Various – Lamento Borincano (Puerto Rican Lament – Early Puerto Rican Music 1916-1939) – 2 CD

This is a superbly edited and remastered 2 CD collection of early Puerto Rican music, featuring 50 selections played by 20 different groups. From the thrilling horn arrangements to delicate string ensembles, the Carribean rhythms and lilting melodies will please any fan of good music.
56 page book with many lyrics and translations and notes about the songs and musicians.

Track Listing:

CD1:
1. Héroes de Borinquen - Canario Y Su Grupo - 3:12   2. Sara - Quinteto Borinquen - 2:51   3. Laura y Georgina - Orquesta Euterpe - 3:00   4. Si Me Quieres - El Trío Borinquen - 3:07   5. A Mi Madre - Trio Boricua - 3:15   6. Purupita - Trio Boricua - 3:03   7. Pobre Gaviota - Grupo Quisqueya - 3:06   8. Bon Ye - Grupo Borinquen - 2:39   9. Mi Patria Tiembla - El Trío Borinquen - 3:19   10. No le Llores Miguel - Pleneros Surenos - 3:10   11. Las Navidades - Pleneros Surenos - 3:00   12. Antiguo Seis Borinqueño - Los Jardineros - 3:24   13. Josefina, Josefina - Los Reyes De La Plena - 3:03   14. El Nuevo Gobernador - Los Reyes De La Plena - 3:08   15. Los Misterios de Lenox - Los Reyes De La Plena - 3:02   16. Qué Dulces Son Las Canciones - Los Reyes De La Plena - 3:11   17. Adiós Borinquen - Trio Ponceno - 3:03   18. Cusita - Trio Ponceno - 3:15   19. Mercedes - Los Jardineros - 3:19   20. Anhelos - Trio Boricua - 3:08   21. Fuego en la Cantera - Grupo Antillano - 3:14   22. Fausto y Su Ford - Grupo Antillano - 3:20   23. A Lolita - Grupo Antillano - 3:05   24. Todo Es Mentira - Grupo Antillano - 2:56   25. Espérame en el Portón - Los Reyes De La Plena - 3:04

CD2:
1. Lamento Borincano - Canario Y Su Grupo - 3:06   2. Quejas del Ausente - Los Reyes De La Plena - 3:01   3. Amor Sin Dolor - Canario Y Su Grupo - 3:08   4. Cantares de la Sierra - Canario Y Su Grupo - 3:10   5. Sueños de Vestales - Lira Boricua - 3:07   6. Mis Amores - Lira Boricua - 2:53   7. No Juegues con Candela - Septeto Flores - 3:11   8. Mamita, Qué Frío - Septeto Flores - 3:19   9. Siboney - Septeto Flores - 3:15   10. Polongui - Cuarteto Flores - 2:57   11. Consejo a las Mujeres - Canario - 3:35   12. Llanto del Campesino - Canario - 2:52   13. Alegría Boricua - Grupo Aurora - 3:17   14. Alma Boricua - Grupo Aurora - 2:54   15. Mi Bien Baila el Son - Grupo Aurora - 2:55   16. Pepiña - Orquesta De Paco Duclerc - 3:21   17. Alla Va - Canario Y Su Grupo - 3:19   18. Tras la Tempestad - Canario Y Su Grupo - 3:24   19. El Home Relief - Canario Y Su Grupo - 2:58   20. Estan Tirando Bombas - Canario Y Su Grupo - 3:01   21. Qué Vivío - Canario Y Su Grupo - 3:12   22. El Portal - Quinteto "La Plata" - 2:59   23. La Joven Qué Yo Amaba - Quinteto "La Plata" - 2:56   24. El Día de los Sorullos - El Conjunto Tipico Ladi - 3:26   25. Para el Año Nuevo - El Conjunto Tipico Ladi - 2:56

Reviews:

1. Billboard Magazine - Chris Morris 
“The biggest revelation we've had lately came as a result of listening to Arhoolie Records' incredible compilation Lamento Borincano.... The striking music on the collection was a product of a great migration of Puerto Rican workers to this country.... Arhoolie's amazing package compiles a trove of beautiful and unbelievably rare plenas, boleros, sones, danzas, and other traditional musical forms....
Hearing these long-ago tunes, with their robust vocals, keening horns, and sprightly string ensembles, one can't help feeling refreshed and enchanted. Just as 'Buena Vista Social Club' awakened an interest in classic Cuban son, Lamento Borincano could excite a taste for impassioned Puerto Rican song of another time. It's worth noting that the Arhoolie set sports unbelievably clean, crisp sound, with restoration performed by George Morrow.”

2.  AllMusic - Richie Unterberger
Lamento Borincano features 50 songs, performed by 20 groups, on two CDs of Puerto Rican music recorded prior to World War II. In fact, most of the songs were recorded in New York, and all but one were done from 1927 onward, which doesn't affect the quality of the music. Sung entirely in Spanish, it's a valuable document of a sound that is as interesting as the music being made and recorded by Mexican and Cuban outfits of the same era, though it's not as well known as sounds produced in those regions. The Puerto Rican music contained in this anthology has some general similarities to music of Mexico, Cuba, and some other Caribbean and Central American regions: acoustic guitars are the prominent instruments, lilting Latin rhythms are frequent, and sad, piquant melodies and harmony vocals strong elements. Yet Puerto Rican groups, at least those presented here, had a more low-key, perhaps even sadder air, which actually makes them more appealing. The influence of jazz and classical music can be felt both in some of the more orchestral arrangements, and in some of the instruments that augment the guitars, including trumpet, accordion, mandolin, and violin. Although lyrics (in both Spanish and English) are included for only some of the selections in the booklet, based on the translations that are included, the songs often delved into quite serious and topical subjects. Among them are Puerto Rican Nationalist politics, political upheaval, migration to New York City, and living on welfare. As such anthologies (on both Arhoolie and other labels) of early world music go, this is above average, both for its musical quality and audio fidelity.