This is brilliant!!!
I heard this album a few months ago on the inflight entertainment of a long flight I was on. I'd heard most of what else was on display and wanted something new. Well, first thing I decided on listening to it was that I was going to get every other album of his. It is fantastic!

Manu Chao is of French/Spanish origin, and sings in both languages, sometimes in English also. His music is generally upbeat, party music with influences of Punk, Ska, and even Polka, and political lyrical undertones. "La Radiolina" is Italian for small radio.

Opening is the rousing Polka tinged "13 dias". "Tristeza Maleza" is a bouncy rocker with electronic flourishes and lyrics that mention George Bush (I have a hunch it's not too flattering, but it's sung in Spanish so what do I know). "Politik kills" is a slower horn sprinkled affair with English lyrics listing the ills of Politics; lies, violence, blood, jeez, this chap must have been around during the last elections here.:-)

"Rainin' in paradise" is a frenetic affair with driving synths, woozy effects and lyrics in English touching on atrocities in various parts of the world; Congo, Jerusalem, Palestine and Baghdad included. Similar in feel is very brief "The bleeding clown" with English lyrics telling the tale of a sad clown who can no longer get a laugh.

"Me llaman calle" is a beautiful ballad with Spanish guitars tumbling and cascading upon an incredible groove and gentle hand claps. It is one of my favourites. The ballad "Mundorevés" does remind me ever so faintly of "Hotel California" by The Eagles.

Other favourites of mine are the bouncy horn adorned "El hoyo" with squealing guitars in the background and a slowed Ska break, and the gently lilting Flamenco-ish "La Vida Tómbola" with nice mariachi horns and hand claps, it's apparently a tribute to the footballer Maradona.

The brief energetic "Panik panik" utilises siren effects to add to the urgency. I must mention that this song utilizes a similar backing track to "Rainin' In Paradize", "El Kitapena", "Siberia" (sung in English) and "Mama Cuchara", but each bringing out a different flavour.

"Piccola Radiolina" is a beautiful guitar/horn instrumental. The gentle Cuban sounding "A cosa" features Chao's first attempt at singing in Italian.

If I have one complaint with this album, it's that a lot of the songs are too short, fading away as you're just getting into them. It's nice to see someone can have so much fun while being so serious. Hopefully Manu Chao won't remain just a curiosity to most for much longer.

Manu Rocker , ¿ y qué ?
It seems Manu has developed a formula for pop music and life on planet earth short stories in 3 min songs . This time with a lot of J.J.Cale influences ( he may not know who J.J. is ) and more rock than usual . A good twist for him , more comercial and available ... Good for Us ...

Manu Chao Rocks a la J.J. Cale - Los Enanitos Verdes con singular alegria . Buenas y concisas canciones , comerciales y devertidas , a la tradición de una latino america que necesita más músicos con corazón y buenas intenciones , alegría y esperanza , pensando en otra cosa que no sea la fama y el dinero y las chicas fáciles ... Viva Manu Rocker Chao ...

disappointing
It's not a fun listening, the songs are not authentic as on his two earlier albums, but rather annoying.

the same thing, faster... good!!
Speed...guitars to the front ... ... as same as ever but more fast, as the street that we walkin' ..... burnin' as the anguish of Latin America .... the same thing all over again, this would certainly be good !

Interesting and different!
I love Manu Chao - though I must say that after living in Central America for a while on the traveler circuit I got a bit tired of hearing Clandestino, which seemed to be on perpetual play EVERYWHERE (meanwhile, he was touring the US for the first time - bummed I missed that!) Manu Chao has managed to unite a people with his music and lyrics - it's truly unreal the effect he's had in Mexico and Central America. Still, on a purely musical note I hate to see him lumped into "world" or "protest" or "political" music because he's so much more than that, an innovative musician I hope won't make us wait so long next time - I've edited all my mp3s of his to file him under the genre "Unclassifiable" - because he is.