Customer Reviews

La Vida... Es un Ratico

5 star:		(27)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

For those of you unfamiliar with Juanes [as well as longtime fans], LA VIDA ES UN RATICO (Life is a Brief Moment) is quite possibly his best and strongest album to date. This beautiful CD is filled with tunes that combine infectious rock hooks with traditional Colombian rhythms and melodies. Juanes has had a gift for blending those two musical worlds together for as long as he has been making music, and his 2007 release is no exception. It starts on a determined and uplifting note with "No Creo en el Jamas" ("I Don't Believe in Never"). Many of the songs were inspired by his brief break-up with wife (and model) Karen Martinez. We can hear Juanes' tenderness (as well his pain) in his music and it truly speaks to you, whether you are fluent in Spanish or only in the language of music (a universal form of communication that all of us share). We hear the uptempo cumbia, emotional ballads, African-inspired beats (particularly on the irrerepressible "Bailala") and even a duet with fellow rocker Campino that starts out in Spanish and then is intermixed with verses in German.

If you buy one CD this year, it should be LA VIDA ES UN RATICO. I guarantee if you hear this album it will change the way you hear music (not just Latin Rock--a category that claims Juanes as his own). The language of music has never been expressed in a more beautiful (or personal) way.

Mi Sangre was a great album, Un Dia Normal was his masterpiece and one of the greatest rock/pop albums in any language of all time.

How good is this album? Better than Mi Sangre and may just be as good as Un Dia Normal, that's how good this album is.

One of the things I first noticed was his voice. He is singing better than he ever has... His voice has more range than it ever has and he has worried much more about phrasing this time around.

Lyrically this album is closer to 1st album Fijate Bien than anything. It is full of message songs. He touches on topics such as terrorism, peace, making a difference, poverty, unity, etc. It is just amazing lyrically this album. I guess he decided that he'd done two albums on love and it was time to bring on the social message again. Thank god he did!!!

The other thing I noticed was the guitar solo is back this time around! Remember back in the 80's just about every song had a guitar solo. Juanes wants to bring it back, this album is full of them and they are all fantastic to listen to. He flexes his guitar playing muscles and does a great job.

The other amazing thing is the absolute diversity of the tracks, probably his most diverse album musically. But the diversity is heard in the chords he is playing rather than in the instruments themselved. Instrument wise it's the same Juanes, mainly guitar-drum-bass setup. But listen to the chords he is playing and he is playing blues, bossa nova, country, as well as his normal Columbian infused rhythm, etc. It is just fantastic. You'll also hear the odd hammon organ, slide guitar, and accordion throughout the album in subtle ways to compliment rather than overpower.

Alot of people no doubt want to know if there is another Camisa Negra or A Dios Lo Pido... there are... Me Enamora, Tres (which is as vallenato as Juanes will ever get), Clase de Amor.

As much as I love those songs (and they will be played all over the place) it's his quieter tunes that really linger in your head...
- The gorgeous bossanova rhythm'd Hoy Me Voy.
- The grandiose message song La Vida Es Un Ratico with a haunting piano arrangement.
- Another message song in Minas Piedras with a beautiful slide guitar, banjo, and violin arrangements.
- Bandera de Manos, yet another message song... with a faster rhythm behind it.

Go out and buy this. If you don't understand Spanish, buy it because of the musical brilliance. Si hablas Espanol compralo porque es el mejor disco del ano. Tenemos que dar apoyo a artistas latinos como Juanes que estan sacando discos de tan gran calidad.

BEST ALBUM OF THE YEAR!!!

It's easy to see that Juanes will be on Latin rock scene for a long, long time. Continuing the emergence of the "Colombian Renaissance" of big-name music acts (check out Cabas and Carlos Vives for other genres), Juanes does not disappoint in the least with this latest effort.

Personally, I wanted a CD that was similarly driven as the powerhouse "Mi Sangre," but at the same time it is fantastic to see an artist evolve and grow, and this CD provides musical and vocal innovations that delight. The lead singer's voice has matured quite a bit over the last two CD's, though on this CD there's one tiny vocal misfire (the falsetto attempts on the -ando verbs in "Tres").

If you are new to Juanes, don't start with this CD, IMO. I'd start with something like "Un Día Normal," then continue with "Mi Sangre' before listening to this one. That way, you can appreciate Juanes' artistic evolution as we all do.

A solid album that's worth the money.

With his latest offering " La vida es un ratico",Juanes proves once again that he is here to stay for good.Just when you thought there was no way he could top his previous efforts( Fijate bien,Un dia normal & Mi sangre),he comes out with all latin rock guns blazing and delivers an album that simply put: it's the best latin album to come out in 2007 and one that will undoubtedly earn him several Grammy and MTV awards next year.And rightfully so...

Juanes is singing better,playing the guitar amazingly and writing his most meaningful lyrics to date.His songs always manage to be both melodical and touching,just the perfect combination if you ask me;which is why he is so far ahead from the rest of all other artists in Latin America.

I won't dissect every song here,but I will say this: "la Vida es un ratico" is an amazing album full of wonderful songs that deeply touch your heart and soul and make you wanna dance like only Juanes can through a brilliant mix of old school rock and an effective fusion of Latin & Colombian rhytms.Just like fine wine,Juanes just keeps getting beter and better.

Just do yourself a favor and get the best Latin album to come out this year!! you will not be disppointed my friends..

Buy Juanes' latest for Me Enamora, but fall in love with it for the other songs that will also surely top the charts. Not to be missed are "No Creo En El Jamas", "La Vida Es Un Ratico", and "Hoy Me Voy". This album represents the full maturity of Juanes' development as an artist, as both the lyrics and rhythms are well written and, frankly, at times breathtaking. For music to be more than just entertainment, it needs to touch our souls, and this one does perhaps more than any of his previous albums. La Vida Es Un Ratico carries a message of the importance of love, friends, family and maintaining faith in ourselves. Like all of his work, this album also well represents his Latin American roots both in the thematic material and in the well blended rhythms of modern pop/rock with more traditional Colombian styles. I agree with a previous reviewer that if you are new to Juanes, you should start with A Dios Le Pido, then listen to Mi Sangre, and finally this album so that you can appreciate his development as an artist. How could anyone not love his work?

Simplemente este disco Me Enamora....!!! no me canso de oirlo...
no cabe duda que Juanes es un artista excelente...tiene tanto angel este hombre....se siente el sentimiento y la entrega total.

Well, first of all I'm glad to be the first one to review this one, and to be completely honest with everyone, this one is good, really good.
Juanes has become one of the best songwriters from Latin America and especially Colombia, so you wouldn't be surprised to hear songs about war or peace, on this one he emphasizes on his emotions, so lyrically it's going to be very easy for everyone to feel reflected on these songs.
I think this one is definitively a winner, and as well as his past efforts, this will be a grower.

So Far I would recommend:

1) No Creo En el Jamas
2) Me Enamora
3) Hoy Me voy
4) La Vida... Es un Ratico
5) Gotas de Agua Dulce
6) Minas Piedras (Duet with Calamaro)

Please don't think I am being too enthusiastic for having 6 recommended songs....It's True, they are good enough to be here. Give yourself a chance and pick this one. 5 Stars

Si este fuera el primer disco que escuchas de Juanes, dirias que es brillante y original. Pero si conoces su material anterior, esta claro que el colombiano se repite en exceso. Por eso le doy solo 3 estrellas. Son, en gran parte, las mismas formulas probadas, los mismos caminos que ha recorrido una y otra vez. No es del todo su culpa, porque cuando el publico hace un idolo, quiere en gran medida seguir escuchando mas de lo mismo. A persar de todo, La Vida es un Ratico es un disco indispensable en la coleccion de quienes gustamos de estar al dia en los avances (retrocesos o estancamientos) de la musica latina.

Mis canciones favoritas son:

No creo en el Jamas -
Esta canción te levanta grandemente el ánimo, te recuerda que los problemas en la vida tienen solución.

Me enamora
Esta es posiblemente la canción más popular de álbum.

La vida es un ratico
Te recuerda que no debes perder las ganas de vivir.

Bandera de manos
Una critica social y un llamado a la reflexión.

This is one of Juanes' best work. I like every song and love his unique style, edgy lyrics, and catchy tunes. His songs range from romantic/love-lost ballads, to the controversial compositions - never affraid to push societal/political hot buttons. I highly recommend it.