La Llave De Mi Corazon

4 1/2*Good Latin albums are getting harder and harder to find these days - the glory days of salsa and merengue(the 90s and early 00's) are over, and even great artists like Olga Tanon and Manney Manuel are having a hard time coming up with good material.Some exceptions include Milly Quezada and Gilberto Santa Rosa, and it is great to see Juan Luis Guerra doing the same.Guerra is one of the greatest Latin musicians working today: he writes, arranges and sings all his songs. His past work is legendary, and are among the greatest ever written, even if I personally have to endure the political angle of some of his lyrics.Recently Mr. Guerra took a very unfortunate turn towards "Christian merengue" which I found objectionable and of lower musical quality moreover.Mercifully, this new album is just love songs, free of politics and religion (as far as I can tell - I am not a fluent Spanish speaker) - and it is a real winner. While it may not quite have the unique rustic charm of his greatest work, it is, on the hand, more modern and accessible, his technical singing abilities have matured magnificently, plus the recording quality of this CD is a big improvement over his earlier ones.The first half of the album includes an infectious mambo, an abolutely magnificent bachata, Qaue Me Des Tu Carino, and the kind of high spirited salsa and merengue we associate with this artist. It is similar to his old work, but different.The second half of the album is perhaps a bit less impressive. The best here is an intriguing mellow salsa Cancioncita De Amor, and a ballad Sabia Manera in which Guerra sings more beautifully than I have ever heard him. On the basis of this one song alone, I would say Guerra has the finest male voice in Latin music today.The other songs in the second half are fine, but relatively conventional compared to the rest of the album. Plus the title tune, La Llave de mi Corazon is a straight repeat of Medicine for My Soul, but in Spanish. The Final "bonus" song A La Vera is beautiful, but abbreviated.I would not say La Llave de mi Corazon surpasses Guerra's best work of the 80s and the 90s , but that is really not important. It is good to see that Mr. Guerra has come up with an album that retains much of what has made him so great, but without repeating himself.With all the dreary music being released today, that La Llave de Mi Corazon should get a "Best Album" award is a no-brainer.

Este si es el Juan Luis que aprendi a admirar desde hace mas de 20 años..Aqui vuelve a componer y cantar para todo su publico, con ese talento sin medida que tiene para orgullo de todos los latinos.Despues de un pequeño desvio en el camino ( desde mi optica), en el cual quizo dar testimonio de su fe particular, olvidando que su publico es heterogeneo y que no necesariamente valora sus creencias intimas (aun cuando las respete) de la forma en que valora su musica que si tiene un valor universal...,Juan Luis vuelve a ser lo que es...nuestro mas grande artista!!!Excelente CD..!!!!

A wonderful, wonderful CD. Just look at all the 5-Star ratings! Each and every one of them is right!I too say "FIVE STARS!" and "BRAVO!" But I do have, for want of a better word, a "complaint." The CD is only 40-some minutes long!And so, the sumptuous experience of listening... is over too soon!There is, happily, a solution: Put your CD player on REPEAT. I'm also off to explore more Juan Luis Guerra. Any suggestions? : )Kirtland Peterson

I am not a native Spanish speaker but I have been studying the language over the past ten years. I was told that if i really wanted to learn Spanish that i needed to immerse myself in the language and the culture. Juan Luis Guerra' s music was introduced to me as a place to start. His songs make you want to move and the lyrics are awesome. I am hooked. I am a fan for life now.

Usual great mix of rhythms and lyrics

It's an excellent CD. Each song is awesome!! You'll find any rhythms, including merengue, salsa, bachata... and even and English song kind of "classic"... that anyone would love! (Something good is coming).Totally recommended!!

This CD will make you love Juan Luis Guerra's music even if you are not a "merengue" fan. Amazing mix of rhythms and meaningful lyrics. Great job!

I've loved Juan Luis Guerra's music ever since I purchased Ni Es lo Mismo Ni Es Igual some years ago. He always delivers.

Arrived in good time, well packaged.really good album. I teach salsa and Bachata and his voice is stunning. people warm to his music.I love'd one of his songs so much my wife and I used it for our wedding dance....

otro super hit de Juan Luis Guerra.

Todo excepcional, muy recomendable

Diese CD ist wirklich gut mit einer Menge Ohrwürmer, angenehmen Melodien, der einschmeichelnden Stimme von Juan Luis Guerra, eine wirklich empfehlenswerte CD, nicht nur für hartgesottene Latinofans.

Auch auf diesem Album sind wieder einige schöne Songs von Juan Luis Guerra. Besonders schön bei ihm ist, dass die Lieder unterschiedlich ist, was bei lateinamerikanischen Künstlern nicht immer der Fall ist.