By the time Metiendo Mano! hit shelves in 1977, salsa was already becoming a dominant force in Latin music, but this album marked a subtle yet powerful turning point. It was the first collaboration between Willie Colón and a then-rising Rubén Blades. While their next project, Siembra, would become a commercial juggernaut, Metiendo Mano! is where the real creative groundwork was laid. It’s a bold, socially conscious, and musically adventurous album that challenged the norms of salsa and redefined what it could be. For the first time since its US release, the influential Fania Records album is being reissued by Craft Latino on 180-gram vinyl with (AAA) remastering.
Unlike Héctor Lavoe’s exuberant streetwise style, Blades brought a more introspective and literary voice to the mix. With Colón giving him space to write and interpret material in his own way, Blades introduced a narrative approach rooted in everyday life, injustice, and working-class struggle. Right from the opening track, “Pablo Pueblo,” that shift is unmistakable. It’s a mournful, slow-building ballad about a blue-collar worker crushed by routine and economic hardship. The song’s empathy and restraint broke new ground in salsa, and its impact still resonates. Throughout the album, that same clarity of vision continues. “Según el color” addresses moral relativism and societal contradiction with biting wit. “Plantación adentro,” written by Tite Curet Alonso, takes on the lingering legacies of colonialism, propelled by a deep Afro-Caribbean rhythm and a rich brass arrangement. On “La maleta,” Blades eases into a more playful mode, spinning a tale of mistaken baggage with humor and energy. Meanwhile, “Fue varón” and “Pueblo” offer more personal, emotionally resonant reflections on gender expectations and urban life.
Colón’s arrangements are tight but expansive, with input from fellow arrangers like Luis Ortíz and Louie Ramírez. The band features a mix of seasoned players, including Milton Cardona on percussion, Sonny Bravo on piano, and trombonists Leopoldo Pineda and Papo Vázquez. Yomo Toro’s cuatro and Tom Malone’s tuba provide unique tonal colors that distinguish the album from its peers. Rather than aiming for party anthems, the music here is built to carry the weight of the lyrics. Colón’s fingerprints are all over the album, his trombone-driven sound, his knack for cinematic tension, and his ability to frame a vocalist without overshadowing them. But he also gives Blades plenty of space to shine, which makes Metiendo Mano! feel more like a meeting of minds than a top-down production. With the new remastering on this reissue, the instrumentation and vocals come across clearer than ever, allowing the listener to appreciate both the arrangements and social commentary even more.
Metiendo Mano! may not have achieved the blockbuster success of its follow-up, Siembra, but in hindsight, it’s the record that opened the door for socially conscious salsa. It gave voice to workers, immigrants, and those left out of the typical salsa narratives, and it did so without sacrificing musical integrity or energy. For fans of Latin music who want more than dancefloor-ready hooks, for those looking for stories, truths, and a deeper connection, Metiendo Mano! is essential listening. It’s the sound of two master craftsmen meeting at the intersection of music and message, and charting a bold new path forward.
