Aries (album)
Aries | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | 22 June 1993 | |||
Recorded | June 1992 – May 1993[1] | |||
Studio |
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Genre | ||||
Length | 44:31 | |||
Language | Spanish | |||
Label | WEA Latina | |||
Producer |
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Luis Miguel chronology | ||||
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Singles from Aries | ||||
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Aries is the ninth
Three singles were released to promote the album. The first two singles, "Ayer" and "Hasta Que Me Olvides," topped the US Billboard Hot Latin Songs chart and the third, "Suave," peaked at number nine. Two other songs were released as promotional singles, "Hasta el Fin" and "Tú y Yo"; both peaked at number four on the Hot Latin Songs chart. To further promote the record, Luis Miguel launched the 1993 Aries Tour to some Latin American countries and the United States.
Aries peaked at number one on the US
Background and recording
In 1991 Miguel released his eighth studio album,
On 24 August 1992, Mexican newspaper
Composition
Aries is composed of ten tracks, six of which are romantic ballads.[12] The remaining four songs are dance numbers which San Antonio Express-News editor Ramiro Burr describes as containing a "pop groove" and R&B influences, further comparing them to Miguel's earlier recordings before Romance.[5][13] Miguel said the mixture of ballads and uptempo music was done to "keep a steady musical line" because he did not want his music to be unrecognizable.[6] The dance tunes "Suave", "Dame Tu Amor", and "Que Nivel de Mujer" are "upbeat, brass-heavy, attitudinal numbers" while "Luz Verde" incorporates Latin hip hop and R&B.[12] "Suave" features a saxophone solo by American musician Kirk Whalum and "Que Nivel de Mujer" is a Spanish-language adaptation of "Attitude Dance" by American band Tower of Power. The band members assisted with the horn section in the song, which was led by one of its lead members Emilio Castillo.[7] Miguel said he included the band's song on the album because of his fondness for R&B in the 1970s, citing the group as one of his musical influences.[6]
"Ayer" is a Spanish-language cover of David Foster's instrumental "All That My Heart Can Hold" with additional lyrics by Rudy Pérez.[5][14] Burr characterized the song as a "lush ballad sung by Miguel in his stylistic
romantic swagger that simultaneously conveys pride and pain".
Singles and promotion
"Ayer" was released as the
To promote the album, Miguel began his Aries Tour on 29 May at the 1993 Acapulco Festival in Mexico.[31] After his performances in Mexico, he toured several countries in Latin America beginning with Argentina, and later performed in the US.[32] His set list consisted mainly of pop songs and ballads from Aries and his earlier career, as well as boleros from Romance, which he performed during the second half of the concerts.[33]
Critical reception
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [12] |
Chicago Tribune | [17] |
Los Angeles Times | [34] |
Upon its release, Aries received mixed reactions from music critics. AllMusic editor Jose F. Promis gave the album two-and-a-half stars out of five and found the ballads to be "sometimes a little too syrupy". He complimented some of the dance tunes such as "Suave" and "Dame Tu Amor", but said "Luz Verde" was a "somewhat dated attempt at early-'90s Latin hip-hop R&B".[12] A music journalist for Billboard magazine wrote a favorable review of Aries, stating that Miguel "trades in nostalgic boleros for a stylish, up-to-date package" and called "Ayer" a "perfect transition track from Romance".[35] Chicago Tribune music critic Achy Obejas gave the record two-and-a-half stars out of four, calling it "a kind of middle ground between Romance and its lush ballads, and the bouncy pop of 20 Años, its immediate antecedent". She praised Miguel's vocals as "wonderfully nuanced and dramatic", and said the ballads mostly "work", but that "the uptempo tunes fall flat most of the time".[17] Enrique Lopetegui of the Los Angeles Times gave the album three stars out of four; he lauded Miguel's inclusion of "healthy elements of jazz and funk into his polished sound" and said he "returns to familiar territory accompanied by his usual superb arrangements and musicianship".[34]
Accolades
At the 36th Annual Grammy Awards in 1994, Miguel won the Grammy Award for Best Latin Pop Album for Aries.[36] At the 6th Lo Nuestro Awards in the same year, the album won the award for Pop Album of the Year and Miguel was named Pop Male Artist of the Year.[37] He also received two nominations in the category of Pop Song of the Year for "Hasta Que Me Olvides" and "Ayer"; the latter track was also nominated Video of the Year.[38] At the inaugural Billboard Latin Music Awards in 1994, Miguel received two awards including Pop Album of the Year and Pop Male Artist of the Year.[39] Miguel was awarded Best Male Singer, Best Male Show for the tour, and Best Disc for the album at the 1994 Eres awards.[40]
Commercial performance
Aries was released internationally on 22 June 1993,
Aries peaked at number one on the Billboard Latin Pop Albums chart and stayed at the top for 19 weeks.[45] It ended 1993 as the second best-selling Latin pop album in the US after Romance.[46] In Argentina, the album peaked at number two on the album chart and was certified diamond by the Argentine Chamber of Phonograms and Videograms Producers for sales of 500,000 copies.[47][48] Elsewhere in South America, the album peaked at number one on the Chilean albums chart and was certified platinum in Colombia.[49][50] Aries sold over three million copies worldwide.[51]
Track listing
All recordings produced by Luis Miguel and Kiko Cibrian, except where noted.[52]
No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Suave" |
| Cibrian | 4:47 | |
2. | "Me Niego a Estar Solo" | Rudy Pérez | Pérez | 4:17 | |
3. | "Luz Verde" |
| Pérez | 4:59 | |
4. | "Hasta el Fin" | Cibrian | Cibrian | 4:49 | |
5. | "Ayer" | Pérez |
| 3:25 | |
6. | "Que Nivel de Mujer" | Castro |
| 4:28 | |
7. | "Pensar en Ti" | Francisco F. Céspedes | Céspedes | 4:15 | |
8. | "Dame Tu Amor" |
| Cibrian | 3:23 | |
9. | "Hasta Que Me Olvides" | Juan Luis Guerra | Guerra | 4:40 | |
10. | "Tú y Yo" | Pérez | Jorge Calandrelli | 4:50 |
Personnel
Adapted from the Aries liner notes:[53]
Musicians
- Robbie Buchanan – keyboards (tracks 1–2, 4, 7–8, 10), arranger (1–2, 4, 7)
- Marcel East – keyboards, arranger and programming (track 3)
- Randy Kerber – keyboards, arranger (tracks 5, 9)
- Nick Milo – keyboards (track 6)
- Jorge Calandrelli – electric piano, arranger (track 10)
- drums(tracks 1, 9–10)
- Harvey Mason – drums (tracks 2–5, 7)
- Francis Russ McKinnon – drums (track 6)
- Kiko Cibrian – guitar (tracks 1, 3, 5, 8), background vocals (1–2, 6), arranger (1, 4, 8), programing (8), brass arrangements (1, 8)
- Michael Landau – guitar (tracks 2, 4, 7, 10)
- Carmen Grillo – guitar (track 6)
- Paul Jackson, Jr.– guitar (tracks 7, 9)
- Dean Parks – Acoustic guitar (track 9)
- percussion(tracks 1, 4, 8–10)
- bass(tracks 2, 7, 9–10)
- Freddie Washington – bass (tracks 3, 5)
- Rocco Prestia – bass (track 6)
- Jerry Hey – brass, brass arrangements (tracks 1, 3, 8)
- Dan Higgins – brass (tracks 1, 3, 8)
- Gary Grant – brass (tracks 1, 3, 8)
- Bill Reichenbach Jr. – brass (tracks 1, 3, 8)
- Kirk Whalum – saxophone solo (track 1)
- Emilio Castillo – tenor saxophone (track 6), background vocals (track 6)
- Brandon Fields – tenor saxophone (track 6)
- Stephen "Doc" Kupka – baritone saxophone (track 6)
- Greg Adams – trumpet, arranger (track 6)
- Lee Thornburg – trombone, trumpet (track 6)
- Tower of Power – guest artist (track 6)
- Annie Cruz – background vocals(tracks 1–2, 8)
- Iliana Holland – background vocals (tracks 1–2)
- Dan Navarro – background vocals (tracks 1–2, 6)
- Tom Bowes – background vocals (tracks 1–2, 6)
The Hollywood String Ensemble (tracks 3, 5, 7–10)
- Ezra Kliger – concertmaster, violin
- Paul C. Shure – violin
- Shari Zippert – violin
- Roman Volodarsky – violin
- Barbara J. Porter – violin
- Vladimir Polimatidi – violin
- Cordon H. Marron – violin
- Charles H. Everett – violin
- Norman J. Hughes – violin
- Joel Derouin – violin
- Sid Page – violin
- Linda Rose – violin
- R.F. Peterson – violin
- John J. Wittenberg – violin
- Leslie J. Woodbury – violin
- Endre Granat – violin
- Alexander Horvath – violin
- Israel Baker – violin
- Herschel P. Wiserenita Koven – viola
- Raymond J. Tisher II – viola
- James J. Ross – viola
- John T. Acevedo – viola
- Cynthia Morrow – viola
- Larry Corbett – cello
- Daniel W. Smith – cello
- Nancy Stein – cello
- Roger Lebow – cello
- Steve G. Edelman – contrabass
- Jon C. Clarke – English horn, oboe
- Joseph Meyer – French horn
- Calvin Smith – French horn
- Michael A. Englander – percussion
Production
- Luis Miguel – producer
- Kiko Cibrian – co-producer
- Mauricio Abaroa – executive producer
- Julio Saenz – executive producer
- Benny Faccone – engineer, mixing (tracks 2–3, 5–6, 8–9)
- Humberto Gatica – mixing (tracks 1, 4, 7)
- Paul McKenna – mixing (track 10)
- Rudy Pérez – co-producer in the voice recording
- Emilio Castillo – co-producer in "Que Nivel de Mujer"
- Jose Quintana – production coordination
- Ezra Kliger – production coordination
- Jim Champagne – assistant engineer, mixing assistant
- Noel Hazen – assistant engineer, mixing assistant
- Bryan Pollack – assistant engineer, mixing assistant
- Kimm James – assistant engineer, mixing assistant
- Bernie Grundman – mastering
- Cartel Diseñadores – design
- Alfredo Gatica – artistic coordination
- Carlos Somonte – photography
- Bruce Swedien – special thanks for their collaboration in this production
Charts
Weekly charts
|
Year-end charts
All-time charts
|
Certifications and sales
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Argentina (CAPIF)[48] | Diamond | 693,162[60] |
Colombia ( ASINCOL)[50]
|
Platinum | 60,000[61] |
Chile | — | 200,000[62] |
Mexico (AMPROFON)[42] | 4× Platinum | 1,000,000[42] |
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[63] | Platinum | 100,000^ |
Uruguay (CUD)[64] | 3× Platinum | 18,000^ |
Summaries | ||
Worldwide | — | 3,000,000[51] |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
See also
- 1993 in Latin music
- List of diamond-certified albums in Argentina
- List of number-one Billboard Latin Pop Albums from the 1990s
- List of best-selling albums in Argentina
- List of best-selling albums in Chile
- List of best-selling albums in Mexico
- List of best-selling Latin albums
- List of most expensive albums
References
- ^ Ayer Single (CD liner). Luis Miguel. México: WEA Latina. 1993. pp. 1–2. 4509 92853-2.
{{cite AV media notes}}
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- ^ "Dimes y Diretes". El Siglo de Torreón (in Spanish). Editora de la Laguna. 12 October 1992. p. 51. Archived from the original on 24 May 2014. Retrieved 17 July 2022.
- ^ ISBN 9780313322150. Archivedfrom the original on 11 June 2014. Retrieved 14 March 2011.
- ^ a b c d Burr, Ramiro (11 July 1993). "Luis Miguel meets his challenges". San Antonio Express-News.
- ^ ISSN 0006-2510.
- ^ a b c Burr, Ramiro (17 June 1993). "Tejano pop star croons 2nd album". Austin American-Statesman. Cox Media Group.
- ^ "Hit Parade". El Siglo de Torreón (in Spanish). Editora de la Laguna. 24 August 1992. p. 50. Archived from the original on 17 July 2022. Retrieved 20 July 2015.
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Este disco expresa mi forma muy personal. Tuve mucho que ver en todo. Lo produje totalmente y quise divertirme mucho, sacar lo que a mi me gusta y, entonces qué mejor que el signo zodiacal que representa lo que uno es.
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- San Diego Union-Tribune.
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{{cite AV media notes}}
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