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El Rock de Mi Pueblo

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El Rock de Mi Pueblo is the eleventh album by Colombian singer/composer Carlos Vives.

Released on August 31, 2004, the album was nominated for two Grammys, and winner of Contemporary Tropical Album. The long-awaited follow up to Déjame Entrar contains his fourth #1 hit (Como Tú). The album is a stylistic change musically for Vives, who along with returning producer Emilio Estefan, Jr., created a progressive fusion where rock was at the forefront, while vallenato took a more backseat.

Overview

In the early 1990s, Carlos Vives would become a pioneer in revolutionizing the sound of the Colombian vallenato into modern music. His fame made him Colombia's biggest breakout star, transfixing audiences of all ages into his fusion of vallenato, updated with a rock sound. Later, two successful collaborations with famed producer Emilio Estefan, Jr. helped Vives reach new heights in his career, both critically and commercially. Both albums, El Amor de Mi Tierra (1999), and Déjame Entrar (2001), turned out to be massive sellers, producing three #1 Billboard hits on the Latin charts, and received numerous award nominations, including two Grammy wins. With Vives on a career high, he and Estefan got back together to work on their third album collaboration. The result would mark a change in Vives's sound.

With each album Carlos released in his twenty year career, there was an evident progression in sound and style. From his days as a synth-ballad singer, to his breakout covering vallenato hits, to introspective songwriting, and finally catchy pop, each album, despite the classic fusion of vallenato and rock, had its own style and identity. It would be with this release where Vives would show another new change in approach in his music altogether.

When El Rock de Mi Pueblo (The Rock of My People) finally showed up three years after Déjame Entrar, Vives, along with new blonde dreadlocks, brought a new experimental sound. While the album title represented the strength of Latin culture, the "Rock" was the definitive sound on this album. With fellow Colombians Juanes and Shakira becoming stars in their own right, their own Latin Rock hybrid had become popular with audiences throughout the world; making the long-awaited release of Carlos's new album high with anticipation. What listeners discovered was an album much different from the Carlos they were accustomed to, an album that above all else, represented a sonic reinvention in Carlos's musical style. Whereas the accordion would be the sound by which Vives's music was rooted in, it would be the prominence of rock guitar and drums in this album that had vallenato playing second-fiddle.

The album's first single and opener "Comu Tú" (Like You) was released and instantly became a smash, reaching the top spot of the Billboard Hot Latin Tracks at #1. Co-written with La Provincia's pianist Carlos Ivan Medina and guitarist Andrés Castro, the three would be instrumental in sharing songwriting duties with Vives. The song begins with Andrés Castro's electric guitar playing a few chords, then Egidio Cuadrado joins in, harmonizing with Castro's riffs. To add to the eclecticism of song and album itself, Vives makes prominent use of the harmonica, giving a bluesier feel. The chorus is pure pop, with the infectious chants of Vives's "Tu, tu, tu, mi vida eterna!". The song was a perfect example of what the album had to offer, an experimental mix of hard rock, blues, and a touch of vallenato.

Vives's willingness to delve into different musical genres provided for styles unassociated with his prior work. During a 2005 tour, many were surprised to find Vives sharing a bill with Daddy Yankee, his collaborator on the reggaeton remix of "Comu Tú". Other artists got involved putting Vives's music into nightclubs, with the Paul Oakenfold remix of "Comu Tú" becoming a popular hit, managing to reach #26 on the Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club charts. Giving the album an extra boost was the new mix version of the rock ballad "Voy A Olvidarme de Mi" (I’m Going to Forget Myself), which managed to reach the #10 spot on the Billboard Hot Latin charts. Standards from the album include "Fuerza del Amor" (Power of Love), the title track, an example of the album's Hard Rock sound; "Santa Marta-Kingston-New Orleans" a song that gels three different genres (vallenato, reggae, jazz), and songs such as "Gallito de Caramelo" which are a complete throwback to the "classic" Vives sound of vallenato.

El Rock de Mi Pueblo brought mostly positive reaction from critics and fans alike. Many older fans were mixed on Vives's new direction, while critics praised Carlos for reaching new horizons in his career. The album received a Grammy nomination for Best Latin Pop Album, and won the Grammy for Contemporary Tropical Album. It remains Carlos's most experimental release in his discography.

Track listing

  1. "Como Tú" (C. Medina, C. Vives) – 3:21
  2. "Maravilla" (A. Castro, C. Vives) – 3:39
  3. "Maleta de Sueños" (A. Castro, C. Vives) – 3:31
  4. "Fuerza del Amor" (A. Castro, C. Medina, C. Vives) – 3:24
  5. "Qué Tiene la Noche" (C. Medina, C. Vives) – 3:54
  6. "Voy a Olvidarme de Mí" (C. Vives) – 3:35
  7. "La Llamada" (C. Vives, E. Cuadrado) – 3:38
  8. "Santa Marta-Kingston-New Orleans" (A. Castro, C. Vives) – 3:50
  9. "Princesa y el Soldado" (A. Castro, C. Vives) – 4:44
  10. "Gallito de Caramelo" (C. Vives) – 3:35
  11. "Rock de Mi Pueblo" (C. Medina, C. Vives) – 3:58
  12. "El Duro - El Original" (C. Vives) – 1:07

Album credits

Performance Credits

  • Carlos Vives - Vocals, Guitar, Choir
  • Archie Pena - Percussion, Conga, Drums, Redoblante
  • Sebastian Krys - Choir
  • Mayte Montero - Maracas, Gaita, Guache
  • Ramon Benitez - Bombard
  • Egidio Cuadrado - Accordion, Choir
  • Andrés Castro - Acoustic guitar, Electric guitar, Charango, Choir
  • Carlos Huertas - Choir
  • Pablo Bernal - Drums
  • Tedoy Mullet - Trombone, Trumpet
  • Carlos Ivan Medina - Choir
  • Luis Angel - Double Bass, Six-String Bass
  • Paquito Hechavarria - Piano

Technical Credits

  • Emilio Estefan Jr. - Producer
  • Sebastian Krys - Producer
  • Andrés Castro - Producer
  • Carlos Vives - Liner Notes
  • Scott Canto - Engineer
  • Mike Couzzi - Engineer
  • Bob Ludwig - Mastering
  • Kevin Dillon - Logistics
  • Mayte Montero - Arranger
  • Lucho Correa - Graphic Design
  • Egidio Cuadrado - Arranger
  • David Heuer - Engineer
  • Javier Garza - Engineer
  • Steve Menezes - Studio Coordinator
  • Jose A. Maldonado - Logistics
  • Trevor Fletcher - Studio Coordinator

Sales and certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[1] Platinum (Latin) 100,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. ^ "American album certifications – Carlos Vives – El Rock de Mi Pueblo". Recording Industry Association of America.

For soundbites and further information, go to http://www.carlosvives.com

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