MANU CHAO

Manu Chao helped begin the Latin Alternative movement, way back in the '80s — although it had no name then — and in his later work he cuts a cross-cultural swathe across styles and geographic boundaries.

CLANDESTINO (1998)
256 KBPS

The first solo album released by the former frontman of Mano Negra, Clandestino is an enchanting trip through Latin-flavored worldbeat rock, reliant on a potpourri of musical styles from traditional Latin and salsa to dub to rock & roll to French pop to experimental rock to techno. Chao's voice tends to be a bit nasally, but the best songs ("Mentira," "Mama Call," and the silly novelty "Bongo Bong") here benefit from his infectious, freewheeling delivery which incorporates balladry, chorus vocals, rapping, and tossed-off spoken-word passages. Just about every track has odd sampled bits from what sound like pirate radio-station broadcasts (a possible link to the title). There are so many great ideas on this record that it's difficult to digest in one listen, but multiple plays reveal the great depth of Manu Chao's artistry.

1. Clandestino 2:27
2. Desaparecido 3:47
3. Bongo Bong 2:39
4. Je Ne T'Aime Plus 2:01
5. Mentira... 4:38
6. Lagrimas de Oro 2:57
7. Mama Call 2:20
8. Luna y Sol 3:08
9. Por el Suelo 2:21
10. Welcome to Tijuana 4:05
11. Dia Lina... Dia Pena 1:30
12. Malegria 2:55
13. La Vie a 3:01
14. Minha Galera 2:21
15. La Despedida 3:08
16. El Viento 2:31

password: NS74

PROXIMA ESTACION... ESPERANZA (2001)
256 KBPS

Clandestino, Manu Chao's first solo effort, owed its greatness to its character. It was a minimalistic, yet filled with experimentation, album. But, what's most distinctive, it was honest, direct, intimate: the personal diary of someone who had traveled a lot, not only around Latin America but through life. Unfortunately, Chao seems to lose his way a little bit in Esperanza. Apparently intended to be a continuation of what started in Clandestino, it ends being just a clone of it. The reiteration of ideas and formulas takes away from Esperanza everything that made of Clandestino a memorable piece of work. The problem with Esperanza is that Chao, instead of deepening what he proposed in his first album, seems to overfly the surface of his ideas. The consequence of this is that he transforms charm into cliché, leaving the listener with a very light flavor. Anyway, Esperanza still has a bunch of great songs ("Mr Bobby," "Mi Vida," "Trapped By Love," "Me Gustas Tú," "Bixo") and good lyrics ("Mi Vida") which amply justify its listening. Dedicated fans will find that Esperanza is not what they were expecting, yet it's really easy-going and accessible so it will end working for them as well as for casual listeners.

1. Merry Blues 3:36
2. Bixo 1:52
3. Eldorado 1997 1:29
4. Promiscuity 1:35
5. La Primavera 2:23
6. Me Gustas Tu 1:52
7. Denia 4:00
8. Mi Vida 4:39
9. Trapped by Love 2:32
10. Le Rendez Vous 1:54
11. Mr. Bobby 1:56
12. Papito 3:49
13. La Chinita 2:51
14. La Marea 1:33
15. Homens 2:16
16. La Vacaloca 3:18
17. Infinita Tristeza 3:56

password: NS75

RADIO BEMBA SOUND SYSTEM (2002)
192-224 KBPS

In July 2002, Manu Chao performed a live show in Japan, ending a worldwide tour carried out with his band, Radio Bemba New System, a multicultural group consisting of ten talented musicians from different countries. From Jamaican reggae to Latin alternative pop/rock, including rock en español, hip-hop, flamenco, and French rock, The Live Album delivers a collection of hits from 1998's Clandestino, 2001's Ultima Estacion Esperanza, and Mano Negra's legacy, the Parisian rock outfit named in honor of an Andalusian anarchist group that served as Manu Chao's breakthrough in the music industry. In addition, the 29-track record features the previously unreleased "Bienvenido a Tijuana," "Rumba de Barcelona," and a version of the classic Afro-Caribbean-inflected hit "Blood and Fire." Recorded at Paris' Grande Halle de La Villette in September 2001, The Live Album is a multilingual and experimental live experience featuring the best of Manu Chao.

1. Intro 0:50
2. Bienvenida a Tijuana 1:55
3. Machine Gun 2:13
4. Por Done Saldra el Sol? 2:41
5. Peligro 3:09
6. Welcome to Tijuana 2:50
7. El Viento 2:41
8. Casa Babylon 2:34
9. Por el Suelo 3:54
10. Blood and Fire 2:34
11. Ezln...Para Tod@s Todo... 1:41
12. Mr. Bobby 3:36
13. Bongo Bong 1:04
14. Radio Bemba 0:20
15. Que Pasa Que Paso 0:54
16. Pinocchio 0:45
17. Cahi en la Trampa 2:09
18. Clandestino 2:59
19. Rumba de Barcelona 3:31
20. La Despedida 4:02
21. Mala Vida 2:26
22. Radio Bemba 0:33
23. Que Paso Que Paso 1:10
24. Pinocchio 0:44
25. La Primavera 3:32
26. The Monkey 1:59
27. King Kong Five 2:43
28. Minha Galera 3:16
29. Promiscuity 1:44

password: NS76