Gloria Estefan Album: “Cuts Both Ways”

Gloria Estefan experienced much success with her LET IT LOOSE album. In 1989,her second megahit album,CUTS BOTH WAYS,was released. The hits are HERE WE ARE,DON'T WANNA LOSE YOU,GET ON YOUR FEET and the title track. The latter does not appear on 1992's GREATEST HITS. Jon Secada made a few guest appearances on this album. The CD and cassette feature Spanish versions of OYE MI CANTO(Hear My Voice) and DON'T WANNA LOSE YOU. The latter's translation is SI VOY E PERDERTE. Imagine the Backstreet Boys doing their recording of the same title in Spanish(their song is completely different words and music). This is the last album to bear the artist as Gloria Estefan & Miami Sound Machine. While on tour promoting this album,Gloria injured her back in a bus accident and successfully recovered. This happened in March 1990. Gloria and her band continued touring after the accident. Great album!

For many Gloria Estefan came from a really dance fan base to a more pop-adult contemporary oriented audience. By her fourth album Gloria sounded more mature and experience. "Cuts Both Ways", is a peak album for Estefan, in name of fame, she was at her peak. No wonder this album is one of her best too. Don't Wanna Lose You" her 2nd #1 single is a classic track not only for Estefan but for the world of music, with a strong message and an amazing music background that made the song sound timeless. "Here We Are" why? this wasn't #1? is really strong and great. "Get On Your Feet" an uplifting song by miss Estefan that failed to reach the top 10, stopped at #11, but a great guitar background. "Oye Mi Canto" an extremely latin flavor song, sounds so espiritual and intimate, almos like a cry from the soul, great song, that didn't reach the top 40 unfairly, because is a great Estefan gem. "Cuts Both Ways" a third ballad it stopped before the top 40 too, but is no drop out, it's a keeper, great AC song. After all the mixture of refine latin beats, great lyrics, and a very rock album, "Cuts Both Ways" is one of the best albums of Gloria Estefan and band.

..this album is great and I was happy to be able to find it on amazon.com

I love this album for more reasons than any human can understand fully, for reasons that go beyond Gloria and her voice and the music. Plus look at Gloria's face on the album cover. Isn't it enough to make you melt?

I'll say "Here We Are" was the 1st song of Gloria's that I really connected with. (I have sort of enshrined the "cassette single" of that song in a plastic protective case. I can't play the cassette anymore, 'cause it might break and I can't let that happen.) This song brought me rushing into Gloria's music with full force. Plus, when I hear Gloria's singing voice, I hear the timbre of the speaking voice of someone I know and love in my own personal world.

In the end, as a "review", I'd say that with most things, how much you "like" something will be determined by your own personal, unique characteristics that have been shaped by your life. So what I like may not be what you like, the depth of what I like may not be the depth of your "like", and likely won't be. Come to whatever you listen to musically and ask if it "speaks to you". This album speaks of love and loss and pain and even moments of release and just "fun". If you have felt any of these, you will have some connection to this album.

And Gloria's voice is unlike any other in music. I've listened to her voice evolve over the past 15-20 years. Her current singing voice (as of 2005-06) is deeper and a little more "sandy" as compared to this Album and earlier Albums...which is very light and smooth as a newborn's laugh. But of course, everyone ages. And still, even saying that her voice has changed, I'll say her voice is still creamy good.

Disc had a lot of surface scratches and nicks. Vety good rating a bit of a stretch. Maybe next time.