Track Listing

1. Clocks - Rhythms Del Mundo, Coldplay
2. Better Together - Rhythms Del Mundo, Jack Johnson
3. Dancing Shoes - Rhythms Del Mundo, Arctic Monkeys
4. One Step Too Far - Rhythms Del Mundo, Dido, Faithless
5. As Time Goes By - Rhythms Del Mundo, Ibrahim Ferrer
6. I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For - Rhythms Del Mundo, U2, Coco Freeman
7. She Will Be Loved - Rhythms Del Mundo, Maroon 5
8. Modern Way - Rhythms Del Mundo, Kaiser Chiefs
9. Killing Me Softly - Rhythms Del Mundo, Omara Portuondo
10. Ai No Corrida - Rhythms Del Mundo, Vanya Borges, Quincy Jones
11. Fragilidad - Rhythms Del Mundo, Sting
12. Don't Know Why - Rhythms Del Mundo, Vanya Borges
13. Hotel Buena Vista - Rhythms Del Mundo, Aquila Rose, Idana Valdes
14. The Dark Of The Matinee - Rhythms Del Mundo, Franz Ferdinand, Coco Freeman
15. High And Dry - Rhythms Del Mundo, Radiohead, El Lele De Los Van Van
16. Casablanca (As Time Goes By) - Rhythms Del Mundo, Ibrahim Ferrer, Omara Portuondo

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #95 in Music
• Released on: 2007-03-26
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 62 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
Created as a benefit project for Artists' Project Earth, an organization devoted to protecting the environment, reversing climate change, and tendering disaster relief, this compilation pairs Western pop stars (U2, Sting, Artic Monkeys, et al) and their hits with all-new arrangements performed by members of Cuba's Buena Vista Social Club plus other Havana-based talent. The overall effect is of a well-meaning but not entirely simpatico mutual admiration society. Coldplay's "Clocks" is a good example; the lead vocal is coolly lethargic, engulfing the spiky crags of the rhythm section like syrup on a waffle. But then, most of the singers sound strangely unconnected to the frisky 1-2-3/1-2 of the clavé beat. The contrast between the two groups of players could have been bracing, and to many ears it perhaps will be, but most of the time, they seem to transmitting from parallel universes. Not surprisingly, the best tracks are those in which hometown icons are left to do what they do best. But the late, great Ibrahim Ferrer's marvelous interpretation of "As Time Goes By" (his final recording) and Omara Portuondo's wistful yet powerful cover of "Killing Me Softly" only serve to further showcase what's amiss with the rest of the album. --Christina Roden

Album Description
Rhythms Del Mundo is an electrifying album that fuses music of different cultures and comes up with a melting pot of rare sounds. While the majority of the original artists' vocals remain the same, The Buena Vista Social Club musicians took the original orchestration from each song and created something utterly unique, casting their trademark mastery over each track. Their noted and exceptional musicianship seduced even the notoriously protective Arctic Monkeys into handing over their track. As well as The Arctic Monkeys' track `Dancing Shoes', Rhythms Del Mundo included reworked tracks such as `Clocks' by Coldplay, `Better Together' by Jack Johnson, `She Will be Loved' by Maroon 5, `High and Dry by Radiohead' and others. The album is in aid of Artists Project Earth (APE), which lends support for natural disaster relief and climate change awareness.

Customer Reviews

Improves on repeated listening
after hearing the colplay clocks & as a big fan of cuban style music I couldnt wait to receive this album.
Firstly I was really really disappointed.....on first listening most of the songs sounded clumsy & badly matched with the cuban backbeats.Its like they took the original track & just put some cuban stuff over the top & didnt really "blend" it.
However after quite a few listenings (I was very determinded!!) I got used to it & grew to like some of them, although the U2 one just sounds wrong wrong wrong! I think the ones that work best are the totally cuban ones - the covers of well known songs done in a total cuban style
Dont get me wrong its not a total bad buy there are some good tracks on there & it makes good background music, but for me to totally like it I had to listen to it many times

Excellent crossover
I would just echo what's been said here already - great album and everyone who hears it wants to know where I got it. I picked it up in Peru earlier this year where I heard several tracks playing in shops and on the radio, and tracked it down. It's a great introduction for newcomers to Salsa / S.American beats, some tracks work really well at a party - plus a contribution to climate change. Put together by credible artists it stands up to repeat listening.

Geat Latin versions of popular tracks
I love this CD! I'm already a Latin music fan and have about hundred Latin CD's which includes Cuban music and Buena Vista Social Club. While this album might not be as great as the original Ry Cooder production, it's certainly great to listen and dance to. I think that the conversion of popular English music tracks into Cuban rhythms was done very sympathetically and simply works in almost all cases. I like the surprise element with "Clocks" when it starts like the original and then suddenly turns into Salsa. I also respect Sting for singing in Spanish. I believe that this album will make Latin music more accessible for people that don't normally listen to it. I know that I will play a few tracks of this album at my wedding, as my H2B and I can salsa to it and our guests will still enjoy the music as they are familiar with it, whereas they might be a bit alienated if we play pure Salsa for a long period of time. The only track that I don't like is the "Killing me Softly" track, but then I'm personally sick of the English version anyway and others might like it. "Dancing Shoes" takes some getting used to, but I can imagine it works at a party and is simply good fun. The fact that some of the proceeds go to a course is also a good incentive to buy this CD.
I hope there will be more like this soon...