. Où ai-je rencontré le père de robpellemèle? Reponse A: Il est venu chercher rob à l'école après notre cours de Krautrock pour l'ammener à son cours de salsa. Reponse B: Nous nous sommes rencontrés lors d'un concert de Jethro Tull, après avoir apprécie ensemble le solo d'Aqualung. Réponse C: Le père de rob était en fait notre professeur de rock psychédèlique en classe de 4ème world. Pour jouer rien de plus simple, je vous invite à poster votre réponse sous la review de l'album de votre choix.

In school, I teach kids about making connections. This was a weird connection. I've been recently watching Fear the Walking Dead in which Ruben Blades plays one of the main characters. I had no ideas he was also a world renowned singer and salsa performer. That being said, this was enjoyable enough. I have no way to really compare it to any other salsa albums, but I dig it for what it is. I'd give it a 3.5 if that were possible.

Knew I was going to love it in the first 5 seconds when I heard the 70s disco violins. AND it’s Willie Colón = great trombone playing. I might have to buy this record. This is my first 5 to give to an album that I’ve never heard before!

129 Ay, y si pongo dos 5s seguidos? Es que no se puede contra esto. El primer track lo dio todo para mi, esa letra es chef's kiss, ese inicio tan inesperado para un disco así. Tiene al menos uno de los clásicos de siempre (Hola Pedro Navaja, tanto tiempo) pero igual es super variado, con una producción, cambios de tempo, no esperaba amarlo tanto como lo amé.

How to charm me? Have a horn section. That'll do it.

This was awesome. Never heard of either Willie or Ruben but I thoroughly enjoyed this album. I kept expecting a Santana guitar solo to happen. Killer rhythms, killer horns, killer bass. Samba party.

Really taken aback by how much I loved this. Had to give it a second listen to confirm, still rocked my socks off. I had some understanding of what Salsa music sounds like but this is so sweeping, epic, and FUN that I couldn’t stop smiling through it. Musicianship is on point, the songs are long and fully formed but never feel like they’re lugging along, and (once I looked at translations) it’s awesome lyrically considering the seemingly light and fun arrangements. This is a true masterpiece to me, and makes me wonder if this is a unicorn or if I’ve just fucked up not exploring Salsa my whole life. Top tracks: All of them. Not even being funny, I revisited every song, it’s all great. Maybe I’d skip around on Ojos a little bit? This shit rocked my world, just the right sound at the right time in my life.

Really enjoyed this one. Right from the first track.

I love Hector Lavoe so this was right up my alley. That's mainly why I like it, not necessarily because of specific songs (though the first one is a banger), but because of the overall sound. It's the kind my mom will let me play out loud in the house lol.

I don’t know a lot about salsa music, but this is really good stuff. I found myself bobbing my head on every track. Some sick grooves on here- especially on “Buscando guayaba” and “Maria lionza.” The title track is - perfect. An extra star for that one. Good lord, guys. Saved the best for last! Another reminder I need to learn Spanish. FOUR STARS

Disco era salsa?! Yes, please!

I was worried that an entire album of salsa would bore me, but this was actually great. Funnily enough, it begins a disco inferno before the salsa simmers down. It may well be satirical, adding to the songs commentary of the shallow, materialistic, soulless upper class. My Spanish isn't the best, but I made effort to read the lyrics, partially in translation. Make no mistake, this is a very political album. It's about the emptiness of consumerism and the injustices of the world order as it stands. It's an ode to Latino beauty, the struggles Latinos face in both Latin America and the US, a call for unity among Latinos to preserve culture, and indeed, to preserve more than culture. When they're talking about throwing away the plastic, they're not just talking about the plastic of the soul. Look at the cover. This album's got energy, and it doesn't dwell on musical passages for too long. The horns sound great, and I love the vocal harmonies, too. Overall, I think this was a great introduction to a genre I'm not particularly familiar with. Fav tracks: Plastico, Pedro Navaja, Maria Lionza

I felt like I was on vacation on some island paradise, drinking a cocktail and listening to the local band. Good vibes.

It’s a samba party and everyone’s invited!

Gear: HEDD Audio HEDDphone Two Artwork: ️👶🌼🌈 Production: 🎧😘🤌 Music: 🎺🌶️💃 Rating: 🍼🍼(🍼)/5

I have to say that I don't feel qualified to rate this album as I have had minimal exposure to salsa music even having lived in Miami for several years. It has grown from and is an integral part of a culture that I am not part of. That said it was pleasant and is captivating and engaging in its rhythms and tonality. But I can't say it has moved me to explore more music of the genre.

Decent. *shuffles away playing maracas*

Reminds me of visiting my grandparents in the city of West New York, NJ in the 80’s. Chances are pretty good that I’ve heard some of this blaring from passing cars or in the communal park at their apartment building where residents would gather to chat or play dominos or chess on the concrete chess boards/tables that were installed in the park. The soundtrack to a hot summer day in the city.

given that I have my Spanish final exam in less than three hours this was very helpful. It was my only studying tactic, so thank you very much Siembra I do like Spanish music. I’ve never have anything against it and I really think it’s a nice thing. However, it’s not my favourite just because I can’t really relate to the actual singing about it because I’m not fluent however, I did enjoy this album.

The album cover reminds me of a Pampers advert. That's just about the only constructive slant I can put towards this. Just light-years away from being anything I'd ever choose to listen to, although the international aspect is again appreciated.

Willie Colón is an asshole, but he's mainly an asshole because he's so aware of his impact on salsa music that he's a stuck up arrogant little bitch. He's not wrong, and he's probably the reason this particular effort made it to the list. It's also arguably Ruben Blades' best piece of work, and it's definitely his most recognized. The entire A-side is the kind of hits all Latin communities will recognize, but the album as a whole is a salsa standard. You won't meet a cocolo that hasn't heard these songs, it's like sacred pages. The production quality of this effort is of the top tier, it would've been a hit regardless because of Ruben Blades' poetic story-telling capacity. He really paints a picture with his words as he admires the musicality of the genre. We start off with the classic Plástico, a song about shallow, hollow, plastic individuals. After the main descriptors he mentions a classic line that echoes towards the end, it feels something like "Recognize you can see their faces, but not their hearts." That's followed by Buscando guayaba, this song is a little more vague about the search for ones treasure, how hard it might be to find the fruit, but it lends itself to potentially imply a romantic encounter or even the highest high of a drug. The point is an incessant search for that highest quality, and what it might mean to finally snag it. Finishing off the A-side is Pedro Navaja, the lyrics to this have the potential for an entire movie, or at the very least a well shot short-film. It follows a trenchcoat thug, Pedro, he feels cool, walks with security, flashy gold tooth. He catches sight of a woman, presumably a prostitute having an unlucky day, and he marches towards her with a fist in his pocket. As he hurries behind her, she pulls her .38 Smith and Wesson from HER coat pocket to place in her purse so it's no longer in the way, when he pounces and presses his dagger into her— only to receive a gunshot in return. She stares at him bleeding on the ground, and says she thought she was having a bad day, but Pedro is worse off, he's just lost it all. Despite the bang, there were no curious neighbors, nobody cared for what happened, except for a drunk who stumbled onto Pedro's body. He took the revolver, the dagger, and the few dollars Pedro had on him, he then leaves singing the outro to the song: Life is full of surprises. My original vinyl copy has Plástico all scratched up and for good reason, it's hard not to dance to that track. The next few songs keep with the idea of the record, they hold their own weight, they're recognized classics for the salsa loving community. Then it gets to the end with the title track. The title of the album falls short when literally translated, "Plant" or "Planting" doesn't sound as pretty as the metaphor, it has more to do with reaping what you sow. The title track finishes the album off with the message: our future is the children, the love with which you plant that seed will provide the fruit of tomorrow. 4.8/5

Sure did enjoy this. Where is my mojito? Perhaps my time living in Miami has given me a profound appreciation for latin / Caribbean music. Still can't dance to this but love to listen. Would like to be at the Ball and Chain in Miami listening to this LIVE.

> the Beatles Fantastic

Such a classic!

Great Latin discovery! Never heard of these guys before, but man, what a joy to have on. Would love to add this to my collection.

Unexpectedly amazing. It's time like these I wish I understood Spanish. The whole thing oozes soul

fantastic salsa

I had never heard this album! I liked it, clearly a very influential album!

ohohohoho YES we funkin good tonight

Even from a cold flat in Scotland I felt the Latin warmth.

This was great! I thoroughly enjoyed this album. Amazing musicianship.

Perfect album

Very fun

Was not expecting such a wide variety of music in a salsa album, but I was pleasantly described by the melodies, harmonies and musicianship.

Labaaai geras. Labai groovy, užbeda tiesiog. Primena stone flower.

Now THIS is my vibe. Sounds like a lot of music was inspired by this. 10/10. Good stuff

Listened Before: No Wowwww I thought this was already good and then the HORNS came in which sent it into incredible territory. Get me some chips and I'm gunna SALSA 5/5 Playlist Add: Buscando Guyaba

Love!! We should be dancing to salsa at clubs. Sexy by essence of the thing, makes me wanna swing my hips

Fun!

My taste for Salsa has been growing as I get older. Being a latin kid who didn't dance Salsa you get a contempt for it and not fitting in the culture. But years later you're a jazz head, who discovers fusion jazz and latin jazz, finally going full circle discovering Fania and all the same songs you hated as a kid, which you realize sound amazing. This album is Salsa perfection and a pillar in Latin culture. Long live Fania.

My fave MJ album, now and forever.

Very-very nice!

Overall Rating - 4.50/5 (9.00/10). I do love me some Latin Jazz.

I haven't listened to that much salsa music but found this a really enjoyable album.

5/5 Ritmicamente impressionante, rico em texturas e irrepreensível harmonicamente.

You know, it felt like last year there was about a month where my Spotify weekly recommendations were just “oops, all tropical.” This album stood out among others I’ve listened to in the genre

Un artiste genial, legendario. Amplio diversitad aqui. Puedo escuchar a artistes como asi cada dia. Absolute legend Willie Colón. Amazing artist with so many songs to love. Resonated really well with this album. For anyone who also liked it please look at more of his music, because its a treat for sure. Hope to find many more albums from him here. Goated. Sin Somoza claro que si.

Wow this is simply amazing. A wonderful breath of summer air between all of the 80's and country music. The instrumentals are mixed clearly and make you swing around in your seat. Will definitely be listening again. 9/10

Willie Colon and Ruben Blades created a masterpiece of an album. When I heard the opening of Plastico I thought they were dabbling in disco a bit before the salsa groove kicked in fully. Baldes’ lyrics speaking a sort of social commentary on material wealth. This is still relevant today. Most of these songs are timeless and just beautiful written. The music is played well arranged perfectly. I can see why this album is listed as the top on so many lists. It’s just so good.

MUUUUUUUUUUY BUENO

Not even finished this album yet but have already had so much fun from it. Really, really great music that I'm chuffed to have heard! :) Yay for new discoveries! :)

Outstanding. Right up there with the Buena Vista Social Club.

Loved

Siembra feels definitive. The horns are bold and muscular, the rhythms are infectious, and the album balances joy with substance in a way that’s hard to pull off. This is music that moves your body immediately while still rewarding attention, whether you’re focused on the arrangements or just letting it fill the room. Willie Colón’s trombone gives the record its spine. It’s punchy, gritty, and confident, grounding the grooves and giving the music a physical presence that’s impossible to ignore. Rubén Blades brings intelligence and narrative weight without ever draining the fun out of it. The songs feel lived in, communal, and deeply connected to real people rather than abstract ideas of genre. What really seals it is how naturally this album fits into life. It’s not precious or distant. It sounds great while things are happening around you, and it also holds up as a focused listen. That combination of accessibility, musicianship, and cultural impact is rare. This is a clear five stars for me. A high-water mark for a style of music I enjoy, and one that earns its reputation not just historically, but in the present moment as well.

Life gives you surprises, indeed! Because this album was a relatively new discovery for me, and I LOVED every minute of it! The rhythms and melodies are delicious, and vocals and lyricism are magnificent. I now wish that this album list had more salsa in it.

A very upbeat and fun listen, couldn't help but dance along. All tracks added to my liked list on Spotify, all a bit long to be regular plays but will be nice to revisit once in a while. Also nice that I can practice my Spanish whilst listening trying to translate and repeat the lyrics.

Tasty salsa. Love it!

Après la semaine que j’ai eu, cet album encapsule tout ce que je pouvais rêver: groovy, dansant, joyeux et totalement salsa sur le moineau. Masterpiece, je le veux en CD!

Favorite track(s): Plastico, Pedro Navaja, Siembra

very nice vibes

This was fantastic. I don't have enough Salsa in my life. And I like the disco element.

Maybe cause I listened to this night after New Form but what else do you even need out of music other than this

From the opening bass line on the first song I was already sold. Incredible salsa album, felt like it had hints of jazz and even disco in some of the bass work. Infectious album. The varied instruments with the horns and different percussive's kept everything fresh throughout. Every song had me moving

Het album begroet ons met pakkende discoklanken. Na een minuutje start onverwachts een zonnig zuid-amerikaanse / caribische zang. (Het komt uit Puerto Rico, wiki ik). Het is een switch, maar geen vervelende switch. Gelukkig maar, want dit blijkt de basis voor het album. Het geeft een vakantie-gevoel, maar tegelijk staat het ver af van een bandje dat je zomaar op straat zou kunnen aantreffen. Het komt over een vrij geproduceerd en uitgedacht geheel. Enigszins richting de zuidelijke klanken die rond de eeuwwisseling ook wel eens onze hitlijsten versierden. Maar dan iets minder catchy, of wellicht beter geformuleerd: muzikaal wat interessanter. Waar de latere varianten toch vervlogen in lekkere achtergrondmuziek, verdient dit album het meer om aandachtig te luisteren. Een ontdekking die ik graag beloon met 5 sterren!

Truly joyous, wish I knew what they were saying. Anything with this great of a brass section will keep me coming back forever

Great album. Lots of interesting samba beats.

Don't know a single thing theyre saying but I really love the vibe and music. The very first track started with a bit of disco sound? Wish I heard more of that through the album

Made me feel like dancing, thoroughly enjoyed

Wow. Musicianship is fantastic. Love the horns.

I’m at a 4.5 that I’ll bump up to a 5. There’s only two salsa albums on the list; this one & Tito Puente’s “Dance Mania”, which we got in April of this year. There’s a 20 year gap, so it’s certainly an interesting look at the difference in production, instrumentation, & the boldness of the lyricism, all while maintaining a pretty similar core. “Dance Mania” does feel like it’s constantly pushing upwards, trying to lift its energy up with a mostly musical showcase, though it certainly hit some stagnant points, with not a lot of space given to the vocals. This album, while a little more “stagnant” in the sense of really sticking to a particular groove / beat, makes up for that with some soul / R&B-infused horn sections & vocal stylings, with some more political / “life”-driven lyrics, partially influenced by Stevie Wonder to some degree (“Siembra”, in particular, feels like it’s trying to channel a little bit of “Another Star”). As with “Dance Mania”, most of the rating boils down to “how much can you tolerate 43 minutes of salsa music”, as it’s very easy to ignore the lyricism here; I certainly did, given the language barrier – I only skimmed them after translating to get the vibe. I do think this isn’t as energetic as “Dance Mania” is, & I do wish it had infused just a bit more into some of the instrumentals after they settle, but there’s still a total groove that a lot of these tracks hit, and even with the longer runtimes occasionally making tracks feel like they’re dragging, I never found myself actively bothered by anything. It’s a 4.5 that I’ll bump up to a 5; it’s not as danceable & not the breeziest runtime, but it’s still damn good salsa music, and I just had a really fun time.

Loved it. I could even understand some of the spanish.

Pretty fun.

Fundamental, imprescindible, uno de los mejores discos (latinos) de la historia. Desde esas mágicas cuerdas y ritmo funky de plástico, hasta el clásico Pedro Navaja... todo es esencial. Buscando Guayaba transita por ritmos cubanos más clásicos. María Lionza, es imponente con ese ritmo. Marc Anthony se la sabe de memoria. Siembra cierra de forma magistral con una instrumentación fabulosa. Fania, Nuyorican salsa, música para disfrutar. Salsa urbana que puso banda sonora a historias que se han instalado en la memoria colectiva.

Fun

I don’t know if this is a great example of samba or not, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Usually it takes me a few listens to get into music from genres that I am not familiar with. However, from the opening funk bassline of Plastico I was all in on this one. The musicianship is great and I am a sucker for a good horn section.

buenisimo

My favorite moments in this album were when the bass decides to just get absolutely FUNKY out of nowhere. I need to learn to dance. Just an absolute blast and something I never expected I would love listening to.

Get it.

I can't dance for shit, but I thought this was some sweet salsa.