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10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Very nice and smooth..., July 16, 2001
Si-Se has a unique sound that fuses elements similar to Basia and Everything But The Girl, but with some a Latin feel. Carol C reminds of a Venezuelan singer, and even of Gloria Estefan at times, but her sweet voice of Dominican ascent comes from New York. She and U.F. Low put the band together in 1999 under the musical patronage of ex-Talking Heads David Byrne, and signed a record deal with his label, Luaka Bop (the same that has Los Amigos Invisibles, among others, under its roster).
Good music, very easy to listen to and almost bewitching. All songs are a mix of styles. Some songs (like "Sonrisa") contain a certain middle eastern influence. The overall feel of the album is that of a blend between outright electronica with Latin sounds. In a nutshell, highly recommendable.
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11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Yes, August 30, 2001
I bought this after hearing the song "Dolemite" a couple of times, once on the KCRW show Sounds Eclectic, and once in a book store. It's an interesting tune, kind of a mix of three musical ideas that keep changing places -- one funky, one croony, one poppy.
When I bought the record I was kind of let down at first; the other songs just didn't make the same impression. But the more I've listened to this record, the more I've liked it, and suddenly I realized that it's become one of my favorites of the year.
Si Sé seems to be going for a kind of post-pop, cosmopolitan aesthetic (some songs are in English, others in Spanish), with electronic/programming elements, occasionally Latin rhythms, danceable tempos, and quieter, R&B-ish melodies (plus very pretty viola work by Jeannie Oliver). Sometimes songs follow each other and sound like they're from different bands; maybe the strongest binding element is the voice of singer, Carol C., who has a clear, strong delivery that's close to a classic pop-diva style (Sade, maybe?).This isn't a bad thing.
What comes out on repeated listens are the strength of the hooks: These are good melodic songs, making the unusual instrumentation a bonus instead of a crutch. "Cuando" and "Bizcocho Amargo" are standouts, and so is a reinterpretation of the Oran "Juice" Jones song "The Rain." Plus, the band does pull off an excellent live set, proving that it can execute outside the studio, and helping convince that this is band to watch. Highly original, highly adventurous, highly entertaining. I don't see them getting a lot of radio play in the near future, but I suspect that's really another argument in the band's favor.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Still on heavy rotation, April 18, 2002
I found Si*Se by pure accident. I went to see another artist and they were the opening band. They blew me away and I went to get their CD immediately after the show ended. I've been listening to it at least a couple of times a week since then, and it's been at least 8 months. All of their songs are fantastic, from the belt it out anthem "Cuando" to the bittersweet "Sonrisa" and the always fresh "The Rain (Where Do I Begin)". Needless to say I highly recommend this CD. To say that they rock is an understatement, they also groove, jazz and chill all with a smooth latin flavor. Ending it all with a sweet lullaby (that I happen to remember from my childhood) makes it the best CD to listen to before falling asleep.
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