Los De Atrás Vienen Conmigo [PA]

Performer: Calle 13
Artist: Cafe Tacvba; Juanes; La Chilinga; Ruben Blades
Distributor: Sony Music Distribution (

Notes: Calle 13: Ren� P�rez, Eduardo Cabra. Personnel: Ileana Cabra, Kian� Medina, Flor Joglar (vocals); Omar Vivoni (guitar, snare drum); Bryan Hoffman (didjeridu); Milton Barreto (soprano saxophone); Edgar Abraham (alto saxophone, baritone saxophone); Ram�rez, Daniel (trumpet, flugelhorn); Cheo Qui�ones (trumpet); Victor Vazquez , Arturo Verg�s (trombone); Nelson Corchado (tuba); Nelson Calero (vibraphone); Radames Travieso (guiro); Ismael Cancel, Andres Cruz, Hector Barez (percussion); Banda de Escolar de Aibonito. Arrangers: Ram�rez, Daniel; Eduardo Cabra. When Calle 13 delivered their kooky left hook to the world of reggaeton with their 2005 full-length debut, critics and fans alike took notice. Fun, political, and boldly innovative in a genre full of cookie cutter artists, Calle 13 were the breath of fresh air reggaeton had long needed. The groundbreaking brother team from Puerto Rico continues their journey with 2008's LOS DE ATRAS VIENEN CONMIGO. With a title that translates loosely into "Those left behind are coming with me," Calle 13's sophomore effort takes to task the world of privilege and corporate greed. But the real revolution is in the music, which revels in a postmodern collage of styles including cumbia, reggae, rock, and gypsy music. Guests Caf� Tacuba (on lead single "No Hay Nadie Como Tu") and Ruben Blades give the tracks sparkle, but it's Calle 13's fresh, irresistible vision that carries the show. Los de Atr�s Vienen Conmigo, the third album by Calle 13, follows a tremendous run of success in which the Puerto Rican urban music duo won six Grammys in the span of two years, was praised left and right by critics, and toured internationally, including crowd-pleasing performances at the Vi�a del Mar International Song Festival and the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. Like its predecessor, Residente o Visitante (2007), Los de Atr�s Vienen Conmigo is a step forward for Calle 13 -- another step away from the reggaet�n scene from which they arose and toward a fearlessly experimental style of urban music unlike anything else out there at the time of its release. In fact, right off the bat, during the album's opening song, "Que Lloren," vocalist Residente distances himself from the reggaet�n scene, taking rival reggaetoneros to task for their lyrical vacuousness and declaring Calle 13 the thinking-man's urban music. While that's more or less true from a lyrical standpoint, as once again Residente proves himself thoughtful, satirical, and twisted -- someone who embraces his reputation as an outsider, someone who prides himself on individuality -- the musical productions of Visitante are more rhythmically infectious and stylistically versatile than ever. If this is thinking-man's urban music, it's mighty funky at the same time. Indeed, the album's highlights -- of which there are many, among them "No Hay Nadie Como T�," "Esto con Eso," "La Perla," "Electro Movimiento," "Fiesta de Locos," "Tal Para Cual" -- are production standouts, melding together an assortment of Latin rhythms, exotic instrumentation, and futuristic electronics. As on Residente o Visitante, many of the highlights are also collaborations: Caf� Tacuba is featured on "No Hay Nadie Como T�," a five-minute tour de force that kicks the album into high gear after the opening salvo of "Que Lloren"; Juanes is featured as a guitarist on "Esto con Eso," though you wouldn't know if not for the liner note credits, as there's so much else going on in the song musically; in addition to percussionists La Chilinga, Rub�n Blades is featured prominently on "La Perla," a seven-minute workout that is simply magnificent; Afrobeta, a heretofore more or less unknown act from Miami, is featured on the '80s freestyle throwback jam "Electro Movimiento"; and frequent collaborator PG-13 contributes to multiple songs, most notably on "Esto con Eso." ~ Jason Birchmeier

Rolling Stone (p.124) - 4 stars out of 5 -- "Spanish-speakers will love Residente's witty raps, but you don't need to know a word to grasp his message: a plea to bury geographic boundaries under an unstoppable groove." Blender (Magazine) (p.62) - 4 stars out of 5 -- "[T]he duo's fast-talking satirist Residente marches reggaeton to the high road -- his commentaries about the harshness of life in Latin American barrios resemble those of the great singer Ruben Blades..."

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