Julieta Venegas Albums (6)
What The Critics Say
At the height of her decade-long rise to fame, Julieta Venegas released her first live album, MTV Unplugged, a star-studded and meticulously arranged performance recorded before 450 adoring fans in Mexico City. She performs her greatest hits, of course, but she also adds to her set list relatively obscure songs -- most delightfully "Esta Vez," a ballad from her debut album, Aquí (1998) -- and several new songs, including the international chart-topping lead single, "El Presente." As with many MTV Unplugged albums, guest stars are featured throughout; most noteworthy among them here are Spanish rapper Mala Rodríguez, who performs in the place of Chilean rapper Anita Tijoux on "Eres Para Mí," and Brazilian superstar Marisa Monte, who duets in Portuguese on "Ilusión" (a new song written by Venegas, Monte, and Arnaldo Antunes). Guest star or not, the performances are each interesting in their arrangements, which are generally quite different from their studio original counterparts. "Lento," one of Venegas' biggest and best hits, is the most drastically rearranged -- just piano and strings, plus chorus vocals, including some from the audience, who amusingly fight their collective urge to sing along. At least 20 different musicians are credited for the performance, chief among them Mexican alternative star Natalia Lafourcade, who switches instruments throughout. Given the guest star appearances and the small army of musicians, MTV Unplugged is best enjoyed on DVD, where the show can be seen as well as heard. This is a wonderful performance by Venegas, a pop star of the highest integrity and one with great regard for her craft. Fans of her music -- and fans of Latin pop in general -- shouldn't overlook this album because of the MTV affiliation. The new material and newly arranged versions of the hits are well worth checking out, and the performance is brilliantly executed. ~ Jason Birchmeier, All Music Guide
'La Chica Chocolate'
Release Date 1/1/2008
Tracks 15
Label Universal Spain
See Album Tracklist and Review
'Limón y Sal'
Release Date 6/6/2006
Tracks 14
Label Sony International
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
A couple years removed from her mainstream breakthrough album, Sí (2002), and its string of perfect pop hits, Julieta Venegas returned with a similar album, Limón y Sal. It's difficult to fault her for doing so. Certainly, her earlier rock en español work -- Aquí (1998) and Bueninvento (2000) -- was critically acclaimed and remains well regarded. Her partnership with super-producer Gustavo Santaolalla for those masterstrokes vaulted her into the esteemed company of rock en español revolutionaries of the time like Café Tacuba and Aterciopelados. But it didn't equate to mainstream success, as that music was generally rough-edged and could be downright confrontational. Sí and Limón y Sal are a different story altogether -- upbeat, sunny, and just plain lovely albums of well-crafted pop songs that demand adoration, thanks partly to key collaborators Coti Sorokin and Cachorro López, who serve as producers as well as producers. Neither Sí nor Limón y Sal is particularly long -- 35 and 45 minutes, respectively -- nor is either all that ambitious. Sure, the songs showcase a stylistic mélange, embracing the occasional hip-hop beat or accordion accompaniment. Yet a steady acoustic guitar strum is always omnipresent, as is a firm pop song foundation highlighted by a singalong chorus. In a way, it's a little unfortunate that Venegas has put the Sturm und Drang of her youth behind her; Aquí and Bueninvento were truly brilliant and bold. Her newfound knack for more universally appealing music is itself a blessing nonetheless, for these new songs are easy to enjoy and, relative to much contemporaneous Latin pop (think RBD), superlative in craft. Highlights here are abundant -- you can pick any track, practically -- but like its predecessor, Limón y Sal kicks off with a few true gems: "Canciónes de Amor," "Me Voy," and "Primer Día," the latter notably featuring a rap by Dante Spinetta of Illya Kuryaki and the Valderramas fame. Even during the sad songs, like the spare "Última Vez," a genuine joie de vivre burns brightly, making it clear for the second album in a row that Venegas is moving her music into a new direction. That this new direction has brought with it greater popularity is an added bonus. ~ Jason Birchmeier, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Julieta Venegas is happy. First there was the outpouring of words like "poetic," "enigmatic," and "intense" among critics raving about the accordion-playing Tijuana native's 2000 release, Bueninvento. Then came her memorable contribution to the Amores Perros soundtrack and subsequent collaborations and appearances with major rock en español artists like Jarabe de Palo lead man Pau Dones and Cuban balladeer Silvio Rodríguez. And not incidentally, judging from the cover of Sí, which features Venegas cavorting in a wedding gown on a cotton candy pink background, somewhere in the intervening three years a question got popped. For every complex and moody fan alienated by what proves to be an unapologetically, even relentlessly perky recording, the airplay and buzz following Sí's November 2003 launch suggested it generated plenty of sunny new converts. Indeed, the ten songs, all written by Venegas or co-authored with Argentine composer, session musician, and co-producer Coti Sorokin, offer much to like. Venegas flirts with folkloric stereotypes in norteño-lounge numbers like "Andar Conmigo" and "Oleada," weds them to hip-hop in "Lo Que Pidas," and commandeers the dancefloor at the reception in shameless disco salutes like "Donde Quiero Estar" and "A Tu Lado," making joyous use of a voice that's sounding as assured and uncluttered as that of Aterciopelados' Andrea Echeverri. The 35 minutes of total play time might seem scant and the lyrics more than a little love struck, but don't lump Venegas in with other passing fancies. Sometimes love is meant to last. ~ Jenny Gage, All Music Guide
'Bueninvento'
Release Date 8/22/2000
Tracks 14
Label RCA International
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Julieta Venegas made a remarkable debut in 1998 with Aquí, an album of enormous breadth and boldness. Her follow-up, Bueninvento, is no less bold, though it is more stylistically consistent from beginning to end. The piano songs that characterized the second half of Aquí are nowhere to be found on Bueninvento, as Venegas instead delves headlong into the style of driving rock en español exemplified by "De Mis Pasos," one of the two singles from Aquí. Like "De Mis Pasos," the songs of Bueninvento are driven by drums (often programmed), accordion accents, electric guitar, and compelling choruses. There's also a lot of keyboard, which becomes evident immediately, on the album-opener, "Fé," which sounds like an amped-up rewrite of "Cómo Sé," the other single from Aquí. The second song on Bueninvento, "Hoy No Quiero," makes evident the degree to which guitars play a large role in driving these songs with aggressive forward momentum. In fact, the entire opening stretch of songs showcases the qualities of Bueninvento; for instance, "Casa Abandonada," the third song, opens with a minute-long solo accordion riff, while "Enero y Abril," the fourth song, is richly layered with programmed beats. As Bueninvento progresses, the variations in mood and intensity from song to song become the most noticeable aspect of the album: downbeat songs often follow upbeat ones, and loud choruses often cut through the calm opening verses, with a chaotic finale capping off most songs. A few songs toward the end of the album stand tall: "Bueninvento," which rattles along on a nervy beatscape and erupts with strings toward its close; "Sería Feliz," the successive song, which mesmerizingly seems to sway back and forth; and then "Instantánea," which opens with a couple minutes of tense acoustic guitar strumming and fragile singing, then ruptures gloriously. Despite the many standout songs, Bueninvento plays like one long 14-song suite. The songs themselves have their unique characteristics, to be sure, yet end up seeming like sequenced movements when the album finally comes a close after 54 tumultuous minutes. While this can make the album difficult to penetrate at first listen -- make no mistake, this is not pop music -- Bueninvento is a deeply rewarding album, one that is rich with tension and intensity and one that reveals itself a little differently with each listen. ~ Jason Birchmeier, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Aquí marks the debut of all-around talent Julieta Venegas, who here writes her own songs, sings them, plays the piano (as well as accordion, keyboards, organ, and vibraphone), programs the beats -- she does a lot. Over the course of Aquí she puts her talents on display in dramatic fashion, crafting an almost painfully intimate album that sweeps across different styles and moods steadily, carried throughout by her poetic singing. All of this is perfectly foreshadowed in the opening moments of the album's opening track, "Oportunidad," which begins with roughly 20 seconds of solo piano suddenly eclipsed by some abrupt programmed beats and percussion that are accompanied by haunting accordion and then Venegas' majestic voice. By the time the chorus comes crashing in near the two-minute mark, you're immersed in an utterly unique approach to rock en español that supplants the traditional guitar-bass-drums approach with accordion-keyboards-beats. That is, until about halfway through the album, when "Con Su Propia Voz" opens with a stormy wave of violent piano, announcing a sharp change in direction. And indeed, the second half is stormy sailing as Venegas throws it all at you -- string arrangements, gentle electric guitar washes, choral sections, a cappella singing, orchestral stabs -- and shifts tempos, arrangements, and moods from song to song, all the while tying the proceedings together with her ever-present voice. To top it all off, she has the best producer in Latin alternative music, Gustavo Santaolalla, at the helm of the ship, and Café Tacuba bandmembers Enrique Rangel, Joselo Rangel, and Rubén Albarrán credited with bass, guitar, and design, respectively. Aquí has many standout moments, including "De Mis Pasos," "Cómo Sé," "Con Su Propia Voz," and "Recuerdo Perdido," yet the album is best enjoyed as a beginning-to-end listen. The sequencing is key, for Aquí builds into something much greater than the sum of its pieces. [The album is accompanied by enhanced content, including photos, lyrics, and a video for "De Mis Pasos."] ~ Jason Birchmeier, All Music Guide
