Siembra

Pretty good, uplifting and make you want to move your body

So so fun!!! So much life in the music.

I wasn't expecting the best selling salsa album in the history of salsa to be this funky. But it is. I feel like this would hit different on a barmy summer's evening. Unfortunately I am listening from the office on a grey mid December afternoon. Still, I'm having fun. Maria Lionza is my favourite track, the opening is almost Waitsian, which was a surprise. The horns sound so fine.

I haven't heard of Willie Colón and Rubén Blades before, and I know almost nothing about salsa, so this was another album where I was starting from scratch. I enjoyed it even as it started to blend together for me, probably because of the language barrier. But this was pretty enjoyable.

It’s rare for a salsa record to make me want to do a deep dive on the lyrics, but this was so so good. The production is impeccable, but it’s the songwriting and flow that really shines here. This is one to revisit not just because it’s a perfect genre slice but because it elevates above the genre and takes some fun twists and turns.

I’m really enjoying this record. It’s sounds like a film sound track in the 70s at places, but it’s really good.

C’était vraiment super ! Je m’attendais pas à de l’espagnol

Ovo je leglo ne samo meni nego cijeloj kući. Uživancija čista. Nevjerovatno pozitivno iznenađenje. Divan bass na momente, sve veselo, živahno, interesantno, bez statičnosti. Samo je album art vrlo upitan.

dit was terug een nobele onbekende.. wat een verrassing!.. mooie zomerse nummertjes die je direct naar zon en cocktail doen verlangen...

Pleasant Latino stuff. Will listen again

Not as good as buena vista social club but very close

Listened in the morning for a good vibe. Wouldn’t have listened to this album on my own volition but really good.

Salsa is pretty legit. Not sure what’s going on with the babies on the cover though.

lovely

What a fun album. Ihad lever listened to a whole salsa album before and it was great. The instrumental is great the brasa section is so detailed and infectious thay it is impossible to not stand still. I loved the lyrycs as well "Pedro Navaja" tell a story like a country song full of details 4/5

Salsa! Even spieken waar dit vandaan komt, Panama en Puerto Rico blijkbaar. En het best verkochte salsa-album aller tijden, of zelfs de 'Sergeant Pepper van de salsa'. Euhm ja, maar het klinkt als alle andere salsamuziek: energiek, ritmisch, en (voor degenen die het in zich hebben) dansbaar. Erg leuk dus, maar het écht bijzondere hoor ik er niet aan af.

Het eerste nr begint als een soort Bastian 00s elektromuziek, en dan met een discosound eroverheen. Als hij dan begint te zingen, komen de caribische toeters en blazers erbij. Dat het veel op disco lijkt is wel te begrijpen, want het komt precies uit de discoperiode. Uiteindelijk is het wel gewoon veel Buena Vista Social Club. Het stemt net als die muziek lekker vrolijk. Je ziet die mannen op zo'n Caribisch eiland buiten op de stoep of op de veranda zitten met hun instrumenten, lekker een beetje spelen en een dominootje leggen. Zolang je dit niet te vaak hoort, is het echt prima om tussendoor als album te krijgen. Zoals ik bij de Social Club ook al zei, het is net alsof je op vakantie bent. En dat stemt vrolijk. Dus kunnen we ook best wederom een vrolijke 4 geven.

What a treat!! A salsa-y treat!

This had me up out of my chair while eating breakfast, hips moving without thinking. The energy is infectious; it's vibrant, joyful, and impossible to sit still through.

What a fun record. Starts off with a misleading disco vibe, then quickly transcends into beautiful Caribbean/Latin music. The flow of the album is so nice and kept my attention throughout. The music is thoughtful, well-produced and wonderfully composed. This is a really nice piece.

I liked it! Which is not surprising as I think this is a lot of the same personnel that wound up on David Byrne’s REI MOMO. Say what you want about cultural hegemony, but my Byrne fandom opened me up to a lot of music I’d not become familiar with otherwise.

I don't know if I'm honestly qualified to understand how great this album is, but even as someone with no knowledge of salsa or latin music, it's easy to hear the beauty of the songwriting and arrangements on this album.

This is some fun music, I’m a fan. First time listening to salsa, and I really like it

3.5/5

Good!

Lively and fun

Some seriously good Salsa

Only knew “Maria Lionza” and that was only due to a sample used in the Major Lazer song “Watch out for this”. On I side note I think it’s really cool how a throwaway trumpet line on that song can become a big hit 40 years later. This was a breath of fresh air from the generator who has been giving me 60s folk rock lately. I enjoyed the all the songs, and it felt both relaxing and energetic. No particular song stood out that much but enjoyed it as a whole. Weak 4.

Spanish language music would be a huge upgrade to the Superbowl Halftime Show and I have no idea why Turning Point USA is throwing a fit over it

I've never listened to this album (32). Really great! Groovy, soulful, all that I love.

Did you know that there are only two salsa albums on this entire list? No, really. And on top of that, I think they're the only genre that gets only two albums. I don't know how many rock n' roll albums there are, but I know my group's gotten four, at least. So, according to the list, the entirety of salsa music you need to hear is one Tito Puente record and this. Though I suppose they're not bad picks, if you had to pick only two. Sure, I assume there's more to salsa than just these two albums can demonstrate (and that's true of all genres), but, I mean, from what I've read, this **is** apparently the greatest salsa album of all time. And how could you say "no" to listening to the greatest? And is it? Well, given that my exposure before now has been that one Tito Puente album and "Señor Burns", of course I wouldn't be able to say for sure. But did I like it enough to believe that it is? Yeah, sure. To me, salsa seems like a very "groove" based genre. As long as the music has a great one and you can lock right into it, you're bound to have a good time. It **is** why I liked 'Dance Mania!' as much I did: it's a nonstop, consistent party groove, and it's a great time. You can say it gets old because it never stops running on that energy, but, hey, again, if you lock in... That sort of groove is present on this album, too, but it's less "party" focused. From the translated lyrics I've read, it seems it's trying to be a bit more serious — and good on it for that, of course. But if I can be 100, the exact words and seriousness of it doesn't entirely matter to me? I'm not gonna let them go unacknowledged, but one more time: the **groove**. It's here in spades, with some R&B flavoring thrown in on top for good measure. And it's just a fun listen; it's really not anymore complicated than that. Some songs may drag on a bit long, and like a fellow group I do think this thing could've stood to have a bit more 'Dance Mania!' energy, but those are really my only complaints. If you like salsa . . . well, this is apparently the best there's ever been, so I can't see any reason why you wouldn't enjoy it. The same basic principle goes for if you don't like salsa — and lucky for me, I do. Nothing on here exactly gets me bounding out of my seat, but I had a real good time, and that's all I could reasonably ask for. And while I still think it's weird that there are only two salsa albums on this list, I guess I can confirm that they did make some solid picks. Can't front on 'em for that.

Good salsa, but not much to say on my end. Solid 4 Stars.

I had so much fun with this! Maybe I like salsa? The reason I love this site, discovering genres I didn't know I liked.

I really admire salsa music, and have a little playlist for dancing, but 42 minutes of on one go without changing artist or style much feels like a lot. Maybe if I'd have danced through the whole thing it would be fine. An album for the right context for sure, which puts it at four for me.

Finally something different.

Savamment construit et orchestré, des arrangements capiteux et somptueux. Beaucoup de plaisir à l’écoute

One of the songs, Plastico, is an absolute classic for me because my parents played it so much at home The whole sound of this album, just very raw salsa is nostalgic because I heard it so much as a kid, I didn't think much of it but now I'm really seeing why it was such a hit among, well, every adult I knew. It's danceable, it's joyous, it's dramatic, it's fun, it's got storytelling, what else could you want? This is awesome

7.5

I rocked along to this and enjoyed it. I didn't know the trombone could be so good, I always thought of it as more of a side instrument with the trumpet taking center stage so it was cool to see the trumpet shine. The music all had the same Samba beat but each was different and unique. I don't know what he was saying but it was all enjoyable and different. Maria Lionza and Ojos were my favorite.

This is such a fun celebration of Latin culture. All the layers of instruments and vocals create a really rich soundscape, and it's just a party! The country shout-outs at the end of the first track made me smile. Enjoyed this a lot!

The sound of vacation. A salsa celebration that includes a surprising amount of musical variation within the relatively tight-knit constraints of the genre. Even if it’s not your thing, it’s hard not to both appreciate and enjoy what’s been put together here.

This was a good time, and it also led me to read about the history of Salsa on Wikipedia. Interesting stuff, more contentious than I would have guessed. Not weighing in on that though, I’m just hear to listen to some tunes and say “Oh ya”

Fun. Ruben Blades is a man of many talents.

I am happy that Spanish language albums are being included on this list. You have made me hopeful that some Caifanes, Bukis, or other great Spanish artist will appear here. This was a good album to hear. I enjoyed hearing some Salsa on the drive home. Pedro Navaja is a classic song!

Super fun! Really enjoyed this one. I’ll be back for more.

Two legends making a memorable album. Plastico and Dime were standouts. Great lyrics throughout. I’m ready to dance!

4.1/need to learn how to properly salsa dance

Salsa, give me some chips to down this magestic dish. Pedro Navaja is a masterpiece of well crafted parts, about Gang crimes in NYC

Plastico 3.6 Buscando Guayaba 3.4 Pedro Navaja 3.6 Maria Lionza 3.5 Ojos 3.6 Dime 3.5 Siembra 3.4 Score: 3.514285714

Interesting from note one. Fun listen.

I liked this. It was a fun ride and could see myself listening again. I don’t know much about this genre but appreciated the opportunity to learn

Not sure what the opening of the album is. Almost like they're trying to fake people out into thinking it's a disco album. Regardless, the rest of the album is solid salsa. 4 stars.

I need to confess I am not only fully unfamiliar with this artist but also Salsa as a genre and Spanish as a language. So I fear my review might boil down to my feelings on the genre more than my feelings on the record. Non the less both are fairly positive. It’s great music to listen to and despite not understanding the vast majority of the lyrics I could understand the very base line of emotions communicated. Honestly a great record and I swear I caught at least two literary references which makes this an easy 4 stars.

Didn't understand it obv but it was good

So pleasant to listen to. Enjoyed every moment.

This is a discovery for me. Unexpectedly, but I'm even ready to listen to it again later!

very fun album! sometimes it's funky, sometimes it's got a classic salsa feel. this is the kind of stuff i love this project for. i will definitely come back to this one!

Haven’t had a great string of albums lately. He’s clearly skilled and I’ve heard some good Nick Cave. But this one is so absurdly Vaudeville that it’s comical. Trying to get every “shocking” line in that he can is too much for me. Edge lordy

🗯 Salsa’s biggest-selling record ever — essential for certain dance floors, less so for my turntable. There’s no denying the influence here: a landmark in Latin music, packed with brass firepower, stories that balance politics and poetry, and enough rhythm to keep a salsa class spinning all night. But for me, as much as I can admire it and I really did enjoy the play through today, I’d probably never reach for it again outside of this context. Still, Siembra is the sound of a movement — and that’s what makes it unskippable in a project like this. Verdict: Essential (for salsa heads, not for me) For fans of: Héctor Lavoe, Celia Cruz, Buena Vista Social Club, socially conscious Latin grooves

Certainly an enjoyable record, but I didn't really understand how much I was actually enjoying it until the very end, that is, when the title track came around. I think the nuances in the instrumentation here are easy to miss underneath the general salsa sound the record aims for - it all went over my head. So I decided to listen to this album twice for that exact reason. And while I do think that closing title-track is the best song overall, some other highlights included 'Ojos' and 'Buscando Guayaba' - the former of which may be the catchiest thing on here. A super lavish album, with some incredibly catchy moments laced throughout. And obviously, the salsa grooves all over this thing are irresistible.

The whole album has a peppy feel. Even while the lyrics are about a criminal getting shot and stabbed in the street, it makes you want to dance around.

Verrrry solid fun album! I could almost see it going to a 5, but I was sorta struggling to pick out which songs I'd want to listen to more regularly! Still, absolutely fantastic vibes while I was there.

Really groovy, fun, interesting album that constantly switched it up and kept it interesting. Definitely really want to return to this one!

Some absolutely CLASSIC salsa vibes, spiced up with jazz, disco, and funk influences throughout. Great stuff!

I thought it was just fine at first but I kept going back to it throughout the day and vibing and ya know what? That makes it a 4.

This album was so much fun to listen to. Completely different than what I would normally listen to but I loved the whole thing, it was he's not to smile and want to dance the entire time. The horns were excellent and there were groovy bass lines throughout. Every song obviously had that salsa style, but they were all different enough that it never felt repetitive or boring. Will absolutely listen again.

This was really cool. My friend is a salsa musician, and loves this album. I can see why!

awesome

Great. More variation than I expected. The weather is exceptionally hot today. Perfect day for this album. Favorite song: Pedro Navaja

This is an absolute jam.

Klassisk samba, bossanova. Hade inte hört talas om artisten. Schysst att lyssna på när man glider igenom T-centralen i rusningstrafik

Killer, very much enjoyed

One of the more enjoyable albums that I couldn't understand the lyrics to.

Иногда хочется чего-то непривычного и такая жизнерадостная музыка отлично подходит для подобных случаев. 7 из 10.

Very nice salsa music. Great energy

What a great surprise! Salsa is not something I've been into before, but this was a very clean, and very catchy 45 minutes.

Yeah this is a solid album. Very easy to listen to on repeat.

3.8.

I read "best selling [insert genre] album of all time" and assume it's either great or terrible, this one was definitely the former. The whole album has this incredibly dancey feel to it. Make it a challenge to try not to move around while listening to this, you'd fail in the first two songs. Not to mention those trombones, they were the best part of the album.

Fantastic Latin grooves and some funky slap bass lines. Didn’t understand a word but sure makes you want ti dance.

A fun one I wasn’t familiar with before.

Didn't know what to expect with this one but I really enjoyed this! Really nice varied album.

Great! Had me tapping my feet the whole time

Terrific salsa music! It has an upbeat, breezy energy, and rhythm rhythm rhythm! There's some big band horns, along with dramatic strings on at least one track. And lots of personality. The vocal performances pop with fun choices throughout.

Really nice large scale salsa album. It's gorgeous in all areas- vocals, trombone/brass, percussion, bass guitar... I also love the random SFX you get in a track like "Pedro Navaja". I'd even argue that if I listened more, that this song could possibly my favorite salsa song ever, it's incredible, and does so much more than just provide a base for people to dance to. This is a triumph in the genre. I didn't know it until I googled the album that it's one of the best selling albums in the genre of all time. I'm not surprised- it's a joy to listen to.

Very cool. Very fun. Definitely changed my perspective on salsa.

Good vibes throughout. Only thing I can say against it is that the songs started sounding pretty similar by the end. Favorite track: Buscando Guyaba

did my best to get at least a cursory understanding...this is an early commercial success for salsa, which on the whole is a much more recent genre than i would have guessed, with rly strong roots in nyc jazz clubs. i think whats most interesting to me here is the combined emphasis on loose Sustained structures for improvisation and dance together with a clear spotlight on ruben blade's lyrics, wasted on me ofc but many sources helpfully provide summaries of the general content ...a lot of commonplace and aspirational latin american stories. ive also seen rumblings that blades at least occasionally improvised verses, which i cant rly confirm obviously but which does add to this interesting incorporation of a lyrical focus into music that at least on the surface doesnt seem rigid at all, considering rigidity is where language tends to Live in music. im prob missing something about how this all works lol but its a good album, predictably i enjoyed it more than anything from a jazz angle. im unsure how much salsa there is on this list generally, but i am curious about its later, more "commercial" forms...tho i suspect this configuration would remain my favorite or at least close to it, i like jazz too much

Straight up Latin music

It was nice Will I listen to again: 38%

not a salsa (music) expert, but this sounds pretty damn good. i like the disco bits too. i also like when the singer shushes up and lets the band work, like on “ojos.” and i like those babies.

salsa is background music for me. BG music that I like but don't really know much about. PLASTICO brought it to the FG for me with that funky ass disco beat. Really intersting. Enjoyed it all the way through, would spin it again.

Liking me some spicy salsa!

A lot of Latin fun.

More non-English albums like this!

Enjoyable, although I felt a bit disappointed that the opening moments made it feel like it was going to go in one, funky direction and then it didn’t

Trombones might have inspired Tiger of San Pedro? Liked it, though not my style.

4/5 Rating Fav Tracks: Plástico Dime Siembra

Solid samba album. As it's apparently THE samba album, it gets the bump.

Already like straight away

Didn't properly listen to any salsa album before. I really enjoyed it, will probably listen it again.

4/5

Enjoyable

I would have appreciated this more if I understood Spanish.

This was a fun listen. I don’t speak or understand Spanish very well, but this album was fun of fun and soul.

legal

Nice vibe

8/10

Favorite Track: Plástico

arrrriba seniores buonas dias cumbia, gute morge album boyzzz, sali welt. No america & no britain = abwechslung Nenned mich mathematiker. Also mich heds da mit chräftiger Manier zrug uf Colombia teleportiert, links-rechts-links, tatatata Lebensfreud und lockerheit und vibes sind ahcho. Trotz minere Cumbia expertise und mim Südamerikanische Bluet hani das nani kennt. ABer sowiit souverän, gid sicher na geileri Cumbia Albe, aber hed spass gmacht. Muy bien, miguelito esta terminado cuatro bailes de alegría

vaaaaaaamos, amigos & amigas der kultur: da simmer wieder! han churz angst gha am ahfang, dass de willie mal en churzi discophase duregmacht hed woni verpasst han… aber die latinkläng hend mi wieder uf de bode vo de realität zruggholt. han so freud gha, dass es mi fast us de socke und um eis haar fast de sombrero vom chopf ghaue hed han jede track gspeicheret, aber ihr kenned mich ja: es paar devo sind eifach für mini cumbia / musica tropicale sammlig gsi woni vermuetli nümm oft ahtreffe wird (ussert weni mi döt dureshuffle) – das heisst ich gib trotz allem glaub nöd cinco estrellas, aber abgrundeti quatro gids uf jede fall! cinema muy grande!

I had fun with this album! After a while the song started blending together because I don’t speak any Spanish, but I enjoyed the trombone section and the scat sections

I know very little about salsa music. If I'm being honest here, my initial enjoyment of this album is that it kind of reminded me of being in Mexican restaurants, as it's probably the only place I was ever really exposed to the genre (in a pure form at least). But that exposure was just background music and all kind of sounded the same. On this album, I've heard something different, including just how varied salsa can really sound in the right hands. True, it borrows a bit from disco here and there, but there's still a lot of versatility despite this. My high school Spanish doesn't help me much with the lyrics, but the book describes them as covering social and political themes that resonated across Latin America. No wonder then that this was the first salsa album to go platinum.

So much funkier than I thought it would be? Salsa is funky?

This has come up on a perfect day, when the sun is blasting. Very pleasant.

I enjoyed this. Great rhythm.

Other than Celia Cruz, I hadn’t really listened to much salsa music, but this album (along with videos of salsa dancing) really turned me onto the genre as a whole. I really liked most of the songs, especially the last two and my overall favorite track. Despite what people may say, the tracks do *not* all sound the same. Favorite Track: Pedro Navaja

I have always liked salsa music 🥰 This album would be something I would put on during an outdoor barbeque party! Album rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

I don't know much about salsa music but these guys clearly do.

Terrible album cover. Got them horns. Now I'm no salsa expert but this sounds like a fine example of salsa. Nice mixing and production quality. The vocals are very solid but are missing something that would run electric vibes across my brain. Catch me on some other day and this could easily go up to a 5. I think more than anything it's the album cover holding it back.

strangely i found this really entertaining despite it being quite different from my normal listening material

Bellissimo album, mi sono piaciute un sacco le sonorità più latineggianti. Uno stile diverso ma che apprezzo assai.

I love dancing to it, just listening to it was less fun but still enjoyable

Never heard them, quite like it

Great album, great vocals. Really fun

I loved listening to this because it counts for my spanish class' weekly log

I didn't know I needed Trombone Salsa in my life, but this was fun on a rainy day, and helped lift my spirits just a little from where they've been. Real sharp musicianship here. Everything’s crisp, energetic, and full of motion. Released on my birthday (before I was born lol) too! Didn’t really blow me away, but I was into the mood it set. Vocals carry a lot of weight. Felt serious but not too heavy. I let it ride. Spins: 3 Playlist Additions: - Plástico - Buscando Guayaba - Pedro Navaja - Dime

bangers

Muy bueno , mi gusta , mi ENCANTA! Divertido y batería bueno. Good shit man

first listen it's great

Südamerikanisch - Salsa

I love Willie Colón's funky sounds.

Salsa.

A perfect mix of dance-worthy beats and genuine emotion – a classic for good reason

great summer vibes

Willie Colon? Didn't he do an album with Fanny Pancreas?

very enjoyable.

Lively, warm and engaging

nice.

Great album!

Plastico - 5/5 Buscando Guayaba - 4/5 Pedro Navaja - 5/5 Maria Lionza - 5/5 Ojos - 5/5 Dime - 3/5 Siembra - 4/5 Average score - 4.4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ not really much of a salsa listener so i struggle to say much about this. i can say that this is a fun listen, and probably the most attention-catching salsa i've heard

"Siembra" is the second studio album by Panamanian singer-songwriter Rubén Blades and Puerto Rican-American singer and trombonist Willie Colón. This album is considered the best selling salsa album in the history of salsa music. It's also known for its rousing social commentary and unconventional sound. The album was produced by Jerry Masucci and Johnny Pacheco, recorded at LA Tierra Sound Studies in NYC and included 15 musicians. "Plástico" starts outs funky and groovy with bass, horns and, yes, a disco beat. The beat changes to a Carribean/salsa beat and rhythm and Blades' vocals come in. A nice and clear mix of the horns, percussion and bass. Blades, in Spanish, is criticizing those with plastic or false personalities and lifestyles. Blades calls out specific political figures in the end. Sirens, horns and a more complex beat open "Pedro Nevaja." A jazzy start gives way to percussion only as Blades tells the story of a criminal who stabs a prostitute and in return gets stabbed and they both lay and die together. A Carribean beat, horns and backing vocals are slowly added. They cover Johnny Ortiz's "Ojos." A more optimistic song about the future of Latin America being in the hands of the younger generation who are ready to fight for their people. Congas and strings are added to the horns and piano in the self-titled closing song "Siembra." A similar theme to the opener "Plástico" but a better hope for the future as the backing vocals repeat "siembra" or sowing time. With the horns, this song kind of reminded me of the "Rocky" theme. A great piano-horn-violin combination. This album has a great sounding mix of the vocals and each instrument. Blades has a great voice and hats off to the excellent NYC musicians. With each song in the five to seven minute range they really let these songs groove. My head was bobbing the entire time. A high recommendation.

Pedro Navaja is the obvious biggest hit here, but there are a lot of other good tracks as well from these two Fanias members. I guess this is the top selling salsa album ever, which kind of makes it an odd inclusion on this list, which I've found so far has tended towards experimental and innovative rather than just plain good and universally liked. Anyway, back to the album. It starts off super strong, with a lot of the salsa dura type stuff I prefer, and none of the whinier type of "corta veina" salsa I don't like. For that alone, this rises above some of the other Fanias classic albums that I don't find as easy to listen to all the way through. Many of the latter just seem to have more filler. Ojos is a solid track, and Siembra super solid. Only seven songs and no faults here.

Sounded fantastic, enjoyed this listen all the way through.

This was my favorite one so far!

It's good. I enjoyed it. I probably won't listen to it ever again, unless I boot up Tropico or go to a coffee shop that isn't playing jazz. 4

That was a fun album!

Never listened to salsa before but this is fun. This is probably the best album I’ve never heard of that this generator has shown me. Highlights include: “Buscando Guayaba”, “Pedro Navaja” “Maria Lionza” and “Dime”.

Wow. That was too much fun. Couldn’t stop my hips from shaking. Needs another listen or six.

This was fun! Some of it has definitely been sampled in stuff I've heard before. Great bass lines.

I don't know anything about salsa but this sounds pretty good to me. I can't help but smile along to the backing vocals on Buscando Guayaba, while Plástico fondly brings to mind the 'vengeful Latin rhythm' of Tito Puente's ode to Mr. Burns.

Salsa music recorded in 1978 so with a bit of disco feel and a funky bass. Great brass.

I dug this one a lot. Really impassioned vocal delivery, good grooves, and a nice melding of a lot of disparate 70s dance sounds. Great slap bass!!

Salsa is not typically a genre that I listen to, for no other reason than I didn't grow up in a home that had cultural ties to the music. I've always appreciated it, but it means nothing to me. This is a good album. It sounds great, front to back, especially considering the age of it. I wouldn't be able to differentiate this album from any modern salsa album, which probably speaks volumes for the quality and stylism of Siembra.

Nice

Bumaye 4/5

Tämähän oli kova! Täytyy laittaa hankintalistalle keikkoja varten. Kunnon lattarikaahailua! 4/5

Ah mitkä lattarimenot. 4/5

Really nice actually

Holy shit I fucking love Willie Colón with all his effortlessly charismatic compositions that make it possible for Ruben to sound so cool. Blades’ lyrics complement both his own singing style as well as the rhythm and melodies laid down by Willie. This album is so much goddamn fun. Try not to enjoy it. I fucking dare you. No actually don’t. Let the whole thing take over and love it with no fucking thoughts whatsoever. I can’t understand most of what they’re saying and I believe that helps. Good shit, honestly. 4/5

Отличная латинская музыка, такого здесь мало, приятно, что попался такой альбом

super salsa-y. really dug the vibe on this one. don’t think it’ll go on my main rotation, but i liked this album.

A very enjoyable album Thanks to Duolingo I understood parts of it. Not only did this album entertain me, but it educated Muy bien 4 ⭐️

One of my more off-kilter takeaways from this project has been the realization that I really needed to learn more Spanish in high school and college. I can't understand much of what is being said here but I really, really want to be able to connect to the music through the lyrics. Quite a fun album that gets my butt shaking. If you have not heard salsa music before, I would recommend this as a starting point.

Maybe the most important Salsa record ever made. A cooperation between two of the most important figures in the genre: Rubén Blades and Willie Colón.

Highlights: Plastico, Buscando Guayaba, Ojos, Siembra. In a nutshell: I dare you to keep still. This album was fun! Willie and Rubén trick you with a disco/funk intro on track one then they change gear and launch into funk salsa. If I wasn't dancing in my kitchen, my booty was wriggling in time with the beat while seated (my friend calls this "chair dancing"). This is why I'm doing the project - to discover new-to-me music. I can't wait to learn more about this genre now. Overall: 8/10

Never heard of them, but kinda liked it

Whoa, awesome! This was so much fun, I'm very pleasantly surprised - what a great find. I've heard like 3 Salsa albums, so not like I have much to compare this with, but this is some good ass Salsa. My favorite part was when he started doing the Jack Black "fligugigu". Shit's fire. More stuff like this, please.

Quite a fun album

Hell yeah. I'm very grateful to not have been assigned some corny-ass british nonsense on my birthday. Thank you 1001 gods. This is a wonderful salsa album. The title track comes out absolutely swinging with calls for pan-Latin unity against the hegemonic capitalist influence of the US, a theme which they continue on throughout the album. I appreciate how clearly enunciated the lyrics are for those of us whose Spanish is mediocre at best. And the salsa itself is super tight and groovy. Very enjoyable listen 8/10

It always feels good to recognize one of the more out there albums on this list, and I knew two of these songs before listening! It's iconic and defining salsa. The instruments combined with the rhythmic political lyrics really encapsulate what I know as this genre of music, and has righteously inspired proceeding generations to keep with the variety of traditions

I’ve said many times that these Tropico-sounding albums are loads of fun. I’ve no doubt that 99% of the lyrics go right over my head, but from an entirely sonic point of view, I do really enjoy the sound of this. The album is 43 minutes long, which I’d say is pretty standard, but it felt shorter than it was, which says a lot about how much I enjoyed it. At the risk of sounding like a broken record, this album really is just fun!

Actually, it's a pretty good album. Kinda enjoyed it!

I like latino pop music, but salsa not so much. Nevertheless, there is no denying the talent employed by this outfit, so I'll give it four stars.

I've never really listened to salsa, but this was enjoyable enough that I let it loop a couple of times through. I really like his voice and the horns and the vibes!

I didn't listen carefully, so it's difficult to understand. But seems to tell a story, simply with the way the songs are sung. Delicate and intricate salsa. 4.5

This was nice, but not 200% mine. Still cool to hear some Latin American sounds here.

i think this is nice and lovely and it gave me a nice boost to finish my stupid project meeting presentation. olé

I've never listened to a salsa album before but this was really wonderful, great variety and excellent musicianship on show. Some really, really tasty chord progressions in here, I liked it a lot.

Trombone-forward latin

A very enjoyable album, I liked the sounds Plastico and Ojos the most.

There is a joyousness in Latin beats. Present here, and through out

Solid 6 out of 7 tracks. And that last one wasn’t half bad.

Cool album. While I am not fluent enough in Spanish to understand much of the lyrics, I like the overall melodies and tone. I did translate a couple songs and a couple were very socio-political which was interesting since the music wasn’t very hard edged. I liked some of the more modern sounds added to the salsa music. Made it feel more edgy that way but overall it’s just a pleasant background album that I could groove to while doing something else.

Cool Spanish album. 4/5

Spanish upbeat music , I liked it while doing the jigsaw

Salsa. Pedro Navaja. Un 4.

Mmmmmm, sexy foreign music

Did not expect slap bass here.

Great album

Not sure how you'd go about disliking this. Granted, I don't have the greatest knowledge of the genre, but I know enough to know that this is fun. I like the funk bass thrown in occasionally, and really like the strings on the last song. Favorite tracks: "Plastic", "Maria Lionza"

fire

This was really fun. I enjoyed the West Side Story shout out. High 4.

7/10 - It was a vibe to say the least.

I don’t know anything about salsa and don’t understand much Spanish but the band is cooking

100% dispels all bad vibes in a 20-mile radius. Pure joy. Me hace feliz como whoa.

Whenever I've heard salsa music in a film or tv I've enjoyed it for 30-40 seconds it's on but the thought of 40+ minutes of it did not get me excited. Boy was I wrong this album is excellent the musicianship, the beats, the rhythms it almost makes me want to dance but thankfully for those who listened with me I didnt, but god I felt happy after listening to this.

I’m not going to pretend I know a lot about this type of music. It sounds really clean and well executed, but also at times sounds like very run of the mill 70s music with a latin flair.

Not a genre I was familiar with but I enjoyed this a lot.

thoroughly enjoyed

Couldn’t believe my Ojos when I saw this album come up.

Amazing musicianship, just a tad repetitive

Ez

Shocked at how much I enjoyed this. Ez 4.5

Buena Vista Social Club was my very first album on this list, fitting to find something similar right near the end as well! I liked this album, it was cheery and fun. Upbeat and I didn't get tired of listening through the 40 minute runtime.

tons of fun, especially the first track. even brought the sun with it!!

Not bad.

Gets you in the mood with its first bars even though those ared deliberately irritating because they use disco sounds. The rest is salsa - really good one written with social thematic intent too. The only negative would be that on the length of an album the music is just a bit too similar.

I want to like this more than I do. That being said, it is a pretty solid album.

4.25

Slaps.

Si, si.

Really, really great stuff - super vibrant and fun. Kinda shocked I had never listened to this before as I know Willie Colón to be kind of like the king of Salsa music!! Really happy to listen to this one!

Discazo, toda la onda toda

I never think of Rubén Blades as a singer because I first saw him on the screen in Predator 2 (I know, I know). Anyway, I enjoyed the performances. The latino groove was enjoyable, the only song I did no care for as uch was (interestingly) the only song Rubén Blades did not write: "Ojos". The rest was really good salsa. Definitely something I will come back to.

I can't say this is my kind of music but I enjoyed listening to this album. Plastico started off a little like disco but quickly turned into more straight ahead salsa. Nice beats, solid vocals, great energy across the collection of songs. Maybe a little repetitive at times, or at least some songs went on a bit too long. Feels like a 3.5 overall but I'm going to round up for it being a major piece of salsa music history.

I could totally sexy dance to this

A nice change of pace for a hot summer day

I thoroughly enjoyed it. 4

Jovial and energetic flamenco and samba inspired album that borrows some elements from funk and african music as well. Really awesome stuff going on in here, plus Willie Colon the legend 👏

I could be misremembering but I think this is my first and likely only salsa album I’ve gotten on this list. It was fun enough to listen to alone but this really felt like it should only be played at a massive Hispanic social event like a quinceanera or something. Don’t get quite the same effect when listening to it on my couch as I play balatro at 1 in the morning.

This is a fun album, not the kind of stuff I usually listen to, but I couldn't help but tap my feet along to it. The musicianship is stellar, not a single note off or misplaced but definitely full of feeling. The style of the album is fairly uniform but the songs are catchy enough to really keep it interesting. I had to look up the story of "Pedro Navaja" after hearing "Smith and Wesson" in the lyrics and it's pretty brutal! Not the story I expected from the music. This was a great listen. Perfect timing for a Sunday of housework and taking it easy.

3,5

The best selling Salsa Record of all time! Enjoyable and foundational it seems. Hard to fully understand, but certainly enjoyable.

💃💃💃💃

Hard to keep my feet from moving - great dance music! That said. Definitely in the running for winner of "worst record cover" - looks like a diaper ad.

Absolutely perfect in the background hanging with friends. Great production, musicianship and energy.

Had a great time listening to this! Lots of great bass lines and rhythms to build out Colon’s trombone.

This was great.

I don't know much about salsa music, so I don't have much to say about this one. I liked the horns and piano parts, but I wasn't too fond of the back up singers. I enjoyed this enough while listening to it, but I doubt I will seek it out again. 3.5

Ég skemmti mér lúmskt mikið við að hlusta á salsa tónlist en ég hvorki dansa salsa né hef sökkt mér eitthvað sérstaklega ofan í tónlistarstefnuna. Þannig að ég þekki ekkert mikið til en mikið hressilega fannst mér þetta skemmtileg plata. Hún fer alveg pottþétt aftur í spilun og þá líklegast oft því mig langar bara í meira salsa.

Really rather liked this

I love this stuff but I‘m not sure I can tell the difference between a high quality salsa album and something less than. I enjoyed this, but I typically enjoy a lot of Latin sounds, so hard to feel good about my rating!

I'm not really familiar enough with Latin music to be able to distinguish whether this album stands out as good or not comparatively. But I did enjoy it. I don't think it's anything I'd rave about to a friend. But it had good vibes.

i love hearing different genres! and there was a lot to love in siembra. it was fun, it was smooth, it was chill, it had so many trombones!! the flow throughout the album was well done. nothing sounded out of place, and every song coasted into the next. absolutely no complaints. i understand why it's the best selling salsa album!

What a fantastic salsa album! The production here is so well done for the 1970s; you can hear the musicians and the vocalists crisply and cleanly. Speaking of both the musicians and the vocalists, salsa music requires that both of these sets of people be electrifying in their performance, and this album has that quality in abundance, without question. This album sets a high bar for salsa music and it's no wonder that it became the best selling salsa album of all time.

Great classic tejano

So this is salsa! Funky and delightful.

Definitely gonna put this in rotation, I liked the lyrics and I’m so surprised that it was recorded in the 70’s.

Very groovy, surprised I enjoyed it as much as I did.

Not sure why there are babies on the cover? Love the trombones! I'm pretty new to this project, and is the second album (30-ish in) that has sampled West Side Story. I wonder how many more there will be. And whether that cast recording will be in here, given it's clearly had influence over albums included.

Makes me want to move my feet and shake my hips!!!

Nunca habia sido fan de la salsa. Sin embargo, con el tiempo ya no le tengo aversion y he aprendido a identificar su valor en el espectro musical; a distinguir la calidad e influencia de algunos grandes del genero. Entre ellos, Willie Colon destaca. Esa imagen de mafioso y misterio que forjo durante los 70 es magica. Su trabajo con Lavoe y Blades es legendario. Mi recomendacion es revisitarlo con atencion y pasion. Finalmente, Siembra puede que sea uno de los albumes mas socialmente conscientes y criticos de la salsa. Ruben trae sus letras, Willie su swing. Ambos hicieron historia.

upbeat salsa music. impossible to be in a bad mood after listening to this album. fun and lively.

Aina on näillä tåmän maailaisilla(etelämerik..) ongelma oma maa kultainen nähdään niin täydellisenä... ensimmäinen biisi ensimmäinen esimerkki WONKY ASS BEAT SOI. Ollaan ylpeitä wonky ass... Toinen esimerkki. Tuttuja kyseisestä paikasta ja perkele kun hienoa musiikkia aina.. esittää.. ruoka kulttuuri.. ruokatasku... eli ruokaa asian sisällä... deep fried... empanadas... ruan nimi..JA NÄITÄ RUOKA"KULTTUUREJA" SUOSITAAN NYKYPÄIVÄNÄ, VAIKKA VOIT OSTAA KAUPASTA MITÄ TAHANSA, HYVÄ JEE SYÖT SEN KULTTUURIN MUKAAN, JEE HYVÄ ETTÄ ON MAUKASTA RUOKAA, RUUAN MAUKKAUSHAN SE TÄRKEIN ASIA PERKELE 6 KK SITTEN VIIMEKSI SÖIN RUOKAA NAUTINTO MIELESSÄ.. Kolmas juttu..Geoguesseria ku pelaa... Ulkosalla mainokset ja advertit paperia heh köyhiä kavereite ei näyttöjä heh.. ja NÄISSÄ MAINOKSISSA MAAN LIPUN VÄRIT.. kuluttajat kyseisissä maissa.. buy buy heti kun keltainen sininen punainen... meikä poika ostaa kun yritys velkaongelmissa ja vuosittain 3 milliard dollar loss.. buy the dip.. Noh vika kappale lähtee soimaan ja laatuahan se on kuitenkin ollut koko albumi..

Great but not the vibe yesterday

As much as I love the Spanish language, I really don't listen to much salsa music. That being said, I have respect for Rubén Blades because how much I love his home country of Panamá. Additionally I didn't realize Willie Colón is a trombonist. Which is an instrument that I've enjoyed a lot recently. Especially after discovering the music of Rita Payés. This is a super pleasant listen and although I'm vaguely familiar with Blades and Colón's music... I feel that I should explore it a bit more.

It's great for what it is. Salsa with a hint of funk. I don't think I'd ever listen to it again, but I can't score it low because I dug it the entire time it was running.

The height of salsa that blends the perfect groove for the knowledgeable and rookie listener.

Very refreshing. I don't speak Spanish so the lyrics were a little lost on me, but I think I got the intended experience.

Immediately fooled from the first few seconds thinking this would be disco. This is salsa: one of the most famous and acclaimed salsa records. It's chill, groovy, and just a fun time. The singers are clear and forward, almost punk-like, but probably more like the funk craziness of James Brown. The jazz touches are poppy and accessible, reminds me of Chicago. I don't think the last 3 tracks lived up to the first 4. "Ojos" had nothing of value to add. "Dime" was boring and dragged on, but I liked the ending. "Siembra" sounded like a 70s cop show with the overproduced strings, but it sounded cool.

Ik had nog nooit van Willie Dikke Dárm en Rubén Mesjes gehoord. Het album begint met pak 'm beet dertig seconden disco en sluit daardoor mooi aan bij de Sledezusjes waar ik net vanaf kom. Na die ongeveer dertig seconden volgt de switch naar salsa, een genre waar ik vrijwel niks mee heb. Dit is van die muziek waar horkerige, saaie Nederlandse wijven met zo'n platte mannenkont in hun C&A jurkje er zelf van vinden dat ze er heel goed op kunnen dansen omdat ze ooit 3 halve lessen hebben gevolgd bij señor Willem, die getrouwd is met de voor 1/16e deel Braziliaanse Manita. Van die wijven met kleurrijke, spuuglelijke bungelende oorbellen en niet-matchende maar wel even felle lippenstift op hun lippen, maar ook een beetje op hun lange voortanden, die dan op het typische feestje-in-een-zaal waar je bent opeens heel enthousiast worden omdat ze een conga horen die ze herinnert aan hun huwelijksreis op Cuba, waar de Bacardi echt veel beter smaakt dan hier in Nederland. Van die wijven die dan één wijntje drinken voor de gezelligheid, maar echt niet hoeven te zuipen om leuk mee te doen hoor. Die vervolgens wel naar je kijken alsof je een met parasieten bedekte straathond bent omdat jij nadat je een biertje hebt staan atten, in gezelschap een klein boertje laat. Het hoogtepunt is voor mij de Typhoon - Bumayé sample in het wild bij 'María Lionza', die internationaal dan weer bekend is van de Major Lazer versie. Eventjes word ik zo'n horkerige Nederlandse vrouw met platte mannenkont die wil laten merken dat ze dit kent van de huwelijksreis op Cuba. Leuk, leuk. Het is een prima album. Bijzonder goede productie, best aardige muziek, niet te lang gelukkig, de zanger niet té irritant (al snap ik nog steeds niet waarom die gasten altijd met een dichtgeknepen neus moeten zingen). Het is gewoon niet helemaal mijn genre, maar ik wil hier best eenmalig een 4 voor uitdelen. Zeker als we ook meteen afspreken dat dit het laatste salsa album is dat ik dit jaar hoef te luisteren.

First time I’d ever listened to salsa. Fun sounds, unlike anything I’ve heard in the English language. Really enjoyed it.

Willie Colón is the best of the best. Fun to have Rubén Blades with him on this.

Funky stuff

Latin funk. Loved it

Àlbum de salsa contando historias de la vida, y haciendo reflexiones de la sociedad. Bailable y agradable de escuchar. Uno de los mejores discos que he escuchado de salsa.

this album made me wish I was latino and also not depressed

The first track is really fun! Easy listening, but not knowing the language I didn't really connect with the rest of it.

A real mood lifter. Loved this.

If this were my airport, there would be more of this kind of thing. 4.5 🌟

Without knowing the finer points of salsa music, I can only say so much. Having an appreciation for big band music from having played in a jazz band, I can say that this is a very tight band. There is technical skill, but also a passion for the music that comes through even 45+ years after its recording. I really enjoyed this album and would listen to more. Standout tracks: Plastico, Buscando Guayaba, Pedro Navaja, Ojos

I don’t think I’ve ever intentionally listened to Salsa before, but I think I should do it more often. This album was such a vibe.

Song: Pedro Navaja The generator has been on a roll these past few days with giving me some really interesting, international songs. Yesterday it was Fela Kuti & Afrobeats, today salsa. I thoroughly enjoyed this despite barely understanding a word. It made me want to dance, had a great rhythm and great flow. I don't think I've ever listened to a salsa song, but this was great.

Vraiment plus apprécié cet album que j'anticipais. Même si c'est un style que je n'écoute pas du tout, c'était très entrainant et très accrocheur sans devenir énervant ou redondant. Définitivement un album qui mérite d'être ici et certainement à revisiter. 8/10

A fun album that you can't help but tap your feet to. A true classic.

Stunning gorgeous what a way to start 2024

Solid album. I don’t have a ton to compare it to within its own genre but I know I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Loved it

I am definitely not much for salsa music... ...but I like this. So maybe I just don't even know myself. Good album for good vibes - like how can I be in a bad mood listening to this...great musicianship and sounds more modern than 1978 - and also is working as excellent study/work music. ...and if I keep giving 3s for albums that aren't necessarily up my alley am I really being honest with myself? Just because most days I'm not likely to put this on ahead of the genres i like better doesn't diminish the fact that this is catchy as hell. 7/10 4 stars

I haven’t listen to a lot of salsa/latin jazz, but I loved this record. Couldn’t help but dance to it

Fantastic rhythms full of flavour, great storytelling too. Great album

Fun ngl

I wasn't terribly excited to see that I got a salsa album today, but this shit is dope. Just solid grooves running throughout, with great production that makes it sound much more modern than I would have expected for 1978. There's greatly clarity for all of the minor percussion instruments that help establish the beat. The singing is great, though I have no early idea what they are saying 4/5

i know nothing about salsa but i quite enjoyed this! very pleasant. and i recognized that one song from oliver & company right away 😎

this was a cool album and i really enjoyed it. i like salsa as a genre well enough but i couldn't tell you a single song or artist name. it was cool to hear a lot of it all in one place and try to figure out the lyrics. cool west side story reference as well. the instrumentation and musicianship are just off the charts here. favorites: plastico, buscando guayaba, pedro navaja

What a warm, fun, delicious record. I haven't listened to really any salsa music, but this was lovely. The production sounds great (some amazing bass performances!), the vocals grab my attention even when I don't speak the language, and the album is cohesive without feeling repetitive. There are so many moments and flourishes throughout that would reward repeat listening. I particularly enjoyed the "America" (West Side Story) interpolation in "Pedro Navaja" and the backing vocals on "Ojos". And, as mentioned, the amazing bass work across this album.

Great album. I love Latin music and this is really enjoyable and extremely well executed example. Interesting variety of moods. Too bad I don’t speak Spanish 🇲🇽😌

Great instrumentation and album did not feel repetitive despite strong cohesion between all tracks

Never listened to this before. . . Oh hell yes. Groovy, funk-infused latin beats from Blades. The best selling Salsa record of all time. I dig it. . . Not gonna make the regular playlist, but it is great music!

Vibed with this alot, put me in a cracking mood and couldn't help but dance a little through the streets. Strong 3.5/5

Fun, upbeat music! Great for reading and doing chores to.

Fun album! Really jazzy and funky, made for good background music today.

B+ Plástico 4 Buscando Guayaba 4 Pedro Navaja 4 María Lionza 4 Ojos 3 Dime 3 Siembra 4 If you've never eaten at Casa Corona in Swampscott, MA, it's pretty much just like this.

Interesting! Made me think about a hot summer night in a city. I had NO idea what they were saying but I really liked it

Great sound, all songs fed well and great variety of instruments in each song. Dancy dance for sure

Very fun listen, I almost always love these albums! Just makes me which I could properly dance to it lol. I also had at least on Dicaprio moment of a passage I heard that's been sampled a ton. And the album sounds just like a solid unit, they're having a blast, enjoying the vibes, noit outplaying each other. More of this please! 8 out of 10

I enjoyed everything I heard. It was really smooth and funky - probably the best I've heard of this type of music, but I wouldn't want to hear it all the time. Salsa is something I have to be in the mood for, I think.

Nice one. Been aware of Ruben Blades but never dove into his music. They say in NYC in the 70s there were three separate musical explosions... hip hop, punk, and salsa. I've never had an opportunity to check out the salsa movement nor did I know where to start. I can understand why Ruben is such an icon in the Latino community.

I loved this album a lot. Fun to listen and move around to. Very cool

This is why i'm doing this. Would i ever have listened to this otherwise? no. Am i glad i did? yes something about salsa piano gives me the heebie jeebies, but, the brass section and vocals on this are a delight.

Primo cooking tunes

I wish I was smart enough as one of the other reviewers to come up with a tortilla chip joke.

Salsa! Good salsa. Why does the cover make it look like one of those Salsa for Babies CDs? Radiohead for Babies etc. Best tracks: Buscando Guayaba, Ojos.

Qué sorpresa encontrar este disco aquí. Además, es bien político y eso me gustó.

Now this is more my speed! Great little salsa record we've got here! A great introduction to salsa music, I really enjoy this from start to finish

Conozco a los autores pero nunca los tomé en serio. Mis disculpas. Empieza con tres cañonazos y luego se aplaca pero es un disco completamente imprescindible.

Nice catchy music, unfortunately makes you feel like you're in a theme restaurant.

This album deserves all the love for not being Scum by Napalm Death as well as having such a fire trombone section HL: title track, "Buscando Guayaba", "Pedro Navaja" June 30, 2023 (later)

Something about Latin music that just makes you want to move! Enjoyable under certain environments