Siembra

Siembra
Studio album by Willie Colón & Rubén Blades
Released 1978
Recorded La Tierra Sound Studios
New York City
Genre Salsa
Length 43:45
Label Fania Records JM 537
NYC
Producer Willie Colón
Willie Colón & Rubén Blades chronology
Metiendo Mano! Siembra Canciones Del Solar De Los Aburridos

Siembra is an album by Rubén Blades and Willie Colón released by Fania Records in 1978.

Contents

Background

At that time, it became the best-selling salsa record in history.[1] [2] This record was broken with the release of Cuenta Conmigo by Jerry Rivera in the 1990s.[3] It has sold over 25 million copies worldwide,[4] and almost all of its songs were hits at one time or another in various Latin American countries. With its rousing social commentary and unconventional sound, "Siembra" set the salsa world on fire and remains one of the most original and influential works. [5] Among Siembra's tracks, Blades' masterpiece is still Pedro Navaja, a song that he fashioned after Bertolt Brecht's "Threepenny Opera."[6]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic [7]
Wilson & Alroy's [8]

John Bush of Allmusic gave the album a five-star rating, praising the composition of the songs by Blades as well the arrangements by Colón. Bush emphasises the use of disco arrangements at the beginning of the first track, "Plastico", until Colón's band "slip into a devastating salsa groove". He also praised Blade's vocals, noting his high-tenor voice on "Buscando Guayaba" and tender tones on "Dime".[7] David Wilson of Wilson & Alroy's also gave the album a five-star rating. He praised both the arrangements and the message of "Plastico", referring to "Dime" as "a beautiful love song".[8]

Track listing

All songs written and composed by Rubén Blades, except where noted. 

No. Title Writer(s) Length
1. "Plástico"     6:39
2. "Buscando Guayaba"     5:45
3. "Pedro Navaja"     7:22
4. "María Lionza"     5:33
5. "Ojos"   Johnny Ortiz 4:52
6. "Dime"     7:01
7. "Siembra"     5:23

Personnel

References

  1. ^ "Home to the Music". Billboard. Jul 8, 2006. pp. 46. http://books.google.com/books?id=OBYEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA46&dq=best+selling+salsa+album+siembra#v=onepage&q=best%20selling%20salsa%20album%20siembra&f=false. Retrieved 2009-10-25. 
  2. ^ "Music: The Keen Edge of Rub". TIME. Monday, Jul. 02, 1984. http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,926688,00.html. Retrieved 2009-10-25. 
  3. ^ (in Spanish) La salsa no se ha acabado. Gente Revista: Colombia. p. 75. http://books.google.com/books?id=suhs2__5NSQC&pg=PA75&dq=siembra+jerry+rivera&hl=en&ei=wDoCTrveK8iztwfEyq2mDg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CC8Q6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q&f=false. 
  4. ^
  5. ^ Gurza, Agustin (Dec 23, 2006). "It's Fania salsa remastered, with a true kick". L.A Times. http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/1184965941.html?dids=1184965941:1184965941&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Dec+23%2C+2006&author=Agustin+Gurza&pub=Los+Angeles+Times&desc=It%27s+Fania+salsa+remastered%2C+with+a+true+kick&pqatl=google. Retrieved 2009-10-25. 
  6. ^ ""Siembra," by Willie Colón and Rubén Blades, turns 30". Sun Sentinel. http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/features/arts/music/blog/2008/07/siembra_by_willie_colon_and_ru.html. Retrieved 2009-10-25. 
  7. ^ a b Bush, John. "Siembra: Review". Allmusic. Rovi. http://www.allmusic.com/album/siembra-r102170/review. Retrieved 2010-11-24. 
  8. ^ a b Wilson, David. "Willie Colón/Rubén Blades-Siembra". Wilson & Alroy's. http://www.warr.org/colonblades.html#Siembra. Retrieved 2010-11-24.