Customer Reviews

Residente o Visitante

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Sophomore jinx or no, the newest by Calle 13 is, uh, interesting. It starts with a university choir blaring profanities to see if the listener can be easily shocked. In comes "Tango del Pecado", nice Argentinean tango riff, with lyrics deeply tongue in cheek about Residente's avowed relationship with former Miss Universe, Denisse Quiñones. He deserves credit for summarizing the sentiments of every son-in-law-to-be who has experienced scorn or pure hatred by his loved one's parents, with a healthy, deeply cyinical dose of humor. And we've only gone past the first two tracks.

Most of this album is the usual Residente braggadoccio, mixed with irreverence, deeply sexual language (both suggested and direct), and absurd mental images to the extreme. Visitante's take on this (he claims this is a snapshot in the hectic life of Puerto Rico's fastest growing hip hop group) rings true. It lacks "playable" tracks, in the sense of radio-friendly hits, besides "La Cumbia de los Aburridos" (where Residente ridicules anyone who dares to dance it with extra physical baggage or lack of rhythm, as will probably be the case now that their music is the rage everywhere).

The album shows a deepening musical maturity, compared to which, the lyrics are a bit of a let-down. However, "Pa'l Norte" and "La Crema" are deeply political, brutally honest tracks. "La Crema" reminds us of what Calle 13 would have become had the guys not become famous in the past two years: in-your-face hip hop directness, on a track that states, essentially, that Residente is merely a product of the culture he's rapping about, warts and all. "Pa'l Norte" tells us that Puerto Rico is way too quick to dismiss the rest of Latin America, that the island is part of the entire continent, and that most objections to this are merely mental.

Then, again, this is not the clichéd, by-now tired gangsta rehashing of reggaetón images. "La Era de la Copiaera" deals with this, directly; somehow one says 'it is about time that reggaetón artists take an honest look at themselves', but maybe the song's shock treatment is the only shakeup powerful enough to evoke that self-criticism, merely because it comes from a potential foe to the recyclers. "Uiyi Guaye," had not been for a few self-love references, is an honest love(?) track that could find its way to radio (its "smooth talker one minute, crass the next" approach is simply hilarious, as is the cheap chorus). "A Limpiar el Sucio" and "Sin Exagerar" abound in parody.

Tego Calderón and Mala Rodriguez make delicious cameos on this album. Tego's hilarious bragging about owning Puerto Rican politicians rings so-awfully true after the "Coquito" affair, where a drug dealer turned record producer who was later assassinated turned out to be chummy with at least three politicians. Mala Rodríguez's track is deliciously crude; Residente sort of spoils it by being too direct, but her intervention definitely deserves heavy rotation on an iPod (the beat itself is pure headphone heaven). She satirizes Residentes sexual prowess (or lack thereof) in a song that couldn't make me laugh harder because it wasn't longer, no pun intended.

This is not musically stale by any means. This is not teen friendly, either; there's enough profanity here to shock the filthiest. However, it is real, and tends to buck any commercial trends. Evoke or shock, it serves its purpose well.

I was very surprised by this album in the sense that I did not expect it to be this good. The music is really what makes this album great. Calle 13 has evolved in a way not many hip hop/reggaeton artists do. But lets not forget Residente's lyrics, which evoke so many different feelings in you, its amazing (anything from pure disgust to laugh out loud funny). Is there profanity? Sure, more than I expected. Am I offended or somehow turned off by this? Hell no! For me that is actually part of its charm.

My top 6 tracks are:
Tango del pecado - truly innovative mixing neo tango with a reggaeton beat, loved it.

Sin Exagerar - pokes fun at most of the exaggerations made by most hip hop and reggaeton artists, while Tego blasts against the government. Excellent track.

Mala Suerte con el 13 - I like it because, at the end of the day, if you think about it, he is making fun of all the dudes who say they have big D*cks and last a lot in bed (among other undertones in the song). Certainly not for the faint of heart.

Pal Norte - great collaboration with Orishas, the song is thought provoking and a has a catchy corus to boot.

La Crema - if you are from Puerto Rico this song speaks to you (Un besito a Titi Chagua, classic).

La Era de la Copiaera - from the intro and outro, to the hook, this song is fantastic (Ah! Y dejen de fumar marihuana...)

Overall this album can't be classified under anything other than Latin. Sample it before buying because its obvious people either like it or hate it, however don't just trash the album just because of the profanity, to do that is to be as closed minded as the people they are making fun of...

"Por que no me chupan el pito...repito"

Calle 13, the winner of 3 Latin Grammys and 1 Latin American MTV Award are extremely diverse on this new album. The Puerto Rican born duo Calle 13 are representing their native homeland extremely well in the genre of Reggeaton. As we know Reggaeton has been growing temendously all throughot the world, but especially Latin America. Residente o Visitante acknowledges that and pays tribute to different types of Latin music. Their first single "Tango del Pecado" has a blend of Tango from Spain, good mix! What can you expect the rest of the album... well an evolution of head banging beats from countries like Spain, Colombia, Brazil, Peru-Ecuaodr & Bolivia(The Andes), Mexico and many more!!!!
The album has Reggaeton fire in its heart, but each track blends beautifully with genres like Cumbia, Rock, Tango, Bossa Nova, Funk, Pop & reggae. More than an evolution Calle 13 has created their own flavor of what REGGEATON can be.
Artists like Ivy Queen were pissed off when calle 13 won 3 Latin Grammys, but the reason why they probably won is the same reason why this album is completely different from the rest. Residente o Visitante grows out of the same beats from Luny Tunes, Tainy, Nelly La Mente Maestra, DJ Urba & Monseratte, DJ Nelson & others ( whom are still all great producers and have made various hot beats)... they offer something more than street beats.
Daddy Yankee, Don Omar, Hector El Father, Wisin Y Yandel are all great Reggeaton artists but CALLE 13 could be argued that lyrically destroys some of these artists. Calle 13 spits flames and has much more diverse topics to talk about. These guys better watch out, Calle 13 has style that these "gangsters" don't even understand. Calle 13 is maybe one of the best reggaeton artists out there because they can rap circles around 90% of the reggeaton artists( Hector El Father, Wisin Y Yandel, Arcangel, Yomo, IVY QUEEN, defintely Rakim y Ken-Y... and maybe Daddy Yankee & Don Omar).
These guys should take some notes down and maybe take some lessons from Calle 13 in terms of being a musician... now Im not hating on them but maybe like that they will give us better music!!!! Not like that weak beat from Scott Storch on "IMPACTO" for Daddy Yankee. Im sure DY's album will be the bomb but what else are artistrs like him gonna do, keep working with the same type of producers?????????????

OVERALL 5 STAR ALBUM! get it!!! you wont be pissed off trust not me but other critics!
CALLE 13 MAS TE CRECE

Bueno, como siempre Calle 13 demuestra que ellos Residente en la lirica y Visitante en la musica, son algo diferente de los otros del reaggeton. Ellos tienen una picardia particular, pero algunas veces y mas en este disco que en el primero, ellos han optado en ser un poco mas grotescos. Dos ejemplos de eso en en una cancion, de hacer caca o mear a tu pareja mientras tengas relacciones, si no me equivoco es la cancion, "Vamos a Faltar El respeto". Y Una cancion que no termine de escuchar, la cancion 6, decia algo de arrancar la rodilla, y yo que he visto en el pasado, heridas feas en la rodilla, rapido cambie la cancion. Lo que esperaba mas de este disco era la critica social. Hay en la cancion "La crema" y en la cancion que hace con Tego Calderon, de que tengo los politicos comprao, etc. De contenido sexual, hay mas en este que en el segundo, pero en una forma mas grotesca que uno escucha de otros artistas.

Pero en lo musical, la botaron al igual que hicieron en el primer disco, y lo mejor tambien que hicieron es que no suena mucho como su primer disco. En este disco uno escucha mas instrumentos, y tipicos de otros paises. No es la formula de solamente el MC y DJ de siempre que ya tienen a algunos aburridos.

Asi que a esos veteranos y envidiodos que hicieron criticas y comentarios baratos al respeto que Calle 13 se ganaron los Latin Grammys del año pasado, que aprendan su leccion. Ellos se lo ganaron porque trayeron un estilo novedoso al reaggeton, al igual que hizo Tego Calderon en el 2002. No siguen lo la misma pista y con el mismo tema. Asi que la Caballota fea esa, la paquita del barrio del reggeaton, y los dos vaqueritos de cayey, si no aprenden a evolucionar sin copiarse de otros o quedarse monotonos, pues mejor retirensen con dignidad. Tuvieron ya su epoca de estar pegao asi que aprenden a pasar la batuta si se van a quedar en lo mismo.

En fin hay algunos que elogian a Calle 13 por ser diferente a los demas, pero hay otros que los critican por las mismas razones. Musicalmente se inovaron de ellos mismos y espero que asi seguiran, pero de ser gracioso es una cosa y de ser grotesco es otra cosa, esa formula de comedia al estilo de Jackass, espero que la cambien

Ya todos conocen el estilo de Calle 13, y este nuevo CD es un paso mas al estilo del Residente Y Visitante. El vocabulario que usa en todas las canciones es ya del, y si les cae mal no hubiesen escuchado ni el 1er CD. A mi sinceramente me gusto el CD por su lirica y sus sonidos que continuan siendo diferente a todo lo que hay en el mercado. Uno se rie, se impresiona y piensa al escuchar las canciones, y lo unico q me estuvo extraño fue q no pusieron una cancion/pista reggaeton fuerte pa la DISCO. Siempre uno se pompiaba cuando el DJ ponia una cancion de las viejas de Calle 13 ahi como OJALAI. NAda, en fin el CD se lo recomiendo a aquellos que ya sepan la q hay y que les haya gustado el 1er CD y acho pa lante en verda. El CD esta bueno! Esos DUOs que integraron quedaron buenos musicalmente, no son DUOs comerciales, son de musica buena.

If they knew that the follow up album would be so good, they would've given them 5 Grammy awards. This is what music should be. Most people sell out with their second release but Calle 13 have evolved. They made something that was great, greater. With that I'll say that this is not reggaeton, this is music.

Visitante's beats are really something else, well executed and extremely original. You have to be dead, in order to keep still while listening. Residente's lyrics are brutally honest and funny, there's nothing that escapes his imagination, a total mushroom trip.

Standout songs, even though you won't skip any of them, are :
"La Era De la Copiaera" I don't know who his lashing out at but it's beautifully hilarious.
"Me Voy pal Norte" Featuring Orishas, a harmonious union, between the two best talents, in the spanish speaking, urban music scene right now. Socially Conscious once again.
"Cumbia de los Aburridos" and "Uiyi Guaye" these are simply funny and great to dance to.
Don't miss this album...it'll be like missing your birthday.

Calle 13's newest album, Residente o Visitante is a huge step since their first self titled album. A little more darker, it is much more lyrically and politically focused. With collaborations from many artists, Calle 13 continues to break the mold for latin artists. Some upbeat, Reggaeton songs, and some slower songs that don't fall into the reggaeton category. All in all, an amazing CD that will awe you with it's inspiring beats.

WOW!!!!! I do have to say it. Exelent CD, A latin urban CD like no other. Lyrics are amazing, so poatics, full of sarcasm. Its like little stories. Residente have a great power when he signs... It so poetic as it is vulgar. They have some social content too. Pal' Norte its a call for freedom, a story about mexican inmigrants... great piece. Music is orgasmic.

This album is very different and great in beats but it's not as good as the first one. It doesnt have a real good reggaeton beat like Sandwich de Salchicha, Esto Va Suave or Atreve te te, (I dont know if those are the titles, but you get the idea). But overall is real good, cafre, sucio, mal hablao y malcriao but the lyrics are very original and different. You have to have a very open mind. But again he should have had more seductive reggaeton songs.

I love the video, it's refreshing to see young people finding their ways and searching for answers.
Good on you Calle 13!!!
los seguire apoyando porque ustedes no han elegido el camino mas facil.