Originally released as a CD/DVD package for the holiday 2005 shopping season, boasting all kinds of documentary footage,
Barrio Fino en Directo got re-released as a straight CD a half-year later. The subtracted documentary DVD isn't a major loss, but most certainly, the footage was a nice treat for fans and newcomers alike, as it helped chronicle the
Daddy Yankee phenomenon. And since the CD-only re-release retailed at the same price point despite the absent DVD content, anyone who didn't buy the disc during its initial CD/DVD printing unfortunately missed out. This is true also because the re-release swaps out the original version of "Rompe" for a remix featuring
Lloyd Banks and
Young Buck of
G-Unit -- for better or for worse, depending on how you feel about those guys. All of that stated,
Barrio Fino en Directo is still a great stopgap release for
Daddy Yankee. It fills the gap of time between the release of his breakthrough Barrio Fino album of 2004 and its long-awaited proper follow-up. The album's title refers to the live portion of the album, the first ten tracks, which are in-concert recordings taken from various international locales, from New York to Guayaquil. Many of the highlights of Barrio Fino, including the standout hits "Gasolina" and "Lo Que Pasó, Pasó," are reprised here, and everything is edited together to sound like a continuous show. The sound quality is excellent, especially for beat-heavy music like this, and though these versions are practically identical to their studio counterparts, the crowd enthusiasm is palpable and adds extra zest. The remainder of
Barrio Fino en Directo comprises new studio recordings, including the hits "Rompe" and "Machucando." There are also collaborations with
Snoop Dogg and
Paul Wall. These are lesser songs, but they're certainly interesting rap-reggaeton hybrids. The end sum of
Barrio Fino en Directo is a worthwhile one for
Daddy Yankee fanatics, satisfying enough in the short term. However, the original Barrio Fino album is recommended to anyone who hasn't picked it up first. "Rompe" and "Machucando" are tempting bait, certainly, but Barrio Fino is hands down the better pick. If you like what you hear there, pick up
Barrio Fino en Directo in turn for the sake of comparison and, of course, for the couple hits. And get the CD/DVD edition if you can find it; the documentary footage is insightful and the original version of "Rompe" is more ideal. ~ Jason Birchmeier