Sophomore jinx or no, the newest by Calle 13 is, uh, interesting. It starts with a university choir blaring profanities to see if the listener can be easily shocked. In comes "Tango del Pecado", nice Argentinean tango riff, with lyrics deeply tongue in cheek about Residente's avowed relationship with former Miss Universe, Denisse Quiñones. He deserves credit for summarizing the sentiments of every son-in-law-to-be who has experienced scorn or pure hatred by his loved one's parents, with a healthy, deeply cyinical dose of humor. And we've only gone past the first two tracks.

Most of this album is the usual Residente braggadoccio, mixed with irreverence, deeply sexual language (both suggested and direct), and absurd mental images to the extreme. Visitante's take on this (he claims this is a snapshot in the hectic life of Puerto Rico's fastest growing hip hop group) rings true. It lacks "playable" tracks, in the sense of radio-friendly hits, besides "La Cumbia de los Aburridos" (where Residente ridicules anyone who dares to dance it with extra physical baggage or lack of rhythm, as will probably be the case now that their music is the rage everywhere).

The album shows a deepening musical maturity, compared to which, the lyrics are a bit of a let-down. However, "Pa'l Norte" and "La Crema" are deeply political, brutally honest tracks. "La Crema" reminds us of what Calle 13 would have become had the guys not become famous in the past two years: in-your-face hip hop directness, on a track that states, essentially, that Residente is merely a product of the culture he's rapping about, warts and all. "Pa'l Norte" tells us that Puerto Rico is way too quick to dismiss the rest of Latin America, that the island is part of the entire continent, and that most objections to this are merely mental.

Then, again, this is not the clichéd, by-now tired gangsta rehashing of reggaetón images. "La Era de la Copiaera" deals with this, directly; somehow one says 'it is about time that reggaetón artists take an honest look at themselves', but maybe the song's shock treatment is the only shakeup powerful enough to evoke that self-criticism, merely because it comes from a potential foe to the recyclers. "Uiyi Guaye," had not been for a few self-love references, is an honest love(?) track that could find its way to radio (its "smooth talker one minute, crass the next" approach is simply hilarious, as is the cheap chorus). "A Limpiar el Sucio" and "Sin Exagerar" abound in parody.

Tego Calderón and Mala Rodriguez make delicious cameos on this album. Tego's hilarious bragging about owning Puerto Rican politicians rings so-awfully true after the "Coquito" affair, where a drug dealer turned record producer who was later assassinated turned out to be chummy with at least three politicians. Mala Rodríguez's track is deliciously crude; Residente sort of spoils it by being too direct, but her intervention definitely deserves heavy rotation on an iPod (the beat itself is pure headphone heaven). She satirizes Residentes sexual prowess (or lack thereof) in a song that couldn't make me laugh harder because it wasn't longer, no pun intended.

This is not musically stale by any means. This is not teen friendly, either; there's enough profanity here to shock the filthiest. However, it is real, and tends to buck any commercial trends. Evoke or shock, it serves its purpose well.

Calle 13, the winner of 3 Latin Grammys and 1 Latin American MTV Award are extremely diverse on this new album. The Puerto Rican born duo Calle 13 are representing their native homeland extremely well in the genre of Reggeaton. As we know Reggaeton has been growing temendously all throughot the world, but especially Latin America. Residente o Visitante acknowledges that and pays tribute to different types of Latin music. Their first single "Tango del Pecado" has a blend of Tango from Spain, good mix! What can you expect the rest of the album... well an evolution of head banging beats from countries like Spain, Colombia, Brazil, Peru-Ecuaodr & Bolivia(The Andes), Mexico and many more!!!!

The album has Reggaeton fire in its heart, but each track blends beautifully with genres like Cumbia, Rock, Tango, Bossa Nova, Funk, Pop & reggae. More than an evolution Calle 13 has created their own flavor of what REGGEATON can be.

Artists like Ivy Queen were pissed off when calle 13 won 3 Latin Grammys, but the reason why they probably won is the same reason why this album is completely different from the rest. Residente o Visitante grows out of the same beats from Luny Tunes, Tainy, Nelly La Mente Maestra, DJ Urba & Monseratte, DJ Nelson & others ( whom are still all great producers and have made various hot beats)... they offer something more than street beats.

Daddy Yankee, Don Omar, Hector El Father, Wisin Y Yandel are all great Reggeaton artists but CALLE 13 could be argued that lyrically destroys some of these artists. Calle 13 spits flames and has much more diverse topics to talk about. These guys better watch out, Calle 13 has style that these "gangsters" don't even understand. Calle 13 is maybe one of the best reggaeton artists out there because they can rap circles around 90% of the reggeaton artists( Hector El Father, Wisin Y Yandel, Arcangel, Yomo, IVY QUEEN, defintely Rakim y Ken-Y... and maybe Daddy Yankee & Don Omar).

These guys should take some notes down and maybe take some lessons from Calle 13 in terms of being a musician... now Im not hating on them but maybe like that they will give us better music!!!! Not like that weak beat from Scott Storch on "IMPACTO" for Daddy Yankee. Im sure DY's album will be the bomb but what else are artistrs like him gonna do, keep working with the same type of producers?????????????

OVERALL 5 STAR ALBUM! get it!!! you wont be pissed off trust not me but other critics!

CALLE 13 MAS TE CRECE

Ya todos conocen el estilo de Calle 13, y este nuevo CD es un paso mas al estilo del Residente Y Visitante. El vocabulario que usa en todas las canciones es ya del, y si les cae mal no hubiesen escuchado ni el 1er CD. A mi sinceramente me gusto el CD por su lirica y sus sonidos que continuan siendo diferente a todo lo que hay en el mercado. Uno se rie, se impresiona y piensa al escuchar las canciones, y lo unico q me estuvo extraño fue q no pusieron una cancion/pista reggaeton fuerte pa la DISCO. Siempre uno se pompiaba cuando el DJ ponia una cancion de las viejas de Calle 13 ahi como OJALAI. NAda, en fin el CD se lo recomiendo a aquellos que ya sepan la q hay y que les haya gustado el 1er CD y acho pa lante en verda. El CD esta bueno! Esos DUOs que integraron quedaron buenos musicalmente, no son DUOs comerciales, son de musica buena.