Among other analyses, Neustadt's writing contrasts two different albums released at roughly the same time: Buena Vista Social Club (BVSC) and Tremendo delirio (CH, after La Charanga Habanera, the band's name). He compares the different musical styles: son (BVSC), which as, according to Argeliers León, has already passed out of vogue, and timba (CH), which was the popular genre at the time in Cuba. The images projected by the two albums differ as well. BVSC represents "exotic holdovers" (140) from the past, while CH is a satirical representation of contemporary Cuban life. The album art for these two releases represent these differences as well. The BVSC cover uses blurred and muted colors on the front and is black and white on the back, drawing attention to vintage 1940s and 1950s American cars. This furthers the image of the pre-Revolution Cuba, frozen in time. In contrast, the CH album is brightly colored, with "props" made of neon-colored condoms. According to Neustadt, it is "clearly ironic" (148), and this augments their satire. Unsurprisingly, BVSC was marketed to (and mostly bought by) "'First World' Europeans or Anglos--not Latin Americans and certainly not Cubans" (149); it satisfied demand for exotic music in Europe and North America. In contrast, CH appeals to Cubans who live in Cuba through their lyrics concerning "shared perception and experience" (140).
Discussion Question: These two vastly different albums were released at roughly the same time. Why do you think they are still different? Also, compare the translations in the Neustadt reading and the BVSC album liner. Where are they different? What (or who) is responsible for these differences, and why do you think they are different?
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