Search - Juan Luis Guerra :: A son de Guerra

Always great, always reliable, always something new...

SLC | Miami, Florida USA | 06/13/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"It feels like a century ago when Juan Luis Guerra threatened the world and his millions of fans with a semi-retirement of sorts, and just a few tours now and then, without the elaborated and complicated productions of other tours like "Areito".



Well, whatever has changed in the mind of the most accomplished Dominican musician of all time, we're the winners. "A Son de Guerra" is the third studio album of Guerra and his 4 40 band in six years, a pretty good average considering the time he used to spend between new productions in the past. To the surprise of nobody, this new album reaches the heights of an almost instant classic, and will undoubtedly satisfy fans, critics and even casual listeners. In perhaps his most varied album in styles, Guerra mixes very well a combination that give us an array of Latin rhythms that includes Son, Guaracha, Mambo, Salsa and his well-known specialty, Merengue and Bachata. Guerra also explores the regions of American Blues and modern Latin pop-rock with the help of Colombian superstar Juanes.



The album opens with "No Aparecen" a fresh merengue with the Juan Luis patented lyrics, using a lot of metaphors related to love and nature. At the beginning you sort of sense the style of previous jobs like "El Beso de la Ciguatera", where African patterns influenced Guerra. Next is "La Guagua" a Guaracha with funny and witty lyrics, where suddenly, in the middle of the song, Guerra improvises "rap/raggae-style" to add a different twist to the song. The song talks about unfulfilled promises, in a not so subtle direct reference to politicians. Dominicans call buses "guaguas" and in this case, the bus is going backwards instead of forward:



Tira la palanca y endereza

Que la guagua va en reversa



Maybe I'm wrong, but this could be a hidden message to the actual Dominican government, whose campaign slogan is "E' Pa'lante que vamos" or "We're goin' forward" in English and Juan Luis definitely thinks that we're not going precisely that way.



The third track is "Mi Bendicion" one of two bachatas in he album, very much in the tradition of recent jobs like "La Hormiguita" or "Que me des tu cariño". Following is "La Calle" a powerful pop-rock song with traces of Latin influences where Guerra teams up with Juanes - a perfect choice for the song, to the point that you'll think it was wrote for him - to give us one of the highlights of the album. The fifth track is "Bachata en Fukuoka" a sort of homage song from Juan Luis to his first tour to Japan. I may be biased, because the first time I listened - this was the first track of the album being promoted - I was totally unimpressed. The lyrics are kind of cheesy and the melody monotonous, but after you listen to it two or three times, you begin to hum along and like the song a bit. Guerra returns to talk about social and political matters in his unique way with "Apaga y Vamonos", an expression which translates to "Turn-off the lights and let's leave" that is used in the Dominican (and maybe other Latin countries) when a cause or endeavor has no hope, and it's a waste of a time to keep trying. Obviously, Juan Luis is talking directly to his country (or any other country, for that matter) politicians and political parties whom, after decades of empty promises and false commitments to change, have proved to be exactly the same people with different colors or initials. Guerra is at his best, and resumes almost to a T, what the men and women of principle of his country, feels every single day. It is a shame that the song didn't come out around February or March, in time for the Dominican mid-term elections campaign, because its message would've been incredibly powerful.



Apaga y vamonos

Que yo no sé

Los hombres nobles

Donde se ven



Things cool off a bit in the next track "Son Al Rey" one of two Christian songs in the album, this one with Cuban son rhythm, which music is very well done, and you'll enjoy it no matter what your religious beliefs. In "Cayo Arena" Guerra goes back in time again, and remind us his early work in albums like "Soplando" and "Mudanza y Acarreo". The song is a Merengue-Pambiche with jazzy trumpets, sax and chords, extremely well crafted, which isn't going to your local radio hits parade by any means, but will definitely give the listener a wonderful time. In the ninth track Guerra give us the salsa "Arregla los Papeles" which at first sight looks like a song with a social-political message, but promptly you find out the message, instead, it's a clear religious one. One could argue the message is dual, but no matter what, this is one of the weakest songs of the album albeit a neatly arranged one.



American trumpeter Chris Botti joins Juan Luis in "Lola's Mambo" a mainly instrumental piece which Guerra defines as a "musician's song" implying clearly that this was more an intellectual exercise in music, to be enjoyed for those with a more sophisticated sense. Finishing off is "Caribbean Blues" a piece that have a son base, with fantastic American Blues traces, voice arrangements and combination of acoustic and electric guitars.



I don't have the musical expertise to call "A Son de Guerra" another masterpiece like "Bachata Rosa" or "Ojala que llueva Café", but this is another solid effort from the always reliable Juan Luis Guerra. You can almost count on at least a couple of Grammy nominations, just based in the exquisite variety of sounds. One can only hope that next, Juan Luis finally gives the OK to a long awaited live album and DVD of one of his tours. As a fan of Juan Luis Guerra y 4-40 since 1984, I'm highly pleased with this album, and as always, happy to see the musical icon of the Dominican Republic shine again.

"

Juan Luis does it again!!!!

Cesar Figuereo | Middletown, Connecticut United States | 06/09/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Juan Luis Guerra returns... And this time, with a selection of songs unlike any on his previous albums. I have been a fan of Juan Luis Guerra since I was a child living in the Dominican Republic, and now after 25 years Juan Luis Guerra just doesn't cease to amaze, and I believe that "A Son De Guerra" is by far, his most accomplished album to date!



This time around, he fuses and incorporates a very wide selection of rhythms and musical styles, to bring a new and innovative sound.



I hope he sweeps the Latin Grammys again this year! Bravo Juan Luis! You have done it again!"

Increible

BXNomadic1 | Bronx, NY | 06/14/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"JLG doesn't disappoint with such an eclectic album that makes you want to move / reminisce and share with a loved one. Amazing artist!!"