Yes, this blog is about more than presidential history. We will wrap that list up soon, just needed to take a breather.
I've long been a booster of this great band from East L.A. Since their debut in 1978, Los Lobos has masterfully blended their Hispanic cultural heritage with rock and roll and musical experimentation. Their 1992 release Kiko is a masterpiece, in my Top 10 of all time. For the next ten years after Kiko, they tried to recapture that record's elusive magic and failed rather disappointingly. But starting with 2002's Good Morning, Azatlan, they found a comfortable, if unremarkable groove, releasing good records with a couple of standout tracks each surrounded by pleasant filler. The new Tin Can Trust is their strongest record since Kiko, and while not reaching Kiko's peaks, it is nice to hear that the Lobos still have it in them to make engaging records that can grab you from start to finish.
Tin Can Trust mines similar territory as 2006's The Town and the City, taking a complex look at working class life in these hard times from a particularly Southwestern point of view. Think of Hispanic Springsteen or Mellencamp, but a little more trippy and less straightforward. But whereas The Town and the City was musically muted and had a sameness about it, Tin Can Trust really stretches out musically with enough variety to keep your interest. In fact, it is the most natural and relaxed attempt at capturing some of Kiko's musical textures that they have been able to pull off. I've got to say that the guitar playing from David Hidalgo and Cesar Rosas here is some of their tastiest and best on a studio record. From the blistering solo that closes "Burn It Down" to the spacy jams on "Jupiter or the Moon" to the bluesy riffs on the instrumental "Do the Murray," this record should be particularly satisfying to fans of great guitar playing.
There is not a bum track here, really. Even the unnecessary Grateful Dead cover "West L.A. Fadeaway" is a groovy listen. Cesar Rosas gets his requisite cumbias and Mexican folk tunes with the spirited "Yo Canto" and "Mujer Ingrata." But the highlights remind me of older Los Lobos records like 1987's By the Light of the Moon, gritty acoustic/electric tunes of Americana (again, Southwestern style) like opener "Burn It Down," "All My Bridges Burning," "The Lady and the Rose" and the haunting "27 Spanishes," but with light Kiko-like touches added to them to make them more interesting.
***1/2 out of *****
ABOVE: This is not from this record, but it is a great clip nonetheless. It is from Los Lobos's appearance on 'Sesame Street,' where they adapted their tune "Kiko and the Lavendar Moon" to be "Elmo and the Lavendar Moon." Good stuff. Who knew Elmo took acid?
11 comments:
Their favorite song of mine is La Bamba. That sure is a good song. I'm surprised no one has covered that one.
I think Lou "Diamond" Phillips did a version in the 80's.
To be fair to Lou, Diamond is actually his middle name. However, "Phillips" is not his real last name.
I know. But it makes it much cooler when you put quotes around the middle name.
Isn't it Lou Diamond Valens?
I think it's Estevez...Lou Diamond Estevez. I'm pretty sure he's Martin Sheen's son.
Then his name would be Lou "Diamond" Sheen, souldn't it? You're a dumbass. Where do you get Estevez from Sheen?
You're right...my mistake. I meant Martin Estevez. He's my gardner. I was watching Cadence, and I just got confused.
The 2 of you remind me of Abbott and Costello. Is this your version of the "Who's on first?" skit?
What are you talking about? Walter was clearly confused and I was just trying to explain things to him.
Third base!
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