Clandestino

Last updated

Clandestino
Manu Chao Clandestino.jpg
Studio album by
Manu Chao
Released6 October 1998
Genre Reggae rock [1]
Length45:51
Label
Mafia Cartel Studio
Producer
  • Manu Chao
  • Renaud Letang
Manu Chao chronology
Clandestino
(1998)		 Próxima Estación: Esperanza
(2001)

Clandestino is the debut studio album by French artist Manu Chao, released in 1998. The album contains many soundbites throughout, two of which are bits of a speech by Subcomandante Marcos and, like Chao's subsequent albums, was mostly recorded by the musician himself in various locations around the world, using a small laptop—which is referred to in the liner notes as Estudio Clandestino. The French edition of Rolling Stone magazine named this album the 67th greatest French rock album (out of 100). [2] The album was also included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die . [3] The album was ranked number 469 in Rolling Stone 's list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time in 2020. [1]

Contents

Background

Clandestino emerged from a period of personal and professional upheaval for Manu Chao, following the breakup of his band, Mano Negra, in 1994. [4] [5] Mano Negra had been a pioneering force in the world of punk-infused Latin rock, but after years of internal strife and a chaotic tour across war-torn Colombia, the group disbanded before their 1994 studio album Casa Babylon was even released. [4] [5] The aftermath of this experience left Chao in a fragile state, both personally and professionally. [5]

For the next three years, Chao spiraled into a deep sense of restlessness and depression, continuing his music career by performing at bars in Tijuana and Rio. [4] [5] [6] He wandered across Europe, Africa, and South America, unable to settle anywhere for long. [5] His journey took him through cities like London, Paris, and Naples, and even to Colombia and Mexico, where he found solace among the Zapatistas and experimented with peyote. [4] [5] Chao's mental health reached a low point in Brazil, where he came close to taking his own life. [5] It was here, in a rundown Rio favela, that an encounter with a cow, which he described as "tender," gave him a renewed sense of purpose, pulling him back from the brink. [5] Chao's time as a wandering musician deeply influenced the creation of Clandestino.

Recording

The recording process was unconventional. [4] Chao's journey took him to places like Tijuana and Mexico, where he immersed himself in the raw energy of the border region and spent time with the Zapatistas. [5] During these travels, he began recording ideas on a portable recorder, capturing not just his own music, but also street sounds, snippets of conversation, and other noises that would later shape the atmosphere of the album. [5] Chao returned to Spain, armed with little more than his portable recorder, on which he had stored the songs and sounds. [5] He continued writing more songs in Madrid and Galicia before making his way to Paris, where he briefly worked on an album with former girlfriend Anouk for Virgin. [5] This experience pushed him into thinking about creating his own album from the 50 songs and snippets he had accumulated during his travels. [5]

The process of making the album was somewhat haphazard. [5] By the summer of 1997, Chao began organizing his recordings, deciding which tracks to develop further. [5] In Paris, he partnered with producer Renaud Letang to sift through a collection of songs that would eventually form the album. [4] Initially, the album had a strong electronica influence, with dance beats dominating the sound. [4] However, as Chao continued to experiment, a technical glitch with Letang's computer inadvertently stripped out most of the electronic elements and drums, leaving behind a more acoustic, organic sound. [4] Rather than being discouraged, Chao embraced the unexpected turn of events, famously stating, "le hazard est mon ami"—"chance is my friend." [4] [5] Chao later described the process as "pure therapy," reflecting the cathartic nature of the album for him personally. [4] He and Letang continued experimenting with different mixes, even testing the tracks on the children of Chao's neighbors. [4] According to Chao, the songs that resonated most with the children were the ones that ultimately made the cut. [4] The result was an album that felt completely unique and unlike anything they had heard before. [4] As Letang described it, they felt as though they had "given birth to a UFO," something entirely foreign to the music scene at the time. [4] However, industry professionals were skeptical, with many expecting the album to have limited appeal, mainly among Mano Negra's fanbase. [4]

Release

When the album was released, few predicted its eventual success. [4] Without a major promotional campaign or a band to support it, Clandestino seemed an unlikely contender for commercial success. [4] Mainstream radio stations avoided it, citing the controversial drug references in songs like "Welcome to Tijuana" as reasons for not playing it. [4] Critics doubted the album's ability to break through, suggesting it would sell only a few thousand copies, primarily to fans of Mano Negra. [4] Despite this, Clandestino began to gain momentum organically, especially among travelers and backpackers in popular destinations like Ko Samui and Puerto Escondido. [4] Its lack of promotion allowed word-of-mouth to fuel its success. [4] A year after its release, Clandestino entered the French Top 10 and remained on the charts for the next four years. [4] It eventually became a massive international hit, selling over five million copies and becoming regarded as a modern classic in Europe and South America. [4] Its success prompted Chao to begin work on a follow-up album, Próxima Estación: Esperanza. [4]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [7]
Q Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [8]
Uncut 9/10 [5]

Clandestino received positive reviews from music critics. John Bush of AllMusic described the album as an "enchanting trip through Latin-flavored worldbeat rock," highlighting its eclectic mix of musical styles and noting that Chao's "infectious, freewheeling delivery" made tracks like "Mentira" and "Bongo Bong" particularly compelling. [7] Nigel Williamson of Uncut called it a "stoner classic," emphasizing its "bouncing global rhythms" and the way Chao's "irresistible rhythms and message of resistance continue to sound fresh and vibrant a generation on." [5]

Track listing

No.TitleLanguageLength
1."Clandestino" Spanish 2:30
2."Desaparecido"
3:47
3."Bongo Bong" English 2:38
4."Je ne t'aime plus" French 2:02
5."Mentira..."Spanish4:37
6."Lágrimas de Oro"Spanish2:57
7."Mama Call"English2:21
8."Luna y Sol"Spanish3:07
9."Por el Suelo"Spanish2:21
10."Welcome to Tijuana"
  • Spanish
  • English
4:04
11."Día Luna... Día Pena"Spanish1:30
12."Malegría"Spanish2:55
13."La vie à 2"French3:00
14."Minha Galera"Brazilian Portuguese2:21
15."La Despedida"Spanish3:09
16."El Viento"Spanish2:26

Personnel

Credits adapted from AllMusic: [7]

Music

Production

Charts

Certifications and sales

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Argentina (CAPIF) [33] Platinum60,000^
Austria (IFPI Austria) [34] Gold25,000*
Belgium (BEA) [35] 2× Platinum100,000*
Canada (Music Canada) [36] Gold50,000^
France (SNEP) [37] Diamond1,000,000 [38]
Germany (BVMI) [39] Gold250,000^
Greece (IFPI Greece) [40] Gold15,000^
Italy
1998-2000 sales 		—300,000 [41]
Italy (FIMI) [42]
sales since 2009 		Gold25,000‡
Netherlands (NVPI) [43] Gold50,000^
Spain (PROMUSICAE) [44] Platinum100,000^
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland) [45] 2× Platinum100,000^
United Kingdom (BPI) [46] Silver60,000^
Uruguay (CUD) [47] Gold3,000^
Summaries
Europe (IFPI) [48] Platinum1,000,000*
Worldwide—3,000,000 [38]

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

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References

  1. 1 2 "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time". Rolling Stone. 22 September 2020. Retrieved 9 October 2020.
  2. ↑ "Les 100 disques essentiels du rock français". Rolling Stone (in French). No. 18. February 2010.
  3. ↑ Dimery, Robert; Lydon, Michael (2010). 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die (Revised and Updated ed.). Universe. ISBN   978-0-7893-2074-2.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 Culshaw, Peter (9 May 2013). "Clandestino: The Story of Manu Chao's Classic Album". The Guardian . Archived from the original on 2 December 2023. Retrieved 8 November 2024.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Williamson, Nigel (27 September 2019). "Manu Chao – Clandestino / Bloody Border". Uncut . Archived from the original on 30 September 2019. Retrieved 24 March 2020.
  6. ↑ "Manu Chao's Clandestino appeared at the cross-fade of the millennium and sounded perfect – a radical masterpiece". Songlines . 8 November 2019. Archived from the original on 16 April 2023. Retrieved 8 November 2024.
  7. 1 2 3 Bush, John. "Manu Chao – Clandestino". AllMusic . Retrieved 10 January 2014.
  8. ↑ "Manu Chao: Clandestino". Q . No. 152. May 1999. p. 103.
  9. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Manu Chao – Clandestino" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 27 May 2014.
  10. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Manu Chao – Clandestino" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 27 May 2014.
  11. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Manu Chao – Clandestino" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 27 May 2014.
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  17. ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – Manu Chao – Clandestino". Hung Medien. Retrieved 27 May 2014.
  18. ↑ "Spanishcharts.com – Manu Chao – Clandestino". Hung Medien. Retrieved 27 May 2014.
  19. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Manu Chao – Clandestino". Hung Medien. Retrieved 27 May 2014.
  20. ↑ "Top Albums: 1998" (in French). SNEP. Retrieved 1 September 2020.
  21. ↑ "Rapports Annuels 1999" (in French). Ultratop. Retrieved 1 September 2020.
  22. ↑ "Top Albums: 1999" (in French). SNEP. Retrieved 1 September 2020.
  23. ↑ "Jahreshitparade Alben 2000". Austriancharts.at (in German). Retrieved 12 August 2020.
  24. ↑ "Rapports Annuels 2000" (in French). Ultratop. Retrieved 1 September 2020.
  25. ↑ "Top Albums: 2000" (in French). SNEP. Retrieved 1 September 2020.
  26. ↑ "Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Offiziellecharts.de. Retrieved 1 September 2020.
  27. ↑ "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 2000". Hitparade.ch (in German). Archived from the original on 21 December 2014.
  28. ↑ "Jaaroverzichten 2001". Ultratop. Retrieved 1 September 2020.
  29. ↑ "Rapports Annuels 2001" (in French). Ultratop. Retrieved 1 September 2020.
  30. ↑ "Top Albums: 2001" (in French). SNEP. Retrieved 1 September 2020.
  31. ↑ "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 2001". Hitparade.ch (in German). Archived from the original on 19 August 2014.
  32. ↑ "Top Albums: 2002" (in French). SNEP. Retrieved 1 September 2020.
  33. ↑ "Discos de oro y platino" (in Spanish). Cámara Argentina de Productores de Fonogramas y Videogramas. Archived from the original on 6 July 2011. Retrieved 5 May 2018.
  34. ↑ "Austrian album certifications – Manu Chao – Clandestino" (in German). IFPI Austria.
  35. ↑ "Ultratop − Goud en Platina – albums 2007". Ultratop. Hung Medien.
  36. ↑ "Canadian album certifications – Manu Chao – Clandestino". Music Canada.
  37. ↑ "French album certifications – Manu Chao – Clandestino" (in French). InfoDisc.Select MANU CHAO and click OK. 
  38. 1 2 Hamard, Jonathan (24 March 2011). "Manu Chao : deux concerts uniques en mai". Charts in France (in French). Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  39. ↑ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Manu Chao; 'Clandestino')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.
  40. ↑ "Ελληνικό Chart – Top 50 Ξένων Aλμπουμ" (in Greek). IFPI Greece . Retrieved 2 June 2018.
  41. ↑ Berne, Terry (24 June 2000). "Italy 2000: The Billboard Spotlight > Other Avenues of Exposure". Billboard . Vol. 112, no. 26. p. 88. ISSN   0006-2510.
  42. ↑ "Italian album certifications – Manu Chao – Clandestino" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana . Retrieved 19 January 2021. Select "2021" in the "Anno" drop-down menu. Type "Clandestino" in the "Filtra" field. Select "Album e Compilation" under "Sezione".
  43. ↑ "Dutch album certifications – Manu Chao – Clandestino" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld- en geluidsdragers.Enter Clandestino in the "Artiest of titel" box. Select 2001 in the drop-down menu saying "Alle jaargangen".
  44. ↑ Salaverrie, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (PDF) (in Spanish) (1st ed.). Madrid: Fundación Autor/SGAE. p. 958. ISBN   84-8048-639-2 . Retrieved 8 September 2023.
  45. ↑ "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards ('Clandestino')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien.
  46. ↑ "British album certifications – Manu Chao – Clandestino". British Phonographic Industry.
  47. ↑ "Premios – 2001" (in Spanish). Cámara Uruguaya del Disco. Retrieved 2 July 2019.
  48. ↑ "IFPI Platinum Europe Awards – 1999". International Federation of the Phonographic Industry . Retrieved 2 February 2020.


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