The Guardian reviewed the album, giving it five stars and saying, "The album cleverly reinvents several perennially engaging musics: noir atmospherics; Puerto Rican and Afro-Cuban groove fundamentals; Bitches Brew-era space music; Latin boogaloo."[1]
All About Jazz reviewer John Eyles said in a review, "The predominant sound is a low-key, noir-ish Latin jazz fusion, dominated by electric bass, percussion and trumpet, which creates an oppressive sense of imminent danger. The film stars Benjamin Bratt, who voices some atmospheric scene-setting sections of the album; these are used sparingly enough so as not to intrude, but to enhance the air of sleaze and menace. In a large ensemble cast of musicians, key performances come from pianist Edsel Gomez, bass guitarist Fernandez Saunders and particularly trumpeter Jerry Gonzalez."[2]
Jim Trageser reviewed the album for the Summer 2004 issue of Turbula, saying, "And so the music is New York – smart and sophisticated and dark and seedy and ebullient and tired and hard and sentimental, all at the same time. With a beat, always a beat, because New York is a city that lives to its rhythms."[3]
Track listing
No.
Title
Length
1.
"Miguel Leaves Puerto Rico"
0:52
2.
"Exterior New York - Night"
1:08
3.
Untitled
2:53
4.
"Parole Hearing"
1:57
5.
"Three Card Monte"
:31
6.
"Stealing the Furs Boogaloo"
2:55
7.
"Childhood Damage"
1:36
8.
"Look, the Moon... (Diahnne's) (Sugar's Theme)"
7:29
9.
"Estate of Mind"
1:48
10.
"Needle State Building"
1:41
11.
"Una Noche de Verano Comenca / Shahrazade / Puntillo / Yambhoracio (The Opening of the NuYorican Poet's Café)"
2:25
12.
"Mother's Prison Visit..."
:44
13.
"Short Eyes Prison Rehearsal Boogaloo"
2:57
14.
"Diente de Oro [Opening Night Celebration]"
4:37
15.
"Aguaybana Zemi [The Cause]"
6:36
16.
"Junkie Christ"
2:20
17.
"Father? Well He Fucked My Mother, and Made Me..."
:39
18.
"His Mother's Funeral"
1:21
19.
"La Perla"
1:07
20.
"Today Just Ain't My Day / Dominican Heist / The End of a Lifetime of Friendship"
2:28
21.
"Can't Fly on One Wing..."
1:27
22.
""Ladies and Gentleman, Please Welcome Miguel Pinero"..."
1:43
23.
"Leaving the Reception"
1:20
24.
"Look, the Moon (Carmen's)"
5:06
25.
"Shahrazade and the Opening of the First Shadow Night (Last Call)"
2:00
26.
"Mikey Falls / Obatala"
1:27
27.
"Shahrazade and the Opening of the First Shadow Night / Funeral Poem Celebration / Scattering the Ashes"
