Customer Reviews

Un Dia Normal

5 star:		(67)
4 star:		(16)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I bought this CD on a whim after hearing "A Dios Le Pido" on the radio (as I'm sure many other people did). It has quickly become one of my favorite CD's, and I'm constantly recommending it to other people. Here's my breakdown of each of the songs.

1. A Dios Le Pido--what can I say? The rhythm is infectious, the guitar combines a Latin flourish with good straightforward pop-rock, and the chorus is easy to sing along to!

2. Es Por Ti--an earnest, heartfelt song. The lyrics border on poetry: "Tu piel tiene el color/De un rojo atardecer..."

3. Un Dia Normal--a pensive song, with expressive, echoing guitar and a sort of lilt to the rhythm. I've always thought of this as a perfect song for driving down a long stretch of road on a sunny day.

4. La Paga--one of my least favorite songs on this album, actually (though that's not saying much). The music is a little harsher, a little less melodic, though it's fitting for the song's theme.

5. La Unica--He wrote this song for his mother! It's a touching tribute, with smooth, warm instrumentation and, again, those poetic love lyrics.

6. Luna--A blithe, clever twist on the "She loves me-she loves me not" motif, with Juanes affectionately asking the moon if his girl could be the love of his life.

7. Dia Lejano--A somewhat mournful song, a more straightforward ballad. The instrumentation complements the yearning feel of the lyrics: "Tal vez, algun dia lejano, quizas/Te vuelvo encontrar...te puedo olvidar..."

8. Mala Gente--He sounds like he's having so much fun on this song! Once again, the guitar playing matches the fiery, resentful tone of his singing, and frames a rousing damnation of a malicious ex.

9. Fotografia--Juanes's and Nelly Furtado's voices are perfectly matched, and her laughter and slightly Americanized Spanish add a spontaneous quality to another song about yearning and loneliness.

10. Desde Que Despierto--This song is a little guilty pleasure of mine. Not quite as substantial as some of the other songs on the album, this one leans a little more towards pure pop, but the lyrics are so wonderfully metaphorical ("Mira que en mis llagas no hay dolor si tu eres la sal/Y mi herida no es profunda si tu eres el puñal"), and the chorus so catchy, that I can't help but love it.

11. La Historia de Juan--This is the most overtly socially critical song on the album. The story of a love-starved street child is heartbreaking, both musically and lyrically.

12. La Noche--A less "pop-rock" song, more culturally informed, but it sounds like Juanes is having fun with the vocals.

I highly recommend this CD, even if you don't speak Spanish. The music communicates on its own, and Juanes is a skilled songwriter and musician.

Hace poco más de un año muy poca gente en Estados Unidos conocía el nombre Juanes. No fue hasta que se anunciaron las nominaciones para los premios Grammy 2001 que el mundo se dio cuenta de que Colombia nos estaba ofreciendo otro artista especial.

Desde Medellín salió Juan Esteban Aristizabal V, y con su primer álbum "Fíjate bien" tomó a los críticos por sorpresa, y le dio a todos el presentimiento de que una gran estrella estaba por nacer.

Al igual que con su compatriota Shakira, gran parte del encanto de Juanes es su originalidad. Es cantante, compositor, guitarrista, arreglista, productor y promotor, y al hacer su música, no pide permisos ni ofrece excusas.

Todo lo que hace Juanes viene de adentro, algo que le falta a muchos jóvenes músicos hoy en día que se dejan atrapar por las garras del comercialismo, perdiendo a la vez ese toque que los hace especiales.

Otra cosa que destaca a Juanes es su humildad. A pesar del talento increíble que obviamente posee, el se comporta como que no es nada del otro mundo, algo que en mi opinión lo hace brillar aún más.

Con su segunda producción bajo el sello Universal, "Un día normal", encontramos a un cantautor mucho más relajado, mucho más libre de expresar su arte sin miedo al que dirán. Además del ya éxito "A Dios le pido", en el álbum también se destacan temas como "La Fotografía", un dueto con la estrella canadiense Nelly Furtado que se podría convertir en un clásico por el simple hecho de que ambos jovenes tienen futuros tan brillantes por delante.

Temas como "Mala Gente" y "La Paga" demuestran el orgullo que siente Juanes por los ritmos pegajosos de su Colombia natal. Lo mismo demuestra con su versión de "La Noche", tema original del legendario Joe Arroyo.

El mundo de la música nos lo introdujo de la noche a la mañana como rockero, pero con esta nueva producción Juanes demuestra que es mucho más que eso. Ningún critico debería atreverse a clasificar este disco como un disco de rock, porque eso sería encasillar un trabajo que de seguro cruzará fronteras musicales en todas partes del mundo.

Hasta el día de hoy mucha gente todavía no sabe mucho de Juanes, pero con el sencillo "A Dios le pido" escuchándose fuertemente en estaciones desde Los Angeles hasta Miami, no pasará mucho tiempo hasta que el nombre y el hombre se conviertan en otro símbolo de lo que orgullosamente ofrece Latinoamérica para el mundo entero.

Juanes is great!! I discovered him this year, and I only regret I didn't listen his songs sooner. He is colombian, like Shakira, and even though they sing quite differently, both are wonderful.

This, "Un día normal", is Juanes's second solo album (the first was "Fíjate bien"), and I believe it is a keeper. I didn't give it 5 stars only because there are 3 songs I didn't care for (I didn't hate them, but they weren't as good as the rest).

If I had to choose my favorite songs in this cd, I'd choose "A Dios le pido" y "Mala gente". Both have rhytm, and convey feelings everybody has sooner or later. For example, in "Mala gente" he tells a ex lover who was awful to him that she can go to hell (but in quite a funny way).

Listen to those 2 songs (they are in this web site as samples), and if you can, buy the cd. It's worth it !!! :)

When listening to the latest Latin releases, I find myself dissapointed more often than not. There are albums that come along like Shakira's ¿Dónde están los ladrones?, Ely Guerra's "Lotofire", and the recent offerings from Alejandro Sanz that are awesome. Then there are bombs from Paulina Rubio, Thalia, and Las Ketchup that insult your intelligence. Thankfully, Juanes' album <<un día normal>> belongs in the "awesome" group. Similar to Shakira's use of a multitude of Latin sounds and styles on ¿Dónde están...?, Juanes creates a unique sound for each song. The stand out songs on the album are #1 A Dios Le Pido, #4 La Paga, and #12 La Noche. The only dissapointment on this album is the dull duet #9 Fotografía with the usually stellar Nelly Furtado. This album is a representation of what Latin music can be ( but often is not) and certainly represents great musica colombiana.

I'm sorry, but I really don't understand why everyone favors Un Día Normal over Fíjate Bien. FB's lyrics, variety of songs and musical styles and overall depth make it a much superior album to the pop-tinged songs and lyrics of UDN. What has made me love Juanes ever since his Ekhymosis days (check out this awesome Colombian band) is his fusion of American rock (specifically influences such as Metallica and Led Zepellin) and his native Colombian rhythms. There is no one better at fusing rock and Latin rhythms than Juanes, but unfortunately, this isn't evident on Un Día Normal. However, I'm still one of the biggest fans of Juanes, and I'll support him despite his musical changes.

Lo siento, pero de veras no entiendo por qué todos consideran superior Un Día Normal a Fíjate Bien. La letra, variedad de canciones y estilos musicales y la profundidad general de FB lo hacen un álbum tan superior a las canciones y la letra pop de UDN. Lo que me ha encantado de Juanes desde sus días con Ekhymosis (busca y escucha esta banda colombiana increíble) es su fusión del rock americano (en especial influencias tales como Metallica y Led Zepellin) y sus ritmos natales colombianos. No hay nadie que fusione mejor el rock y los ritmos latinos que Juanes, pero desafortunadamente, esto no es evidente en Un Día Normal. Sin embargo, todavía soy una gran fan de Juanes, y lo apoyaré a pesar de sus cambios musicales.

la semana pasada mi madre y yo nos fuimos a un concierto en el madison square garden llamado "Pa Colombia" y alli juanes aparecio y canto tres canciones. yo solo habia escuchado "a dios le pido" y me descresto la energia y positividad de sus canciones. sin duda que ahora soy un fan de el. les recomiendo los cds de juanes a la gente que le gusta el pop rock, el vallenato, y hasta un poco de cumbia. que viva colombia!!
RECOMMENDED.

(ANDREA: la cancion que canto Nelly Furtado con Juanes se llama "Fotografia" no "Cada Vez" como pensabas. ojala regreses a esta pagina para leer esto.)

I was introduced to Juanes' music by a huge fan of his work, dating back to Ekhymosis--his former band. I definitely was pleasantly surprised to find how catchy his tunes were, and also the lyrics are fabulous, thoughtful and intelligent. Even if you don't speak Spanish you will definitely find something to enjoy about his songwriting style. A Dios Le Pido is social commentary relating to the state of the world (I Pray to God). What a timely written during such an uncertain time. The rest of the songs feature Juanes' beautiful guitar strumming. You can tell it comes straight from his heart. Also, the mix of rock, cumbia, vallenato and ballad is versatile and never boring. Guaranteed to get you dancing, or at least tapping your foot as you wait for the traffic light to change.....

Another beautiful cut is La Unica (The Only). This song is dedicated to his mother who passed away. I always love when artists honor loved ones through their work and talent. Juanes tackles all issues on this album---everything from failed love (Mala Gente/Fotografia/La Paga) to broken homes (La Historia de Juan) to social unrest (A Dios Le Pido). He is definitely a gifted artist in a class by himself. Que vive, Juanes!
Check this album out. I guarantee you will want to buy it after you listen to the sample cuts.

You can say whatever you want, that Juanes became "pop" or "catchy," but I still think this album "Un Dia Normal" is his greatest ever. Personally, I think this was the BEST album by any artist in 2002 and I still listen to it to this day. Unlike his former album "Fijate Bien" which I thought was great as well but too gloomy, he is showing more tender side, talking about love, life, and hope. The songs are all incrediblly well-written, especially "A Dios Le Pido," "Es por Ti," and "Un Dia Normal." It is just not an accident that he received all these grammys; He is an enormously talented artist not just in Latin America. I have no doubt in my mind that he will be a huge success in the U.S. as well.

Unlike other Spanish language cd's, Juanes' songs manage to strike a cord with even those that who don't speak Spanish. I understand a little, but speak NO Spanish at all, but his diction is so clear and his tunes so catchy that you'll find yourself not only humming along every track but even picking up the words. I saw his hit video on Latin Video tv and loved it enough to go out and buy the whole cd, trusting that I would not be disappointed -- guess what....I WASN'T ! This is one you should buy.

A Colombian singer-songwriter who blends rock, salsa and contemporary themes into seamless music, "Un Dia Normal" is a satisfying effort overall. The hit song "A Dios Le Pido" is literally a love-prayer to God, and recently won top rock song honors at the Latin Grammys. It's easily the standout track among an assortment of other finely crafted tunes, with a catchy uplifting lyric that pleads for love and redemption. The term "Latin Rock" is a bit of a misnomer since most English music listeners associate rock with a harder, more elaborate sound like Zeppelin or the Rolling Stones. Juanes' rock is melodic, upbeat and simply phrased - there's little in the way of melodrama or hard edged percussion here. Overall, this is a terrific album, but I have one caveat....on repeated listens, some of the songs start to sound the same, as if the chords and hooks were created on the same day - therefore the set gets 4 stars, largely on the strength of the "Dios" track and the songwriter's intelligent, eclectic lyrics.