Customer Reviews

Rock De Mi Pueblo

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

 

 

After thoroughly enjoying Carlos Vives' last tour-de-force "Dejame Entrar" I thought it would be impossible for the artist to match the integrity and musical genius the artist brough to that epic cycle. On "Rock de mi Pueblo" Vives delivers another set of free-style vallenato and pure anthems that combine refreshing melodies and catchy lyrics. I see this set as a continuation of the prior album - joyful and thoughtful at once, and deeply heartfelt. From the opening accordions that highlight "Comu Tu" - a number one track on Spanish radio at the moment - to the joyful "Gallito de Caramelo" and the album-capping "Duro", Vives sends a message to his people and all of his fans - he's here with something important to say and the words and music to say it with class, dignity and absolute fun. While some may complain the artist sticks to what he knows best and what he's delivered in the past, I see nothing wrong with that. If its true this album has a harder edge, that's fine too - all in all it adds up to a terrific set of melodies and lyrics that are sure to make you move your feet and enjoy. A terrific album from a true original.

I have all of Carlos' albums. I'd have to say I was probably expecting too much out of this one. Most of the songs sound too similar to past songs. I guess at a first try I was a bit bored. I do like Como tu and the fact that there is still some valleanto and rock. Interesting enough the play on words, rock de mi pueblo. Just an odd cultural observation!

Anyway, the cd did not sound as fresh to me as I hoped, but maybe that will just grow...?

I live in Panama and two nights ago had the great pleasure of going to Carlos Vives' concert, on his "Rock de mi Pueblo" tour. If you have a chance to catch part of this tour, do so. His live act is marvelous, a great way to see him and all of his talented musicians in action. His love for Colombia and attachment to his musical roots are still strong and come across in every piece. This collection is not as traditional-sounding as his previous ones, but he's stretching and trying out new stuff, always with great musical talent and creativity. I just hope he doesn't stray too far from Colombia's beloved vallenato style and lose it in the process. I lived in Colombia in the 1990's, when his career was taking off, and to me, Carlos Vives IS Colombia. I hear him and I'm transported back to this most beautiful but badly maligned country. Que viva por siempre el amor de mi tierra!

This awesome album purely reflects the evolution of Colombian music.
I consider Carlos Vives an ambassador of Contemporary Colombian Folkloric music, and even though many people have been disappointed with this new album, because its too poppy and/or too rock oriented; I will say to you, as a Colombian musician, performer of Jazz and Colombian Folklore, that this album still preserves the same Colombian features as the other passed albums. This is just a much modern concept of Colombian music; and if you really pay attention to what's going on in the music, you will see that every single song has a pure Colombian taste. Yes... OK!!! maybe the traditional instrumentation is not too strong and its covered by all the guitars, drums and keyboards. But, what is really interesting though, is that this traditional sound is being kept within the electric guitars and drums, and all this modern stuff.(I might be getting a little technical here, but bare with me), if you listen closely to what every musician in the band is doing, (which by the way I think they're phenomenal and extremely talented), you will see that the essence of the music is the same. For instance, if you listen to some of the guitar solos, like "gallito de caramelo" the phrases and melodic lines of it are purely vallenato and afro-Colombian, and so with many other aspects, like the drummer playing some of the licks as if he was a caja vallenata player(caja vallenata is a special Colombian drum used to play Vallenato music)or the harmonizations used in the choruses and verses of the songs; they are purely afro-Colombian sounding.
I really don't think that this album is rock with some Colombian sound to it, I think what Carlos Vives did, was going one step further from where he was before, going into a more contemporary aproach without changing anything from the traditional folklore sound. He kept his roots all the way, even if its not so obvious at first.
I highly recomend this album to everybody, specially to those who are involved with Colombian music.
Carlos Vives and his band La Provincia have done a tremendous job bringing this music to another level and to another musical perspective...
Truly... a Colombian pride...

In my previous review, I stated "definitely not Vives' best". I take it back.

El Rock de mi Pueblo is Carlos Vives' greatest album so far. After listening to it for a couple of weeks, I truly realized the amount of work put into it in order to deliver a masterpiece. Though the style has indeed changed a bit, it maintains the essence which made him a success all the way through the last decade.

Experimenting with new rhythms is a constant. 'Santa Marta Kingston New Orleans' has influence from blues, soul and some reggae. 'La Maravilla' is the one of the best songs for dancing I've heard in a while. 'La Princesa y el Soldado' -dedicated to his children I think- is great both for listening and dancing to. 'Voy a olvidarme de ti', 'Maleta de Sueños' both great romatinc songs. 'La llamada' and 'Gallito de caramelo', reminding us of the classic, great Vallenato. 'El Rock de mi Pueblo' and 'Como tu', on the same line, depict rock-influenced Latin American rhythms.

On the low side, I did not like 'Que tiene la noche' and 'El duro El Original'. Still, they are interesting compositions and do appeal to many.

Overall, a truly great album. Carlos Vives shows much more maturity as a singer, a composer, and a musician. Most songs are really great, something you can't find in many albums. If you're new at this type of music, or a long-time fan, get it. A must.

Carlos Vives is being more of a rocker in this album, just like the title suggests. The songs are just OK, though up-beat, and I think his unique style has changed for the worse. He might be trying to emulate the success of fellow Colombian Juanes by jumping into a more mainstream kind of music. This is a rock-en-español CD with a touch of vallenato, cumbia and other Colombian beats. His previous CD's were quite the opposite -- vallenatos and cumbias played with electric guitars. Too bad that Vives went this way... didn't have to do it, he's already an icon everywhere in the world (except the U.S.)... I think he sold out in an effort to sell more CDs, maybe he wants to make it big in the U.S. in a cheesy-Miami kind of way.

Very few artists can do what Vives has done, improve with every album, this is a masterpiece, the arrangements are awesome, this is exactly what I was waiting for a unique sound mixing the beautiful colombian sounds with rock, and at the same time maintaining the feeling.

For the people that are more "Vallenato" oriented this might not be the best Vives CD, but for Rock fans, who fell in love with "Vallenato" because of Carlos Vives this is IT!!!, (cause I'll be honest I did not like "Vallenatos" before Vives came out, He was able to transform it, and trap young people in Colombia that were listening to Rock, Grunge, Metal etc., and he was even able to inspire on people a deep pride for our country that was lost, especially in the young ones that were to consumed by american and european music)

Viva el rock de mi pueblo!... COLOMBIA!!!

though its hard to take the cover photo seriously, the music inside is worth it. Varied, inventive, Vives covers new ground never straying too far from what he does best. Buy it.

I love Carlos Vives, but his latest album is not his best. There are only 3 or 4 songs that are typical Carlos Vives songs, which envoke happiness and fond memories of Colombia.

Either way, if you are a loyal fan like myself, buy the album. It won't disappoint.. Now if you want to buy a fantastic album, purchase his last, which is absolutely the best and I listen to it on a regular basis...

I heard Carlos Vives for the first time when I was travelling in Colombia (for the first time) for Christmas of 1993. At that time, "Clasicos de la Provincia" had just been released in Colombia, and although at that young age of 22 I was a big fan of salsa and merengue music (and could dance it) I had never heard anything like vallenato music. Throughout my month long trip, I listened to that album over and over again (luckily I can speak Spanish) and fell in love with both the album and the country. Because of this, Carlos Vives' music for me signifies what Colombia itself is. And it continues to do this. True, his music has evolved since then, but so has the country itself. Times do change and music is never stagnant. However, his newest album does not seem to be any big departure from his former albums. While Clasicos and Tengo Fe were more attuned to a traditional vallenato sound, as early as La Tierra del Olvido, Carlos Vives was making these blended types of sounds - his traditional music mixed with some pop and rock. Let's not forget that he was a rock/pop musician BEFORE he did Clasicos de la Provincia and his earlier La Escalona. Rock de Mi Pueblo has some wonderful sounds, and yes a few songs may not be to someone's liking, but in the end Carlos is continuing to speak for a nation, something he does very well. If you are a fan of his music, you should get this album.... it's like being transported to Colombia in a big festive chiva. Que chimba !!