 
Andadas
Average Rating: 4.0 Total Reviews: 8
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 On: 2007-12-19
Those reviewers who dare say this disk is not as angry or political as others (and is Inti ever angry or awkwardly dylanesque as one claims here? Or is Inti ever subtle, supremely talented and eloquent, deeply graceful?) have not placed it within its zeitgheist of that political and military and homeland security climate.
After two decades of political exile, which began with the torture, mutilation and gruesome death of the truer than Bob Dylan of Chile, Victor Jara, whose hands the fascist cut off, whose tongue they cut out, and then they lef thim to die, as if he had not already died in the loss of musicians hands and poet tongue, along with thousands of others trapped like New Orleans in their national stadium, (see Missing).
Intis cruel exile began September 11th of 1973, when Henry Kissinger and Richard Nixon sent their School of the Americas puppets (see Disturbing the Peace: The Story of Father Roy Bourgeois and the Movement to Close the School of Americas) airlifted in to kill the democratically and freely elected President of Chile and establish a brutal and genocidal terrorist totalitarian regime of torture and death still ongoing when twenty years later Inti did return from exile, fleeing humiliated for their loves. Inti returns here home to record under the grayly moustachioed nose of the torturing totalitarian dictator General Augusto Pinochet: Intis only crime, like Victors and like Violeta Parras, being to play the ancient instruments and songs of their people and to love their people, not to brutally exploit them as did the dictator who hid countless gold ingots around the world and avoided prosecution in the last decades of his life by feigning illness and dementia, like a mafioso, like Reagan, like any other corrupt dictator.
Meanwhile we have here the always wonderful and magical music of Inti Illimani, echoing in places that orchestral music they did with John Williams, echoing Havanas Buena Vista Social Club in Mulatta, echoing again the Renaissance madrigals of Spain and Italy, and then providing with great and gentle soul the intense laments of Mexico, before returning again home to share a soft dance tune in the language of Chiles native and most ancient people.
Thus we travel the exile of Inti within Andadas, which means little trips, as Inti travels here musically throughout Latin America and Europe, as they had for two decades of exile, amazing all with their talent and traditional acoustic instruments, and their dazzling proficiency and precision. Here we do hear the certain subdued melancholia of the exile, who like Dante knows the number of steps on his foreign staircase, and the bitter salt of foreign bread, who like the psalmist and Bob Marley cannot sing the songs of the Lord in an alien land, yet do. Hear we here the lament of those who dwell under the shadow of a brutal dictator who has murdered callously close friends and repected loved ones. Here may we truly hear the truth of the voice of the oppressed, of those without voice. Listen closely, and hear it once more; break that ice encasing your heart with these sounds, and hear once more.
 On: 2000-08-01
I have long been a fan of Inti-Illimani but mostly of their evocative instrumentals. I dont understand those who downgrade an album just because it is not anti-establishment enough. Any[one] can sing "down with the government", and many do. What one should look at is the quality of the music, and on Andadas, that quality is not quite up to standard although the album is good enough to rate 3 stars. One can enjoy the quality of a groups music without sharingits politics. I enjoy the music of a long line of Latin leftists such as Atahualpa Yupanqui, Astor Piazzolla and Inti-Illimani at the same time feeling that on balance Pinochet was good for Chile. Andadas best song, El Equipaje del Destierro, is a case in point. Leftist, yes, but undeniably beautiful. When I play this album, Im usually at the office as it is suitably relaxing for my work and my customers seem to enjoy it. If you are expecting a blockbuster, forget it.But if you like Inti-Illimanis style of music, you will probably like this despite the lack of bombthrowing.
by: gmollo On: 2000-05-08
Un disco difÃcil de hacer, pues representa el termino del exilio y el recomenzar en Chile su vida artÃstica, consagrando lo que siempre hacÃan en reuniones familiares, cantar rancheras y valses. Dándonos un hermoso conjunto de canciones e instrumentales, simplemente andando sobre América Latina, la tan humilde, la tan sabia.
by: Anonymous On: 1999-10-16
Groups such as Inti-Illimani and Quilapayun have been criticised by some of their early fans for regressing into an easier, less political style of music. Somebody wrote a critique above comparing their recent work and this cd to Julio Iglesias... I wonder whether these fans would have preferred the dictatorship in Chile to have continued, so that Inti Illimani could sing more tunes of Victor Jara or songs such as "pueblo unido"...Andadas is a unique CD. The lyrics and the music are comparable to the best the group has composed and performed so far -- I recommend it fully!
 On: 1999-07-25
Not a bad album, but in my opinion it is lacking the power, the anger and the political statement of the older Inti Illimani albums.
by: Anonymous On: 1999-05-07
Clearly the guy who wrote the review above has no clue whatsoever of the story and message behind this CD. Songs like Equipaje del Destierro estremecen a cualquera que, mas cerca o mas lejos ha vivido el drama de Chile. La cancion de la pasa colorá es para mi gusto lo mas fresco que se ha cantado en español en los ultimos diez años. Compralo, tio, no te arrepentiras.
by: Anonymous On: 1998-11-20
When I first came to Chile, the Inti-Illimani group was still in exile in Italy. Many years later, in the US, I found the Andadas album, and although I have since collected most of Inti- Illimanis other CDs, Andadas continues to be the favorite. The range of styles is pleasant and touches lightly upon the cultural diversity of Chile, but it does not dwell on lost causes and rough <> singing. However, the <> track will grab the throat of anyone who has ever even felt like an exile (translations from the Spanish are on the liner notes). In <> there is an excellent and funny lampoon of Mexican ranchero themes. ANDADAS would be an excellent introduction to Inti-Illimani and the contemporary popular music of Chile.
 On: 1998-10-12
OK, I am prejudiced. I love the Canciones Nuevas that Inti used to do. Now, 25 years later, the group is still together and recording. That should account for something. However, the qualities that I loved about the Canciones Nuevas groups are lacking in this recording. It is too smooth, to mellow and has no edge to it. I loved the raw edge of Bob-Dylan-like folk music that Inti used to do. It distinguished them from any other "spanish" music. Now, that edge is gone. For me, they might as well be Julio Iglacias. I have the CD. I think I played it once.
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