BROOKLYN SOUNDS – Libre – Free – LP – 180g Vinyl [JAN 24]

Description

LP – 180g Black Vinyl with liner notes and never before seen photos.

Libre Free is the now legendary second album by the short-livedBrooklyn Sounds and is arguably even better than their self-titled debut, displaying a more mature and practiced sound, no doubt honed by their experiences playing more gigs in support of their first record.

Brooklyn Soundswere one of a handful of garage salsa bands from the independent scene that was gathering steam in the early 1970s in the New York boroughs, despite little support or exposure in the mainstream Latin music industry from more dominant labels likeFania,Mericana,CotiqueandAlegre. As with many others,Brooklyn Sounds briefly fluoresced in a burst of creativity and defiance, yet flamed out shortly thereafter, dying like a flower among the ruins of burned-out apartment blocks in the barrios of its home city.

Though the band only cut two LPs and a couple singles in their brief half-decade of existence, and never really broke out of the cuchifrito circuit in the tri-state area of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, their music gradually spread far and wide, eventually becoming a sought-after global commodity by the late 1990s.

In contrast to the first album Libre Free is uptempo and ebullient, with fewer slow songs and more confident, creative arrangements, full of heavy Nuyorican underground salsa dura propelled by raw trombones, off-kilter piano and in-your-face percussion. Standout tracks include the uplifting, anthemic Libre soy, and Ha llegado el momento, with its minor key Moliendo caf quote at the beginningboth of which have become dance floor anthems over the years. Another mid-tempo killer is Guaguanc tropical, a favorite in Colombia since the 1970s.

A perfect blend of barrio attitude and Caribbean swing, the album proves Brooklyn has sabor y salsa!

Tracklist:

Side A
1. LIBRE SOY
2. CHANGO SANTERO
3. LGRIMAS NEGRAS CON LOIZA ALDEA
4. ESTA VIDA SWEET MY WOMAN

Side B
1. GUAGUANC TROPICAL
2. HA LLEGADO EL MOMENTO
3. LAS MARGARITAS
4. CALMA TU LLANTO