{{Infobox album | cover = Antecedente.jpg | name = Antecedente | type = studio | artist = Rubén Blades | alt = Antecedente.jpg | released = 1988 | recorded = 1987–1988 | venue = | studio = | genre = Salsa | length = {{Duration|m=39|s=03}} | label = Elektra<ref name=MH/> | producer = {{hlist|Rubén Blades|Eddie Maldonado}} | prev_title = Nothing but the Truth | prev_year = 1988 | next_title = Rubén Blades y Son del Solar ... Live! | next_year = 1990 }} '''''Antecedente''''' (Antecedent) is an album by the Panamanian musician Rubén Blades (credited with Son del Solar), released in 1988.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0Vi3AnIC9U4C&pg=PA89|title=Latino/a Popular Culture|first1=Michelle|last1=Habell-Pallan|first2=Mary|last2=Romero|date=June 1, 2002|publisher=NYU Press}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=p5a9CgAAQBAJ&pg=PA11|title=Pop Culture in Latin America and the Caribbean|first1=Elizabeth Gackstetter|last1=Nichols|first2=Timothy R.|last2=Robbins|date=July 28, 2015|publisher=ABC-CLIO}}</ref> The album was often reviewed with ''La Pistola y El Corazón'', by Los Lobos, which also was a return-to-roots effort.<ref name=NY/><ref name=GM/>
The album won a Grammy Award for "Best Tropical Latin Performance".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.grammy.com/artists/ruben-blades/904|title=Rubén Blades|date=December 15, 2020|website=Grammy Awards}}</ref> It peaked at No. 8 on ''Billboard''{{'}}s Tropical Albums chart.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/ruben-blades/|title=Rubén Blades|website=Billboard}}</ref>
==Production== The album was produced by Blades. His backing band changed its name from Seis del Solar to Son del Solar, with trombones replacing some of the synthesizer parts.<ref name=CL/> ''Antecedente'' marked a return to salsa for Blades, who had remarked that he did not like how older studio recording techniques made the music sound.<ref name=PI/>
==Critical reception== {{album ratings |rev1 = AllMusic |rev1score = {{rating|4|5}}<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/antecedente-mw0000200898|title=Antecedente|website=AllMusic}}</ref> |rev2 = Robert Christgau |rev2score = B+<ref name="auto1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?id=1767&name=Rub%EF%BF%BDn+Blades+y+Seis+del+Solar|title=Rubén Blades y Seis del Solar|website=Robert Christgau}}</ref> |rev3 = ''The Encyclopedia of Popular Music'' |rev3score = {{rating|4|5}}<ref name="CL">{{cite book |last1=Larkin |first1=Colin |title=The Encyclopedia of Popular Music |date=2006 |publisher=MUZE |volume=1 |page=655}}</ref> |rev4 = ''MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide'' |rev4score = {{rating|3.5|5}}<ref name="MH">{{cite book |title=MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide |date=1999 |publisher=Visible Ink Press |page=118}}</ref> |rev5 = ''The Philadelphia Inquirer'' |rev5score = {{rating|4|4}}<ref name="PI">{{cite news |last1=Moon |first1=Tom |title=Blades, Los Lobos Return to the Past |work=The Philadelphia Inquirer |date=6 Nov 1988 |page=K14}}</ref> |rev6 = ''The Rolling Stone Album Guide'' |rev6score = {{rating|4.5|5}}<ref name="RS">{{cite book |title=The Rolling Stone Album Guide |date=1992 |publisher=Random House |page=64}}</ref> }} Robert Christgau wrote that "Blades augments a revamped, renamed Seis del Solar with salsa trombones and begets a dance album for the people of Panama."<ref name="auto1"/> ''Trouser Press'' deemed the album "rewardingly rootsy."<ref>{{cite web |title=Rubén Blades |url=https://trouserpress.com/reviews/rubn-blades/ |website=Trouser Press |access-date=26 December 2021}}</ref> The ''St. Petersburg Times'' called it "a hot-blooded, no-nonsense salsa-style record brimming with gliding Latin rhythms, layers of punchy percussion and a relentless two-trombone backdrop—all topped off by Blades' plucky tenor."<ref>{{cite news |last1=Snider |first1=Eric |title=Ruben Blades returns to roots for a hot-blooded salsa album |work=St. Petersburg Times |date=11 Dec 1988 |page=2F}}</ref> ''The New York Times'' determined that "the music is full of life, trading away letter-perfect period authenticity for heartfelt spirit."<ref name="NY">{{cite news |last1=Pareles |first1=Jon |title=Crossover and Cross Back: You Can Go Home Again |work=The New York Times |date=6 Nov 1988 |page=A28}}</ref>
''The Washington Post'' considered the songs to be "not the fast, dizzying dance workouts of the barrio dance halls but a more sinuous sound that can accommodate both his evocative lyrics and his hypnotic syncopation."<ref>{{cite news |title=Ruben Blades Back to Salsa Roots |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1989/06/23/ruben-blades-back-to-salsa-roots/db3fe112-939e-4c53-b491-777435b270d6/ |work=The Washington Post |access-date=26 December 2021}}</ref> ''The Globe and Mail'' labeled the album "a collection of dance tunes that forgo his usual political commentary for songs of love—of women, neighborhood and country."<ref name=GM>{{cite news |last1=Dafoe |first1=Chris |title=Antecedente Ruben Blades La Pistola y El Corozon Los Lobos |work=The Globe and Mail |date=17 Nov 1988 |page=C3}}</ref>
AllMusic called the album a "return to exuberant, dance-oriented salsa."<ref name="auto"/>
==Track listing== {{Track listing | all_writing = | title1 = Juana Mayo (A Woman's Name) | length1 = | title2 = Noches Del Ayer (Caledonia Nights) | length2 = | title3 = Tas Caliente (You're Hot) | length3 = | title4 = Nuestro Adiós (Our Farewell) | length4 = | title5 = La Marea (The Tide) | length5 = | title6 = Nacer de Tí (Born from You) | length6 = | title7 = Contrabando (Contraband) | length7 = | title8 = Plaza Herrera (Herrera Plaza) | length8 = | title9 = Patria (Motherland) | length9 = | total_length = }}
==Personnel== * Mastering – Bob Ludwig * Quinto, Tumbadora – Bobby Allende * Photography – Christine Rodin * Design – Janet Perr * Engineer, Mixing – Jon Fausty * Mixing – Judy Kirschner * Composer – Luis Franco * Bongos, Campana, Guitar, Tumbadora – Marc Quiñones * Arranger, Bass, Synthesizer – Michael Vinas * Background Vocals – Nestor Sanchez * Arranger, Piano, Synthesizer – Oscar Hernandez * Trombone – Papo Vasquez * Guest Artist, Percussion, Timbales – Ralph Irizarry * Trombone – Reynaldo Jorge * Composer, Engineer, Maracas, Mixing, Primary Artist, Producer, Vocals, Background Vocals – Rubén Blades * Primary Artist – Rubén Blades y Seis del Solar * Primary Artist – Rubén Blades y Son del Solar * Mixing – Shawna Stobie * Guest Artist – Tito Allen
==References== {{reflist}}
{{Rubén Blades}}
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Category:Rubén Blades albums Category:1988 albums Category:Elektra Records albums