Siembra

Pretty excellent.

Pedro navajas is a true Latin American classic, I’ve always respected a lot Ruben and of course Willie this is a good record which I had never heard in full before

Enjoyable enough, but I probably don't have the musical context to appreciate it properly, and the language barrier doesn't help either.

spicy

Not a usual kind of music I listen to, but it was pleasant enough. The songs were quite long and I was losing interest about 3/4 way through though.

Enjoyable listen

This puts me in a happy place: A Mexican food restaurant eating tacos! Uno mas margarita, por favor.

Hey, look, this is some lively, lively stuff and great background music. Top notch background. The beginning grabs me and there's a lot of great work here, but it doesn't hold my attention. They can't all be Incubus.

Not what I habitually listen to, but there's something quite appealing about the rolling, shimmying sound of Siembra. It had a tendency to swag along in the background a little, but when I tuned in properly, I was digging it. My only real criticism is that a few tracks were wrapped in the plush gauze of period TV theme music. I'd rate this higher if there was a little more bite or grit, I think - but am I not missing the point somewhat?

I kind of feel like a schmuck giving this a rating, because you can tell there's some storytelling going on in these songs and I have absolutely no clue what they're saying. Except for the one song where the did the roll call of nations. Which I liked! That first track hits hard and then yeah - great background music, great dance music, great music to listen to while washing dishes after having taco night. It would have also been great cooking music, too, but I didn't put it on until after we ate. But now I know. Next Taco Thursday is gonna be lit! One nitpick: Colon & Blades would've been a fantastic name for this duo, or a list of instructions on how to torture someone, or a pretty good law firm. Feels like a missed opportunity, but they can't all be Sex Packets.

I got 3 tracks in and couldn’t believe I wasn’t near the end of the album. This is inoffensive but I wouldn’t sit and deliberately listen to it again.

This was an uplifting start to the week. It also matched the summer mood. I' usually weary of foreign language albums. I wouldn't read a foreign language book, so why listen to an album I don't understand? I have very low cultural limitations. The language wasn't an issue here. The music carried it through.

OOOOO the slick funked out groove immediately has my attention. I like this salsa. I have absoltely heard Pedro Navaja before. And it fucking slaps.

Nice to hear some salsa to break it up from time to time. Irresistible.

Not familiar with this album and didn't really know what to expect. Lots of surprises throughout: the strong disco feel of the first track, the atmospheric police sirens and brief quoting of West Side Story on "Pedro Navaja," the chanting during "Maria Lionza"... It's hard to resist these rhythms.

Starts off with some nice bass guitar then went into salsa :( but I digress. Sounds pretty competent to me but not really into salsa music as a personal listening experience.

Cool, but not my thing

Salsa now y’all

The picture of colon that Spotify uses when I stream this album on my tv is just nearly as cool as the album itself. I listen to a lot of salsa and it all sounds exactly the same, but that’s what I like a about it.

It was a lovely album for a Monday morning. Nothing exceptional, but listening to some salsa here is very warming. Four stars

Was okay

Ruben me up the right way 🕺🏻

Opaaaa putaaa

Great sounds, good Latin vibes. Got a bit annoying and repetitive at parts. All in all a good album. Loved the bass.

70s Salsa and funky. I find it really easy on the ears and good to have on and relax. Started to question it's credentials but the Wiki put me right. Very influential all over the Latin world.

Klasyczna salsa jest klasyczna

Idk how this will affect my list but this is one of the first ones I rated

The first minute of the album really fakes you out, you think it's gonna be a funky disco thing It's still nice though, although it's hard to tell the songs apart, they all sound the same, so the album felt a little repetitive I enjoyed it because of its relative novelty. The motifs and themes of this album aren't present in many other genres. Classy musicianship throughout, too.

Some really great samba sounds here / - drawing inspiration from Disco, Swing and Kurt Weill keeps it interesting and creative.

Unexpected

Babies? En español ? Alrighty. The cover is very 70's. Diving in there is an immediate energy and urgency to the music. I tell you what, these guys can play! Unlike the last album I listened to, which was pointlessly complicated, these songs are layered in the best way, with all the different rhythmic and musical and lyrical elements building into a brilliant unified whole. Sometimes funny, sometimes emotional, but always in motion. I want to put on something sexy and dance the night away.

A personal commitment to this platform is maintaining an open-mind. That said, most non-English language music is going to have difficulty maintaining interest outside of the music and a bit of referencing to the why of this album becomes necessary. Key points: this album is the highest selling salsa album in history, the prerequisite of that being that it transcended its own sub-genre and called upon Latin music/people together. With this in mind, one can listen to this album knowing that while it is very much for Spanish-speaking nations, that it is indeed for nations, rather than its particular Spanish speaking country. Take this a little bit further, the 1978 release of this album seemingly coincides with the barrio experience within the United States, and in a way that makes the music relevant for this review too. Musically, the energy of salsa is distinctly of cultural significance that may escape a lot of listeners. However, for the adventurous or academic intentioned listener, the rhythm and horns demonstrate a certain professionalism that is easy to admire. Vocally, the singer is actually quite good and while the instruments certainly stand on their own, the lyrically melodic symbiotic relationship is a pleasure to pay attention to. While salsa is not the usual fare that would score high for this reviewer, the academic approach to understanding this album is a worthy time expenditure.

Wow, that first track opens up like a disco and before you know it has evolved into samba. A good fun album, Pedro Navaja, and Maria Lionza are highlights for me.

That was a nice salsa album that I want to check out again. The album cover is good a note giving a hint as to what is about to come & it felt ominous in the first notes this was going to be a heavy disco album…thankfully (for me at least) it wasn’t!

On this rainy, cold gloomy day, this a much needed ray of sunshine and warmth! Now, I gotta get up and dance, well maybe. Enjoyable!

Something I have noticed in the process of this project is that I am less critical of world music than I am of English music. I am not a big fan of dance music in general salsa I do think is the best of it though. I don't understand the album but it is fun and upbeat and it being the best selling salsa album in the history of salsa music certainly gives it a deserving spot on the list. I liked it though it doesn't have the relisten value that some of the other foreign language album that I have heard on this list.

very enjoyable, nice latino rhythms,

Excellent, not heard of the artists before but it's a beautiful and enjoyable listen.

Solid album

Very latin, wanted to go swinging

Buen ritmo. Buenas voces. Muy melódico y caribeño.

This is one of the best Salsa albums I've ever heard. Now I don't know much about it, but the complexity and musicality are on par with the best I've heard. Great album!

3/5 nice but salsa is not really music I listen.

Salsa

Really enjoyable Latin salsa. Usually I find this style of music gets pretty same but there was some really nice variations going on. Something to play again when the weather gets hot and it is time to party on the sand

In all my ignorance, I've never heard of Willie Colon and Ruben Blade's collaborative album "Siembra". I'm only aware of Colon through his collaborations with David Byrne on the latter's "Rei Momo". But this is the real deal: a quick Google has told me "Siembra" is the biggest selling salsa album of all time, and it's jam-packed with ornate arrangements and feelgood vibes. It's a great party, but for me it became a little repetitive after a while. There are only seven tracks here, averaging over six minutes each: while each one didn't quite do enough to have me gripped, they certainly proved pleasant to enjoy in the background or to brighten up a long work day. The language barrier has stopped me getting the full lyrical impact, but there are some interesting concepts at play (particularly the narrative about the killer "Pedro Navaja"). Musically, it's consistently tight, accomplished and catchy. "Plastico" begins, somewhat unexpectedly, with a slapped bass funk-disco figure, before settling into a more familiar salsa rhythm about one minute in. From there it's syncopated piano, a vast roster of percussion including bongos, congas, cowbell, plenty of horn arrangements gliding over the top, and all the other characteristics of Latin music I can remember from GCSEs. Favourite parts included the chanting in "Maria Lionza", giving a great sense of momentum; the call-and-response vocals in "Ojos" and some of the percussion fills in between verses; any time horns appeared. I may not be actively seeking "Siembra" out in future, but whenever I hear it I'll burst into an uncontrollable salsa.

Excellent!

Superb. Continuingly interesting and a joy to listen to.

A pleasant listen. Highlights were "Plastico" and "Siembra" Interesting to hear "Maria Lionza" which was sampled by Major Lazer on "Watch Out For This"

Cuban dance vibes

New one on me, pretty good

This was dope.

Good lively background music

Loving listening to different musical styles. This one just wasn’t for me.

Found boring. Nuf said. D+

Too wild

Azteca background music. I'm sorry

Very fun album

Pretty solid salsa music. I don't think it's my vibe though.

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

Very cool salsa, def gonna read up on the history of this record. lotsa bops

Ne znam zasto toliko volim tu slasu al ju jednostavno jako volim.

cover bi bio taman, sam da nema djece. vidim si ovo puštat u ljetne dane, definitivno. dosta ritmičan i zabavan album prije svega, no nekako mi se oduži, moram priznat, ali za pozadinu pustiti nek svira, paše.

Legoh na kauč i uistinu uživah u albumu, malo koji nepoznati do sad je to uspio.

Rubén Blades? The actor? What a fun ride, I don't speak Spanish, so I can't comment on the social commentary aspect of this collaboration. But I do dig salsa music and this spans a range. This Afro-cuban-disco-jazz centric album is a fun listen and I'll definitely revisit. 4/5.

Yeah okay, very sapnish

Never heard of this before. Really enjoyed it. Notice a few tracks have been used as samples too. Fantastic work.

Banger salsa album

💃🏼🕺🏾

Latin music is God-sent!

Didn't listen to all of it but it was very nice.

Didnt finish it, but it was nice :)

i expect this to be played on repeat in tapas restaurants the world over

Apparently this is the GOAT of salsa albums and features rousing social commentary and an unconventional sound. I've never listened to salsa music before and I don't speak Spanish, so that goes over my head. However it has a fun energy and is an enjoyable listen. Also, the weird cover art deserves a mention. 3/5

Yeeeeeees, this is my jam. 9.5/10.

Great! Lots of uptempo jazz and Latin fusion, hard to listen to and not want to dance!

Not my type of music. Being in Spanish also made it harder for me to follow. Might be good if I’m drunk.

Perhaps the most danceable album I've come across on this list. Forget language barriers, this transcends all. If this won't get you moving, what will? Favorites: Plástico, Buscando Guayaba, Dime, Siembra.

Klasse salsa, rytmisk, opmuntrende, catchy, stemningsfyldt

Funky!

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

Super album, blijft goed die latin muziek

Not my thing

This is what this list is for. I'd never heard of this before and I'd probably have never listened to it otherwise. This is great. I've done only a minimal amount of salsa dancing in my life, but this music makes me want to get up and dance. This is great stuff.

Lots of fun but little variety 3 🌟

-I like the "doo doo bing bong ping ding bong" part in "Buscando Guayaba" -Holy crap Lois they referenced "Despacito" in "Pedro Navajo" -I like the big old bass that comes in in "Maria Lionza" -It would probably be a 4 if it was in my genre of music, it just isn't really my jam, but it is all quality

I didn’t enjoy this as much as I thought I would. Would’ve been good if I could have danced to it ! Low 3*

Enjoyed it. Like being back in Cuba.

Não conhecia nenhum dos artistas deste álbum; ótima introdução! Ao ouvir, me deu vontade de tomar um mojito na praia, com os pés enterrados na areia.

meu paiero virou um charuto ayyyyyyyyy

plástico é um dos pontos altos do álbum, amei a fusão salsa/disco e realmente, "salsa intelectual" 💯

Really outstanding musicianship but I didn't find it a really compelling listen.

3 - It is refreshing and I liked it but wouldn't listen to it daily hahah

This was good for what it is, but not a style of music that really resonates with me

I was excited to wake up and find out I’d drawn a salsa album for today, but turns out a full album-length wore me down by the end. It didn’t make for very good workday music, but it’d be great for dancing or cooking. A lot of the song openings decide to get really funky and interesting, and I wish that was more of what the full songs were.

2/11/2022 Today's Album: "Siembra" by Willie Colón and Rubén Blades - This is a fantastic Latin album that covers an incredible amount of traditional Latin melodies with great production and excellent performances. Many moments on this record sound so fun, energetic, or eargasmic that it makes me wish I knew how to speak Spanish. The vocals are incredible, many basslines are groovy and danceable, and the chorus melodies are catchy and pleasant to listen to. Lots of exotic percussion and bright trumpets join the rest of the elements to create a really warm and welcoming soundscape. There isn't much else for me to cover as I don't speak Spanish, but suffice it to say this album is a great listen and I enjoyed it from top to bottom. Score: 8 Groovy Highlights: Plastico, Pedro Navaja

si, pero que si

Prefs: Pedro Navaja, Maria Lionza, Ojos, Dime Moins pref: Siembra

Nú er ég enginn salsa maður, og eiginlega alls enginn, en þessi discósalsa rennur mjög ljúflega í mig. Gæti alveg haft þetta í bakgrunni á góðum stundum og jafnvel til að dansa við. Mikið vildi ég samt að fyrsta lagið hefði haldið áfram með byrjunagrúvið í stað þess að fara í sölsuna.

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

Was ok

Good music but not my style.

What a great album. Great vocals, lush instrumentation, catchy little rifts throughout. Each song feels so warm and sends me right back to a beach in Mexico. 9/10

2/5 world music sucks

I liked it, reminds me of Colombia <3

Very danceable. Love the horns (surprise, surprise) as well as the supple vocals. Makes you want to move your hips and do a little two step, even when you have two left feet like me. Perfect for that salsa night you’ve wanted to hit up as well as that living room dance party you’ve been wanting to have.

Great opening lick. Siembre opening lick also amazing. Wish the whole album sounded like those eight bars. Love the music, the slightly nasally/strained vocals not so much. The vocal style is common. Classic, but this is a wedding/party album only.

I really enjoyed this. I know nothing about Salsa. I'll have to learn more. Interesting reading about Mack The Knife in various translations too.

Ihan hauskaa rallatusta vaikka ei kyllä nyt sieluun asti iskenyt. Kolmonen yläkanttiin.

Mieltä kohentavia rytmejä ja teki mieli tanssia. Mitään hajua mistä lauloivat, mut nautin kovasti

Cool latin vibes

This album is a mix of salsa percussion and piano at its finest. The songs build up beautifully and "Pedro Navaja" is a masterpiece.

Good, but not great. Good background music, but another where I don't speak the same language. I enjoyed it a lot, but will probably not come back to it

Sorry samba people… I just don’t like it!

but was actually really funky, I really enjoyed that 8/10

Latin hip swinging rhythm, calm horn section and some great congas.

It was about time we had some salsa

Great album. Enjoyed this one

It's good, not exactly my thing, but I enjoyed it overall. 3 stars.

חמוד מאוד ספרדי לי מידי

Not for me but some grooves. 2

Not my kind of music, it all sort of blurred together. I'm sure I would have liked it more if I understood Spanish. Favorite Track: Plastico

Me encanta.

Fun to listen to, great for cooking to!

Salsa, lots of salsa. Apparently the best selling salsa album ever. Ok.

Yea! Wish I had someone to dance with do this album.

So fun! Very fresh sound. Interesting chord progressions and rhythm. Great intro into salsa music.

Me llamo Siembra, esta fuego

Love the West Side Story reference in Pedro Navaja. The songs are long and get the hips moving. This album doesn't stand out to me, as an outsider to the salsa genre.

Good

PR

Not my kind of music at all. It may be a genre masterpiece, but my listening enjoyment says 1/5.

Lush and beautiful

Ding ding ding

Hard to rate these one, like their from the same rib. That slapping bass in the first track needed to endure a bit more throughout

I’m not a salsa aficionado but it was a pretty good record. I have little context to understand the novelty or popularity of this one so I’m going with enjoyment level on this rating

Very cool! I enjoyed it a lot. A hidden gem.

Great Salsa music that makes you want to dance.

Léttleikandi latin tónlist

Zuid Amerikaanse muziek met dito instrumenten. Ik wordt daar wel vrolijk van. Meestal gaat dit soort muziek mij irriteren, maar dat was bij dit album niet het geval. ***

Nice

really fun latin music 4.5

This was super fun! Love salsa music and this didn't disappoint! Great music for working to as it didn't distract me and helped me to be productive and focus. It put me in a great mood and some of the sounds are really cool/unusual.

Yeah I quite enjoyed how upbeat and fun this was - but did get a little samey after a while!

Can't say no to this!

Rating: 7/10 Best songs: Maria Lionza

Ces personnes parlent un espagnol absolument impeccable. Je pense qu'on peut le dire à ce stade, c'est du très très grand Baltard récompensé par un bleu de ma part.

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.

salsa

sassy fun latino.

Loved it.

Un dels grans discos històrics del que a nivell global podríem anomenar world music. No només és el lloc on trobar la peça original de 'Pedro Navaja'; altres temes com 'Plástico' o 'Maria Lionza' no difereixen gaire en el seu aroma a clàssics instantanis. De fet, cada un dels set temes és una història en si mateixa, cap d'elles sobra en el disc, que parteix de la salsa per donar-li un contingut més evolucionat del génere, apte per tots els melòmans. Molt a prop de les 5*

Excelente

Probably the first salsa album Iv fully listened too, really enjoyed it, an album I’ll come back to again and again I think. Random comment but the babies on the album cover reminds me of ready to die by Biggie Smalls.

Pleasant enough, but not knock out for me

Siembra by Rubén Blades and Willie Colón (1978) Este es un álbum verdaderamente fascinante. Uno normalmente no asocia la música salsa con profundas advertencias filosóficas contra la pobreza del materialismo, pero observe esto (“Plastico”): Que fallo Era una ciudad de plástico de esas que no quiero ver De edificios cancerosos y un corazón de oropel Donde en vez de un sol amanece un dólar Donde nadie ríe, donde nadie llora Con gente de rostros de poliéster Que escuchan sin oír y miran sin ver Gente que vendió por comodidad Su razón de ser y su libertad Así que si valoras tu libertad y tu « raison d’être », deja de perseguir cosas elegantes. Y este tema se hace eco en la última canción del álbum, "Siembra". Es una maravillosa homilía sobre la virtud de sembrar, plantar y la plenitud de la vida. Acompañado por el simbolismo en la portada del álbum, solo un imbécil perdería el punto. Dios es pro-vida. Así es como nos creó. "Pedro Navaja" es un latín "Mack the Knife", sin los matices socialistas de Berthold Brecht. Es una adaptación muy exitosa de una canción de la "Beggar’s Opera" original de John Gay del siglo XVIII al alemán de la era de Weimar "Die Moritat von Mackie Messer" al español. Qué bien. Agregaré esto a mi colección "Mack the Knife". ¡El antihéroe vive! Y además de letras fascinantes, escuchamos música espléndida. El álbum comienza con un estilo disco deliberadamente irritante, luego se instala rápidamente en salsa de calidad. Hay buenas actuaciones en cuernos, con trombones pesados en la mezcla. Y ritmos de percusión maravillosamente cómodos. No puedes escuchar esto mientras haces algo que requiere que te quedes quieto. 4/5

Mwah, not so great. But I don’t like Spanish music that much

Very nice groove. Pretty much exactly what I expected from a salsa album. Enjoyable record.

I like to hear more of this music but rock n roll of some bands that were rubbish.

Didn’t enjoy

not bad but gave up

Good fun. A little disco in the mix too. Muy bueno!

dude I dont even salsa

ok

A festive and playful salsa album. I don't listen to salsa music and I wasn't disappointed with the album. It's easy listening and I unfortunately found myself skipping to the meat of songs near the end of the album. It might be because I don't speak Spanish or have no previous exposure to the genre, but I didn't have the patience for some tracks to play out all the way. Not a bad album though. I might return to it.

Enjoyable throughout

i'm dancing over here

Ok salsa, not one for me

Don't mind listening to some salsa every now and again, and they've added some creative elements to it on this album, but overall it just did not grab me. It was just ok. Just.

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.

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

Tja, ook weer niet heel boeiend! Gauw naar de volgende plaat.

Best gezellig, maar niet midden in de winter als het een paar graden vriest en er sneeuw ligt.

Sinds ik heb geklaagd over een gebrek aan diversiteit in deze lijst, word ik op m'n wenken bediend. Leuk om eens te horen. Vrolijk.

Was listening to this spicy Spanish music in the car with Alexa!

6/10

The opening disco-funk beat which segued into salsa got me hooked, but I was a bit disappointed that there was no further crossover in this Latin set.

Colon and Blades sounds like the name of a bitchin' death metal act. But they're not. It's salsa. I'm sure it's pleasant enough if you're on some beach but I'm not. And I don't like the beach much anyway. Best Tracks: Plastico; Buscando Guayaba; Pedro Navaja

Interesting latin music with a funky edge.

Thanks for this. What a magnificent album.

Fantastic Salsa. Really enjoyable. Makes me realize I need to seek out more of this style.

This was an unexpected joy. Plenty of variation across the piece. Rhythm for the dancing.

This was a nice groovy salsa album. I liked the disco vibes at the very beginning and was a little bit let down that it didn't continue through the rest of it. Still, a very solid album and one that I think I'm going to come back and listen to again.

First song is like they switched on the salsa machine and it got stuck. When is each line going to end? Later songs are much more listenable. Solid background music you could also dance to.

Guess it's OK background music? Giving it a bit of a credit on account it's not my usual music diet.

Fun 5/10

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).

Cool South American salsa vibess..

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

This was a surprisingly incredible album with ballads, bops, and even a banger or two.

I appreciated the Latin music.

It’s ok, nandos/Mexican restaurant vibes

Interesting. Not only did I not like the music, it actually managed to make me... Kind of angry? The visualizer for the song "Buscando Guayaba" might have an influence on this, except there's nothing explicitely infuriating about that one either...? I think the kind of harmonies and chord progressions used also played a part. Doesn't look like anyone else here had the same experience.... Either way, I had to force myself to keep listening.

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

Гордита! Чалупа! Подзаебали латиносы, чессговоря, 4/10

Great latin jazz tracks with a real drive to them.

Fun album! Not my go-to, but fun to listen to salsa every once and a while.

4.5

Not my genre

Not really by preferred genre at all but was a pleasant enough listen. I don't know much Spanish so the lyrics all lost on me.

Siembra is an example of the most mainstream salsa imaginable, which utterly dominated Latin music in the 70s. A casual search from the period would turn up literally hundreds of similar recordings. The good news is Siembra is a very competent example of the genre. The musicianship is impeccable. The arrangements are sophisticated and marginally more imaginative than the bog standard salsa of the period. One of the shortcoming of this album for me is that it emphasizes songs, dancing, and arrangements at the expense of virtuosity. Much of the fun of salsa, for me, is the instrumental breaks, usually played over an ostinato. As you might expect, Latin music of the period was overflowing with talented percussionists. There were also a number of great pianists. But it's a little unfair to criticize Siembra for what it's not. In addition, unfortunately for me, mainstream salsa is probably my least favorite type of Latin music. Still, competence is competence, even if it's in a genre I don't happen to like. Here's my real complaint. Once again, the makers of this list have made the least imaginative possible choice in international music to put on their list. There is nothing groundbreaking about this music. It's not even the best possible example of it. There is nothing especially innovative about it. What it is is achingly mainstream. I strongly suspect that the makers of this list don't really like Latin music or African music or Brazilian music or French music any other kind of non-Anglo music. They just put a token example of it on their list so that they don't look like the pig-ignorant parochial anglophiles they are. Here's an idea. If you want to put examples of international music on a list, why not learn something about the music culture of the countries that will be represented first? But the makers of this list are too smug and lazy for that.

It was okay for what it was. Not for me personally

Didn’t like this one

Boy was this a fun album to listen to! I love any Musica Tropical (according to apple music) that gets me on my feet to dance. Maria Lionza was particularly interesting to me because I swear I remember some cartoon movie where a character was listening or humming to some music saying "bing bing bing bing" (not crazy frog) that was very similar to them doing that in the song (This morning I thought more and I think its the chiwawa in Oliver and Company) . Not sure what those babies are doing on the cover and kind of surprised that none of them seem to be having a good time. Maybe they are seeds that were siembra'd in the field of flowers on the cover. Very strange but adds to the mystique of this album. This might be one of the best weeks of the year so far in terms of banger albums. FYI my Frank Sinatra yesterday was meant to be a 5.

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

Good for background music at a restaurant or something, but not something I'd ever go out of my way to listen to

the whole album sounds like it could have been made 5 years ago in terms of sound quality, altough im not into latin music it is alright

I have never heard of Willie Colón & Rubén Blades before, and all of the music from Siembra was new to me. The album was okay. There wasn't anything in particular that I really liked or disliked. I may not have enough exposure to latinoamerican music to appreciate what is on this album. "Pedro Navaja" was the track that I liked the most, but none of the tracks really caught my attention.

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

oooh salsa baby. yeah this was great. impeccable vibes and each song was different from the last. mwah

Makes a white boy feel like he can salsa Saved: Plástico*, Pedro Navaja, Siembra

Saved Prior: None Off Rip: Plástico, Buscando Guayaba Cutting Edge: None Overall Notes: Takes me back to the elite Mexican restaurant El Puerto in Charlottesville, or as we so affectionately called it, El Poopy's

Great salsa album

I liked that it was different!

Probably the best salsa music I’ve ever heard but I’m not really a fan of salsa

Chujnia

A really invigorating salsa album!! This is probably one of the best salsa albums I've heard in general, it's really great!

good if you like this type of thing

it was alright. not my thing

I don't speak any Spanish, so I can't comment on the lyrics, but the music is fun and full of energy. Had me moving in my work chair.

Mellow and happy.

bell'album di salsa

This was a perfectly pleasant listen. I'll freely admit I'm not at all knowledgable about salsa music, so this struck me as being kinda generic salsa, but after seeing on wikipedia that this is the best selling salsa record in history, I guess it's genre founding rather than generic! Fave track - "Pedro Navaja" - I like the slow build up and shout outs to other tunes!

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

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.

Really funky and interesting, my main issue is that each song is really long and it’s a little samey. 8