Calle 13's self-titled debut album (2005) sold nearly 250,000 copies in the United States, but its darker follow-up, 2007's Residente o Visitante, sold just under 100,000 copies, despite receiving positive reviews and winning Latin Grammy Awards for Best Urban Music Album and Best Urban Song.[2][3][4] The record garnered controversy for its religious and sexual overtones; vocalist/lyricist Residente reflected, "The problem with Residente o Visitante wasn't a bad word here or there, but the ideas. You can't erase an idea."[2]
Recording
The album was recorded from July to August 2008 in various studios around the American continent including Playbach Studio in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Circle House Studio and Songo Sound Recording Facilities in Miami, Florida, Circo Beat Studios in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Warner Chapell Brasil in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and Alfano Music in Panama City, Panama.[5] It was mixed in the Circle House studio by Ivan Gutierrez and Edgardo "Mattatracks" Matta and mastered in Zeitgeist Recording Studios in Long Island City, New York.[5]
Composition
Music
For "La Perla", Visitante employed samba rhythms mixed with elements of the Uruguyancandombe genre in order to achieve an "old school and folkloric" sound.[6] The bass is provided by a surdo, a type of Brazilian bass drum commonly used in samba reggae music.[6] "Electro Movimiento", which features Miami-based duo Afrobeta, has been described as an "'80s freestyle throwback jam" featuring electronic sounds.[7] Colombian singer-songwriter Juanes plays guitar on "Esto Con Eso", although Jason Birchmeier of Allmusic notes that "you wouldn't know if not for the liner note credits, as there's so much else going on in the song musically."[7]
Reception
Chart performance
The album became a major success on the Billboard 200, peaking at #89. This is their second consecutive album to chart on the Top 100 of the Billboard 200 (Residente o Visitante; #52). It also became a Top 5 success on the BillboardTop Latin Albums chart, peaking at #3. Following the Latin Grammy Awards of 2009, which the band won Album of the year, sales increased 134% and the album re-entry at 74.[8] As of 2010, it had sold over 54,000 copies in the United States.[9]
Jason Birchmeier of Allmusic gave Los de Atrás Vienen Conmigo four out of five stars and called the album "a step forward for Calle 13...toward a fearlessly experimental style of urban music unlike anything else out there at the time of its release."[7] He praised the record's musical diversity and felt that many of the collaborative songs were highlights.[7] Phil Freeman of The Village Voice also enjoyed the musical variety, deeming the album a "genre-redefining—if not genre-shattering—triumph" that combines "the fun of the debut with the sonic adventurism of the follow-up."[12] Jon Pareles of The New York Times referred to Residente as "a visionary", and opined that "Few hip-hop or urban acts, in any language, match so much ambition to so much fun."[13]
Awards
The album was nominated in five categories for the 2010 Latin Grammy Awards, winning all of them, including 'Album of the Year', 'Best Urban Album', 'Record of the Year' and 'Best Alternative Song' for the hit single "No Hay Nadie Como Tu" along with Café Tacuba, as well as 'Best Music Video (in Short Format)' for "La Perla" featuring salsa legend Rubén Blades.[14]
Track listing
"Intro / Crónica De Un Nacimiento" (E. Abraham) - 1:35
