Tiempos

Ruben Blades | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (July 13, 1999)
• Original Release Date: July 13, 1999
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Sony U.S. Latin
• ASIN: B00000JKP6
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (35 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #42,936 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

On first hearing, Ruben Blades's Grammy-winning Tiempos seems far too laid-back, its soft guitars and trilling saxophones edging dangerously close to smooth jazz. Listen longer, though, and the music's backbone reveals itself in a series of supple rhythms. This is far from the ear-expanding salsa of Blades's early recordings, and even from the Anglocized rock of Nothing but the Truth. The angry, mournful social and political comment of that record carries over to Tiempos, though, with Blades decrying exclusionary immigration policies ("Puente del Mundo") and commemorating the 1989 U.S. invasion of Panama ("20 de Diciembre"). His commitment to challenging listeners rings throughout. --Rickey Wright

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Ruben's best work to date, April 21, 2000

By 

ABorges "ABorges" (Puerto Rico) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tiempos (Audio CD)

He escuchado a Rubén Blades por mas de 25 años y tengo la gran mayoria de sus albums. Este es el mejor trabajo de el mejor cantautor hispanoamericano de nuestra generación. Soy dueño de más de 800 CD's, cassettes y LP's de vinil de todos géneros musicales y esta es una de las mejores obras musicales que jamás halla comprado. Este obra de arte enaltece el pasado, da fé en el presente y esperanza en el futuro. Editus se ha compenetrado con Rubén para crear su obra maestra. Una vez lo compré no escuché nada más por 3 semanas. Gracias Rubén por devolverme la fé...una vez más.

I have listened to Rubén Blades for 25 years now and have most of his albums. This is the best work of the best author-singer in Latin America. I also own over 800 C'D's, cassettes and vynil records of all genres, and this is one of the best works that I own. This album celebrates the past, brightens the present and gives you hope for the future. Editus is an extremely talented group that has blended with this artist to create a masterpiece. I bought the album, listened to it once, and could not believe my ears, so I listened to it again. Then I did not listen to anything else for about three weeks. Thank you Rubén for giving me faith. . .one more time.

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What an amazing album!, October 26, 1999

By 

Robyn Cote Schmader ([e-mail]) (Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tiempos (Audio CD)

When I first heard this album I thought "Oh no, what has happened to Ruben Blades!" However, within the next week I had the pleasure of seeing him in concert in Santa Fe and Albuquerque New Mexico and I was awed by his exquisite performance and by the performance of EDITUS, his fabulous musicians from Costa Rica. Now I listen to the CD almost every day and I have learned to appreciate it in its fullest. It is a marvelous mix of beautiful melancholic music and a portrayal of Ruben's life - from memories of his abuelita, some social commentary, and recent heartbreak, to his acceptance of life, and to death as it will eventually come (muy desafortunadamente). I ADORE Ruben Blades, his music, his movies, his person - I urge everyone to listen to this CD and to learn to appreciate the beautiful complexity of its music and lyrics. I can't wait to see what Sr. Blades will come up with next. To EDITUS - I want to extend my fullest appreciation of your musical talent. TODOS USTEDES FUERON INCREIBLES. Amazon - please sell EDITUS CD's on line. I've been trying to find them to no avail. A Ruben - gracias por habernos dado tu musica tan especial y tan hermosa y por haber autografado mi cubierta de CD de Tiempos en Albuquerque en el El Rey. Es un tesoro que guardare por siempre. Por favor, regrese a Nuevo Mexico porque aqui queremos verte cantar en vivo cada ano si fuera posible. Mis agradecimientos para todas tus esfuerzas en la vida y para habernos dado tu musica inolvidable. Tu eres, sin duda, el rey de la musica latina. Felicitaciones para esta obra incomparable!

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful, November 9, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Tiempos (Audio CD)

This album is not easy to listen to. And it was in any case not intended to be that way, according to R. Blades himself. But that is just fine because it has the quality of making the listener "work his/her way" to it. Once you made it, it is really hard to let go and the appreciation for it is even bigger. I was listening to this CD and ONLY this CD for about 3 weeks. It wouldn't "wear out". Although some songs at first hear might sound similar to each other, there is definetely more behind them. Just take the time. I don't want to fall into comments full of Idol worshiping here, but it is great to know that there still are such musicians (or simply such people) around.