16. Manu Chao – Clandestino

World Music…is a name that Americans give to music that came from somewhere else.  Folk Music from Russia would not be under the genre “folk” here…just throw it in the bargain bin and label it “World Music” and those culture nuts and hippies will buy it…or at least that seems to be the most common attitude among music retailers.  Maybe I’m one of those hippies or culture nuts, but I generally enjoy “World Music”.  Being the most generalized genre makes “World” alot of fun for me to listen too, because I honestly will have no idea what to expect.  So….here goes.

Manu Chao is the first World music artist I get to listen too.  From what I can tell he takes European music and South American music…throws in some electronic beats and boom, we have music.  I honestly do not know what to expect so this should be fun.

Clandestino – hrm..well.  The first track was a bit generic.  I hope the rest of the album is a bit better. Its has a very Spanish feel about it but it sounds like any other Spanish song you’d hear on Latino radio.

Bongo Bong – I don’t know whats going on…

Je Ne T’aime Plus – its actually a very nice love song if you understand French, if not it sounds like stoner reggae with a synthesizer.

Luna Y Sol – the guitar in this song is amazing.  So far this one is my favorite.  It’s very Latino and is the “funnest” sounding so far.  This Frenchman pulls off Spaniard very well.

Welcome to Tijuana – Thanks for the very strange welcome….but can I leave now please?

Okay..well.  First off I want to say I’m too ill equipped to properly comment on this album.  I do not speak Spanish or French.  The lyrics to these songs could be the most deep and moving words known to man, and I wouldn’t know…that being said, musically this album was nothing special.  The beats could be heard on any Latin radio station in the Houston area.  The few songs that were sung in English were absolutely indescribable…in a bad way.  They were just weird and slightly creepy.  This was probably the oddest album I’ve heard from the book…

On that note: Thanks to Tom Moon and to bluebeat.com for keeping me legal.