Customer Reviews

Pasajero (Arg)

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

With their infectious blend of wailing and strumming, so unfailingly evocative of poolsides and paella, the Gipsy Kings have notched up 18 million album sales since their 1980s smashes "Bamboleo" and "Volare".
While their last album, "Roots", was a highly acclaimed return to their all-acoustic origins, "Pasajero" takes a poppier turn with a sequence of breezy, radio-friendly numbers so dependent on their well-worn melodic tics that it could test the patience of even the most die-hard fan.

Nicolas Reyes's voice has lost none of its throaty charisma, and the transition from plaintive verse to shameless crowd-pleasing chorus will inevitably make you smile at some point during the proceedings.

The arrangements, meanwhile, throw in Cuban guitar, North African-style accordion and subtle touches of reggae. But, whichever way you dress it up, the Gipsy Kings keep coming back to the same few tunes with which they began their career over two decades ago.

I've been a fan of the Gipsy Kings for almost twenty years and have enjoyed--and then other times--disappointed with past albums. This album is a keeper and true to their roots: rhythmic guitars, strong vocals, singable melodies (although somewhat repetitive--I'm sure this was done intentionally), traditional hand claps, and even incorporating some South American instruments. If ever the Gypsies came close to making an unplugged, acoustic album, this is the one. You won't be disappointed.

In my opinion, this is what flamenco pop should sound like...true flamenco purists will disagree with me, and Gipsy Kings have certainly created their own brand of Spanish Pop, but for my money this album is certainly a keeper, not one to be thrown away as some other reviewer suggested. The Kings have certainly mellowed, no doubt. There is no gitano-whaling-descending-scales on this album as in other past works of their younger years, but the rhythms are contagious, the melodies are singable and the album is unmistakably "Gipsy Kings".

I bought this CD when I needed some music to liven up a long drive. I'd bought a few others as well, but Pasajero's driving beats and hook-y melodies proved so entertaining that it spent far more time in the CD slot than any of its more mundane companions. What fun--it made me want to *bailar* and *cantar* at the wheel. It had been a long time since I'd listened to the Gypsy Kings, and I'd forgotten their fine party spirit. I am once again a Gypsy-jero.

Susan O'Neill
Author, Don't Mean Nothing: Short Stories of Viet Nam

What a great little collection of dance-worthy Gipsy Kings music. I've been a fan since I first saw them on Saturday Night Live all those years ago and picked up their first cassette, but I have to admit that a couple of their later projects have been a little tougher to like. So when I picked up "Pasajero," it was admittedly a moment of boredom when curiosity got the better of me. I was very pleasantly surprised by the infectious fun "radio gitana" style of the first song, as well as songs like Mira la chica, Donde esta mi amor, Amor, La tounga and Pasajero.

I love music sung in Spanish and the Gypsy Kings are suberb. This CD is wonderful. I will be buying more by this group.

Its not a great CD compared to many others from their past..
Its very mellow and has no upbeat songs to compare to Volare or Bamboleo, which of course would be difficult to top.
I was a bit dissapointed - there's just no highs and lows on the CD.

Finally, after a long wait all of us Gipsy Kings fans have an album of all new material. This is classic Gipsy Kings at its best. Get ready, because you won't be able to sit still for long! My only criticism is that initally the lyrics seem a bit repetitive but it only makes it easier to start singing along. Wonderful flamenco guitar on Canastero and Guaranga, but my favorite is La tounga! Ole!

This CD is a nice collection of pop flamenco for which the Gipsy Kings have built their considerable fan base. Many of the tracks have a Latin flavor although the group's familiar rumba-driven sound is present throughout. This CD differs from the well-received "Roots" release of 2004 in that the music incorporates the use of accordians, electric guitars and bases whereas the earlier CD featured almost entirely the traditional acoustic guitar as the instrument for accompanying the group's vocals. If anything, "Pasajero" demonstrates the Gipsy Kings' vesatility of musical expression as they continue to be one of music's most popular and charasmatic performers.

quality of the recording is not very good. Would not purchase another CD from this company.

This is not the Gypsy kings of yore. If you want the authentic groove of the material that made them who they are, this is not the disc for you. This music is good, and it is part of their natural evolution as artists, but it does not exude the fire and passion of their folky and latin work at the end of the last century.