Customer Reviews

Mediocre

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I am a VERY PICKY PERSON ! It takes a LOT to smite Me ! -LOL-

First of all, it is getting tougher and more rare to find ANY DECENT NORMAL Music at all anymore;
(pardon the pun)
--most of what you hear is just Techno-Beat, mechanical-Robotized Crap with a bunch of lame Pornography,
Profanity, and shock value lyrics or rhymes-: spoken, rather than sang, over the top of it....Ad Nauseum !
(Lady GA-GA, etc, etc. What a load of Tripe !) Music to get drunk and stoned to, or sit in soul-destroying L.A.
or Mexico City Traffic ! There is no intelligence behind most Popular Music anymore !

The more we are drowned in Tsunamis of "Trash Music", the more we tend to forget our History.
One really begins to worry about disappearing traditions in our World Cultures,
as our Elders continue to pass away, and it's most especially noticeable in our Music.
We are losing the Treasured Antiques and Heirlooms of Old World Beauty slowly but surely, piece by piece.

So...... to find a NEW YOUNG Artist who not only demonstrates an understanding of this, but also successfully mixes
her instilled 'Old World' Values and Styles with a Modern approach, and balances both Worlds equally,
while unapologetically showing almost no fear about the old Dogma of "crossing over" : and breaking down the racial resentments and barriers between Americans and Mexicans as if to prove that they should never have been allowed to fester this long in the first danged place...! ! ! ! WOW ! THAT is RARE !

YES, I get all that from listening to Ximena's excellent music, and listening to her interviews, and watching her
performances ! We forget sometimes how SMART our Youngsters realy are ! What a Beautiful Bright Angelic Ray of Sunshine and Beacon of Hope for the Future Ximena is, and her bouncy attitude is INFECTIOUS !
It feels GREAT to FEEL GREAT ! (...And Smile, And Dance, and Laugh and Cry).

I discovered Ximena by accident, through a Friend of Asian descent, if that doesn't tell you something already !
When it comes right down to it, MUSIC IS THE UNIVERSAL and UNIFYING LANGUAGE OF GOD !
With Ximena, it was "Love at first Sight" ---well---"Listen", anyway ! :) What a VOICE !
I love it when an Artist is capable and fearless of covering many Styles and Genres, and
"being able to cook using the entire Spice Rack", as we Musicians like to say.

It amazes me also, that Ximena actually WROTE or Co-Wrote most of this Music too !
She isn't just doing Covers of songs custom-composed for her to be targeted as Radio Hits
for the sake of BIG EASY MONEY ! Rather, she is confident enough in her own skills,
and trusts the voice of her own Heart enough to follow it's direction,
and keep her integrity intact.

Add to that, the Groove of the Quality Musicianship of her Back-Up Band,
and we have a 100 % Winner on our hands ! This is a STUNNINGLY FANTASTIC DEBUT ALBUM !
---And the joke is not that the Title mis-states that.
It really means that you don't have to be a Media Sex-Symbol Super-Model,
to exude amazing beauty from the inside ! And that is a GIFT that I for one ,
SO APPRECIATE someone sharing with Me (and The World) !

Ximena's Career/Adventure is just beginning, and I can't wait to hear where she takes us.
...I just Pray to God no jealous Cement-Head SHOOTS HER like Selena ! :(
--Lest we forget the Evil Nature of the World we live in,
while indulged in a blissful Ximena-induced trance ! :)

P.S. My Favorite Song on this CD is "Vidas Paralelas".

I'm a big fan of Latin Alternative music like Julieta Venegas or Natalia Lafourcade. Ximena really impressed me with the passion that comes through in this album. This is one of the rare CDs where almost every track is great. The standouts for me here are "No Vuelvo Mas", "La Tina", "Sintiendo Rara", and "Gris". Non-Spanish speakers should enjoy this album. The lyrics aren't overly complicated, so students of Spanish should be able to understand most of the lyrics here.

America had Billie Holiday, France had Edith Piaf. Mexico gives us Ximena Sariñana. What a voice! She can make every musical style her own. She takes you deep and sultry, then rises to a sweet lightness that lifts you up. And she does it in any language she chooses. You might not know what she's singing about, but you'll get it anyway.

Simply put, her voice makes any song better. So beware! Once Ximena seduces you with her musica, you'll be her happy victim forever. And my oh my, she's only 22!!!

Unlike the title of her CD, she's anything but mediocre. Ximena Sariñana reminds me a bit of Julieta Venegas, whom I like very much, because of her originality and her very own particular sound. A mix of jazz and pop with a crunchy voice that melows along the way, is quite interesting and refreshing. All the songs in this CD are great. If this is her beginning, there's a lot to expect from this talented young artist.

Sinceramente uno de los mejores discos que escuché este año.
la Sariñana ha hecho un disco redondo, lleno de matices y letras encantadoras. 5 estrellas.

I only caught a few minutes of her segment on NPR radio, but in the couple minutes I heard I knew Ximena had a special voice. When someone can knock you over singing just one verse a capella you know its great.

I'm looking forward to the CD.

Update: CD is good. But to really appreciate her you need to watch her sing live. Just search youtube, you'll appreciate her that much more after seeing her live.

...............................................................

Update (7/2011):

Saw her live on her 2011 'tour'. She only played about 20 minutes and without any band at all. Got to say I was disappointed as I wanted to hear some of her first songs with a band behind her and not a digital soundtrack. It just wasn't the same. I know it was just a promo tour but I wanted more.

She was very gracious to the crowd (which I didn't really think were there to see her as they weren't really paying all that much attention). I was glad to see it wasn't the only venue where she performed by herself.

I hope her new album isn't such a solo effort.

I heard Mediocre single on KCRW and it truly caught my attention. I stopped what I was doing just to pay closer attention. So I went out and bought the CD and to my dismay, the CD did not capture the magic she projected on a live sitting. I think she sounds a hundred times better acoustic. I don't think its her fault but the record peoples fault. On a couple of songs I think the music over powers her voice....but thats just my opinion. She definitely has talent, I've heard it before.

Ximena Sarinana is an exceptional artist, her style and cheerful personality bring forth a positive style of singing..ranging between jazz and pop..looking forward to more..

This is one of the best albums I own.. Love her so much.. I feel she is like Norah Jones in spanish. I adore Mexican singers as Spanish is my first language but my English speaking friends love her too.

I love this album. The power of emotion rings through ximena's voice. I hope she creates another album soon because I've played this one out.