Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellente!, May 3, 2000
Marc Ribot has played guitar for the Lounge Lizards, the Jazz Passengers, Elvis Costello, Tom Waits, and in many of John Zorn's bands. He is a world-renowned guitarist and sideman. But his solo albums have often been uneven. His greatest commercial and artistic triumph was undoubtedly the "Los Cubanos..." album released a couple of years ago. His second outing with the "Prosthetic Cuban" ensemble is every bit engaging and fun as their debut. While Ribot's guitar playing dominated their first album, this album sees the whole band stretching out, being allowed to shine. Don't get me wrong: Ribot's fiery and unique playing snakes its way through every song, but the band also gets their fair share of the spotlight. Anyone who likes great guitar playing, Latin rhythms, and blistering group interplay will LOVE this album.
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13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
PURE ENTERTAINMENT!, May 9, 2000
MUY DIVERTIDO!, the second album released by Marc Ribot y Los Cubanos Postizos is a pleasant surprise. Sounding a bit closer to Cuban 'son'* than the previous recording it retains, however, Ribot's own identity as an exceptional and versatile guitarist who can play literally anything - from rock'n'roll to improv avant-garde... to Cuban sounds. For all those purists who might claim this is not real Cuban music, I would say that authenticity is not an issue here... at least from such a perspective. From the very first moment these musicians made their intentions clear when they presented themselves as fake Cubans (Los Cubanos Postizos), a group apparently formed on the joy and pleasure of making music together, with no further (cryptic) implications. Anyway, should not music be precisely this? Who can claim they are not being authentic? Actually they are, in their own way! Taking as point of departure the music of the late Arsenio Rodriguez, Marc Ribot gives his enunciation of a Cuban-influenced style (pervaded by his skills as a guitarist) to which his own background as an unusually versatile musician cannot be alien. The result is a satisfying CD, in which particular care has been taken in terms of ensemble performance, music colour and vocals. Compared to the previous album new instrumental timbres come across (also in the guitar part) adding vibrancy to the music. One of the best innovations here is the shift in Marc Ribot's vocal delivery. His vocal contribution to the first Postizos' album was not really inspired, it was mannered and cheesy, creating a certain embarrassment to the listener. Here he seems more natural. Although he is not an innate singer, his vocal utterance is tolerable. In fact, his spoken voice is quite pleasant in 'Las Lomas de New Jersey', while backing-up Frankie Vasquez's fine leading vocals. Moreover, Marc's contribution as a composer/songwriter also deserves to be mentioned, as he seems to do the job quite well in three tracks (interestingly, Shrek came into my mind in 'Baile, baile, baile' due to the steady drum beat and the distorted guitar sound). To mention Marc's guitar playing seems pointless: just listen... and allow yourself to be amazed. In conclusion, this is very enjoyable (and legitimate) music: listen to it in the sunshine and you'll feel like dancing; listen to it on a dull, rainy day and it will still cheer you up. However, this is not my favourite angle of Marc Ribot. I prefer when he is more daring, more on the cutting-edge, more radical. In fact, he has proved that he can accept any challenge (listen to John Zorn's 'The Book of Heads' and you will understand what I mean). Ribot's flexibility as a performer is eventually his most extraordinary quality. Perhaps my best-loved moments are when his unique guitar sound suddenly cuts across someone else's music (like in David Sylvian's 'I Surrender', or Tom Waits' 'House Where Nobody Lives') adding that little bit of magic that makes his contribution always so special. Anyway, these adventures in 'Cuban' music certainly allow a communication with wider audiences, and this is also acceptable. One less satisfactory aspect in MUY DIVERTIDO! is the cover photo. Mr Ribot's facial expression puts you off a little bit and does not seem to suggest that this is really entertaining music. However, the barbershop photo inside is quite amusing.*'son' emerged in Cuba in the early twentieth century, as a mix of Afro-cuban and Spanish-inspired elements. Initially having structural similarities to rumba, it would later include jazz-influenced harmonies and a more percussive and rhythmical sound. Arsenio Rodriguez modernized the traditional 'son', opening the way to salsa.
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Lucky to have found this gem, June 2, 2000
I came across this CD while browsing through my local music store - and was blown away by it. The songwriting is great - the guitar playing excellent. How can you not love lyrics like "I miss the hills of New Jersey - their fragrance when the wind blows - I know there are trains and buses but somehow I never find the way ...." Also, check out "La Obsesion" - I've never heard anything even remotely like it.The CD is at one time a celebration of latin music and a clever satire of it. I am back to buy more of Marc Ribot's stuff and I'm sure you will be too. By the way - I have to disagree with one other reviewer - I love the cover art too. Louis Filliger
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by Marc Ribot y Los Cubanos Postizos 
