Union

Puya | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (December 23, 2010)
• Original Release Date: 2001
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Geffen
• ASIN: B00005KBA8
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #186,162 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars thereeeee BACK, July 26, 2001

By 

cigamy (Orlando, Florida United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Union (Audio CD)

Puya is back with this impressive breed of new songs and a revolutionary album. Starting with Ride, the first thing you know about this album is its gonna be totally differnt from Fundamental, the previous release. Ride emphasizes Puya's live show, extensive percussion, and LOUD LOUD LOUD guitars that are tuned down excessively. People moves on to be a more latin oriented song, with guitarist ramon having a van halen like solo. The first four tracks, the "mainstream" ones are aimed at showing America who they are. OBvoiusly there not as diverse as the later ones on the album, but there not intended to be. Starting with "Numbed" you start to see how diverse they really are, they incorparate a strong beginning, and a salsa interlude with jazzy guitars, crooning singing, all sorts of latin percussion, and a wind instrument also heard in the song "Si AjA" i really dont kno what it is but it is a mix of a clarinet and kuzoo. After numbed comes bridge, a extensively percussive song then SI AJA, one of the most diverse tracks, bassist Harold Hopkins sister is brought in on piano, and the funky weird latin percussion and wind is brought as well. Other stand out cuts include Ahorake, which is very similar to a fundamental song but more mixed as they combine guitars and brassy horns, (the only song on the album to have brass, much unlike fundamental) and the preceding track which aare meandt to be played rite after each other. Also is a hidden jam fest that lasts 10 minutes at the end of the record, a little bit more mainstream than fundamental, but just as revolutionary with more percussion, more latin, but also more guitars, i only wish the wind and brass instruments were more prevalent in more of the songs, but i understand now that they were not there on every song because it would sound like another fundamental, (in which the brass was a distinctive element of there sound) union takes a more carribean approach, the brass when absent is replaced by percussive instruments that have different notes as well as that weird cuzzooo like instrument and they add more carribean like beats, ONE GREAT ALBUM

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Salsa rock just gets better..., June 20, 2001

By 

Daniel (San Antonio, TX) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Union (Audio CD)

The first Puya cd was an excellent blend of salsa and hard rock with the occasional hip-hop twist in the vocals, but in "Union" Puya has honed their skills in making their own blend of salsa and hard rock music, with somewhat more of a mainstream sound to it. The songs this time on "Union" aren't in Spanish all the time, as they were in their first album "Fundamental," but that still doesn't take away from the intesity and heaviness of their songs, which sound a little more metal with the guitars and the addition of a double-bass pedal on their drummers part. But be that as it may, it doesn't take away from the elements of salsa added by their horn and percussion section, something that helps add a taste of the Puerto Rican culture from which the band derived. For listeners who want to hear more of the salsa in their music you would want to listen to "Fundamental," but don't let that lead you astray from "Union," which is a great follow up to their debut.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Pantera Puente?, June 12, 2001

By 

Randy (Delaware) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Union (Audio CD)

It's not too often that I immerse myself in the new post grunge crap thats flooding up through the storm drain these days but I still like to see what everybody's doing. Thats why I was really shocked to find such a great band on an otherwise sad compilation of suppossed "nu-metal" tracks. I usually give them one listen apiece and then file the disc under "coaster." I was hooked the first time I heard "Bridge" on a compilation and had to go out to the midnight sale last night to get ahold of this disc as soon as it hit. I think this is a pretty strong CD because it is just obviously so different than what is out there. It has a strong salsa, jazz-fusion influence tied into a hardcore - hard rock bit. I've always had a love for heavy music and just recently developed a love for jazz fusion. Given that, it's pretty easy to see why I ate this up quickly. I do not speak Spanish but without knowing the language I know that the words are spoken strongly (english translation is provided) and have a strong message too. The guitar is simply insane, percussive, and thriving with all of the great characteristics that make rock, jazz fusion, and salsa such excellent genres to explore. The bass is strong and percussive as well but due to excessive guitar low end (I'll discuss that later) it's a little more difficult to pick up on its beauty. The percussion is well crafted too and for the most part the percussion is responsible for binding the music to it's salsa and jazz roots. The formula works quite well and the mind boggling range of the vocalist just seals the package. My only gripe is that the first 4 songs are very weak and very cliche. They're not too well rooted in the jazz fusion and salsa that make this band so cool. Instead the first 4 tracks seem to be commercially contrived rap rock / screamer numbers that drip blatantly of annoying amounts of low end guitar and "rap metal" cliches (talking about your band in the third person). Behold the producers lurking in the shadows attempting to water down something cool... It's "Mudrock" at the helm. Why am I not surprised? After track 4 though, every single song is just bad as hell. I think the secret track is some of the coolest music created in the past 9 years. These guys are onto something pretty cool and they'll do well as long as they don't let some money grubbing producers push them over the edge. The saddest part is that such a great creation might not take too well after all. I think it's great because I'm a fan of all the genres they mix together. Unfortunately though it might be a little too metal for the latin music fans and a little too latin for the metal fans. It will be interesting to see how this is accepted and how this band will continue to develop. However if you're looking for one of th best releases of the year I think this one ranks pretty high just on the terms of sheer originality and gusto. I urge you to explore it because it'd be a shame if you missed it. This year (2001) has been blessed with some excellent albums from established artists living up to their reputation and I think it's excellent to see some fresh talent still developing.