#469: Clandestino [Manu Chao, 1998]

For an American music publication, this seems like a European pick. Chao was quite a big deal in Europe for a few years, where his self-assured Latin-folk acoustic strumming and fluid multilingualism sounded equally at home in Barcelona, Rome and Paris. At the same time the album considers a prescient international issue, the position of clandestinos, aka illegal immigrants, which is a hot topic issue nowhere more than the US. The biggest problem with appreciating Chao is how easy he makes it all sound. The simple production - it was apparently recorded on a laptop - makes him sound like a weed-smoking street busker, and belies his talent at crafting pop hooks and subtle, intricate lyrics in three different languages. The highpoint of the album must be the seamless transition between the English language Bongo Bong and the francophone Je ne t’aime plus. I would recommend this album - it’s well crafted - but its relaxed vibe makes it more suitable for drinking a glass of wine in Madrid to than everyday listening. 3.2/5.