Siembra

Love it.

sounds really cool. Wish I could understand what bro was saying however the vibes were vibing with this one.

Not my usual thing but I still enjoyed it.

‘Plastico’ is so fun I enjoy the ending of *country* ‘présente’ I love how unserious ‘Buscando Guayaba’ is ‘Dime’ is very tropical ‘Siembra’ is absolutely my favourite, I like the moody start

I’ve never listened to any salsa albums before and this was a great first album for the genre. Fantastically enjoyable, album that has made me want to listen to more of this genre.

Not my music genre of choice but done well. I enjoyed Maria Lionza. Other than that, I recognized music as good but not my thing.

I don’t know much about salsa, but this was quite good! Definitely funky and danceable

Well, I tried. I think it’s both the basic speed, the excessive use of the horns, the overall blaring quality of it. I love the drums, but the orchestrations and synchronized horns… it really grates after just a couple tracks. It certainly is well arranged, I just don’t give with it. 3 Boolean: true

Omg okay Bad Bunny Superbowl roll call!!

Oh, fuck off. Disco sucks so hard. And Spanish disco at that? Wait, now it sorta sounds like the salsa that was promised…which I also hate. Yeah, no thanks. 4/10

Not my thing, but I still liked it

Salsa with some added 70s disco funk (and sirens!) Fun and energetic, makes you want to dance. Great montuno chord progressions, complex salsa rhythms, and brass counter melodies peppered throughout (plus some silky smooth strings!) The ultimate combo. The talent and musicianship makes me extremely happy. Album itself is well crafted with light and shade. A lot of variety between tracks, especially with the funk fusion, but always stayed true to the salsa. 5/5

Very fun, probably won't listen again

perfect for this weekend. heat wave, the 4th, summer chill sweating outside in a lawn chair vibes

This was a really cool album. First time hearing of this artist

Not my genre I think, nothing I disliked listening to but it didn’t really do anything for me. May revisit at some point since so many seemed to enjoy this.

I really liked this album. I enjoyed Plástico. Not so much Buscando Guayaba Pedro Navaja i think referenced West side story which was cool. Siembra was good as well. Overall a nice album that suits my tastes

О, что же будет, что же будет? Плотная аутентичная работа Бедра двигаются сами, хз как так Буду переслушивать однозначно, это мудбустер Вообще хорошо бы завести такой тег тут для себя #moodbooster Еее, вот так 4

Not the kind of genre I would seek out nornally but liked the grooves and swing of this album

This is a wonderful collection of sounds. A truly captivating sonic landscape and some real funky stuff! Massively enjoyed this experience.

8/10

Usually not my kind of music but its kind of fun

Oh! Who could have forgotten the godfathers of modern rock music, the most influential Willie Colon and significant Ruben Blades!! Metallica would have never shocked everybody with their flamenco guitar solos and Dave Grohl's castanets rhythms might have never existed without Willie and Ruben...

Siembra sounds like a party I wasn't invited to but enjoyed through the wall. New York salsa, 1978 — brass, percussion, Rubén Blades singing about politics in Spanish over a rhythm that doesn't stop. Not my world. But it's clearly good at what it does, and it's hard not to move a little. 3/5 — through the wall, and still enjoyable.

Complex percussion rhythms? - ¡presente! Salsa piano sixths? - ¡presente! Lovely spanish vocals? - ¡presente! Great brass section? - ¡presente! I really enjoyed listening. However, for my non-salsa-trained ear, everything started to blend together real soon, forming a nice trip to another world, but lacking any standouts. 3/5 - good

Really enjoyed this! I was catching a proper summer vibe. The last song Siembra really puts this ahead - such a cool track.

Pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed this one. It was real good fun

Overall: 7/10 This was a really fun album with some great instrumentation. I may not have understood what they were saying but I think I was able to pick up on the vibes. I'd listen to this again. Fav Song: Siembra

Latin & Salsa, genau das richtige für den Sommer. Entspannte Musik mit tolle Rhythmen. 3-4/5

It’s alright the length with that kind of sound can start to be a bit of a grind

Good for the hips, but bit repetitive

Loved the disco into but there was much less disco than anticipated. Still fantastic Latin music!

Siembra

Un poco de salsa siempre anima. Pedro Navajas es genial.

Salsa is good wake-up music and even this old Metal-head knows who Ruben Blades is. Would I listen to again? Probably not.

Listening to it all the way through makes it completely clear why it became the high-water mark for the genre. It’s the perfect companion for a relaxing day at home

8/10

What a vibe, thank god it was a sunny day cause I don’t really think you could listen to this in dark, stormy weather. Made me want to Samba to work. Had to look up who they are - Willie is a famous trombonist and rueben is a famous Puerto Rican singer. Buscando Guayaba made me laugh cause there’s a section where he’s scatting along but it sounds like he’s trying to replicate a guitar. Also did Bad Bunny steal/was inspired by the listing of South American countries cause I reckon Rueben did it first in Plastico.

Absolutely adored this. Is this samba or salsa? It's all sooooo fun to listen to, his voice is so great, and the album cover is absolutely gorgeous. Buscando guayaba has now been stuck in my head for like 2 days

Not as nice as other Willie Colon albums I knew, but very nice nonetheless.

I joined this app to broaden my listening spectrum and this album is certainly doing that! The world's best selling salsa album has passed me by for the past 62 years. As has the artist. It's interesting listening, bubbling rhythm section and good horn arrangements. I enjoyed Pedro Navaja with its Mac The Knife vibe.

very cool vibes, listening to it made me feel like i was in a movie fsr

!Yo Quiro Taco Bell! i think i heard this album playing full blare while sleeping over at Grammy's. in all seriousness, it's, ok. maybe i would like it better if i was immersed into the music culture. just not for me.

This was super interesting. I didn't know what to expect for the highest selling salsa album of all time. And for it to be from the 70s was shocking. Fun listen. Well crafted. Not sure what more to say though haha.

Really not my type of music. Obviously my two years of HS Spanish wasn't enough. The music was what I expected. Hard to evaluate without understanding the lyrics. However the music was uptempo and not offensive.

no pensé que iba a haber música en español en la lista, la verdad si fueran más equitativos con los idiomas estaría buenísimo. me parece bien que estos ingleses escuchen salsa, por más que no la puedan entender (mental, física o espiritualmente lol) creo q les va hacer bien. 4/5 me gustó.

1. plaztico - 2 2. guayaba - 1 3. navaja - 2 4. maria - 1 5. ojoz - 1 6. dime - 2 7. ziembra - 2

Prosto z Ameryki Łacińskiej, hiszpańsko języczny więc musiałem się posiłkować tłumaczem, żeby poznać konteskt danych utworów. Zaczyna się tak jakby miał być to album disco jednak po 40 sekundach słychać już całkiem odmienny gatunek. Plastico, bo tak nazywa się pierwszy utwór, najpierw zwodzi słuchacza fałszywym klimatem disco, następnie przechodzi w klasyczną Salse, niech nie zmyli was ta miła dla ucha melodia, ponieważ utwór sam w sobie miły nie jest. Pojawia się w nim krytyka, krytyka stylu życia sztucznego, jak sam tytułowy plastik. Wiadomość ta skierowana jest do ludzi którzy cenią modę, marki bogactwo itp. rzeczy bardziej niż rzeczy prawdziwę. Lecz na końcu niesie bardziej pozytywny przekaz zachęcając całą Ameryke Łacińska do zjednoczenia, bez względu na rase, nację czy klasę. Ten pozytywny przekaz odnosi się również do nazwy albumu, która tłumaczymy na słowo Siać/Sadzić, gdzie znaczenia interpretować można jako "Siej dziś dobre nasiona, przez szczerość, społeczeństwo i cieżką pracę, by jutro zebrać dobre zbiory." Później jest tylko lepiej, aczkolwiek lepiej w kontekscie samego przekazu albumu to może najlepszym słowem nie jest, bardziej w kontekscie odbioru albumu przez słuchacza. Utwór "Pedro Navaja" co prawda posiada syreny policyjne na początku lecz znowu dla osoby, która nie posługuje się językiem hiszpańskim brzmi miło i przyjemnie. Sam tekst jest opowieścią z Nowego Yorku, o pewnym zbiegu wydarzeń. Tytułowy Pedro Navaja, rzezimieszek ubrany w czarny płaszcz i schowaną twarz pod kapeluszem z nożem w kieszeni szuka łatwej ofiary na szybki zarobek. Jego drogę przecina pewna sexworkerka po ciężkiej nocy idąc zmęczona ulicami. Pedro zakrada się do kobiety od tyłu licząc na szybki zarobek nie wie, że w torebce kobiety znajduje się pistolet. Reakcja jest natychmiastowa, najpierw strzał nastepnie ugodzenie nożem. Oboje z bochaterów tej sceny umierają, scene zauważa bezdomny, który korzystając z okazji zabiera pistolet, nóż oraz torebkę z pieniędzmi spiewając "La vida te da sorpresas, sorpresas te da la vida... ¡Ay, Dios!", czyli w wolnym tłumaczeniu: "Życie bywa pełne niespodzianek". Ostatnim utworem, który zapadł mi w pamięć jest: "Maria Lionza", ponieważ pojawia się tam na początku motyw trąbki znany mi z bardzo popularnej w latach 10 XXI wieku posienki Major Lazera, a takie smaczki zawsze pobudzają jakieś głębokie zakamarki mojego umysłu co wpływa później pozytywnie na odbiór całego albumu. Oprócz tego fałszywego Disco wstępu, który trwa 40 sekund, cały album jest muzycznie spójny, lekko ponad 40 minut klasycznej Salsy. Moja osobista recenzja daje mu 4/5, może gdybym umiał posługiwać sie językiem hiszpańskim ocena była by wyższa. Album na pewno zagości u mnie na stałe.

A vibe but nothing really that I would listen to again.

I was very unfamiliar with this album and it is outside the genres that I normally listen to, but it was pretty good.

Nice album for the summer

Good album. I didn't realize the Ruben Blades was also a musician.

This reminded me so much of the game Tropico. Lovely latin music.

All danceable, all summery and all giving the itch for daydrinking, but also all sound the same.

Why is ts so peak??

Nice bit of Latin rhythm and salsa what’s not to like

Music was fine but not for me

top notch love both of them exp Willie when he duets with Celia Cruz big love! gorgeous music & composition Evivva la Salsa aiIIII!

This one is like a diary. With no other readers intended to flip through the pages, the writer can bring their own unique voice to the pages. Words, scribbles, and drawings all erratically fill pages, forming a stream of consciousness, or chunks of it, that best represent their mind. This one is a lively read.

I get pop music. Blues. Some jazz. But this is not in my wheel house. I've hear plenty of salsa and other Latin music but I don't really feel equipped to judge. So it comes down vibes. Do I feel better after listening to this then before I started. And even though I entered this arena feeling good - I am further elevated through the joy of great artists delivering. I get it. This is definitely of a different calibur. And I will return.

Now this is gaming

Great variety across these, I just had a great time listening. Maybe it's the unfortunate nature of listening to a new album every day but the shorter albums are consistently ranked higher for me. It's just so easy to relisten to a 40 minute album twice than it is to listen to an hour 30 of a single album. Love that slap bass on Maria Lionza

Band is so tight!

Loved this for what it was. Very fun, upbeat album. Not my style, but I really appreciated it! 6/10

Качественно флексят латиносы

💃

Однозначно плюс вайб

очень даже понравилось, хотя не фанат latin jazz... достойно 4ки

Yeah very summer vibes definitely glad I gave it a listen

This album was like eight parts Latin music and two parts jazz, and not just because of the lush horn section, but also the harmonies and other jazz fusion elements that were sprinkled throughout. Even if it were just straight Samba (I am pretty sure that's what to call this..?) I would've liked this quite a lot. I absolutely love the percussion in South American music. But if that were the case, I probably would have checked out mentally at some point. But this album always had something that held my attention, whether it was the horn section, an unexpected B section, background vocals, jazz, Harmony, bodily percussion, there was always some additional element of creativity that kept every song interesting on top of the already solid Latin foundation

Glad for this one to show up, too. Between a 3 and a 4. Biggest complaints: 1) I don't *love* Blades's (pronounced "blah'-dess") voice (he's a decent singer, but his voice is just a little . . . flat? toneless?); 2) (and this may just be my problem, not the music's) it starts to sound (a little bit) kind of the same, after a while, one song to the next. But the band is tight, and cooks, and it's a great sound. I remember being vaguely aware of buzz about Blades when I was in New York (1984-87), but never really heard much of his music until later. Anyway, I think I'll give this another "low" 4, because it's such a great sound. First song: very disco, at first (maybe equating disco with being "plastic" -- i.e., fake?). I didn't love the "West Side Story" quotes in the 3rd song, although it makes sense, I guess, since the record was recorded in NYC, on NYC-based Latin/Salsa label, Fania Records, a reflection of the growing strength of Latin culture in NYC in the 60s and beyond. Five years before this album, in 1973, Willie Colon, with singer Hector Lavoe, did my favorite salsa song of all time, "El Dia de Mi Suerte" (worth listening to, if you're not familiar) - also recorded in New York, also on Fania Records.

Unfortunately I can't really tell what they're saying or distinguish this from other Salsa, because I don't have Spanish or listen to a lot of Salsa. But I like it I like how rhythms are superimposed. The driving bass lines, fiery horns. It's life-affirming

spanish and a bit old sounding not super interesting

Puerto Rico day parade while on a run

Really fun, upbeat, happy. Feels pretty timely with the World Cup. Has me feelin Jogo Bonito. Not gonna be a regular listen for me but it'll have an occasion. Songs all kind of meshed, each had their own unique thing to happen during it. Liked the drums a lot in Ojos. Rating: 6.7/10

This album did the trick. Three people who came into my office did a little shuffle when they heard it. I want wallpaper of the border on the cover.

I am no expert on salsa music, but I can’t help but be bowled over by this album’s rich rhythmic complexity, brassy brio and joie de vivre, even when I know it occasionally deals with darker subject matter. Really good.

Good to see some Latin music on here, Willie Colon is a legend, the Fania label people are dickheads (also, how often do you see the label name on the front of the album of the cover) but glad to see this one.

Pleasant enough.

fun samba!

Listening session: june 12th, while mealprepping and while eating lunch Listened to before: no Thoughts: what an album! I like salsa even more than I thought and this had me dancing the whole time Favourite tracks: Plástico, Pedro Navaja & Siembra

Swinging, driving - the joy of Fania, bringing salsa from the hotbeds of Manhattan to the world

This is a great record - I especially love when songs have a sound-off of all the countries of the Americas like the first track. I suppose it's smoother than what I usually listen to, but the syncopation and way the vocals and music flow together and in opposition to each other make this incredibly enjoyable, especially when they start improvising at the end of each song. I wish there was more Spanish-language music on this project, since I love so many of those genres. 5 stars

quintessential salsa, super invloedrijk geweest op alles wat hierna kwam. extreem dansbaar en zo muzikaal <3 i love love love

hartstikke leuk maar doet me weinig sorry

라틴풍

Listened to the algorithm for hours after this album. 🔥

not bad

J'ai trop aimé, je crois que vraiment j'aime bien la salsa tout comme j'adore la musique cubaine parce que ça ramène le soleil, et là en l'occurrence j'ai trouvé qu'en plus y'avait parfois des instru un peu variées c'était super

J’ai trouvé ça sympa comme tout ! Mais c’est parce que j’écoute Bad Bunny depuis quelques mois donc mon oreille est habituée

J'adore la bossa nova, vraiment ma came donc belle découverte !

muy buenoooo aunque willie colon suena raro, tiene otro timbre

Fun change of pace for this project.

Plástico - 4.5/5 Buscando Guayaba - 4/5 Pedro Navaja - 4.5/5 María Lionza - 4/5 Ojos - 4/5 Dime - 4/5 Siembra - 4.5/5 I'm not usually a guy who has salsa as a go-to genre but when it's I can't help but dance along to it. Great musicianship from both artists, and you know it's going to be good if the first song crosses disco with salsa for a song you can't not dance to. Overall: 4/5 Favorites: Plástico, Pedro Navaja, Siembra

I had no idea what was being said at all, but enjoyed the music. It’s raining and cold in June. This takes me somewhere where the weather is nicer and there’s a cold drink in my hand.

me encanto, muy padre

Did not understand a word

Never thought I'd enjoy a salsa album, and yet here I am giving it a 4 star rating. It's the kind of music where you can't not get up and start moving, with the music being very much embued with danceable grooves. I can certainly see the appeal now, that's for sure. My experience was aided by the fact that it was bright and sunny during my listening session, enhancing the summery vibes throughout and putting a smile on my face. Favourite track: Pedro Navaja Least favourite track: N/A (It's all great)

mmmm tusk

3 stars

I can't dance but it was still enjoyable

wow!!! way funkier than i imagined. i get a little nervous when i see a song over 6 minutes but happy to say it never dragged. really enjoyed this.

It's refreshing to hear something other than rock and jazz, and the music is full of energy and accomplished musicality, but it's a bit too ballroom focussed and big band style for my tastes.

Enjoyable and very listenable. Anymore and it would begin to all blend in to one song.

sounded nice!

Good stuff. Not my thing, but can't hold it against.

I’m not very familiar with salsa, but this album is a hell of a lot of fun.

fave: Pedro Navaja🪇

Exactly the kind of album I want to hear doing this challenge! An example of an album at the top of its style, this is an all killer no filler record with excellent musicianship and songwriting and deserves to be here for sure

NICE

Keep honking I'm listening to Willie Colon

absolutely a joy to listen to! one of those albums where you have to be moving regardless if you’re good at dancing or not!

Yes

6/10

Not my genre but the songs were catchy!

Years ago I became aware that there was a song by a Latin artist that was a take on Mack the Knife. I've been a fan of the song Pedro Navaja ever since. This is the first time I've heard anything else by Reuben Blades, but it didn't disappoint. That Latin groove that pervades the album can't help but lift your spirits. And those horns just elevate the whole sound to another level. There was a bit of a tease at the beginning of a disco infusion into the sound, but sadly it only lasts for the opening of the song. I just wish I knew Spanish well enough to appreciate this even more.

Fun, catchy salsa with plenty of character. A collaboration that’s full of heart and endeared a genre to me that I’m not all too familiar with. A bright, positive impression here. 1 listen Favorite Tracks: Plástico, Title Track, Pedro Navaja

One listen (limited). Very talented musicians. Love the energy. Though not something I'll return to, this was enjoyable.

Very much blended into the background for me. I didn't hate it but I won't be listening again.

LATIN JAZZZZZZZZ vibey groovy yes i am on vacation

leuke muziek

Another cool listen outside of my norm.

Not my kind of thing

Catch up #8 October 16 2026 This is groovy with infectious dance energy- where the mamis who want to dance at?? ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Meh to much Spanish if they added English to it 👍. No English 👎.

I really just know Ruben Blades from Predator 2. Heard Willie around. In North America plenty of 20s-30s vacations are to places with this Latin American vibe. To say this album was transportive to a very fun place in my mind would be an understatement.

Overall an extremely slick and well produced album. Those babies on the cover are in their seventh decade, but the music remains as fresh as a daisy

Very good

Move over Tokyo Sexwale, we have a new contender for the greatest name in history! Ladies and gentlemen, please give it up for señor Willie Colón who, in partnership with the similarly magnificently named Ruben Blades (who really should be wearing a cloak and rescuing senoritas with his rapier), have given us the greatest salsa album of all time. This was recorded in New York in 1978, and opens with a disco riff before launching into a song about life in a plastic city full of plastic people, and how the Puerto Rican diaspora need to work together for a better life. Heady stuff. Other songs talk about the tough life on the streets and gang violence, as well as more traditional love songs and ballads. This easily stands comparison with greats like Tito Puente and Edmondo Ros. Marvellous stuff!

Not something I’d likely put on again but it was fun and well made

I don't know how many salsa records you need but if the answer is more than zero then you definitely need this one. Likewise, I don't purport to catch the meaning of all the lyrics (my college transcript says I know some Spanish but that's different from actually knowing Spanish) but I'm generally picking up on messages of humor, irony, and Puerto Rican unity. And of course the music will move your ass whether you want it to move or not.

cool!

Not my style, but good stuff.

Interesting!

'Recuerda se ven las caras / Y jamás el corazón.' & from the Danish prince: 'Now get you to my lady's chamber, & tell her, let her paint an inch thick, to this favour she must come.' This is to say, I was expecting salsa, however that might manifest, not full-blown leftism, but was happy to find that this is the best feel-good-think-thru-music this side of Sly Stone. 'La vida te da sorpresas / Sorpresas te da la vida.' Sonic-wise, Siembra is unaccountable - it's conventional b/c it's folk-oriented but it's also completely out there, a musical (West Side Story), a social critique, & a p-funk explosion (shoutout to bassist Salvador Cuevas). Like the niños on the cover, the record is out of place in all the best ways: the bizarrest, lightest, gravest dance record.

I mean ItS good for salsa and dancing but I wouldn't be listening on the daily

Mind if a white girl speak a little spanish

baila salsa quinceneria

Vika anche dice 4 quindi 4 sia

!Que fantástico! Estos canciones están perfecto para bailarme. Cuando escuchar, quiero viajar a Puerto Rico, comer plantanas a lado de la playa y bailar con una chica bonita. Mi canción favorita era Pedro Navaja. Los baterías! Los trupetas! El canción Plástico me sorpresa. Esta música latina y música disco en el mismo tiempo! Me recuerdo de la canción de Aqua, Barbie Girl. No se como agradar, pero me gusta mucho! Este revisión para seis años de Duolingo! Lo siento por errores. Muy blanco soy yo.

Random thoughts: * Started off so funky! But ended up being less 70s funk and way more salsa. Still really fun! * I doubt that I'm capable of properly rating this one. I don't know the album, group, or even really the style of music. * Thank you 1001 for providing some interesting music for a Monday night while I was cooking dinner. * It was so good, I started it over 3 times. * What?!?! Best selling album in salsa history! * I dug the West Side Story call back. "In America" * I'll add this to my listening rotation.

A perfect album, filled with amazing songs from 2 all time greats! I was walking the dog while listening to this and had to keep myself from dancing along the path. Also I gotta call this out, but I saw a 1 star review and laughed when I saw one of their top ranked artists was Bob Dylan. These dudes be telling on themselves when it comes to taste.

Holy shit not what I was expecting at all so far; very cool intro Holy fuck this is in no skip album territory I forgot how much I like latin music

kjkhnbjmb

Good but I will not rate it with 5 stars because there is so much asymmetry between Pedro Navaja and the rest of the album.

Mid

As someone who can only fluently speak in English, I'm left interpreting albums such as these through rhythm, beat, and vibes. Well, this album is a gateway to Summer in the most fun way possible. At the poolside, grab a bowl of Tortilla chips, and pop open a Corona because it's time to Salsa dance on the deck. There are no weak tracks on this one. I highly recommend listening to this album on a Summer road trip to a beach. Favorite Track: "Siembra".

Hippe zomerse bars in oververhitte steden met nen Mojito...

Good vibe for a hot day

3.5

One year anniversary! 4/5

Talented musicians but not my cup of tea. I found it fairly boring.

At first I was surprised to hear the disco flourishes in the opening track, but then I looked and saw that the album is from 1978. Wikipedia says this was the best-selling album in the history of salsa music. I've never explored salsa music but it is pleasant as background music. I have difficulty getting into music with non-English lyrics. Was Biggie's Ready to Die album cover an homage to this cover? This is difficult for me to rate. It was pleasant enough to listen to as background music, but it is a genre I have next to no interest in and would probably never listen to by choice. I think on the 5-point scale I would give this a 2.5, but how to decide between 2 and 3? It will probably come down to what mood I'm in tomorrow.

Loved this album, will certainly get me to listen more Salsa music, amazing. 1. Pedro Navaja 2. Buscando Guayaba 3. Dime

Makes me want a cocktail on a beach

Somewhere there's a latino person saying all white people music sounds the same...

1. Plastico- Funky AS FUCK. That bass ( Im Assuming). Smooth easy listen. Makes me wanna move. Last 2 mins are great 7/10 2. Buscado Guayaba- That horn is quite good. Deep vocals . slight reverb on it sound real nice. Could maybe do without the 40 seconds of sound effects. Another easy listen 6/10. Last minute is good 3. Pedro Navaja- Starts strong. slow build up is interesting me . . trumpets so good. The insturment wokr throughout is gorgeous. Love it. Such a smooth but strking song. really like this one. cowbell hits me hard. 8/10 4. Maria Lionza- Again the horns through out is so good. and cowbell. I enjoy it. the winddown with the bass coming back is nice. 7.5/10 5. Ojos- The horns i love are constant in this one. Another really good easy lsiten. 8/10 6. Dime- Another really easy listen. horns. vocals are nice. 7/10 7. Siembra- Start of the song is dramatic as hell. feels like a boss battle salsa song. Orechetral feel. big band feeling. very strong album ender. I feel best song on the album 10/10 overall 8.5/10. Really good album. Love ending on a super strong note. In all honesty it was diffecult to rate just due to the language and not being able to understand the lyrics. but the groove and the feeling captured me and gave a really fun listen to. would listen to while cleaning or something.

Great album. I haven't listened to much Salsa music, but this really seemed to blend many different styles with more "traditional" Salsa music. Great listen overall!

Listen to the first song and you can see such a direct influence on something recent. So direct I had to search it and confirm. But the ending of Bad Bunny”s half time show was directly inspired by plastic. Really great sounding album even if you don’t understand the lyrics and a major milestone in the genre. I wasn’t familiar with it but I can see why.

Un álbum identificatorio y representativo para Latinoamérica. Grandes letras. Viva Latinoamérica

I nice change of pace and discovery of something new. It just wasn't really my thing and became repetitive and somewhat stale after a while.

This album has changed my perspective on the salsa genre. There’s an amazingly positive atmosphere surrounding these seven songs that I just can’t describe, but it’s wonderful. This album is for the people that say Latin American music was only popularized in the recent years, and by urban artists.

This is as funky and tropical as jazz gets. Not basic and boring, but it isn't a daily listen.

Not my jam, but the joy is infectious. Good for what it is. 3.5

Not my favorite kind of music, but pleasant. Excellent musicianship and arrangements. I could do without the strings on the title track.

A nice fusion of funk and salsa. My head was bobbing the entire time. I'm glad I'm doing this challenge because this would never would have crossed my path otherwise.

Fun vibes

Enjoyable stuff!

Sure

This was cool and it was fun, but I really don't see how it lands on this list. If I were at my favorite taco joint, I don't think I could tell you the difference between this music and anything else that was playing. Giving it a 3 cause I respect it, but probably wouldn't listen to it again.

Turns out Samba is not for me

Nestled nicely between Grateful Dead and ZZ Top…

Quite a lot of fun! Not my usual thing but enjoyable

I’d not heard this previously and it wasn’t for me I’m afraid - one star. Tom

Latin jazz....there's a lot of it on this list. This is not even close to as good as Buena Vista Social Club. It all reminds of the Chappelle Show sketch where Dave determines what kind of music makes various people dance. Could have done without this one.

Nice lil vibe.

It's a remarkable thing to listen to. So groovy but still delicate. Arrangements are stunning. Such a reach experience. As I understand a bit of Spanish I can tell the lyrics are at least interesting (I cought "Nicaragua without Somosa" in the end of the first track). Vocal performances are great, full of pride. It's a lovely album I'll definitely come back to. A high 4.

This is a really fantastic record. As far as I can tell, everything that Colon put out in the 1970's is great, and this is no different. The record opens with thirty seconds of disco, but gracefully shifts to a more familiar salsa sound and really doesn't look back. What follows is a series of really engaging songs that work within those genre conventions. Ruben Blades' vocals are also really good. Although, Colon's work is pretty consistently fantastic, I can see why this is so well regarded. Yes. The album cover does kinda look like a pampers advert.

Surprisingly cool. I’m not familiar enough with the genre to know if it’s any good or not - from the outside it sounds very similar to a lot of the other Latin musical experiences I’ve had. That being said it didn’t wear out its welcome and I enjoyed my time with it.

When they came right out of the gate with a bass line I got excited. But it didn’t turn out to be quite the funk/ Latin big band fusion I expected. Really just one track “María Lionza” had a significant funk element to it. Oh well. Decent album anyway.

Oy, compania, Puerto RIco, Colombia, ratataa...

Listening to this on a sunny day has made me much more well disposed to it - if it was British Grey outside I would feel insulted, I think. The spoken bits and vocalisations are really fun. Charmed by the inexplicable babies. Pedro Navaja was a good time. I may be wrong but it sounds like they had fun making it which for me goes a long way - the Mamma Mia principle.

I’m so sorry, this is really not for me. I’ve played far too much of the game series Tropico to critically engage with this music genre. it’s not you, it’s me Willie Colon* & Ruben Blades I also don’t like slap bass. (*there’s a really childish lowbrow joke there, I’m not making that. awful. Barely a joke. just rude. pathetic.

I am willing to accept that this is considered the pinnacle of salsa by some, but that being the case the natural conclusion is that I'll never love salsa

Interesting mix of South American vibes and funk vibes. Faded into background music a bit after a bit though.

This was tough to get through. Not because the music was particularly bad, but because sitting through a whole salsa album is just not something I was prepared to do.

normalmente no escucho salsa pero esto estuvo a ca che te

thank you 1001

spoczko, bardzo dobry w swoim gatunku,

p414. 1978. 1 star. The only salsa I like is as a dip for tortilla chips. This might have done better if I were on a beach in Rio de Janeiro, but on a cold grey wet day in Stoke this album loses most of its appeal. Hard pass from me.

Holy salsa

Willie Colon & Ruben Blades walked so Bad Bunny could run

Had never heard of this before nor knew the actor was a musician in the 70s. Pretty good stuff

Pleasantly surprised this not knowing much about Latin/salsa music. But I enjoyed this right from the get go. The horns are punchy and tight and it sounds like tropical summer. Now I could I listen to a lot of it? Probably not but it’s a great change up. Fave track: “Plastico”.

Eu não sabia, mas amo salsa.

I liked this a whole lot, this might be another case of missing the cultural and lingual context required to fully appreciate it though.

Siembra is a salsa album with a lot of flair and heart. It flows smoothly from song to song, and has some great arrangements. While salsa is not really my thing, I can see why this is popular.

Glorious start to my Monday!

This was a fun album to listen to. Salsa isn't my favorite to hear for an entire album length, but individually the tracks are lively and enjoyable.

Ich liebe solche Musik, da kommt gleich bei mir ein Tanzgefühl auch

FUN.

귀아파 베스트: Dime

a shame i dont know the words im vibing with this maria lioza sooo hardd

Album #95, Willie Colón and Rubén Blades, Siembra, ⭐⭐ From what I’ve reviewed so far on this list, albums like Buena Vista Social Club, Jorge Ben, and now this, I can safely say that Latin music just probably isn’t for me. If this is considered one of the best salsa albums ever made, then the genre is probably just wasted on me personally. No offence intended by that either, because this is obviously completely subjective. Technically, it’s a very good album. I like the 70s feel of it. I like the Shaft-style horn sections and the cinematic feel throughout. It’s complex, jazzy, energetic music. But once the vocals and verses kick in, it all just starts to blur together for me. Maybe context matters more with this kind of music. The tracks are long and, for me, they really overstay their welcome. But I can totally imagine this making much more sense in the right environment, like dancing somewhere or drinking in a packed bar late at night. Sitting in my sitting room while working though, it just did absolutely nothing for me. Maybe I’m the problem. I hate hot weather, I hate beaches, and I’m not even a big fan of the food salsa, so this album was probably doomed from the start.

A refreshing and upbeat listen. Enjoyed this.

5 de 5 Obra maestra de la salsa que revolucionó el género por la forma en que creó el concepto de “salsa conciencia”, reforzándolo con letras de crítica social, realismo urbano y profundas narrativas vigentes en la actualidad. Destaca una gran producción y la inigualable forma en cómo se van construyendo las canciones, aunado a el inteligente recurso de los metales. Clásico inmediato y un necesario para entender el género.

3½

I just don't like salsa. This album could be a nuanced, musical masterpiece, but my ears would never be able to hear it.

Yuss great salsa

Very danceable and overall a good time. Its meant to get you to move and it succeeds pretty well in that aspect.

I love it! Brings the vibes!

Best selling salsa album ever - interesting! The first minute sounds like disco, but then yeah, all salsa. I enjoy it, but I'm not sure it's a genre I'll go back to a lot. High 3.

I almost wished that this album had explored the disco-soul meets salsa vibe that the first song hinted at more; but even when it settles into more traditional salsa, it's still quite good.

Fantastic way to start the day, the week, the year. Amazing vocals accompanied by wonderful music. Precisely what I'd hoped to get out of this list.

Siembra by Willie Colón and Rubén Blades is really not my kind of music. Salsa with touches of jazz just doesn’t do much for me personally. That said, if it wasn’t for this challenge I would never have listened to an album like this, so I can appreciate the opportunity to experience something completely different. There were moments that sounded familiar, especially Plástico and Buscando Guayaba, which I’m sure I must have heard somewhere before. But after listening to the full album, one of my main takeaways was that a lot of the songs blended together for me stylistically. The album is clearly very well produced, and the musicianship is excellent throughout. You can tell how talented everyone involved is, and I understand why this album is considered important within Latin music. It just doesnt work for me. I found it quite long, repetitive and difficult to stay engaged with by the end. I do respect the international side of this challenge though, because albums like this push me into genres and cultures I would never normally explore. Even when I don’t enjoy them, it’s still interesting to hear something outside my usual taste. Favourite tracks: Plástico was quite a nice track. Least favourite tracks: Nothing was terrible, it just wasn’t really for me. Album artwork: A bizarre album cover, it looks like a colourful cartoon advert for Pampers.

It’s good but I suppose belongs here as it is apparently the biggest selling samba album. So. Ok.

I think this works if you are salsa aficionado. It's a bit like being the the film Chef or a Lalo episode from Better Call Saul or if you have to dance with Sofia Vergara. A nice bit of funky 70's bass, but pretty samey throughout.

I was a bit excited when this started. A funky Latin disco crossover album? Well, that could be awesome fun! But, oh no, it was a fake out! It's a salsa album throughout. I knew Ruben Blades as an actor but never realized that he was a singer and a songwriter first. And a great singer! His easy flow and unforced tone bely his melodic agility and strength. His singing seems easy and conversational, but is deceptively technical. The band is in the pocket with a tight groove, ably led by Willie Colon. And building a brass section entirely composed of trombones should come across like a novelty act, but it sounds unremarkably natural. It should sound weird, but it doesn't. (I'm going to play this for my son Alfie who is a trombone player. He's been obsessed with trombones since he first saw one about age three, describing them as the "big trumpet go in out in out").

sublime

Oh a nice change. Love this kind of music!

Heerlijke latin. Gaat mij na 4 nummers wel vervelen maar ik hoor er ook nog veel samples in van platen van nu. Gewoon lekker zo even luisteren

Really enjoyed this. Not something that I would ever choose previously, but its opened my eyes

Nice enough, not at all something I would have come across. Probably won't be going back.

It was definitely a samba album. Upbeat, fun, good background noise. Not something I'd intentionally put on.

You can’t come to me with the opening bass line and prevent me from dancing. Seriously that opening bass slaps so hard. Overall, I think I just like Spanish music because this was a fun album. There are little kicks throughout that keep me interested.

I liiiiike it

Веселый летний музон с латиноамериканским, пляжным и солнечным вайбом. Под такое хочется танцевать с коктейлем под жарким солнцем...

Sounds like music I would really enjoy playing.

Light 4,5

Great salsa album, very well performed.

3/5 Good. Not something I would listen to.

Ah man, listening to salsa at a desk at work is not really doing it for me. You gotta be in a bar or restaurant or club or something to really get into this one. It's a good album but not really what I'm gonna go seek out. But I can't deny it's catchy and you just want to have a drink and dance to it. It's a 3/5 for me. Hit me up with this again on a Saturday night with drinks and dancing, though, and we'll talk....

The horns on this album! I can see why it was the best-selling salsa album of all time when it was released. I also enjoyed the little West Side Story quote in Pedro Navaja, even if it was most likely ironic.

I have a hard time following the lyrics in Spanish but good stuff 3.5/5

Fabulous and funky album. A discovery for me

Great vibes throughout the album. Salsa music isn't something I listen to a lot (shocking I know) but the catchiness of the rhythms can't be denied. A fun album with songs that kind of got lost in the background as I was listening and walking.

Easier to listen to with my dancing shoes on!

Puerto Rico represent!! Willie Colon (RIP) made the best. I love occasionally hearing it blasting from cars driving around the city. Ultimate latin classic

It’s hard not to get up and dance to this record making a listening experience that completely absorbs you in its sound. The one thing that I think would elevate this LP for me is just knowing what’s being said but that’s definitely not a fault of the record. It’s beautiful, lovely, and I appreciate the groove it presents. Fav tracks: plástico, Maria Lionza, ojos, and Dime

Good stuff. Sounds like an early Bad Bunny. Heard part of his halftime show was to honor Willie Colon.

Very enjoyable. It would go on my list for sure, must-listen #343.

I liked this. Enough variety throughout to keep me interested and it was fun

It was an ok listen but one I likely won’t be coming back to.

Not really my taste in music! Nice enough, sleeve design is awful.

That’s a lot of salsa.

I don’t know how to salsa but I sure want to! Fun album, catchy tunes, impossible not to move to

Fun album Standout songs: Plastico Maria Lionza

Head was boppin through the entire album. 9/10

Ålreit dette. Likte når han sang ping pong ping pong. Ble litt mye av det samme i lengden.

Not bad, as far as ethnic music goes.

fav song: pedro navaja i dont enjoy his singing voice i fear & the songs can be quite similar but it IS a vibe 😛 i wish you could do half stars bc id give this 3 1/2

No my cup of Tea

Feels like I'm on holiday

First soul Album I've had. Can appreciate the record but afraid it's not for me

Awesome

I did not fw this

Lots of brass. I liked it a lot

It was good, definitely can see why it is influential on Latin music. Ecuador PRESENTE !!!!!!

Pleasant salsa music from these Latin guys. Maybe it would be more impressive if I knew Spanish. The internet claims this is the best selling salsa album of all time. Not quite to the four-star level.

Finally: Spanish! I'm too tired to appreciate it. But I liked it OK.

3.5/5 https://rateyourmusic.com/release/album/willie-colon-and-ruben-blades/siembra/ Definitely not my music, but for something that is definitely not my music, it kinda slaps! Was really expecting to like it less. Awful cover tho, why the babies?!

3.5 - good album

ok desde ya sé que voy a terminar haciendo un goddamn essay de review para este disco, 6 estrellas a ciegas si pudiera. creo que todos tenemos al menos un disco que nos ha cambiado la vida, y estoy seguro que no soy el único que puede decir eso de siembra. pero mi historia con la salsa es curiosa. crecí con un papá contemporáneo con el rock, pero que no escuchaba rock, y cuando yo empece a escucharlo el hasta se extrañaba. yo no podía creer que mi papá había vivido durante la locura de los beatles, led zeppelin, y pink floyd, y que no le gustara esa música. resulta que mi papá es salsero. y como buen papá, trató desde muy pequeño de pasarme ese amor por la salsa, más aún porque estuve en clases de piano y todos sabemos lo bien que suena el piano en la salsa. la cosa es que eventualmente empiezo a crear una colección de vinilos, y un día mi papá me cuenta que se trajo vinilos que estaban en la casa en la que creció. yo nada más los agregue a la colección y no le di mucha pelota. un día estoy cocinando solo en la casa, y cuando eso pasaba yo solía poner algún disco mientras cocinaba (pero siempre algo de mi colección de rock). por alguna razón ese día decidí escuchar algo que nunca había escuchado. entonces puse siembra. cuando siembra empieza uno cree que va a ser un disco de disco (pun intended) más de los 70. boy was i wrong… empiezan esos ritmos latinos y de jazz de plástico y literal fue como si me inyectaran adrenalina. y lo mejor es la letra, me encanta que las letras de salsa dicen demasiado y musicalmente tienen ritmos y sabores riquísimos. el highlight de este disco es pedro navaja. creo que una de las canciones más importante de mi vida. literalmente yo abro los karaokes del trabajo con esa canción (pero solo si la gente baila, y por dicha la mayoría de las veces si lo hacen). storytelling: INCREÍBLE. ritmo: INCREÍBLE. trombones: INCREÍBLES. literalmente me metí a clases de trombón por esta canción. tristemente no seguÍ :( pero sí lo quiero retomar algún día. dime… dios que obra de arte… la letra la música, la parte del final cuando el ritmo baja la velocidad. obra maestra. este disco me hace sentir como me siento cuando veo a ronaldinho jugar futbol. yo no juego futbol, pero uno ve a ese mae jugar y le dan ganas de jugar futbol, por más malo que sea uno. yo no bailo salsa, no bailo nada bien, pero escuchar siembra hace que me den ganas de bailar. pensé que iba a escribir más, pero ya es tarde y tengo sueño. de verdad si pudiera le doy 10 estrellas a este disco. ahora soy tan salsero como mi papá.

Really nice. A shame I don‘t speak spanish. Fav: Plástico

Sei lá, é bom e importante para os latino americanos que falam espanhol, mas não caiu muito no meu gosto.

I don't usually listen to salsa, so this was a really nice glimpse into a whole world of music. There's a great variety of sound on this record, with hints of disco, rock, and other 'fusion' elements throughout. I didn't understand much of the lyrics (pity that I don't speak Spanish), but from what I could garner, there's a very strong sense of pan-Latin American unity, which I think is very inspiring and a strong force still today. Really nice!

Tiene Grandes éxitos del mundo Latino, con muchas vibras del Sr Nelson y Tio José, la única que no me gusta es la de Maria Lionsa y la brujería en Yaracuy (menciona a Venezuela, es lo único positivo de esa canción)

good music from america (america=continet, not usa 😂😂) 3.4/5

I’ve heard salsa over the years but never put on an entire salsa album. This is fun! This kind of music is filled with so much energy. His voice is great, it really shines through, even though I don’t speak Spanish. I wish I did. I enjoy this all a lot. The horns and bass are great on some of this. I think this is a great way to experience salsa music. It seems so pure. I would listen to this and all salsa again, and it’s the kind of music I enjoy hearing in places. Not sure it’s a 5 type of album for me personally, but I’m going a 4.

I liked it all in all. I was hoping that there would be more disco elements, but that was limited to a few songs.

The first three songs are amazing! One banger after the other. The rest weren’t quite as good in my opinion. Overall an incredibly funky and decent record.

It's a cool dance album, well produced. All the players and the singer are great. But I will admit not knowing enough about this genre that I can't distinguish the differences from this and any other good Latin dance album.

I listened to this on my way to work and got stuck in traffic. That was not the best way to listen to this. You need a dancehall to properly get the full effect of this album. It's damn infectious, I'm the most average white guy and I want to shake my ass to this. Fun album.

Genuinely wasn't expecting this album to be so good. Might be the start of my latin music era. I give it a solid 3.8.

I dig it. Not a style of music I listen to often so my take is a bit uninformed. Good sounds and definitely worth a revisit. Would be cool if I found the motivation to dig deeper into Latin music.

a very funky late '70s salsa record. according to sources, siembra is the highest selling salsa record of all time. again, with a lot of "best sellers", it's easy to see why people love this album, with topical lyrics all around and a sound that stands out from the other south-american dancefloor records, this album is very worth the listen, as an essential taste of the genre, and as an album you can listen to and groove along as you marvel at how creative the compositions are. muy fabuloso, two thumbs up.

nah

Fusion of disco, latin elements, and "Don Pablo's dinner music" with great beats and flow and vibe

Gonna need some chips for all this salsa

Lovely album. First time ever listening to a samba album. Plus it was summer here when listening which helped!

Some lovely tunes. Nice time. But I couldn't just listen to this on it's own with nothing else to do yaknow. It's background music to me because there's not enough highs and lows. But it is nice stuff.

Not my stuff but it’s fine.

Album 36/1001. Listened 5/6/2026. I loved this so much. I played it over and over again and it blended into the background and then jumped back out. A definite keeper.

Fun samba music

I found myself dancing salsa and I don’t know how to salsa. Great album!

Best salsa album (so far). Would enjoy this in the right setting. Lyrics lost on me. Will be my go to for salsa if I remember the name - and if I ever feel the need for salsa.

Didn't quite hold me all the way through but did like some elements - the disco opening and it,'s PanAmerican theme, the West Side Story nods of Pedro Navaja..

Definitely my favourite salsa album of all time. Also the only salsa album I’ve ever listened to. A strong candidate for the graveyard slot at the mythical cafe Kelvinos

Part of me wants to give someone an undeserved fourth star after all of these mediocrities, but, on balance, this seems like a classic "three."

Algo entretenido

💃💃

pedro navaja, plastico, dime y siembra 🔛🔝 realmente m gustó mucho m estoy quedando un poco enamorada okey un sonido muy reconfortante y lindo de escuchar. letras (sobre todo la de siembra) muy inspiradoras para la vida y seguir adelante. lo escuche ayer 26/4

groovy

horrible

Certified Hood Classif, who dosent love salsa, perfect to get in the mood for the coming summer!

4/25 Bleh. I really hate spanish music. Especially salsa music

My name is Dexter... Dexter Morgan.

albums like this make this list so fun. salsa music is really not on my radar, don't think I would have found this unprompted, but it was such a fun listen

Delightful

Interesting world music/jazz but would not listen again.