Discografia

Saturday, 09 August 2008 07:49 Last Updated on Wednesday, 17 November 2010 04:12 Written by Administrator
Calle 13, Calle 13

CALLE 13

The debut release of Calle 13 in late 2005 offered a refreshing alternative to the mass of reggaeton concurrently overrunning popular Latin music. Comprised of vocalist Residente (born René Pérez) and producer Visitante (Eduardo Cabra), the duo isn't a standard reggaeton act. Make no mistake, though. To a degree their music is reggaeton — that unmistakable rhythm is front and center, and Residente does rap over the beats as you might expect — but there's much more to it than that. For one, the beats of Visitante are inventive, incorporating aspects of hip-hop and characteristics of electronica, and are a world apart from the industry-standard trademark of Luny Tunes and that production team's assembly line of bandwagon-jumping imitators. Secondly, the raps of Residente eschew reggaeton clichés, showcasing a healthy sense of humor and an almost clownish approach to sarcasm (à la Eminem) — again, a world apart from the kingly bravado of most reggaeton vocalists, and the obligatory glimmers of misogyny and violence that accompany such streetwise swaggering. Moreover, no doubt he does flirt with sex a lot, albeit playfully, if not outright jokingly, rather than commandingly or, worse, violently. A few songs stand out, most notably "Se Vale To-To" and "¡Atrévete Te, Te!" Too, there are a number of skits interspersed throughout the album, and they're just as much fun as the music. So if you like the urban side of Latin music yet feel put off by the excessive machismo of reggaeton, Calle 13 offers a refreshing alternative. The beats are here, as is the rapping, and you can dance to it, except the emphasis of this duo seems to be wit, whimsy, and creativity rather than just cashing in on the reggaeton gold rush with the same old staple motifs.

Residente o Visitante, Calle 13

RESIDENTE O VISITANTE

Around the time the reggaeton gold rush of 2003-2005 was running dry, and a great many critics were eager to write off the style as a next-big-thing phenomenon that burned itself out, along came Calle 13. The Puerto Rican duo was a revelation: a reggaeton act whose appeal extended beyond clubs and mixtapes, one whose music was as engaging intellectually as it was sonically. Granted, Calle 13 was a reggaeton act that wasn't genuinely reggaeton. These guys were presenting an alternative style, one that was purposefully different — when so many other reggaeton acts were parroting the mannerisms of Daddy Yankee and Don Omar in hopes of cashing in on the gold rush, Calle 13 blazed a trail of their own. They didn't catch on at first, but once they did, slowly but steadily, they were showered with acclaim, including three Latin Grammys, and they enjoyed surging popularity, especially among the MTV demographic. All of this success opened a lot of doors for the duo, as Residente (the vocalist) accepted invitations to work with Nelly Furtado and Alejandro Sanz and Visitante (the producer) with Shakira and Beyoncé on their "Beautiful Liar" collaboration — not bad for a reggaeton act. The thing is, Calle 13 is so much more than a reggaeton act, something they seem to stress on their second album, Residente o Visitante. Sure, reggaeton is the basis for the music of Residente and Visitante, but they synthesize it with a wide-ranging assortment of styles and sounds, including opera ("Intro"), tango ("Tango del Pecado"), bossa nova ("Un Beso de Desayuno"), electric guitar ("Llégale a Mi Guarida"), and cumbia ("La Cumbia de los Aburridos"). More than anything, though, rap and electronica are clear touchstones for Calle 13, as Residente is a gifted rapper who matches Eminem in terms of wit and playfulness while Visitante is a similarly gifted producer who creates multi-layered tracks that rarely sound alike.
Los de Atrás Vienen Conmigo, Calle 13

LOS DE ATRAS VIENEN CONMIGO

Calle 13 — the Puerto Rican duo of rapper Residente (René Pérez) and producer Visitante (Eduardo Cabra) — have always drawn sounds from beyond reggaeton, and on their third album, Los de Atrás Vienen Conmigo, they further expand their musical palette. Residente unleashes Spanish lyrics that are sharp, humorous, and at times surreal, while Visitante creates tracks that draw from Dixieland (“Ven y Critícame”), Slavic brass bands (“Fiesta de Locos”), and old school Nuyorican Freestyle (“Electro Movimiento”). There are also snippets of classical music, cumbia, funky guitar scratches, West African grooves, and other elements. A couple of outstanding guest artists make key contributions: On “No Hay Nadie Como Tú,” the Mexican band Café Tacuba spins out springy polka-rock, and “La Perla” features the Panamanian singer Rubén Blades injecting the sinuous flow of a great sonero into the mix, which makes for a nice contrast to Residente’s hard-edged raps. The closing track, “John el Esquizofrénico,” is one of this excellent album’s highlights. Over a midtempo beat, Residente lets the words fly as Mellotron and slide guitar evoke psych-period Beatles.

Calle 13, Entren los Que Quieran

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