Aterciopelados Albums (7)
What The Critics Say
Following a five-year sabbatical, Aterciopelados staged an acclaimed comeback in 2006 with Oye, a Latin Grammy-winning album on which they returned to the Caribbean folklore-inflected rock of their mid- to late-'90s prime. Río, the follow-up album to Oye, is similarly styled, more reminiscent of La Pipa de la Paz (1997), the album that firmly established Aterciopelados as one of the leading alternative rock bands in Latin America, than subsequent efforts such as Caribe Atómico (1998) or Gozo Poderoso (2001) on which the band more freely experimented with different styles, particularly electronica. While Oye and Río are generally similar in style, they differ in a couple ways. For one, Río is lyrically thematic, often concerned with environmental awareness. It's not a full-fledged concept album, but from one song to the next, vocalist/lyricist Andrea Echeverri rarely strays far from environmental issues -- in fact, the sound of rushing water fills the gap between songs, reinforcing the concept of environmental awareness -- and when she does touch upon non-environmental issues, she remains politically engaged and socially conscious. Secondly, though Río isn't as stylistically freewheeling as Caribe Atómico or Gozo Poderoso -- to their detriment, some believe -- never veering too close to what one might even casually describe as electronica, it's more adventurous musically than Oye. Much of the musical adventurousness can be credited to producer/multi-instrumentalist Héctor Buitrago, who crafts different shades of a uniform musical style that mixes together aspects of rock en español and Latin alternative, plus Caribbean rhythms, folk instrumentation, and drum programming. Adding to the adventurousness, one of the album highlights, "28," features a song-closing rap by Gloria "Goya" Martínez of up-and-coming fellow Columbians Choc Quib Town. Given the broad stylistic and thematic differences between Aterciopelados albums, it's difficult to measure one against another, yet Río is undoubtedly one of the band's better efforts. Like La Pipa de la Paz and Oye, the album is engaging from beginning to end. Not only are each of the songs on Río unique; they're all impressive, adding up to a complete full-length album experience filled with highlights. ~ Jason Birchmeier, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Oye arrived a full five years after Aterciopelados' previous studio release, and a lot happened in that time. For starters both singer Andrea Echeverri and bassist Héctor Buitrago -- the Colombian band's most potent creative forces -- released well-received solo albums that, rather than serve to push them further out of the band framework, seem to have strengthened their resolve to coalesce as a tighter, more focused unit. The last Aterciopelados record, Gozo Poderoso, though nominated for a Grammy, was something of a wandering affair, the band shoving aside its rock roots and aligning with the growing trend toward electronica and pounding dancefloor rhythms. They've clearly chosen to return to what they do best on Oye, and it was a smart move: the melodies have never been stronger, the playing has never been more in sync (using a live drummer certainly helps inspire them to perform more like a band), the songs never catchier. Experimentation still finds its way into several of the mixes, but on such great new songs as the forceful peace call "Paces," the soulful "Don Dinero," the dance-happy "Cruz de Sal," and the hopelessly addictive opening track, "Complemento," the band has learned to temper its fiery attack and channel its early arena rock leanings into something more modest and ultimately more appealing. Aterciopelados seem more content to give the songs breathing room here, less intent on proving how sharp they can be: a more mature approach permeates the album as a whole. On lighter tracks like "Panel," with its shiny, chiming guitars and multi-layered vocal harmonies, and "Majestad," with its spare, droning Eastern flavor, Aterciopelados hint at other possibilities for the future, a hopeful sign considering that, during the solo album-producing hiatus, many fans questioned whether they'd ever see another Aterciopelados record at all. Fortunately, not only did they come through, but they returned more determined to be a great band. ~ Jeff Tamarkin, All Music Guide
'Gozo Poderoso'
Release Date 1/23/2001
Tracks 13
Label RCA International
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What The Critics Say
Having gone to the minimalist electronica brink with Caribe Atómico, Aterciopelados take a step back toward more accessible song forms on their fourth release. The spare arrangements remain built on textures and the group still hasn't returned to the rock fold, but there is more flesh to these songs' bones right from the opener, "Luz Azul." Having served his studio-smarts apprenticeship on earlier efforts (especially Caribe Atómico), Héctor Buitrago handles the production himself. "El Álbum" retains a bit of a Latin feel, and "Uno Lo Mio y Lo Tuyo" and the singalong ode to human oneness, "La Misma Tijera," have chorus hooks that stick. The melody and closing vocals to "Transparente" are a perfect match for Andrea Echeverri's vocal personality, and so are the spacy sound effects that Buitrago inserts into the arrangements. But the fact that this collection of songs isn't that strong and that Echeverri's undeniable vocal charm can't work its usual wonders raises some questions. Gozo Poderoso is probably the least essential release by Aterciopelados, and one that makes you wonder more than a little where they're headed. ~ Don Snowden, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Any doubts that Aterciopelados were fundamentally a vehicle for the songs of Héctor Buitrago and Andrea Echeverri disappear on Caribe Atómico. Everything is pared down to bare bones here -- the band to the songwriting duo, the full-group sound down to minimalist song melodies and programmed backbeats, and traces of the old rock flavor surface only as a change of pace amidst the prevailing dance world/electronica. Producer Andres Levin is the key third party, with occasional guest cameos from New York underground scenesters Arto Lindsay and Marc Ribot and some Latin music mainstays. Echeverri's voice is really the whole show, floating over and through introspective, dream-like sketches matched by arrangements that are all atmosphere and textures; a lesser singer couldn't pull it off, but she proves to be up to the challenge. The title track is a forceful, cautionary protest of Caribbean pollution, but none of the songs jump up and really rock. "Doctora Corazon" has one of those ghostly house keyboard hooks and a chorus that most closely recalls the old group until it closes with a violin soloing over a Latin rhythm. "El Desinflar de Tu Cariño" gets into a Latin groove, "Miénteme" melds sound effects with Latin horns, and Vinicius Cantuaria guests on "Mañana," a samba that fits the tone of Echeverri's voice perfectly. Echeverri and Buitrago jumped off the deep end on Caribe Atómico in an obvious attempt to explore new musical currents. Fans of Aterciopelados' first two CDs may wish it wasn't such a radical break from the group's rocking past, but it's an experiment that largely works. ~ Don Snowden, All Music Guide
'La Pipa de la Paz'
Release Date 1/28/1997
Tracks 15
Label RCA Records
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What The Critics Say
These Colombian rockers have staked out a unique blend -- soft on the top with occasional acoustic guitars and Andrea Echeverri's smooth, airy singing, and hard on the bottom behind bassist Héctor Buitrago and drummer Alejandro Duque. But the foundation of the group's second CD remains a strong, individual songwriting style that favors unexpected twists and turns over strut-and-swagger rocking. The melodies often have little moody touches or chords that give the songs a sideways tweak and the offbeat rhythms sometimes hint at ska skank, but never quite go all the away there. "Quemarropa" starts with a biting guitar hook that shifts to rasty wah-wah during the verses before a ska bridge with mariachi horns and almost Brazilian vocal exchanges. "Nada Que Ver" combines harmonica and a country flavor with straight triumphal rock chords, "Cosita" offers a taste of power-chorded tango, and accordion pops in on "Miss Panela." "La Voz de la Patria" and "No Necesito" return to the soft verse/hard chorus model Aterciopelados employed so effectively on their first CD and Phil Manzanera's production gives La Pipa de la Paz a power boost. Ultimately, it comes down to intriguing songs and the way Echeverri's singing always gives the music an inviting, positive center. The disc may lack knockout songs like "Florecita Rockera" or "El Diablo," but the consistency of the material compensates for it. ~ Don Snowden, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Aterciopelados' debut disc opens with one powerful blast; "Florecita Rockera" is simply a killer song, building in intensity to a thunderous chorus hook that you don't need to speak Spanish to sing along with. "El Diablo" is cut from the same cloth, starting with near-acoustic verses that really pay dynamic dividends when the electric guitars come roaring in to hammer home the chorus. Built around the airy, very appealing voice of Andrea Echeverri, Aterciopelados boast a subtle but still rocking song-oriented approach that is unfailingly melodic. They're also a very savvy unit, consistently working smart shifts in dynamics or moods into the songs written by Echeverri or bassist Héctor Buitrago that draw from a fairly broad spectrum of rhythms. Latin percussion drives "Candela" and "Errante," "No Futuro" winds through several stages before its final acceleration, and a little reggae slips into "Colombia Connexion." "La Estaca" is almost two-step Colombian cowpunk and Aterciopelados intelligently measure out their doses of heaviness; Echeverri isn't a belter, but she also never gets overwhelmed on tracks like "Pilas or "Mujer Gala." A couple of songs sound arbitrarily cut off and the production could be more punchy, but both Aterciopelados and El Dorado keep growing on you with repeated listening. ~ Don Snowden, All Music Guide
'El Con el Corazon en La Mano'
Release Date 7/19/1994
Tracks 15
Label RCA Records
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