Customer Reviews

Con Otro Aire

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

In my opinion, Europe has gotten way ahead of us in the development of original musical styles & ideas. Spain in particular has some great bands, especially under the stylistic banner of Nuevo Flamenco. Chambao is one of the finest.

This is simply a stunning piece of work. Although I often see Chambao classified as Flamenco Chill, this album defies easy categorization. In addition to traditional instruments like acoustic guitar, you'll find flute, oud and other instruments not generally associated with flamenco, all tied to together by La Mari's vocals & lyrics.

This album is very melodic and consequently much more accessible than, say, Ojo de Brujo's Techari, which is also a masterful album but can be hard to follow at times.

As of this writing, Con Otro Aire is at Number 8 on the album charts in Spain and the single, Papeles Mojados is at Number One!

Forget that you don't speak Spanish - buy this album!!!

This is my 3rd Chambao album, after "Pokito a Poko" and "Endorfinas en la mente", and this one is the first to disappoint. Maybe not hugely, but a little.

Melodies have gotten simpler, the Spanish flavor and perky melodies, rhythms and harmonies are replaced with smooth listening, and I suspect broader accessibility. Wonderful flamenco syncopation, while present on the background, is largely overpowered by a more typical 4/4 beats.

I can see how this album climbed to 7th place, as it's probably more generally accessible, but the soul of Chambao so present in her previous albums seems sadly, at large.

Este grupo musical no tiene igual en el mundo entero. La voz, las palabras y el ritmo de LaMari te transportan al mar, al cielo, a las estrellas y a la profundidad de su alma. Esta música me inspira a ser aun más feliz de lo que soy, me hace reír, me trae lágrimas y me provoca a abrazar a todos, tanto a los conocidos como a los desconocidos. Qué alegría más sincera, más contagiosa, más iluminadora. La verdad es que LaMari nos muestra la sencillez de la vida y le mando mis mil y una gracias. Y...me encanta el homenaje a las ballenas...

Her music is smoothing to the spirit. The Latin beat combine with the original spanish tone makes you get up and move to a very sensual.

" Con Otro Aire" shows Chambao's wilingness to evolve their musical horizons and continue to make social and emotional comentary, this is all in evidence on the track "Papeles Mojados" (Wet papers) a stirring comment on the plight of illegal inmigrants that cross into Europe from Northern Africa many times losing their lives at sea. The music incorporates many elements of northern african music. But the album also includes introspectives themes and the usual "chill sound" in songs like "Duende del Sur" and Rocks out with Puertorican sounds in "El Viejo San Juan". I really enjoyed this CD and reccomend it as much as their previous ones. If you like Chambao you will not be dissapointed.

So this album has a few good tracks, but it's not their best work. After a while, I felt like each song started sounding like the previous one, kind of like an regaton or Elvis Crespo album!! Probably better off just previewing the tracks on Amazon or iTunes and just buying the songs you like. On a scale of 1 to 10, I would give this album a 6 and I think I am being generous!!

Some people don't like it as much as the older albums, but I think is very good, very calm, and definitely more like poetry, I like it a lot.

I have been playing this CD over and over again, always hearing new things and changing my mind on which song is my favorite. I am a Chambao fan, and this ranks with their best. Truly a winner!

Wonderful, new harmonies on flamenco-based songs. Only one song I didn't care for, highly recommend it!

Miles away from their previous CDs. The other ones are really really good.
For those of you who liked them, you should also look for Bebe. Her first (and only) CD is quite wonderful. Very powerful.
Paulo