Llego... Van Van: Van Van Is Here [Digipak]

rich and raw ensemble of horns, vocals, violins, and congas make the point that this album is strictly intended to generate the movement of one and only one body part: the hips. It is no wonder that the Yoruba gods make an appearance in the lyrics of the opening track, "Permiso Que Llego Van Van"--Chango and others step up to the mic to personally sing praise to the legacy that is Van Van. Traditional drumbeats like these return on "Consuelate Come Yo", where Mario "Mayiuto" Rivera laments ardently over a broken heart. But Van Van next adds a dash of sugar to the mix, slipping into the cheerful salsa sound of "Temba, Timba, Tumba". Flute-driven rhythms support this sassy, Sunday-afternoon tune. But beware: the mood swings radically toward something dark and edgy when Mayuito sings again in the hard-hitting mix of vocals and conga beats that is "La Bomba Soy Yo". Van Van has three decades of strength and experience under its belt and this album proves that the band has enough vision and talent to drive itself even deeper into the heart and soul of Cuban sound.|