Editorial Review

Anyone looking for the key to Abba's enduring appeal should look no further than "Voulez Vous" and "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)" for their answer. There was an innocence to the Swedish quartet, even when they were singing about one-night stands and the invitations to them. Read more

Features

• Limited Edition
• Gold CD
• Original recording remastered

Reviews (229)

ABBA Gold vs Mamma Mia
After seeing Mamma Mia in Las Vegas I purchased the ABBA Mamma Mia CD.Then I thought I would like to have the original songs and ordered the ABBA-Gold Greatest Hits.I enjoy it a lot; but I prefer the Mamma Mia CD which takes me back to the fun night of actually being in Las Vegas and seeing the musical.

I love ABBA
ABBA is still going strong after all these years. Agnetha and Frida's voices are superb, especially in "Dancing Queen," one of their most famous songs.
ABBA Rules
Music is relative, and the group Abba set a standard. Not everyone is an Abba fan, thank God. But for those who appreciate them, they are definitely here to stay. For me, Abba didn't begin to fully blossom until the last albums. THE VISITORS and SUPER TROUPER were excellent examples of how much imagination they truely had. To me, everything else was a springboard for them to grow. It's too bad they stopped just as they were beginning to grow. At least they left a hint of true genius. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Dance-Pop    2. Disco    3. Euro-Dance    4. Euro-Pop    5. Pop    6. Pop Vocals    7. Pop/Rock    8. Popular Music    9. Rock    10. Rock/Pop    11. Soft Rock    12. Sweden    13. Swedish Pop/Rock   

Editorial Review

Thanks to a fortuitous intersection of talent and fate, 22-year-old Josh Groban hasn't finished his senior year in performing arts school but has already released his sophomore effort on a major major label. Fans of the young vocal phenom's debut will find much to enthrall them here, even if it nudges the singer closer to the center of producer/mentor David Foster's MOR pop sensibilities. Eschewing much of its predecessor's more overt classic-lite pretensions and pop-rock covers for a slate of dramatic, Eurocentric ballads that serve as a showcase for the singer's inviting baritone, Groban shrewdly positions himself as the American alternative to the Bocelli-Watson crossover axis. "Caruso" may find the singer falling short of its operatic inspiration, but "Oceano" and "My Confession" quickly showcase his truedramatic range (which seems to all but yearn for a bona fide Broadway musical challenge), while a vocal take of Bacalov's graceful "Il Postino" theme uses classical virtuoso Joshua Bell's violin flourishes to good effect. To his credit, Groban displays some promising efforts at songwriting collaboration on the bittersweet "Per Te" and "Remember When It Rains," while the ambient/ethnic soundscape of Deep Forest's "Never Let Go" offers a teasing alternative to the record's otherwise melodramatic production formula. Groban has found commercial triumph via Foster's mentoring, but there remains a nagging sense here that he hasn't truly pushed himself as an artist--yet.Read more

Features

• Enhanced

Reviews (537)

Love Josh Groban's work
I love Josh Groban's work. I own both his first CD and Closer. I would buy all of his CDs except I have never been fond of live concert CDs. I think the fans clapping and shouting out detract from the artist's work and so I tend to stay away from those sort of CDs. May he continue producing new work so I can continue finding new CDs to listen to.

THE BEST MALE ALBUM EVER!!!
As my title states, Josh Groban's CD has to be THE BEST MALE ALBUM EVER!!!The tracks show off Josh's amazing vocal range and talent, along with a wide range of different languages, such as French, Spanish, and Italian.There isn't one track that I wouldn't want to skip, but my all-time favorite song has to be "You Raise Me Up".Amazing vocals, choral arrangments, and instrumentals accompany this piece, and you just want to listen to it over and over again!I also recommend that if you love Josh Groban, you may want to look into other classical superstars, such as Charlotte Church or Sarah Brightman.

Great music
I love his first album and I love this one.No, Josh cannot be compared to some of the finer classical singers (as "MaestroMichael" so scathingly said in his review) but that isn't why most people like his albums.
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Subjects:  1. Adult Contemporary    2. Classical Pop    3. Euro-Pop    4. Pop    5. Pop Vocals    6. Popular Music    7. Rock/Pop    8. Vocal Pop   

Editorial Review

Put together by Abba's own Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, Read more

Features

• Cast Recording

Reviews (150)

cd
I love this music and had recently been to the stage play with friends.This was a wonderful way to keep the memory of the music for myself.. AND to give another copy to our hostess as a thank you.

Mamma Mia - the CD
Having seen the show in London, I was looking forward to the CD.I did not purchase the CD at the show, and was suprised that your price was less.
For those who hate musicals
I love this CD.You have to like ABBA.If you don't, don't buy it obviously.It's great to listen to even if you don't like musicals.This is another broadway soundtrack that my fellow workers don't mind me putting in the CD player while working in the kitchen.They like ABBA and hate musicals, so this is right up their alley.The story is a little hard to follow by the songs, but you can get the very basic plot from them.I think you'll like it. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Cast Recordings    2. Music Theater    3. Musical Theater    4. Musicals    5. Original Cast Recordings    6. Pop    7. Pop/Rock    8. Showtunes / B'way    9. Soundtracks    10. Swedish Pop/Rock   

Editorial Review

The voice of Edith Piaf carries with it perhaps more national identity than that of any other recorded artist in the world. Tiny, frail, and tragic in her life, Piaf brought French identity to the rest of the world in a way that was understandable to all. Known as "the Little Sparrow" in her country, her voice was strong, bold, and passionate, even as she grew more infirm. The archetypical torch singer, she had massive popular success with songs like "Milord," "Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien," and "La Vie, L'Amour," included here with 18 other classics. While this is a great compilation of some of her best material, the complete lack of enclosed notes or biographical material may frustrate those not familiar with her fascinating career. However, the work of one of the most original songbirds of all time speaks loud and clear for itself. Read more

Reviews (42)

So good it is sometimes hard to play.
I have had this as a CD about 10 years, and had tapes previously, and lps previous. This and most other Piaf recordings I have owned is so good that it is sometimes hard to play.You are afraid you will never get it out of the CD player or hear anything else because it is so wonderful. This is a good introduction to Piaf's large body of work and to French songs of the middle of the 20th Century.
Piaf Pleases!
The music from this CD takes me back to when I listened to Edith in the 1960's while stationed in Germany.The quality if grand.The service in purchasing the CD was easy andwithout a hitch. Thank you very much.

The one and only!
Edith Piaf has a unique voice, a unique delivery. Listening to her music takes you back to a bygone era - sad and enchanting at the same time. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Cabaret    2. France    3. French    4. French Pop    5. Int'l & World Music    6. Nostalgia    7. Pop    8. Popular Music    9. Vocal    10. Vocal Pop   

Editorial Review

It's no mean feat being the world's foremost crossover artist--a task that risks alienating two disparate audiences and everyone in between--but Read more

Reviews (47)

Music that catches the heart!!
I am a newcomer to this artist and recently heard him during a skating event...wonderful!!This was a beautiful CD and altho primarily in Italian, wonderful listening!!I keep it in my car and am blown away every time.Have ordered two of his CDs and not been disappointed!!The reviews on Amazon.com also helped me decide...along with the music snippets...which ones I wanted to try.

Andrea Bocelli's Andrea is the most awesome album from him yet!
It's true.This is Andrea's most sophisticated and, I think, most personal album to date.Fans who have been waiting since his Cieli di Toscana will not be disappointed.This is a genuine pop album.Definitely not crossover.I've let many people listen to it who thought that they wouldn't like it because it is an "opera singer," but most of them have thoroughly enjoyed it.It is a true relief from the noisey and meaningless music and lyrics of most pop music today.Definitely a must for any great music lover's collection.

Five stars for a duet
I purchased this album for one reason only: Bocelli's "Go Where Love Goes" duet with Holly Stell. I don't mind buying CDs with one good song, I'm used to it, and I'm not on ITunes yet. I like this duet so much, I'll try to have my brother, Filipino-American tenor Marius Evangelista, record it some day with our friend, soprano Melody Versoza, to see what it sounds like when the tenor and soprano are about the same age. Also, the last note of the duet sounds unresolved to me. It's a high Bb, but I keep waiting for it to resolve to a high C. I'm not sure why they didn't, but maybe we will. By the way, Marius's debut album is available on Amazon if you care to take a look.
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Subjects:  1. Classical    2. Classical Artists    3. Classical Crossover    4. Classical Vocals    5. Euro-Pop    6. Holiday    7. Italy    8. Opera    9. Vocal    10. Vocal Music   

Editorial Review

Recycling the 1980s sound has been in vogue lately, so it’s no surprise that the producing team known as Nouvelle Vague would find yet another way to mine the nostalgia for the early ‘80s, post-punk era. They’re doing it bossa nova style.Read more

Features

• Explicit Lyrics

Reviews (28)

Boring.
Basically took a bunch of great songs, dumbed them down, made them all sound the same, and made them very boring in the process. There's nothing unique about any of the songs, they are really boring covers you might expect to see some 18 year old freshman in college who is obsessed with Belle and Sebastian cover at a coffee shop. Boring, trite, nice effort but try again please.. I think the worst cover is the slaughter of Guns of Brixton. The Undertones cover on here is pretty bad, too... I don't know, I didn't fancy this. If you like boring yet somehow hip music, this may be your cup of tea. You should probably get the Garden State soundtrack too, that would be great for those boring days in your dorm or at the coffee shop with your soy vanilla latte... That was a bad shot at irony.

Post Punk Bossa Nova- Mood Music for Martini time
French studio 'singers' who NEVER heard the originals.
Great punk rock and new wave covers album
The sound is great... Easy to listen to and if you are into old school punk and 80's new wave you gonna recognize and enjoy at least the 99% of their tracks. It's a shame that they don't play their own material, just covers; the same in their new album. Nothing new or original under their name, but, like I said before: fun to listen to and easy to enjoy. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Euro-Pop    2. France    3. French Pop    4. Pop    5. Rock    6. Rock/Pop   

Editorial Review

Originally best-known as an Italian-born model who had affairs with Mick Jagger and Eric Clapton, Bruni has matured into a remarkably talented and self-possessed singer-composer-guitarist. Her debut album, sung mostly in French, could best be described as neo-chanson. Bruni's whispery, wobbly, husky voice, wryly deadpan delivery and introspective lyrics recall Francoise Hardy, Barbara, Jane Birkin and Nico. But unlike her forebears, who so often posed as waif-like child-women and doormat-like victims of passion, Bruni remains firmly on top. Her lyrics can and do celebrate true love but she also praises the delights of female sexual empowerment in no uncertain terms, as on Read more

Reviews (19)

Great!
I really like the album. Miss Bruni has a very unique quality to her sound--not classically beautiful, but very haunting. The guitar is great and the songs are well-written. I love it!

Carla Bruni
Absolutely beautiful female vocals.I would reccomend this album to anyone who likes rainer maria or beth orton, or soft acoustic with female vocals.

Wonderful!
Carla Bruni's voice is so soothing and sweet.The tracks mesh together to make a wonderful compilation of Ms. Bruni's spectacular talent.Beautiful - perfect for a sunny summer drive. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. French Pop    2. Int'l & World Music    3. Italy    4. Pop    5. Rock/Pop   

Editorial Review

Where would the '80s have been without the Pet Shop Boys? Read more

Reviews (98)

Suburbia!
I have to say that this is my second compact disc because the other one got scratched up. I decided since I love their music to buy another one because the one hit that I love the most is Suburbia. I love listening to it over and over again. I love the other hits like West End Boys and What have I done to deserve this? and others on this collection. I love the sound and keep thinking about London, England and being on the underground or the tube. It's quite a great collection!

1984 West End Girls version?
While I like the 1986 version of WEGs, I LOVE the original 1984 version better. Does anyone know if it is available on CD?

Is $14.98 too much to ask for one perfect pop song?
Are you the kind of person who would spend $3.50 for the perfect oyster at a raw bar? How about $7.00 for a perfectly drawn pint of ale in a midtown New York bar? Then dropping $35.00 for a t-shirt because it was made in the US or $18.00 for that small jar of cashews from the minibar because you 'just had to have something to munch on" before going to dinner? If you answered yes to any of the above, you would have no problem dropping the full price (Amazon, $14.98) to have a red-book CD copy (no inferior compressed downloads, thank you) of the perfect pop song, "What have I done to Deserve this?" from Pet Shop Boys. One of the most beautifully sung and arranged female pop vocals ever recorded is to be found on this one song. It is well known that Dusty Springfield demanded several run-throughs and takes to make this cut. She is said to have sweated every single note to perfection because she felt so strongly about her performance. Believe me, it shows. Perfection. You also get the unrivalled, unmatched 80's pop and dance-beat mastery with all the other selections that only the "Boys" were able to create. And all for only $14.98. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Alternative Dance    2. Club/Dance    3. Dance Music    4. Dance-Pop    5. England    6. House    7. Pop    8. Popular Music    9. Rock    10. Rock/Pop   

Features

• Limited Edition

Reviews (4)

Best if you know the originals?
I'm not entirely sure that listeners who aren't familiar with most of the original versions will get out of this album. As someone who went through punk, new wave, new romantic, goth and indie-kid phases in the late 70's/early 80's but who now listens to lounge, bossa, dub and nu-jazz I'm surely part of a very small group to whom Nouvelle Vague's work is perfectly pitched.
Post-post Modern Re-envisions
Not the same "wow" as the first album (as it came out of left field), but definitely not a victim of the sophomore jinx either. In regards the song selections, Punk Music had its time & place, and to hear these songs (which probably are familiary anyone who has listened to popular music from the early 80s onward) done differently is interesting, worthy of any true music fans attention (I would have loved to hear Nouvelle Vague do a version of The Clash's "Rock The Cassbah."
great follow up
I could not disagree more with the previous review. Although the first ablum is probably stronger, the second is a great follow up. Most people just don't get this band. I saw em last Friday in LA, and I will never view "to drunk to F*ck" the same way again. Moreover for the live preformances, the songs were tricked out different from the album recordings. I grew up with these songs to, and love these versions. If it was not for KCRW I would have never heard of this band, somehow, I don't think that KCRW is known for playing bands that stink. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Euro-Pop    2. France    3. French Pop    4. Pop    5. Rock    6. Rock/Pop   

Editorial Review

Although far from definitive (no Edith Piaf in sight!), this enchanting compilation delivers a perfect aural snapshot of what spending a late summer afternoon in a French cafe actually Read more

Reviews (20)

Not my cup of cafe
The Putumayo World Music Hour devoted one of their weekly programs (MOSTLY) to this album.While it was perfect as background music for an hourlong drive to Santa Rosa,I was glad I HEARD it on the radio for free instead of buying the CD for myself.
Crooning Jazzy Sultry Musique De Cafe
Putumayo presents another well-crafted collection of tunes evoking the mood of a particular place, in this case the much-romanticized street-side French cafe.An interesting aspect of this compilation is that Putumayo did their research and went for authenticity rather than an American idealization of what many would ANTICIPATE hearing at a French cafe.(The solo accordion pieces ain't here, folks.)You'll hear authentic French artists performing their best chops, not something Disney-esque or "Rugrats in Paris"-like.The result is a breezy, easy to listen to, largely club-jazz album that may make one want to whip out a hard baguette to gnaw on.
Excellent!
This is a really lovely collection of Frenchy music--you really do feel transported to a cafe somewhere in France.I love it! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. France    2. French Pop    3. Int'l & World Music    4. Pop    5. V/A Compilations    6. World Beat Collections    7. World Music   

Features

• Import

Reviews (3)

Disk 2...
I was waiting for a new Nouvelle Vague record, the first one was a rare, original and yet classic animal, and there are'nt that many gems like that.
High-quality Continental Eclectic!
Caught these beautiful people in a private broadcast session from Seattle's Bumber Shoot festival last month and had to have the CD--does not disappoint!
Ridiculously Good
This new Nouvelle Vague CD, Bande a Part, is ridiculously good. So far I'm only on track 4, and all I have to say is HOLY MOLY this is a yummy CD!! They cover "new wave/alternative/post punk" songs from the 80s--Bauhaus, Echo and the Bunnymen, Buzzcocks, Blondie, Billy Idol, New Order with a twist: set to a Latin rhythm for the most part. (I had never heard of this band until a few weeks ago, and apparently they have three CDs out now.Whoops!)
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Subjects:  1. Euro-Pop    2. France    3. French Pop    4. Rock/Pop   

Editorial Review

Feel free to add French

Reviews (4)

A beautiful recording
This has been repeatedly on the CD player since it's purchase, alternating with Camille's Live au Trianon, which serves as a great companion to Le fil.The majority of the album is created by Camille's layered vocals with minimal instrumentation producing a rich tableau of soundwith nuances to be discovered on each playing.Favourites songs on the CD are the rythmic Ta douleurandAu port, also the melancholy Pour que L'amour me quitte. The three bonus tracks are fine addition, Lumiere has a suprise finish (somebody's had fun in the studio.)

Camille Le Fil
Check out "Vous" and "Ta Douleur".A wonderful and creative
Minimalism at its best
Camille Dalmais is essentially a minimalist, and the revelation of this occurs at exactly 23 seconds. Two lines in, and a choir of whispering voices surrounds your ears. Two minutes in, and you wonder exactly what you've gotten yourself into.
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Subjects:  1. Adult Alternative Pop/Rock    2. French    3. French Pop    4. Int'l & World Music    5. Pop   

Editorial Review

Is there anything that simply screams the 1970s' most indelible pop cultural clichés--the sunny romanticism, perfect vocal hooks, feathered hair, stacked heels, and flared sateen britches--more than the Swedish pop phenomenon Abba? And while many a pundit snootily dismissed them during their prime as some sort of prefabricated aberration, their worldwide popularity peaked somewhere just south of Beatlesmania. Indeed, Abba's music was as finely tooled and crafted as anything to come from a Volvo or IKEA factory--if occasionally more economically potent. This double-disc, 37-track anthology comes neatly on the heels of Read more

Features

• Extra tracks
• Original recording remastered

Subjects:  1. Dance-Pop    2. Disco    3. Euro-Dance    4. Euro-Pop    5. Pop    6. Pop Vocals    7. Pop/Rock    8. Popular Music    9. Rock/Pop    10. Soft Rock    11. Swedish Pop/Rock    12. Synth Pop   

Editorial Review

Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe's experiment in brainy dance pop has been going on for two decades now, and since it's never really been broke they never bother fixing it. True, 2002's Read more

Reviews (17)

Good
For the most part, I like every song on this album.The only song I'm not particularly fond of is Luna Park.However, I don't really get too excited about anything here either. This album is along the same lines of Depeche Mode's Playing the Angel; an attempt to recreate the sound that made everyone love them to begin with.Sodom and Gomorrah, Minimal and Integral are great songs, but yet lack that energy that was ever-present on their masterpiece Very.Too much of the time I found myself being overly critical of the small things.Small things that can make or break a song or album.Too much bass, not enough drums, overly processed vocals, etc...The one thing I have never been able to complain about on a PSB album is the lyrics.As always, the lyrics are strong on Fundamental, especially the song Numb, which is one of my favorite songs on the album.It seems in the latter years the Boys have gotten quite good at the slow melancholy stuff, which I don't mind at all.I like Release quite a bit, more than Fundamental in fact.It's only natural for a band to progress in a different direction as they age, and maybe the days of Very and Bilingual are long gone, but if this is the new direction, it's definately not all that bad.

PSBs hit a home run with Fundamental
The boys are it again. They amaze me with their ability to keep their sound fresh and relevant for such a long career of 25 years! This album contains a number of great tunes and I didn't hear one that I thought was bad. Same upbeat, synth sound with Neil Tennant's awesome voice. Very fresh, most songs are on the lighter side. If you've enjoyed past Pet Shop Boys albums, you'll like this one. Psychological is my fave tune.

Excellent.
This album is one of their best.The lyrics have never been better--and I find that the ballads outshine the dance numbers, some of which fall back on old formulas."I made my excuses and left" is simply wonderful and heartbreaking."Luna Park" and "Indefinite Leave to Remain" are also strong."Psychological" and "Twentieth Century" have irresistable beats."Integral" has great politcal lyrics, which saves it from the rather routine OTT PSB disco sound--which is great, don't get me wrong, but we've all heard it before."Numb" seemed at first to be a bad idea, a Dianne Warren song, for goodness sake.But they make it work, turning it into a hymn, and keeping it relatively subdued.
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Subjects:  1. Alternative Dance    2. Club/Dance    3. Dance-Pop    4. England    5. Pop    6. Rock    7. Rock/Pop   

Editorial Review

Putting aside the Girl Power phenomenon--really, what were the chances five scantily-clad birds flashing their knickers with kung-fu kicks wouldn't make it in the music industry?--the Spice Girls really do mean something: great singles. There's not a dog in their whole back-catalogue. They kicked off their career with "Wannabe", "Say You'll Be There" and "2 Become 1"--that's the pop equivalent of an Olympic gold in the triathlon. They're all here on Spice, along with the live favourite "If You Can't Dance"--one that Geri always looked particularly picked-upon whilst singing--and that irresistible champagne effervescence of pop history in the making. The only mistake they made at this point in their career was not releasing the slinky R&B track "Naked" as a single; and if that's because the video plot automatically suggests itself as too obvious, it's not as if that curtailed any other facet of their career. Read more

Reviews (296)

Excellent pop.
I was in high school when this came out. Ah, memories.
Bring me back
This brings me back to late elementary school when I heard half of these songs at family rollerskating nights. "Wannabe" was my favorite of the Spice Girls. The Spice Girls movie is pretty good as well. 1990's music with the Spice Girls. Gotta have it!

Guilty pleasure
Man, 3 weeks ago I was cleaning my dad's office and he was listening to this album, I never thought that I would like it, so I steal it from his collection. Personally I hate "Wannabe" and I'm feeling guilty of listening to it, but the rest of the album has a decent vibe, a mixture of genres: Pop, Hip-Hop and R&B, subtly mixed, This one is better than I thought, specially the song "Mama" (Not the best way to show love to your mother) the best song. A good album, of good pop (Never pictured myself saying this), obviously of the 90's.
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Subjects:  1. Adult Contemporary    2. Club/Dance    3. Dance Music    4. Dance-Pop    5. Euro-Dance    6. Euro-Pop    7. Pop    8. Popular Music    9. Rock/Pop    10. Teen Pop   

Features

• Original recording remastered

Reviews (43)

Shout: The Very Best of Tears for Fears
The ordering, process, billing and delivery were very satisfied.
Tears for Fears
For ten bucks, this Best of Tears for Fears is a steal!The group had a lot more recognizable and good material than I had remembered.
TWO THUMBS UP FOR THE DUO
ONE OF MY BEST ALL TIME DUO GREATS;HOWEVER THEIR SONG " WORKING HOUR: SHOULD HAVE BEEN INCLUDED IN THIS COMPILATION. ANYWAY I WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS ARTIST ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Adult Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Alternative Pop/Rock    3. College Rock    4. Euro-Pop    5. New Wave    6. Pop    7. Pop/Rock    8. Popular Music    9. Rock    10. Rock/Pop    11. Synth Pop   

Editorial Review

Many Putumayo compilations fail to capture the essence of a specific region by focusing on music that is simply too polite for its own good.When it comes to the languid charms of French Read more

Reviews (5)

SIX STARS IF I COULD....
I was shopping for some cards the other day and heard delightful music and a Frenchman's lilting voice singing playing the store - followed by an equally gorgeous woman's voice singing French pop.I lingered through about 5 songs, long enough to know I NEEDED this CD.There is not one cut on this expertly chosen collection that is not fantastically melodic and beautiful, and all of the artists are great.And you will have no problem translating the French into something emotional - warmly appealing - even if, like me, you can't speak a word of it.I love this album and have listened to it several times every day since I bought it. Now I'm planning a trip to Paris...as soon as possible!

Great collection
This is a great collection if you like chanson or just want to expand your musical horizons. I listen to everything from Beethoven to Kid Rock and like pretty much all Putumayo releases for the latter.

Ennui in Paris
I heard tracks from this album on Putumayo's World Music Hour.I'm glad I didn't plunk down any music for this CD,as much as I like Putumayo.
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Subjects:  1. Euro-Pop    2. French Pop    3. Int'l & World Music    4. International    5. Pop    6. Worldbeat   

Editorial Review

As one of the driving forces in the French-Spanish ethno-punk band Mano Negra, songwriter-guitarist Chao delivers a surprising solo endeavor. Centered around a simple editorial writing style and an acoustic guitar, this album chronicles his political and personal travels around the world, studying the foibles of life in Latin America and the Caribbean, through Africa and back to Europe. He quotes but never actually plays salsa, Read more

Reviews (114)

First solo work by a genius
Before this, his debut solo album, Manu Chao had already become famous in front of musical troupe Mano Negra. Yet with "Clandestino" Manu Chao showed, like other legendary band leaders before him, the true caliber of his musical genius.
Enchanting...
It's like looking at a Monet, enjoying a piece of your favorite fruit in the beach at night, or backpacking through Latin America. Sorry for this explanation, but you just can't put in words the feelings and places this CD can take you to. It's definitely an experience, a compilation of melodies and flavors from different countries. Enjoy!

Possibly politically interesting, but extremely dull musically
I read all the glowing reviews of this album, and all I can say is that it must be the case that you have to speak Spanish to enjoy it. Judging by the merits of the music itself, there is not a single song on the entire CD that ventures outside of an elementary and predictable 3 chord progression - 1-4-5-1 (or for the minor songs, which almost all of them are, - 1-6-7-1). It's as if the composer had a single musical idea and used it to beat his listeners to death. Even the somewhat unusual instrumentation become maddening after hearing it for 16 songs in a row.
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Subjects:  1. French Pop    2. Latin    3. Latin Music    4. Latin Pop/Rock    5. Rock    6. Rock en Español