Clandestino

This CD... it is such a masterpiece a la fois full of spirit, energy, tristesse, love... too many emotions to list, and the strangest thing is you discover more upon successive listenings. As a musician, Manu is energetic and impeccable; as a songwriter and lyricist he can be inspired, profound, light-hearted or revealing, and the producing is seamless (often literally, as one track slides into the next). This isn't Pop Music though it's doing well on the charts in Europe, it's only 'Ethnic' Music if you don't speak Spanish or French (get a frend to translate for you! Of course, it grooves so hard you can simply smoke to it, but you'd be missing out...) but I wouldn't say it defies classification: This is International music at it's best... They say that 'language is the only homeland', and that 'Music is the earth's only true language'... In both cases it's obvious that Manu Chao has proven himself a Citizen of the Earth at his best and brightest, taking 3...Read more

If you speak Spanish or French this album is truly a treat. The title track " Clandestino" sets the tone for this international star. This is his first effort since "Mano Negra" broke up their legendary band. In the opening track he brags of his exploits as he travels the world. Chao has a nasal voice that is very entertaining and fits quite nicely with the acoustic guitar work. This troubador has an amazing set of stories to relate to his audience that are highly political and controversial as he deals with subjects that people many times try to avoid. There are lighter topics such as "Bongo Bong"(in English and French) that is about a person who starts "bangin on my bongo" in the jungle and eventualy migrates to "the big town" to become the "King of Bongo". This song is so catchy and cool that you will play it over and over and it will be ringing in your brain hours later. All the songs are superb, the production...Read more

This is one of the greatest CDs I've ever heard! I had been a fan of Mano Negra since the early 90s because their incredible mixture of French and Spanish music. After they split up I was quite curious to see what Mano Chao would do. My first impression was not the best, I thought the album was very strange and in some way repeating itself without having fast rock songs like the Mano had. But then I noticed that I was playing the CD again and again even singing the lyrics at work: this record is like hypnotizing you, the mixture of latin sounds is terrific and also the melancolic texts of Manu are full of meanings. My favorites: Desaparecido, Mentira and La despedida.