|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Epicurus.com - Roots
|
List Price: $18.98
Our Price: $18.98
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
Manufacturer: Nonesuch
|
Average Customer Rating:  
|
|
Binding: Audio CD
EAN: 0075597984125
Label: Nonesuch
Manufacturer: Nonesuch
Number Of Discs: 1
Publisher: Nonesuch
Release Date: 2004-03-16
Studio: Nonesuch
|
|
|
|
|
|
Editorial Reviews:
|
The Gipsy Kings are never going to have the kind of critical acclaim that Paco de Lucia has, but their popularization of poppy rumba flamenca among non-Spanish speakers is nothing to be ashamed of. Nonetheless, here on Roots, the octet turns back to the tradition while making their own imprint on it. Having the band record in an old farm house, producer Craig Street, it seems, simply told them to sit down to play their bittersweet songs. Without electric instruments or a drum set to clutter the mix, brisk acoustic guitars will sweep listeners up in the driving rhythms as lead guitarist Tonino Baliardo soars overhead, particularly on the instrumental songs. When Nicolas, Canut and Patchai Reyes take turns on lead vocals, Street adeptly captures the timbre and nuance of the singers' voices while also delicately balancing the guitar, hand percussion and bass. No pop songs or bombastic rock beats:here's one that purists cannot argue with. --Tad Hendrickson
|
|
|
Spotlight customer reviews:
|
Customer Rating:
Summary: Superb acoustic guitar -- flamenco, spanish, mexican and latino guitar
Comment: At times, delicate, and others, raucous, Roots is consistently excellent. I listen to this album almost every day--one of the better Gypsy Kings albums I've heard.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Quality Cross-Over and Cross-Back
Comment: Going back to their Roots with an acoustic album of passion and rhythm, this is music that will appeal to a broader audience than just Flamencoistas. I recently heard it played frequently in Puerto Rico where one would expect only Salsa; but good music is good music, here with strong guitar, voice and driving rhythms in a rumba style flamenco the Gipsy Kings are known to create. It is sort of a "back to powerful basics" album that can be played over and over again. Sample the 30 second excerpts that Amazon provides and see if the music catches you.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Fantastic
Comment: This is the best CD that was ever recorded by mankind. I'm throwing my huge collection of music into the garbage and I will only listen to this masterpiece until the day I die.
To be honest with you, I haven't heard this CD. I'm only writing this to pi$$ off Oscar Perez who gave this a 2 star rating.
Customer Rating: 
Summary: Not so quite...catchy?
Comment: Im kinda surprised of the excellent review this CD got. Im my opinion this is not the gipsy kings i know. I found it average at best. I did not find the songs as interesting as many of their other CDs. I can only recommend this to hardcore fans only. For the more timid or newcomer to this music I have to recommend the Gipsy kings CD "ALLEGRIA" which has to be one of the best CDs ever made anywhere. But I have to advise most to stay away from this one...
Customer Rating:
Summary: this is more like it
Comment: This CD will undoubtedly bring running all the barking dogs that cry out "The Gipsy Kings are not Flamenco!" However, the dogs may find themselves sitting quietly and listening, for while this is not the sort of music which will wring cries of "Puro Gitano!" from serious Flamenco fans, it is nonetheless very good music. It is certainly the best music that the Gipsy Kings have produced in a very long time.
I was intrigued by the concept of the music being recorded in a non-studio setting, without all the trappings of pop music which have become increasingly prevalent in the band's CDs. I was both gratified and disappointed by the finished product. The picture on the cover led me to expect a more organic feel to the recording; alas, the appreciative audience who punctuate live Flamenco with vigorous cries of "Ole!" and stamp, clap, and otherwise become a part of the performance were absent.
But the music is undeniably powerful, well recorded and executed with considerable skill. In particular, tracks # 3 "Fandango (Patchai)," #5 Rhythmic," # 9 Fandango (Nicolas)," # 15 "Hermanos," and # 16 "Petit Noya" were oustanding. The two "Fandango" tracks were stripped of enough polish to allow the emotion of the music to emerge, and the Middle-eastern flavored "Rhythmic" is a delight. This is a very fine recording, and I hope that we will hear more like it.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
