Juanes Album: “La Vida es un Ratico [Limited]”

Mi Sangre was a great album, Un Dia Normal was his masterpiece and one of the greatest rock/pop albums in any language of all time.

How good is this album? Better than Mi Sangre and may just be as good as Un Dia Normal, that's how good this album is.

One of the things I first noticed was his voice. He is singing better than he ever has... His voice has more range than it ever has and he has worried much more about phrasing this time around.

Lyrically this album is closer to 1st album Fijate Bien than anything. It is full of message songs. He touches on topics such as terrorism, peace, making a difference, poverty, unity, etc. It is just amazing lyrically this album. I guess he decided that he'd done two albums on love and it was time to bring on the social message again. Thank god he did!!!

The other thing I noticed was the guitar solo is back this time around! Remember back in the 80's just about every song had a guitar solo. Juanes wants to bring it back, this album is full of them and they are all fantastic to listen to. He flexes his guitar playing muscles and does a great job.

The other amazing thing is the absolute diversity of the tracks, probably his most diverse album musically. But the diversity is heard in the chords he is playing rather than in the instruments themselved. Instrument wise it's the same Juanes, mainly guitar-drum-bass setup. But listen to the chords he is playing and he is playing blues, bossa nova, country, as well as his normal Columbian infused rhythm, etc. It is just fantastic. You'll also hear the odd hammon organ, slide guitar, and accordion throughout the album in subtle ways to compliment rather than overpower.

Alot of people no doubt want to know if there is another Camisa Negra or A Dios Lo Pido... there are... Me Enamora, Tres (which is as vallenato as Juanes will ever get), Clase de Amor.

As much as I love those songs (and they will be played all over the place) it's his quieter tunes that really linger in your head...

- The gorgeous bossanova rhythm'd Hoy Me Voy.

- The grandiose message song La Vida Es Un Ratico with a haunting piano arrangement.

- Another message song in Minas Piedras with a beautiful slide guitar, banjo, and violin arrangements.

- Bandera de Manos, yet another message song... with a faster rhythm behind it.

Go out and buy this. If you don't understand Spanish, buy it because of the musical brilliance. Si hablas Espanol compralo porque es el mejor disco del ano. Tenemos que dar apoyo a artistas latinos como Juanes que estan sacando discos de tan gran calidad.

BEST ALBUM OF THE YEAR!!!

It's easy to see that Juanes will be on Latin rock scene for a long, long time. Continuing the emergence of the "Colombian Renaissance" of big-name music acts (check out Cabas and Carlos Vives for other genres), Juanes does not disappoint in the least with this latest effort.

Personally, I wanted a CD that was similarly driven as the powerhouse "Mi Sangre," but at the same time it is fantastic to see an artist evolve and grow, and this CD provides musical and vocal innovations that delight. The lead singer's voice has matured quite a bit over the last two CD's, though on this CD there's one tiny vocal misfire (the falsetto attempts on the -ando verbs in "Tres").

If you are new to Juanes, don't start with this CD, IMO. I'd start with something like "Un Día Normal," then continue with "Mi Sangre' before listening to this one. That way, you can appreciate Juanes' artistic evolution as we all do.

A solid album that's worth the money.

With his latest offering " La vida es un ratico",Juanes proves once again that he is here to stay for good.Just when you thought there was no way he could top his previous efforts( Fijate bien,Un dia normal & Mi sangre),he comes out with all latin rock guns blazing and delivers an album that simply put: it's the best latin album to come out in 2007 and one that will undoubtedly earn him several Grammy and MTV awards next year.And rightfully so...

Juanes is singing better,playing the guitar amazingly and writing his most meaningful lyrics to date.His songs always manage to be both melodical and touching,just the perfect combination if you ask me;which is why he is so far ahead from the rest of all other artists in Latin America.

I won't dissect every song here,but I will say this: "la Vida es un ratico" is an amazing album full of wonderful songs that deeply touch your heart and soul and make you wanna dance like only Juanes can through a brilliant mix of old school rock and an effective fusion of Latin & Colombian rhytms.Just like fine wine,Juanes just keeps getting beter and better.

Just do yourself a favor and get the best Latin album to come out this year!! you will not be disppointed my friends..

After reading other reviews for Juanes albums this will not come as a shock to anyone that listens to his music as always he is totally BRILLIANT nothing that he writes is bad.This particular album i have found represents Juanes in true fashion a brilliant musician and a poet of a song writer.I could not pick out one song that is my fave as they all are and are all equally uplifting.My advice to anyone would be to purchase this album as you will not be dissapointed even if you do not speak or understand Spanish you will understand what Juanes is singing about as it comes form the heart and soul.

For me, Juanes is the best artist of the year, also in live performance.

The price/quality-relation is o.k..

I just would like have had more live grabations.

Unfortunately there are no live-grabations as DVD.

But all around i'm happy with this product.