Good but no Mayimbe.
Fyah Mon | Washington Heights, NYC | 03/07/2006
(3 out of 5 stars)
"Yoan Soriano is a very underrated bachatero. he did the soundtrack for the recent documentary "Los tigeres de la bachata" or in English "Santo Domingo blues." the movie focues primarily on the way more popular Luis Vargas however. I wonder why Soriano was chosen to do the music and not Vargas himself but it's all good. Soriano is a very good guitarist and songwriter, but like many bachata singers he falls into the trap of sounding like 50% of every other bachatero out there. True, this is an album of crisp guitar work and upbeat songs, but it is not up to par with the TRUE king of bachata, undisputibly, that would be EL MAYIMBE Antony Santos. Even Luis Vargas has a wider repotoire, but then again, this is the only album I've heard by Soriano. I appreciate this album and want to give it 4 stars, but it really deserves less. The songs are very good and he has a bright future as a bachatero, I like that he is one of the lesser known bachata singers/songwriters. Many Dominican friends of mine have never even heard of him, including my wife who is Dominiana. But alot of people had never heard Juan Luis Guerra before "Bachata Rosa." This is not Soriano's "Bachata Rosa" however. Antony Santos may be "El Rey"( The King of Bachata ) but if Yoan keeps up the good songwriting and fluid guitar pickings, we may see a new contender. Santos is known for being a monster guitar plucker in the bachata style. True Soriano sounds like alot of other bachata out there, but he also is BETTER than the other 50% out there. I'd try to invest in the actual movie "Santo domingo blues" first, being that Soriano is included in the movie, but i don't see it being released on dvd anytime soon. And that is truly a shame."