CAMPO URBANO - RAYMOND CASTELLON
After releasing a single solo album in Spain, Puerto Rican/ Dominican singer/ songwriter Raymond Castellon tries his luck this side of the Atlantic with a heartfelt album marrying the simplicity of traditional, tropical music (campo) with urban and pop elements. Rich in guitars and percussion, “Campo Urbano” sometimes evokes Carlos Vives (particularly on the accordion-laden “Tu No Me Quieres Na”) and Juan Luis Guerra. There is some triteness here (the pop/ flamenco “Morena” is a cliche down to its title), but for the most part this is a tidy, beautifully arranged set. Although Castellon writes much of the material, he is smart enough to enlist collaborators, notably Miguel Yadam on the rich single “Se Me Va La Vida.” Billboard
Campo Urbano
