The remastered edition of this 1968 session will delight fans of the one-of-a-kind Cuban diva. "The Two Sides Of La Lupe" is one of the singer's best efforts. Just like La Lupe Es La Reina and Reina De La Canción Latina (two equally promising collections released on the Tico label around the same time period), this album encapsulates the elements that made La Lupe's artistry so unique: the raw power of her voice, her effortless talent to switch between velvety boleros and dance friendly jams, and the irrepressible vitality that she displays in every single song that she ever recorded.

One listen to timeless La Lupe standards like Qué Te Pedí and Puro Teatro is enough to understand why many of her detractors have accused her of sounding hysterical and over the top.

Her eccentric choices and loud persona, however, are only part of the picture. Sure, La Lupe sounds positively insane when belting out "I'm Going Out Of My Head" in her broken English. But the soulful power of her vocal chords is beyond questioning, as is her uncanny ability to evoke an endless array of feelings: in the 10 tracks that make up this session, La Lupe sounds alternately joyous, vulnerable, nostalgic, mischievous, funky and melancholy. The extreme mood swings may be too much for some listeners to handle, but those who are willing to brace themselves and plunge into the sonic universe of La Lupe are rewarded with a deep palette of intense colors.

True to its title, this album is divided into two contrasting sections: the first one contains five upbeat numbers, followed by a second segment of lushly orchestrated ballads (1969's La Lupe Es La Reina would follow a similar pattern).

The opening "Que Bueno Boogaloo" is a nod to the irresistible beat that took New York by storm in the late-'60s-- the mixture of traditional Afro-Caribbean formats and funky r&b that, in fact, could have been invented with La Lupe's vocal range in mind. In a buoyant frame of mind, La Yiyiyi salutes the session's producer, Pancho Cristal, then invites us to ‘shake it, baby, shake it’ and dance the Afro-twist.

"Te Voy A Contar Mi Vida" is one of The Queen's typical love laments. She addresses her future lover and promises to reveal all the secrets of her past life, so that the man in question can know what he's getting into. As she often did, the singer lifts up the quality of the sentimental lyrics at hand with the utter sincerity of her delivery.

Although she was firmly rooted in Cuban music (her career, in fact, took off when she recorded with cubano bandleader Mongo Santamaría), La Lupe always showed off an adventurous spirit where other Latin genres were concerned. She developed a special relationship with Venezuela (on "Caracas Cuatricentenario," she celebrates the Venezuelan capital's 400 year anniversary) and explored the rich tapestry of Puerto Rican folk. A good example of this tendency is "La Plena Buena," which finds her paying tribute to boricua luminaries such as Rafael Cortijo, El Gran Combo and Ismael Rivera.

Bolero lovers will fall head over heels with the delicate arrangements of mournful, downtempo material such as "Maldito Seas" and "El Emigrante," which concludes with a nod to flamenco textures.

Short and sweet, "The Two Sides Of La Lupe" reveals the singer as a misunderstood genius who was painfully ahead of her time. Eclipsed by fellow Cuban Celia Cruz, La Lupe would never again recapture the glories of her late '60s peak. Fortunately, she recorded copiously during that era, leaving behind a lasting legacy of shimmering Latin soul.


Written by Ernesto Lechner
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