La Vida...Es un Ratico: En Vivo [Slipcase] (CD - 2008)

Audio Mixer: Thom Russo.

A year after the release of La Vida...Es un Ratico, in the midst of a yearlong world tour, a deluxe edition of the album was released. Titled La Vida...Es un Ratico en Vivo, the deluxe edition most notably includes the newly recorded smash hit single "Odio por Amor." Though the album is billed as "en vivo," there's disappointingly little in-concert material found on La Vida...Es un Ratico en Vivo. The handful of live tracks varies in number, depending on which version of the deluxe edition you have, and while the live tracks showcase a stripped-down yet powerful side of Juanes, a full-fledged live album, perhaps an uninterrupted concert performance, would have been preferable to this misleadingly titled "en vivo" deluxe edition. Anyone who already has the standard edition of La Vida...Es un Ratico should think twice before buying this deluxe edition. Unless you're a completist, all you really need here on La Vida...Es un Ratico en Vivo is "Odio por Amor," a stellar song easily downloaded as a single. The handful of live tracks tacked on at the end of La Vida...Es un Ratico en Vivo are a worthwhile listen -- not worthy of repeated listening, but worth a listen nonetheless, especially for hardcore fans. Yet the other bonus material is of marginal value, including a bilingual duet remix of "Hoy Me Voy" featuring Colbie Caillat that sounds canned in comparison to the original version of the song. ~ Jason Birchmeier minimize