Areíto (album)

Areíto is the sixth album by Juan Luis Guerra with his band 440, released in 1992. The album, meant to be a tribute to the indigenous tribes of the Dominican Republic, is named after a dance that the aboriginal inhabitants of the Greater Antilles (taínos) accompanied with songs during their festivals and religious rites. Guerra's songs continued to show a strong influence from African and Aboriginal music. Famous congolese musician Diblo Dibala played guitar in the song "El Costo de la Vida", which was a Spanish cover of his own soukous song "Kimia Eve", while the last track on the album, "Naboria daca, mayanimacaná", is sung in Arawak, the language of the Taíno people. Areito was originally set to be released on early April 1992. Then it was pushback to the end of October, 1992. However, due Guerra was recuperating from laser eye surgery it got postponed to December 15, 1992.[4][5]

Not to be confused with Areyto (EP).
Areíto
Studio album by
Juan Luis Guerra – 440
ReleasedDecember 15, 1992
Recorded
GenreMerengue, Bachata
Length46:19
LabelKarem Records
ProducerJuan Luis Guerra
Juan Luis Guerra – 440 chronology
Bachata Rosa
(1990)		 Areíto
(1992)		 Fogaraté
(1994)
Singles from Areíto
  1. "Frío Frío"
    Released: August 1991[1]
  2. "Señales de Humo"
    Released: 1992
  3. "El Costo de la Vida"
    Released: 1992
  4. "Coronita de Flores"
    Released: 1992
  5. "Mal de Amor"
    Released: 1993
  6. "Rompiendo Fuente"
    Released: 1993
  7. "Cuando Te Beso"
    Released: 1993
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[2]
Chicago Tribune[3]

According to Guerra himself, Areito did not served as a follow-up of Bachata Rosa. The Album received universal acclaim by critcs. It considered one of Juan Luis Guerra's most classic and important album along with Bachata Rosa (1990) and Ojala Que Llueva Cafe (1989). Also his most introspective due socio-political topics contained in some songs. However, it faced some controversy due the strong social lyrics at some prostest songs and the music video of the album's third single "El Costo de la Vida" was banned in several countries. The song album contains lyrics about poor conditions in many Latin American countries, the celebration of the 'discovery' of America and the double standards of first-world nations. Some critcs and detractors labeled this as anti-capitalist tendencies. Despite this El costo de la vida was his first number-one hit in the Hot Latin Tracks.[6]

Areito was nominated for Best Tropical Latin Album at the 36th Annual Grammy Awards and three nominations to Lo Nuestro Awards, including Tropical/Salsa Album of the Year. To promote this album, he embarked in a 40 date the Areito World Tour in 1993, his largest tour at the time. The album was a commercial success selling over 2 millions of copies.

Critical Reception

The album received positive reviews from critics. Enrique Lopetegui from Los Angeles Times gave a positve review and wrote "Areito, , is less spectacular than “Bachata Rosa,” but no less ambitious".[6] Achy Obejas from Chicago Tribune gave it for 4 out 4 stars and praised the album's lyrics and wrote "Songs on Guerra's latest release, "Areito," bemoan the rising cost of living in the Dominican Republic and throughout the Third World".

Jason Birchmeier from Allmusic gave it 4.5 stars of 5 and wrote "It's an otherwise magnificent album that, along with its two predecessors, is one of Guerra's classics". Billboard prased the record and gave a positive review and stated "after a two -year absence and serves up his most wide-ranging, satisfying effort to date"[7]

Commercial Reception

Billboard stated that "According to Guerra's label, BMG-distributed Karen Records, the new album shipped 400,000 units in the U.S. and 2 million worldwide, one of the largest initial shipments ever for a Spanish language album.[8][9] The album`s third single "El costo de la Vida" received airplay in Spain, Holland, Italy, Denmark, Portugal and Belgium.[10][11][12][13] Also, it reached number one on US Billboard Hot Latin Songs, becoming the first Dominican artist and first tropical artist to do so. Due the album success, Juan Luis Guerra was named top selling Tropical artist of 1993 in United States and Areito the second best selling tropical album of 1993.[14]

In Spain, Despite the high expectations, the album peaked at number 2. It eventually sold over 300,000 copies and was the 7th Best Selling Album of 1993 in Spain and 5th Best Selling Album by a Foreign Artist.[15][16]

Areito was well received by the music industry. The album was a commercial success across Latin America and Europe. By 1993, the album had sold 1,350,000 copies worldwide.[17][18] Eventually, it sold 2 million copies worldwide.[19]

However, sales figures from Areito were significantly less in comparation of Bachata Rosa. Some attributed that one of the reasons was because Areito did not have the same formula of mixed rhythms that caused his predecessor reached new audiences and universal acclaim. Instead, the album musical estructure was based more on Traditonal-Bachata, Meregue and Bolero, causing some disappointment on the most recent fans at the time.[20]

Tour

To promote the album, Juan Luis Guerra and 440 embarked at their largest and intense tour at the time, Areito World Tour. It visited Countries as Brazil, Chile, United States, Argentina, Spain, Mexico, Holland, Portugal, England and Germany and Started on July 3 in New York and ended on October 16 At the Ahoy, Rotherdam.[21][15][17][22]

In The United States, the first show in New York was sold out. However, Media the attedance in Miami at James L. Knight Center, was 4,000 of the 6,000 expected. It was significantly less, in comparation of the sold-out show in Miami Arena on the Bachata Rosa Tour in December 1991.[23]

In Holland, media reported that the concert in Rotherdam was sold out, with over 10,000 tickets sold, becoming the first merengue artist to do so.[15][24]

In Spain, the two concerts in Barcelona at the October 5 and 6 were sold out with 41,644 and Grossing over US$798,516.[25] Also, Las palmas concert at the Insular Stadium had attendance of 18,517 wit a gross of US$351,895. In Madrid, the tour concerts on September 14 and 15 at Las Vegas were sold out with attedance of 40,000 fans and 9,000 fans at Sevilla on September 22 concert. During the tour dates in Spain, Areito Comeback to the top 10 due album sales surge.[26][25][27][28][29]

Track listing
  1. "Areíto" - 1:19
  2. "El Costo de la Vida" - 4:10
  3. "Señales de Humo" (Mambo) – 5:32
  4. "Ayer" (Salsa) – 5:05
  5. "Frío Frío" - 4:08
  6. "Rompiendo Fuente" - 4:26
  7. "Mal de Amor" (Merencumbia) – 3:46
  8. "Si Saliera Petróleo" (Salsa) – 4:35
  9. "Coronita de Flores" (Cha-Cha) – 4:17
  10. "Cuando Te Beso" (Balada) – 3:28
  11. "Cuando Te Beso" (Bolero) (Bonus Track) – 3:08
  12. "Naboria/Daca Mayanimacaná" - 2:25

Charts

Weekly Charts
Chart (1993) Peak

Position

European Albums (Top 100)[30] 40
Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE)[31] 2
Netherlands (Mega Album Top 100)[32] 67
US Top Latin Albums (Billboard)[33] 9
US Tropical Albums (Billboard)[33] 2

References
  1. https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Music/Billboard-Index/IDX/1992/1992-07-04-Billboard-Page-0036.pdf#search=%22juan%20luis%20guerra%22
  2. "Areito - Juan Luis Guerra y 440 | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic" – via www.allmusic.com.
  3. Obejas, Achy. "Juan Luis GuerraAreito (Karen/BMG) (STAR)(STAR)(STAR)(STAR)A breakthrough recording..." chicagotribune.com.
  4. https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Music/Billboard-Index/IDX/1992/1992-10-24-Billboard-Page-0038.pdf#search=%22juan%20luis%20guerra%20areito%22
  5. https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Music/Billboard-Index/IDX/1992/1992-02-01-Billboard-Page-0036.pdf#search=%22juan%20luis%20guerra%20best%20selling%20album%22
  6. "Guerra: The Hot Tropical Mixmaster". Los Angeles Times. 1993-07-03. Retrieved 2020-11-19.
  7. https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Music/Billboard-Index/IDX/1992/1992-12-12-Billboard-Page-0070.pdf#search=%22juan%20luis%20guerra%20areito%22
  8. https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/90s/1992/Billboard-1992-12-26.pdf
  9. https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Music/Billboard-Index/IDX/1992/1992-12-19-Billboard-Page-0031.pdf#search=%22juan%20luis%20guerra%20areito%22
  10. https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1993/MM-1993-02-13.pdf
  11. https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1993/MM-1993-02-20.pdf
  12. https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1993/MM-1993-03-13.pdf
  13. https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1993/MM-1993-03-20.pdf
  14. https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/90s/1993/BB-1993-12-25.pdf
  15. https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/90s/1993/BB-1993-09-18.pdf
  16. "ANUARIO SGAE 2001". www.anuariossgae.com. Retrieved 2021-01-16.
  17. https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1993/MM-1993-10-16.pdf
  18. "Guerra: The Hot Tropical Mixmaster". Los Angeles Times. 1993-07-03. Retrieved 2019-11-30.
  19. "Juan Luis Guerra - República Dominicana Live ! - Biografia, carrera, evolución musical, discos y canciones del artista de merengue Juan Luis Guerra". www.republica-dominicana-live.com. Retrieved 2019-11-30.
  20. "30 años de Bachata rosa, de Juan Luis Guerra". la diaria (in Spanish). 2020-06-26. Retrieved 2020-11-19.
  21. Billboard. 1993-07-10.
  22. Billboard. 1993-07-10.
  23. https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/90s/1993/BB-1993-07-24.pdf
  24. https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1993/MM-1993-09-18.pdf
  25. https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/90s/1993/BB-1993-11-06.pdf
  26. https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Music/Billboard-Index/IDX/1993/1993-10-09-Billboard-Page-0051.pdf#search=%22areito%22
  27. "Juan Luis Guerra: "Camarón de la Isla y García Lorca son básicos en mi trabajo" – Tour Areito | El Correo de Andalucía | 21 sep 1993" (in Spanish). Retrieved 2020-11-19.
  28. País, Ediciones El (1993-09-15). "El merengue triunfa en Las Ventas". El País (in Spanish). ISSN 1134-6582. Retrieved 2020-11-23.
  29. "Crónica / Juan Luis Guerra: huracán latino sobre el albero del Prado – Prado de san Sebastián, Sevilla | El Correo de Andalucía | 22 sep 1993" (in Spanish). Retrieved 2020-11-30.
  30. https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1993/MM-1993-02-06.pdf
  31. https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/90s/1993/BB-1993-03-13.pdf
  32. "Juan Luis Guerra – Bachata Rosa". MegaCharts (in Dutch). Hung Medien. 1991-08-10. Retrieved 2011-05-07.
  33. "Juan Luis Guerra 440 Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved 2019-04-06.
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