Sin Bandera

Sin Bandera | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 26, 2002)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Sony International
• ASIN: B000063KOJ
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #567,494 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Founded by Mexico's Leonel García and Argentina's Noel Shajris, Sin Bandera is a vocal duet that performs polished, extremely melodic pop songs celebrating the vicissitudes of love. The lyrics are in Spanish, but the group's sound is informed by the kind of glossy production values and palatable keyboard lines that define most mainstream American productions. That's not to say that Sin Bandera is totally devoid of the Latin tinge, however. The rhythmic structure of the opening "Para Alcanzarte," for instance, is enhanced by a percolating salsa line from pianist Hector Infanzon, and the sinuous, delicate ballad "A Primera Vista" includes the instrumental contribution of Joselo Rangel, lead guitarist of premier rock-en-español band Café Tacuba. Even though the duet's openly commercial aspirations are apparent throughout the album's 10 tracks, there's also a bohemian atmosphere that permeates the procedures, as if Sin Bandera had recorded these tunes in a solitary café, late at night, drunk with the power of their own poetry. Lovers of quality--and slightly melodramatic--Latin pop will think of Sin Bandera as an indispensable arrival to the genre. --Ernesto Lechner

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Saving music, March 31, 2005

By 

Ray Rivera "Eternal Romantic regardless" (San Diego, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sin Bandera (Audio CD)

While American music was stagnating and wholly uninspired in the last few years I was wondering if and when it would get it's act together. Mindless pop tunes with no soul autotuned to sterile perfection blared on every radio channel I knew that there had to be a glimmer of light somewhere to save music. I endured a few more years of this and finally it took me moving to San Diego California in 2002 to know that while American music had lost its passion the rest of the world however had not. Driving in my U-haul over the mountains east of San Diego the US channels faded to static and the Mexican stations took over. Soon I hear a sublime impassioned voice whispering passionately in Spanish. Though I do not understand Spanish the heartfelt emotions pouring from the singer backed by a wistful guitar, the message was clear. The music fanned the dieing embers of my heart and washed over me in a glorious candlelight. The Song I was as I have just recently found out was Sin Bandera's Te Vi Venir, easily the best piece of music I've heard anywhere, anyplace in the world in many years. My heart was inspired and the Romantic in me rekindled. I knew that hope had returned to music.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars VERY TALENTED DUO WITH SUBLIME, ELOQUENT LYRICS, April 6, 2002

By 

London Braithewaite "[e-mail]" (The United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sin Bandera (Audio CD)

The video for SB's "Entra En Mi Vida" has recieved extended stay on most of Latin America's play lists; as well it should. It is a very calculated and carefully planned performance, for it sends important information to the viewer about these impressive artists: This is a duo with a natural ability to harmonize round each other's phrasing. They both play a variety of instruments, hence the learned approach to their musical and lyric composition (the structure of each song is definitely solid, classically trained, and designed to showcase the best of their talent). And the results are wholly viceral, very enjoyable.

The difficulty lies in what one should notice first. The obvious subject is of course the vocal delivery. It is impeccable in both harmony and interpretation. Every one of these songs is a duet beautifully arranged and performed. When either Leonel or Noel, the entirety of SIN BANDERA, take the melody, the other wraps the harmony perfectly throughout the other's reading, without overlapping and "stepping over" each other. It is a perfect complement. What one hears is a rich, engaging performance. It is a staggering understatement to say that these artists have enchanting voices and enormous talent.

Next is the lyrics of this CD. Penned by the artists themselves, these compositions are at once elegant, eloquent, engaging, deliciously infectious, indelible, and utterly enviable. One wishes one could have thought of just this manner of expressing the elation of love, the poignancy of past loves longed after, and it's disappointments. Romantic is not word that does not come naturally here. It is strained. It has become a most trite and overwraught description, but approached from a traditional sense, there is little that is not romantic about this production on the whole. It is unique in its style, but very romantic.

The aforementioned "Entra En Mi Vida" is a gentle supplication and sure to become a mainstay of the best of ballads. The uncontainable rush of emotion and infatuation when one finds himself in love at first sight is subtlely offered in "A Primera Vista" until the first chorus comes round. Then, one is swept off his feet! The other worthy ballad that has been making the rounds on the video playlists recently is "Kilometros"--about the perturbations to one's true love over distance... simply beautiful.

This debut deserves 5 stars for its sheer talent alone, but also for its acoustic (instrument and vocal) drive. The passion with which this duo composes, plays, and sings their songs is evident in every one of the tracks, and it is a joy to listen to it.

You will play this cd over and over again with as much joy and appreciation as when you first heard it.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great album, August 25, 2004

By 

L. Gonzalez (Syracuse, NY) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sin Bandera (Audio CD)

Their soothing voices and beautiful lyrics are a beautiful blend. The cd is very romantic and the pop tracks are lightening and uplifting. Im a true fan of Sin Bandera and they are a talented duo.