Los Lobos | ||
| Allmusic Biography : One of the most acclaimed American bands of the 1980s and 90s, Los Lobos were seasoned musical veterans with nearly 15 years of experience under their belts when they scored their first hit in 1987 with a cover of Richie Valens "La Bamba." Though their time as pop stars was short, the group -- who enjoyed calling themselves "just another band from East L.A." -- won over critics and a legion of loyal fans with their bracing mixture of rock, blues, Tex-Mex, country, R&B;, and Mexican folk sounds, with the bands sound ranging from gentle acoustic ballads to the outer limits of experimental rock. While often cited as one of the great bands of Latino Rock, Los Lobos eclectic sound in fact defined them as a vital example of Americas cultural melting pot. Los Lobos were formed in 1973 by guitarist/accordionist David Hidalgo and percussionist Louie Perez, two students at Garfield High School in East Los Angeles who discovered they shared eclectic tastes in music. Recruiting two other Garfield students -- guitarist Cesar Rosas and bassist Conrad Lozano -- they put together a band which they dubbed Los Lobos del Este (de Los Angeles), a take-off on the celebrated Norteño band Los Lobos del Norte. While their interests ranged from hard rock to free jazz, the new group began exploring the Mexican folk music they grew up with, and they soon found themselves regularly playing weddings, parties, and Mexican restaurants in East Los Angeles. As an acoustic folk group, Los Lobos cut a self-released album in 1978, Del Este de Los Angeles (Just Another Band from East L.A.), but they had greater stylistic ambitions, and were eager to embrace newer sounds and a larger audience, especially as they discovered the energy and stylistic freedom of the L.A. punk scene. Los Lobos struck up a friendship with fellow punk-influenced roots rockers the Blasters, and after opening some shows for them, Los Lobos developed their own following on the Hollywood club scene. They also won new fans through their presence on the soundtrack of the cult comedy Eating Raoul. In 1983, Slash Records, a powerful L.A. indie label distributed by Warner Bros., signed Los Lobos, and the group cut a seven-song EP, ... And a Time to Dance, that showcased the force and wide-ranging influences of their music. Producer T-Bone Burnett also brought in local sax player Steve Berlin to play on the sessions, and he would soon become a full member of the group. Los Lobos began touring the country in support of the EP, and an even more ambitious full-length album, How Will the Wolf Survive?, followed in 1984. After extensive road work, the band recorded their third album, 1987s By the Light of the Moon, with an eye toward breaking the band out to a larger audience. Sales were not as good as hoped, but Los Lobos did land a major chart hit that year -- they recorded a handful of songs for the soundtrack of a film about pioneering Latino rocker Richie Valens, and their version of Valens biggest hit, "La Bamba," became the movies title song and a hit single that topped the pop charts. For the follow-up to La Bamba, Los Lobos returned to their first love, Mexican folk, on the 1988 album La Pistola y el Corazón. The album was a modest success, but their next effort, the fine and stylistically rich 1990 album The Neighborhood, sold poorly, and the band was looking for a new direction when they returned to the studio in 1992. Producer Mitchell Froom encouraged the band to explore unusual sounds and arrangement ideas, and combined with an outstanding set of songs, Kiko was hailed as the bands masterpiece, wowing critics and fans alike. In 1993, Los Lobos celebrated 20 years together with the retrospective set Just Another Band from East L.A., which included rare tracks and live performances alongside the bands best known numbers. However, while they recorded a childrens album with Lalo Guerrero, 1995s Papas Dream, and scored the Robert Rodriguez film Desperado, a proper follow-up to Kiko didnt arrive until 1996, and Colossal Head didnt click with audiences like Kiko. For several years, Los Lobos maintained a low profile as Rosas cut a solo album, Soul Disguise, and Hildago worked on side projects with Mike Halby (Houndog) and his Los Lobos bandmate Perez (Latin Playboys). Los Lobos returned in 1999 with This Time, their first release for the Disney-affiliated Hollywood Records label, who also reissued the bands 1978 Del Este de Los Angeles in 2000. (2000 was a good year for Los Lobos archivists; it also saw the release of a four-disc retrospective box set from Rhino Records, El Cancionero: Mas y Mas).They shifted to the Hollywood-owned Mammoth Records imprint for 2002s outstanding Good Morning Aztlan. Always a favorite with fellow musicians, Los Lobos collaborated with a number of their favorite artists on 2004s The Ride, including Mavis Staples, Dave Alvin, Richard Thompson, Elvis Costello, and Ruben Blades. The Ride spun off an EP of covers, Ride This, and while touring behind the album, Los Lobos cut their first-ever live album, 2005s Live at the Filmore. A second live set devoted to acoustic performances, Acoustic en Vivo, appeared a few months later. Los Lobos regrouped in 2006 to record The Town and the City, a return to the themes of The Neighborhood, and they cut a second childrens album in 2009, Los Lobos Goes Disney, featuring tunes from classic Disney films. (For the album, the group revived their cover of "I Wanna Be Like You" from The Jungle Book, which they first cut for Hal Willners 1989 Disney tribute Stay Awake). Los Lobos cut ties with Hollywood Records and signed with Shout! Factory, who issued the streetwise Tin Can Trust in 2010, while the group reworked their most celebrated album with the 2012 release Kiko Live. As Los Lobos celebrated their fourth decade together, they looked back at their roots in acoustic music with 2013s Disconnected in New York City, recorded during shows at the Big Apple venue the City Winery; it was also the bands first release for the independent 429 Records label. In 2015, Los Lobos released the bold and eclectic album Gates of Gold; the albums arrivial coincided with the publication of Los Lobos: Dream in Blue, a group biography written by veteran Los Angeles music journalist Chris Morris. | ||
 | Album: 1 of 27 Title: “…and a Time to Dance.” Released: 1983 Tracks: 7 Duration: 18:32 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Lets Say Goodnight (02:35) 2 Walking Song (02:52) 3 Anselma (03:10) 4 Come On, Lets Go (02:14) 5 How Much Can I Do? (02:22) 6 Why Do You Do? (02:40) 7 Ay Te Dejo En San Antonio (02:35) |
 | Album: 2 of 27 Title: How Will the Wolf Survive? Released: 1984-10-17 Tracks: 11 Duration: 33:28 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Don’t Worry Baby (02:49) 2 A Matter of Time (03:53) 3 Corrido #1 (02:42) 4 Our Last Night (03:08) 5 The Breakdown (04:13) 6 I Got Loaded (03:24) 7 Serenata norteña (02:53) 8 Evangeline (02:43) 9 I Got to Let You Know (02:36) 10 Lil’ King of Everything (01:21) 11 Will the Wolf Survive? (03:42) |
| How Will the Wolf Survive? : Allmusic album Review : Los Lobos spent years playing parties, wedding receptions, restaurants, bars, and anyplace else where someone might pay them for a gig before landing a deal with Slash Records, and their first full-length album for the label, How Will the Wolf Survive?, is the work of a band that had learned how to play something for everyone while still maintaining their own musical personality in the process. How Will the Wolf Survive? swings back and forth from straight-ahead rock ("Dont Worry Baby") and potent R&B; grooves ("I Got Loaded") to country-accented blues ballads ("A Matter of Time") and Mexican traditional numbers ("Serenata Nortena"), with the bands exemplary taste, musical smarts, and road-tested maturity in evidence on every cut. While rarely flashy, even a casual listen offers all the proof you might need that Los Lobos were a band of world-class musicians, with David Hidalgos guitar work especially impressive throughout. Just as importantly, How Will the Wolf Survive? was the first album where Los Lobos showed how much they had to say as songwriters, especially on "A Matter of Time" and the title cut, two songs that offered a moving and compassionate look at the lives of illegal aliens in America. On ...And a Time to Dance, Los Lobos showed the world that they were a great dance band, but How Will the Wolf Survive? showed they were a great dance band, and a lot more besides. | ||
 | Album: 3 of 27 Title: By the Light of the Moon Released: 1987 Tracks: 11 Duration: 40:31 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 One Time One Night (04:48) 2 Shakin’ Shakin’ Shakes (04:11) 3 Is This All There Is? (04:00) 4 Prenda Del Alma (03:21) 5 All I Wanted to Do Was Dance (03:57) 6 Set Me Free (Rosa Lee) (03:35) 7 The Hardest Time (03:12) 8 My Babys Gone (03:41) 9 River of Fools (02:55) 10 The Mess Were In (03:01) 11 Tears of God (03:46) |
| By the Light of the Moon : Allmusic album Review : On How Will the Wolf Survive?, Los Lobos seemed to be feeling out the boundaries of how much they could say about the hard realities of life within the framework of good-time R&B-flavored; rock & roll, and on their next album, 1987s By the Light of the Moon, the group gently shifted their focus to favor their more contemplative side. While the band certainly hadnt lost the ability to rock out (check out "My Babys Gone" or "Shakin Shakin Shakes" for proof), most of the album displayed a lighter touch musically, with David Hidalgos deft lead guitar and Cesar Rosas precise rhythm chords fueling lean but smoky R&B; numbers like "Is That All There Is?" and "All I Wanted to Do Was Dance" and understated musical snapshots like "One Time, One Night" and "River of Fools." Lyrically, By the Light of the Moon is dominated by the sad mysteries of life and the less-than-generous nature of fate, as ordinary people try to come to terms with death ("One Time, One Night"), disappointment ("Is That All There Is?"), love thats faded into the shadows ("The Hardest Time"), and the mingled comfort and uncertainties of faith ("Tears of God"). While the soundtrack album to the movie La Bamba, released the same year, captured Los Lobos at their most carefree and high-spirited as they called up the spirit of Ritchie Valens, By the Light of the Moon showed the other side of the coin as the group looked into the hearts and souls of themselves and the community around them, and if its a harder album to enjoy than those that preceded it, its depth rewards repeated listenings. | ||
 | Album: 4 of 27 Title: La pistola y el corazón Released: 1988-09 Tracks: 9 Duration: 25:09 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 La guacamaya (02:05) 2 Las amarillas (03:04) 3 Si yo quisiera (02:42) 4 (Sonajas) Mañanitas michoacanas (02:23) 5 Estoy sentado aquí (02:27) 6 El gusto (02:58) 7 Que nadie sepa mi sufrir (02:30) 8 El canelo (03:27) 9 La pistola y el corazón (03:28) |
 | Album: 5 of 27 Title: The Neighborhood Released: 1990-08 Tracks: 13 Duration: 45:21 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Down on the Riverbed (04:05) 2 Emily (03:49) 3 I Walk Alone (03:00) 4 Angel Dance (03:14) 5 Little John of God (02:19) 6 Deep Dark Hole (02:24) 7 Georgia Slop (02:47) 8 I Can’t Understand (03:59) 9 The Giving Tree (03:07) 10 Take My Hand (04:45) 11 Jennys Got a Pony (04:03) 12 Be Still (03:35) 13 The Neighborhood (04:07) |
| The Neighborhood : Allmusic album Review : In 1987, Los Lobos released their ambitious and contemplative By the Light of the Moon and the surprise-hit soundtrack album La Bamba, while the following year they recorded a low-key set of Mexican folk songs, La Pistola y el Corazón. After making three such disparate albums, it was seemingly anyones guess what path Los Lobos might follow next, and when they next emerged from the recording studio, 1990s The Neighborhood made it clear they had taken a number of enlightening side trips along the way. While building on the musical and lyrical maturity of By the Light of the Moon, The Neighborhood followed a number of different musical themes, with the musicians seeking (and finding) a common musical ground between the New Orleans R&B; stomp of "Jennys Got a Pony," the country-flavored fiddle of "Emily," the atmospheric late-night pulse of "Angel Dance," the blues-based swagger of "I Cant Understand," and the downbeat jazzy contemplation of "The Neighborhood." Anyone who had been listening already knew that Los Lobos were five singularly gifted musicians, but The Neighborhood found them challenging themselves with an ever-expanded musical palate, and as usual they rose to the occasion very well indeed, especially lead guitarist David Hidalgo, and producer Larry Hirsch gave the performances just the right amount of polish while providing the settings they deserved. And the songs, portraits of moments in lives both great and small, come together in the moving title track, in which Los Lobos return where they started their journey, their own back yard, where folks are still looking for a measure of hope and peace of mind. A genuine step forward for a great band, as well as the jumping-off point to their most experimental period. | ||
 | Album: 6 of 27 Title: Kiko Released: 1992-05-26 Tracks: 16 Duration: 52:35 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Dream in Blue (03:34) 2 Wake Up Dolores (02:55) 3 Angels With Dirty Faces (04:02) 4 That Train Don’t Stop Here (03:52) 5 Kiko and the Lavender Moon (03:35) 6 Saint Behind the Glass (03:17) 7 Reva’s House (03:04) 8 When the Circus Comes (03:16) 9 Arizona Skies (02:45) 10 Short Side of Nothing (02:57) 11 Two Janes (03:53) 12 Wicked Rain (03:04) 13 Whiskey Trail (02:41) 14 Just a Man (03:40) 15 Peace (03:55) 16 Río de Tenampa (02:00) |
| Kiko : Allmusic album Review : Los Lobos had earned a reputation as one of the most intelligent and creative roots rock acts in America with the albums By the Light of the Moon and The Neighborhood, but it was with 1992s Kiko that they really demonstrated the breadth of their sonic ambitions. Produced in collaboration with Mitchell Froom, Kiko exchanged the more straightforward approach of Los Lobos previous sessions for a uniquely textured sound, with the groups guitars thrown into sharp relief against Frooms collection of vintage tape-loop keyboards, and the arrangements are often unusually spare, most powerfully in the ghostly spaciousness of "Kiko and the Lavender Moon" and "Wake Up Delores." Even the more full-bodied cuts, such as the rollicking "That Train Dont Stop Here" and the hard-rocking "Whiskey Trail," boast a different personality than in Los Lobos previous work, with the guitars clean but cutting like a switchblade and the drums snapping hard, and the more contemplative selections drip with a mysterious, otherworldly ambience thats matched by the impressionistic imagery of David Hidalgo and Louie Pérezs superb songs. At its best, Kiko sounds like the musical equivalent of a Luis Buñuel dream sequence, balancing beauty and menace with intelligence and a skill thats little short of dazzling; its a brilliant, singular achievement, and the most rewarding album in the groups catalog. | ||
 | Album: 7 of 27 Title: Just Another Band From East L.A.: A Collection Released: 1993-08-03 Tracks: 41 Duration: 2:27:12 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Volver, Volver (03:46) 2 El Cuchipe (02:19) 3 La feria de la flores (02:41) 4 Sabor a mí (03:51) 5 Let’s Say Goodnight (03:30) 6 Anselma (03:08) 7 Will the Wolf Survive? (03:42) 8 A Matter of Time (03:48) 9 I Got to Let You Know (02:36) 10 Don’t Worry Baby (02:46) 11 One Time One Night (04:49) 12 Shakin’ Shakin’ Shakes (04:11) 13 River of Fools (02:42) 14 Carabina.30-30 (03:37) 15 Tears of God (03:46) 16 Set Me Free (Rosa Lee) (03:35) 17 Come On, Let’s Go (02:01) 18 La bamba (02:53) 19 El gusto (02:57) 20 Estoy sentado aquí (02:27) 21 La pistola y el corazón (03:28) 22 I Wanna Be Like You (The Monkey Song) (03:17) 1 Someday (03:44) 2 Down on the Riverbed (04:05) 3 Be Still (03:35) 4 The Neighborhood (04:07) 5 I Can’t Understand (03:59) 6 Angel Dance (03:14) 7 Bertha (05:21) 8 Saint Behind the Glass (03:17) 9 Angels With Dirty Faces (04:02) 10 Wicked Rain (03:39) 11 Kiko and the Lavender Moon (03:35) 12 When the Circus Comes (03:18) 13 Peace (06:23) 14 Bella Maria de mi Alma (04:29) 15 What’s Going On (04:53) 16 Wrong Man Theme (01:47) 17 Blue Moonlight (03:48) 18 Politician (04:38) 19 New Zandu (03:08) |
 | Album: 8 of 27 Title: Papas Dream Released: 1995-02-14 Tracks: 31 Duration: 51:07 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 La Bamba (03:05) 2 Dialog (Track 2) (02:14) 3 Wooly Bully (02:19) 4 Dialog (Track 4) (00:46) 5 Buzz, Buzz, Buzz (02:33) 6 Dialog (Track 6) (00:31) 7 Route 90 (03:08) 8 Dialog (Track 8) (00:21) 9 Corrido for Papa Lalo (02:56) 10 Dialog (Track 10) (00:37) 11 La Bicicleta (00:49) 12 Dialog (Track 12) (02:39) 13 Cielito Lindo (02:44) 14 Dialog (Track 14) (00:43) 15 Dialog (Track 15) (00:23) 16 La Mañanita Alegre (02:36) 17 Dialog (Track 17) (00:17) 18 El Pato (02:28) 19 Dialog (Track 19) (01:12) 20 De Colores (02:24) 21 Dialog (Track 21) (01:09) 22 Las Mañanitas Tapatias (02:46) 23 Dialog (Track 23) (00:45) 24 La Pinata (00:39) 25 Dialog (Track 25) (01:09) 26 La, La, La (03:15) 27 Dialog (Track 27) (00:11) 28 La Bamba (long version) (03:19) 29 Dialog (Track 29) (00:39) 30 Wooly Bully Banda (reprise) (01:19) 31 Dialog (Track 31) (00:59) |
| Papa's Dream : Allmusic album Review : Los Lobos accompany Papa Lalo Guerrero and some children on a trip to Mexico to celebrate his birthday, finding time along the way to sing everything from "La Bamba" to "Wooly Bully." A delightful childrens tale with some typically eclectic folk, rock and Mexican traditional music from Los Lobos. | ||
 | Album: 9 of 27 Title: Colossal Head Released: 1996-03-19 Tracks: 11 Duration: 43:03 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Revolution (03:07) 2 Mas y Mas (04:44) 3 Maricela (03:51) 4 Everybody Loves a Train (03:30) 5 Cant Stop the Rain (03:36) 6 Life Is Good (04:08) 7 Little Japan (05:09) 8 Mannys Bones (03:24) 9 Colossal Head (04:13) 10 This Birds Gonna Fly (04:19) 11 Buddy Ebsen Loves the Night Time (02:57) |
| Colossal Head : Allmusic album Review : Unlike most bands in their second decade of recording, Los Lobos gets more daring and diverse as they get older, creating sonic landscapes that are based in their justly celebrated roots rock but twisting off into wild, unexpected directions. Colossal Head is their most adventurous work to date, building on the moody, atmospheric Kiko without losing sight of their gritty blues roots. While it certainly shows signs of David Hidalgos lo-fi, experimental Latin Playboys project, the album isnt merely an exercise in sound. Los Lobos applies their broad musical palette to a set of tightly written, inventive songs that may not be as immediate as their past work, but are no less melodic and rewarding. Instead of running through a number of different genres on each individual song, they make a dream-like sonic collage that draws from jazz, funk, and avant-garde as much as their traditional rock, R&B;, Latin, and blues. What keeps Colossal Head from drifting off into space is Los Lobos love of American musical traditions. Not only have they mastered their influences, they have fully assimilated them into their sound, creating their own, unique music. And thats far more interesting than simply regurgitating the same blues, rock, Mexican, and country licks. | ||
 | Album: 10 of 27 Title: This Time Released: 1999-07-20 Tracks: 11 Duration: 38:05 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 This Time (03:31) 2 Oh Yeah (03:44) 3 Viking (03:29) 4 High Places (04:21) 5 Cumbia Raza (02:46) 6 Run Away With You (03:05) 7 Corazón (04:07) 8 Some Say, Some Do (03:09) 9 Turn Around (03:45) 10 La Playa (03:11) 11 Why We Wish (02:53) |
| This Time : Allmusic album Review : Given all the extracurricular projects members of Los Lobos pursued during the three years separating Colossal Head and its followup, its not surprising that theyve decided to show off what theyve learned on This Time, resulting in a record that vacillates between songcraft and sonic sculptures. It could be said that Kiko and Colassal Head were like this as well, but the difference is that This Time has the structure of a straight-ahead rock & roll record, clocking in at 38 minutes with 11 short tracks. While that conciseness is welcome, it also points out the flaws in the post-Latin Playboys Los Lobos -- Cesar Rosas fine rockers are obscured by a layer of studio gauze, and David Hidalgos songs can seem like excuses to run wild in the studio. If the production was truly evocative or innovative, that wouldnt be a problem, but This Time is another in a long line of murky, self-conscious productions from Froom, Blake, and Hidalgo, where creating sound is more important than making music. This is especially frustrating, since This Time has elements of a very good record -- its paced well and boasts strong moments from both Hidalgo ("This Time," "Turn Around") and Rosas ("Oh Yeah," "Cumbia Raza"). As it stands, it is Los Lobos tightest record since The Neighborhood, but its hard not to feel that it could have been better if Los Lobos saved the "explorations" for their side-projects. | ||
 | Album: 11 of 27 Title: Los Lobos del este de Los Angeles Released: 2000-09-12 Tracks: 13 Duration: 43:10 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 El canelo (Son jarocho) (03:47) 2 El pescado nadador (Ranchera) (02:43) 3 Sabor a mí (Bolero) (03:51) 4 Flor de huevo (Son locos) (01:54) 5 Cielito lindo (Canción mexicana) (03:44) 6 Cielito lindo (Canción mexicana) (03:44) 7 La iguana (Son jarocho) (03:21) 8 El cuchipe (Canción boliviana) (02:21) 9 Imploración (Bolero ranchero) (02:33) 10 Guantanamera (Guajira) (04:48) 11 La feria de las flores (Ranchera) (02:42) 12 María Chuchena (Son jarocho) (03:57) 13 El bon bon de Elena (Plena) (03:39) |
 | Album: 12 of 27 Title: El cancionero: Más y más Released: 2000-11-07 Tracks: 86 Duration: 5:01:35 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Guantanamera (04:52) 2 Sabor a mí (03:50) 3 Were Gonna Rock (02:11) 4 Lets say Goodnight (02:35) 5 Anselma (03:08) 6 Why Do You Do (02:40) 7 How Much Can I Do? (02:21) 8 Im Sorry [live, 1984] (02:30) 9 Los ojos de Pancha [live, 1984] (02:25) 10 Dont Worry Baby (02:47) 11 I Got Loaded (03:18) 12 A Matter of Time (03:49) 13 Corrido #1 (02:42) 14 Evangeline (02:43) 15 Lil’ King of Everything (01:21) 16 Will the Wolf Survive? (03:42) 17 Quatro Vicios [Ry Cooder with David Hidalgo and Cesar Rosas] (03:30) 18 Im Gonna Be a Wheel Some Day (02:09) 19 One Time One Night (04:49) 20 Shakin Shakin Shakes (04:12) 21 Is This All There Is? (04:00) 22 My Babys Gone (03:41) 23 River of Fools (02:55) 24 Set Me Free (Rosa Lee) (03:39) 25 Tears of God (03:46) 1 La bamba (02:53) 2 Come On, Lets Go (02:14) 3 Goodnight My Love (03:15) 4 Rip It Up (01:42) 5 Volver, Volver (03:46) 6 I Wanna Be like You (The Monkey Song) (03:39) 7 Estoy sentado aquí (02:30) 8 La pistola y el corazón (03:32) 9 I Cant Understand (04:02) 10 Someday (03:43) 11 I Walk Alone (03:02) 12 Angel Dance (03:14) 13 Little John of God (02:19) 14 Down on the Riverbed (04:08) 15 Till the Hands Fall off the Clock (03:57) 16 Be Still (03:36) 17 The Neighborhood (04:11) 18 Bertha (05:17) 19 Beautiful Maria of My Soul (04:30) 20 The Christmas Song (02:38) 1 Dream in Blue (03:34) 2 Wicked Rain (03:04) 3 Angels With Dirty Faces (04:02) 4 That Train Don’t Stop Here (03:52) 5 Kiko and the Lavender Moon (03:35) 6 Saint Behind the Glass (03:17) 7 When the Circus Comes (03:16) 8 Peace (demo) (04:19) 9 Rio de Tenampa (demo) (05:07) 10 Try Me (02:33) 11 Alone in a Crowd (03:00) 12 Tomorrow Never Knows (live 1993) (05:14) 13 Forever Night Shade Mary (03:05) 14 Same Brown Earth (03:45) 15 Down Where the Drunkards Roll (03:39) 16 Route 90 (03:22) 17 Lonely Avenue (03:38) 18 Midnight Shift (02:56) 19 Mariachi Suite (04:22) 20 Shes About a Mover (live 1996) (04:25) 1 Revolution (03:07) 2 Mas Y Mas (04:42) 3 Maricela (03:50) 4 Cant Stop the Rain (03:35) 5 This Birds Gonna Fly (04:16) 6 Pepe & Irene (03:33) 7 Lonesome Tears in My Eyes (03:51) 8 Me estás matando (03:47) 9 El canoero (03:19) 10 La sirena (02:53) 11 El pescador (04:29) 12 Little Heaven (03:39) 13 Soul Disguise (04:24) 14 Angelito (03:19) 15 Lemon N Ice (03:50) 16 Ill Change My Style (03:49) 17 Cumbia Raza (English version) (02:52) 18 Oh Yeah (03:48) 19 Viking (03:32) 20 This Time (03:31) 21 Whats Going On? (05:17) |
| El cancionero: Más y más : Allmusic album Review : A multi-disc, authoritative box set usually arrives toward the end of an artists career, which is what made the appearance of Los Lobos four-disc retrospective El Cancionero: Mas y Mas in 2000 a little surprising. They werent selling as many records, nor were they quite as hip as they were ten years earlier, yet they retained a devoted cult and critical following -- they were still in the prime of their career, not ready to be enshrined. Fortunately, the band and Rhino went ahead and assembled a box, which winds up capturing a band at the height of its powers. The set smartly spends a lot of time on side projects, including the Latin Playboys, Los Super Seven, Houndog, and selections from Cesar Rosas solo album, plus a healthy number of live songs, B-sides, tribute album tracks, and 11 previously unreleased tracks. These tracks deepen the already rich musical tapestry Los Lobos weaves, and the end result is pretty impressive. As the set winds from the authentic Mexican folk music of 1977 through the gutsy roots rock of 1987 and the dreamy soundscapes of 1992 to the daring music of the mid-90s and then the consolidation of their strengths on 1999s This Time, its hard not to be astonished not just by the bands range, but the fact that they do it all really well. This is the definitive portrait of Los Lobos, highlighting everything that they can do and containing almost all of their greatest songs; this is one of the rare times that a four-disc box set summarizes all of an artists strengths, while telling a great musical story, as well. | ||
 | Album: 13 of 27 Title: Good Morning Aztlan Released: 2002-06-04 Tracks: 14 Duration: 54:26 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Done Gone Blue (03:50) 2 Hearts of Stone (04:54) 3 Luz De Mi Vida (03:42) 4 Good Morning Aztlan (04:07) 5 The Big Ranch (03:53) 6 The Word (05:08) 7 Malaque (04:32) 8 Tony & Maria (03:14) 9 Get to This (03:37) 10 Maria Christina (03:12) 11 What in the World (02:50) 12 Round & Round (04:49) 1 Cant Stop the Rain (live) (03:15) 2 Mannys Bones (live) (03:18) |
 | Album: 14 of 27 Title: The Ride Released: 2004-05-04 Tracks: 13 Duration: 1:04:42 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 La Venganza de Los Pelados (04:51) 2 Rita (05:20) 3 Is This All There Is? (04:43) 4 Charmed (05:00) 5 Somewhere in Time (04:15) 6 Wicked Rain / Across 110th Street (08:14) 7 Kitate (03:29) 8 Hurry Tomorrow (04:33) 9 Ya Se Va (04:54) 10 Wreck of the Carlos Rey (05:58) 11 Matter of Time (02:55) 12 Someday (04:38) 13 Chains of Love / Phone Call From Rita (05:47) |
| The Ride : Allmusic album Review : Not counting compilations and live recordings, The Ride is the 11th album by East Los Angelinos Los Lobos. And in contrast to the rest of their hefty catalog, it stands as a wonderful anomaly on their shelf. First, it is an offering with loads of guests, from influences such as Richard Thompson, Garth Hudson, the Grateful Deads famed lyricist Robert Hunter, R&B; legend Bobby Womack, Latin garage-funk hero Little Willie G., gospel great Mavis Staples, and Tom Waits to contemporaries like Elvis Costello, Dave Alvin, Greg Leisz, Mitchell Froom, Martha Gonzales, Latin music statesman Rubén Blades, and rock en Español inventors Café Tacuba, and many more. These 13 tracks walk the razored edge between the bands wondrous amalgam of rock, blues, country, soul, and Latin folk and pop styles found on How Will the Wolf Survive? and The Neighborhood to the song fragmentation and studio experimentation that made records like Kiko and Colossal Head standouts. To this end, Los Lobos redo some of their nuggets Theres a wonderfully gospelized read of "Matter of Time," with Costello, that adds a completely new meaning to the tune. Little Willie G.s vocal on "Is This All There Is" digs deep into the tune for its gritty funk root and stretches it to the breaking point -- its one of the strongest performances on the disc. But the medley of "Wicked Rain" from Kiko with Womacks "Across 110th Street," with the band in full stretch-out mode and Womack at the peak of his soul crooning powers, is the biggest surprise. Over eight minutes in length, the combination of the tunes is smooth and sweet, driven with acoustic guitars, a punched-up horn section, and Rev. Charles Williams shimmering Rhodes and B-3 in the mix. But the new material, such as "Veganza de los Pelados," with Mexico Citys Café Tacuba, is the meld of the two bands quirky strengths. Los Lobos bring the mystic Latin groove and bluesy angularity of the guitar lines, while the Tacubas bring the big knotty beats and edgy power chords, stunning dynamics, and a sense of play. Likewise, "Ya Se Va," with Blades, is a perfect cocktail of Afro-Cuban son and mariachi. "Wreck of the Carlos Rey," with Thompson, pairs David Hidalgo with the British guitarist in a snaky moaning weave of Anglo folk and driving, minor-key bluesy rock. The meeting of the band and Staples on "Someday," with Williams on clavinet and Lonnie Jordan on B-3, is so fine and fluid that an entire album should be considered. Ultimately, with the possible exception of "Kitate," with Waits and Gonzales, which feels overindulgent and directionless, this record comes off like a dream, full of strength, vision, warmth, rhythms, textures, and a coming together of all of Los Lobos various adventures in a solid coat of many colors. This is the culmination of 30 years, and as such, it is an album that pays tribute as well as points to the next, and walks the narrow path between playful adventurousness and tuneful accessibility with ragged elegance and swaggering confidence. | ||
 | Album: 15 of 27 Title: Ride This Released: 2004-08-03 Tracks: 7 Duration: 29:45 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Jockey Full of Bourbon (03:29) 2 More Than I Can Stand (04:08) 3 Uncomplicated (05:12) 4 Patria (05:19) 5 Shoot Out the Lights (04:55) 6 Itll Never Be Over for Me (03:44) 7 Marie Marie (02:56) |
 | Album: 16 of 27 Title: Acoustic en Vivo Released: 2005 Tracks: 13 Duration: 47:18 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Canto a Veracruz (02:46) 2 Colas (02:36) 3 El Cuchipe (02:36) 4 Two Janes (03:59) 5 Maricela (03:58) 6 Saint Behind the Glass (03:27) 7 La Guacamaya (03:26) 8 La Pistola y el Corazón (03:29) 9 Los Ojos de Pancha (03:15) 10 Mexico Americano (02:33) 11 Volver, Volver (03:45) 12 Teresa (06:29) 13 Guantanamera (04:59) |
| Acoustic en Vivo : Allmusic album Review : While maintaining their tenure with Mammoth Records for frontline, English-language, studio recordings, Los Lobos launch their own independent record label with the release of Acoustic en Vivo. The band that began its career with the self-released 1978 album, Just Another Band from East L.A., repeats that formula here and also follows up its Grammy Award-winning 1988 LP of Mexican folk music, La Pistola y el Corazon on a disc that is well described by its title: the performances are acoustic and live, and the language is Spanish, for the most part. Exceptions include two songs from Kiko, "Two Janes" and "Saint Behind the Glass," plus the previously unheard "Teresa," all sung in English. Other selections derive from other earlier albums, such as "El Cuchipe" and "Guantanamera," which appeared on Just Another Band from East L.A.; "La Guacamaya" and the title song from La Pistola y el Corazon; "Maricela" from Colossal Head; and "Volver, Volver," which appeared on the compilation album Just Another Band from East L.A.: A Collection. There are also several other newly recorded songs, among them the rousing opener, "Canto a Veracruz." Of course, the band plays this music enthusiastically and effectively, ranging from guitarron-driven Tejano numbers to the R&B;/rock & roll-styled "Volver, Volver." The live aspect is de-emphasized by including only sparse applause, but the vivacity of the band makes up for that. In their commercial heyday, Los Lobos were able to include their ethnic side more prominently on their mainstream releases; now theyre back to putting out this kind of music themselves, but its still an important part of their sound. | ||
 | Album: 17 of 27 Title: Chuy’s Tape Box, Vol. 1 Released: 2005 Tracks: 25 Duration: 1:17:26 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Let’s Say Goodnight (03:32) 2 Our Last Night (03:18) 3 Ay Te Dejo En San Antonio (02:29) 4 I Got to Let You Know (02:52) 5 That’s My Little Suzie (02:43) 6 Buzz Buzz Buzz (02:43) 7 My Baby’s Gone (03:44) 8 The Walking Song (03:01) 9 Volver, Volver (03:30) 10 How Much Can I Do? (02:21) 11 Anselma (03:33) 12 The Breakdown (02:47) 13 Soul Twist (02:46) 14 I’m Sorry (02:26) 15 Come On, Let’s Go (02:44) 16 Corrido #1 (02:40) 17 I’m Gonna Be a Wheel Someday (02:43) 18 300 Pounds of Heavenly Joy (04:18) 19 La Bamba (03:46) 20 We’re Gonna Rock (02:18) 21 Why Do You Do? (03:26) 22 Sleepwalk (03:25) 23 Los Ojos de Pancha (03:27) 24 I’m Tore Down (03:53) 25 Un Mojado Sin Licencia (03:01) |
| Chuy’s Tape Box, Vol. 1 : Allmusic album Review : Having launched their own self-titled record label with Acoustic en Vivo, a live "unplugged" album of mostly Spanish-language Mexican favorites that provided no information as to date or place of performance, Los Lobos follows up with an archival release more in the manner of the Grateful Deads albums drawn from their tape vault. In fact, its even called Chuys Tape Box, Vol. 1, and the date and location are specified this time: "Recorded January 14, 1984 at La Casa De La Raza, Santa Barbara CA," reads a legend at the top of the back cover. That would place the show after the release of the bands celebrated 1983 EP ... And a Time to Dance (from which seven of the eight songs are performed here) and before the release of their celebrated national debut LP How Will the Wolf Survive? (four songs from which are previewed here). They also play songs later to turn up on the La Bamba soundtrack, By the Light of the Moon, and the compilation Just Another Band from East L.A.: A Collection. This is the group that caused all the fuss among fans and critics, at the time that fuss was being created. Rampaging through 25 songs in 77 minutes, Los Lobos alternate revivals of gutbucket R&B; and roadhouse rock & roll with authentic 2-step Tex-Mex rancheros. Part of the time, they sound like a great Mexican wedding band, another part like a tribute group to the more Latin-oriented aspects of late-50s and early-60s rock & roll, covering no less than three songs by Ritchie Valens (including, of course, "La Bamba"), plus material by the likes of King Curtis, Fats Domino, and Santo & Johnny. They mix in a few originals, too, unannounced, and those songs fit in just fine. The stage comments are brief and to the point, intended to give the audience a moment to breathe, change the pace, and then go back to the party. "All right, this next song is ladies choice," says Cesar Rosas, prefacing a cover of Bo Diddleys "Im Sorry." "Its a grinder, and it goes something like this." That is all listeners need to know, and they respond as enthusiastically as might be expected. Los Lobos went in other directions after the early days immortalized on this disc, but for their roots rock phase, this is as good as it gets. | ||
 | Album: 18 of 27 Title: Live at the Fillmore Released: 2005 Tracks: 17 Duration: 1:23:22 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Good Morning Aztlán (04:32) 2 I Walk Alone (03:47) 3 Maria Christina (03:36) 4 Charmed (05:45) 5 Luz de Mi Vida (04:11) 6 Rita (05:31) 7 The Neighborhood (07:47) 8 Maricela (04:33) 9 Tears of God (04:50) 10 Viking (04:40) 11 How Much Can I Do? (03:26) 12 Kiko and the Lavender Moon (03:37) 13 Cumbia Raza (09:09) 14 Whats Going On (05:25) 1 Saint Behind the Glass (03:28) 2 Maricela (04:00) 3 Guantanamera (05:00) |
| Live at the Fillmore : Allmusic album Review : While Los Lobos have made a handful of great albums during the course of their career, you have to see them live to fully appreciate their status as one of Americas best rock bands. Their material is smart and wildly eclectic, theyre superb musicians whose interplay has been honed to a fine edge by years of road work, and they know that great chops will never be as important as a strong dose of sweaty enthusiasm if you want to get over with an audience; put it all together and you get a group that never disappoints a crowd. Its a bit surprising that, after more than thirty years together, no one ever thought to record a Los Lobos live album, but in the summer of 2004, as the band was celebrating their official 30th Anniversary, they brought in a camera crew and a mobile recording truck to document a two-night stand at San Franciscos Fillmore Auditorium; the results were released as a DVD in late 2004, and now an audio-only version of Live at the Fillmore has come out on CD. Given how impressive a backlog of material this band has, its almost inevitable that Live at the Fillmore would be a bit of a disappointment, given that theres only so many of los Lobos many great songs can appear on a single disc, especially since the band puts the strongest focus on their most recent material in this set. But with an eye towards history, they do offer a taste from most of their albums in these 14 songs (going all the way back to 1984s And a Time to Dance), and the recording gear caught the band on a good night -- Los Lobos are clearly having a good time on these tunes, and playing with confidence, style and soul, running the gamut from the flat-out rock of "Good Morning Aztlan" and "Viking" to the soulful Latin groove of "Cumbia Raza," finally closing with an impassioned cover of Marvin Gayes "Whats Goin On." Los Lobos are a band who would do well to consider a series of live albums that could capture the full breadth of their capabilities in concert, in the manner of Pearl Jam and the Grateful Dead, but Live at the Fillmore captures a taste of the bands on-stage magic with accuracy and finesse, and both fans and newcomers will find it tasty stuff indeed. The initial pressing also includes a bonus CD including three acoustic tracks. | ||
 | Album: 19 of 27 Title: Wolf Tracks: The Best of Los Lobos Released: 2006-02-14 Tracks: 20 Duration: 1:09:00 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Lets say Goodnight (02:35) 2 Anselma (03:08) 3 Don’t Worry Baby (02:49) 4 A Matter of Time (03:49) 5 Corrido #1 (02:42) 6 Evangeline (02:43) 7 Will the Wolf Survive? (03:42) 8 One Time One Night (04:48) 9 Shakin Shakin Shakes (04:12) 10 Set Me Free (Rosa Lee) (03:39) 11 Come On, Lets Go (02:14) 12 La bamba (02:53) 13 Volver, Volver (live, 1987) (03:47) 14 La pistola y el corazón (03:28) 15 Jennys Got a Pony (04:04) 16 That Train Dont Stop Here (03:52) 17 Kiko and the Lavender Moon (03:35) 18 Oh Yeah (03:48) 19 Good Morning Aztlan (04:09) 20 Border Town Girl (02:56) |
| Wolf Tracks: The Best of Los Lobos : Allmusic album Review : Ten years after their breakthrough 1983 EP And a Time to Dance, Los Lobos released their first retrospective, the double-disc Just Another Band from East L.A. Seven years after that, the career-spanning four-disc box El Cancionero: Mas y Mas appeared, so there hasnt been a shortage of comprehensive Los Lobos collections. What has been missing is a succinct overview, designed for neophytes and casual fans, and that finally arrives in the form of Warner/Rhinos 2006 set, Wolf Tracks: The Best of Los Lobos. At 20 songs, Wolf Tracks is generous, but with a band with such a long, diverse body of work, there will inevitably be some notable songs missing, and there are: "I Got Loaded," "River of Fools," "Tears of God," "The Neighborhood," and "Angels with Dirty Faces" arent here, nor is anything from 1996s love-it-or-hate-it art-rock opus, Colossal Head, nor are the charting radio singles "Down on the Riverbed," "Bertha," or "Revas House." But if youre the kind of listener that feels strongly about these omissions, then Wolf Tracks is not for you -- choose either of the previous comps or stick with the original albums instead. For everybody else, Wolf Tracks is not only a sharp, concise chronicle of a unique American rock & roll band, its a hell of a lot of fun, too. This hints at the breadth and depth of Los Lobos music, touching on their corridos while emphasizing their foundation in old-time rock & roll, while hitting all their biggest songs along the way: "Dont Worry Baby," "Will the Wolf Survive?," "One Time One Night," "Shakin Shakin Shakes," "Set Me Free (Rosa Lee)," plus the Ritchie Valens covers "La Bamba" and "Come On, Lets Go." Theres enough terrific music here to spark interest in the rest of the bands catalog, but its satisfying enough as a hits comp to satiate the needs of a casual fan -- a trick that not every hits package can pull off, but thats exactly what Wolf Tracks: The Best of Los Lobos does. | ||
 | Album: 20 of 27 Title: The Town and the City Released: 2006-08-14 Tracks: 13 Duration: 53:46 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 The Valley (04:33) 2 Hold On (04:30) 3 The Road to Gila Bend (04:41) 4 Chucos Cumbia (03:32) 5 If You Were Only Here Tonight (02:54) 6 Luna (03:27) 7 Two Dogs and a Bone (02:26) 8 Little Things (04:49) 9 The City (04:21) 10 Dont Ask Why (05:25) 11 No Puedo Más (04:59) 12 Free Up (03:22) 13 The Town (04:47) |
| The Town and the City : Allmusic album Review : The simple fact, not stated nearly often enough, is that Los Lobos are one of Americas truly great rock & roll bands, and theyve been making consistently strong albums since 1984s How Will the Wolf Survive? But 1992s Kiko raised the stakes for Los Lobos work in the studio with its edgy atmosphere, ambitious production, and expressionistic, purposefully off-kilter textures; it took their music in new and unexpected places with confidence and fire, but they seemed a bit unsure of where they should go down the new trail they blazed. Released in 1996, Colossal Head found them replicating Kikos sonics without approaching its emotional power, while their subsequent recordings found them retreating into the safety of their status as Americas finest roots rock band, which is hardly a bad or unsatisfying place to be. But The Town and the City is the first album where Los Lobos have allowed themselves the same degree of freedom and room to play with their signature sound as they had on Kiko, and the result is a quietly exhilarating experience. The Town and the City is a simpler and more measured set than one might expect from Los Lobos, with a lower quotient of full-on rock, but the bands performances are as tight and sinewy as ever; David Hidalgo offers yet another master class in virtuoso guitar playing (without strutting his ego or boring the listener in the process), and Cesar Rosas remains his perfect instrumental foil. The rhythm section gives the songs a firm backbone and adds welcome color and heft to the music, and the production (by the band, with Tchad Blake and Robert Carranza mixing) makes the most of the interplay between the musicians -- this is music that revels in the spaces as much as the notes, and demonstrates that this is truly a great band rather than just five gifted players. The 13 songs on The Town and the City work within a loose conceptual framework as they ponder the Mexican-American experience both among illegals and folks who were born and raised in the U.S.A., and while Los Lobos are too smart and too talented to sink into melodrama, theres a sense of wonder in the opening tune, "The Valley," and an air of measured dread in the finale, "The Town," which leaves room for a great deal thats both joyous and tragic in the lives of their characters. The Town and the City isnt likely to be the soundtrack for your next party, but its an exciting and emotionally powerful experience that grows with each listen, and its hard to think of many bands who, after three decades together, are as willing to challenge both themselves and their audience as Los Lobos do on this album. | ||
 | Album: 21 of 27 Title: Original Album Series Released: 2009 Tracks: 58 Duration: 3:10:30 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Lets Say Goodnight (02:34) 2 Walking Song (02:50) 3 Anselma (03:13) 4 Come on Lets Go (02:12) 5 How Much Can I Do? (02:22) 6 Why Do You Do (02:40) 7 Ay te dejo en San Antonio (02:38) 1 Don’t Worry Baby (02:49) 2 A Matter of Time (03:53) 3 Corrido #1 (02:42) 4 Our Last Night (03:08) 5 The Breakdown (04:13) 6 I Got Loaded (03:24) 7 Serenata norteña (02:53) 8 Evangeline (02:43) 9 I Got to Let You Know (02:36) 10 Lil’ King of Everything (01:21) 11 Will the Wolf Survive? (03:42) 1 One Time One Night (04:48) 2 Shakin’ Shakin’ Shakes (04:12) 3 Is This All There Is? (04:00) 4 Prenda Del Alma (03:21) 5 All I Wanted to Do Was Dance (03:57) 6 Set Me Free (Rosa Lee) (03:35) 7 The Hardest Time (03:12) 8 My Baby’s Gone (03:41) 9 River of Fools (02:55) 10 The Mess We’re In (03:01) 11 Tears of God (03:46) 1 Down on the Riverbed (04:05) 2 Emily (03:49) 3 I Walk Alone (03:00) 4 Angel Dance (03:13) 5 Little John of God (02:19) 6 Deep Dark Hole (02:24) 7 Georgia Slop (02:47) 8 I Can’t Understand (04:00) 9 The Giving Tree (03:07) 10 Take My Hand (04:45) 11 Jennys Got a Pony (04:03) 12 Be Still (03:35) 13 The Neighborhood (04:07) 1 Dream in Blue (03:34) 2 Wake Up Dolores (02:55) 3 Angels With Dirty Faces (04:02) 4 That Train Don’t Stop Here (03:52) 5 Kiko and the Lavender Moon (03:35) 6 Saint Behind the Glass (03:17) 7 Reva’s House (03:04) 8 When the Circus Comes (03:16) 9 Arizona Skies (02:45) 10 Short Side of Nothing (02:57) 11 Two Janes (03:53) 12 Wicked Rain (03:04) 13 Whiskey Trail (02:41) 14 Just a Man (03:40) 15 Peace (03:55) 16 Río de Tenampa (02:00) |
 | Album: 22 of 27 Title: Los Lobos Goes Disney Released: 2009-10-27 Tracks: 13 Duration: 38:53 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Heigh-Ho (02:37) 2 I Wanna Be Like You (03:39) 3 Not in Nottingham (03:20) 4 The Tiki, Tiki, Tiki Room (02:51) 5 Grim Grinning Ghosts (03:32) 6 I Will Go Sailing No More (02:22) 7 The Ugly Bug Ball (03:28) 8 Cruella de vil (03:48) 9 Bella Notte (02:51) 10 Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah (02:49) 11 Bare Necessities (02:58) 12 Oo-De-Lally (02:10) 13 When You Wish Upon a Star / Its a Small World (02:28) |
| Los Lobos Goes Disney : Allmusic album Review : For their second childrens album (following 2005s Papas Dream, made with Lalo Guerrero), Los Lobos pay tribute to the Walt Disney movie musicals, as others have done before them. This version of the Disney songbook falls in between Barbara Cooks traditional pop treatment on The Disney Album and producer Hal Willners more imaginative, revisionist take of some of the material, Stay Awake. (Los Lobos appeared on the latter, performing "I Wanna Be Like You," a song repeated here.) Put simply, Los Lobos Goes Disney could have been called "Disney goes Los Lobos" instead, since the group applies its familiar mixture of musical styles to Disney songs. At first, that seems more radical than it turns out to be over the course of the disc, as the band launches into a spirited version of "Heigh-Ho" sung in Spanish. English rules thereafter, as Los Lobos alternately play the songs in rock & roll ("The Ugly Bug Ball") and Mexican ("Bella Notte" in a norteño reading) styles, as is their wont. "Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah" gets a surprisingly relaxed arrangement, with a loping tempo, while "The Bare Necessities" is taken at a quick 2-step beat with a Cajun/zydeco flavor. Randy Newmans wistful "I Will Go Sailing No More" from Toy Story is as wistful as usual, however, and "Oo-De-Lally" from Robin Hood retains its identity as a typical country-folk number from the old "king of the road," Roger Miller. It all ends up with an instrumental medley of "When You Wish Upon a Star" and "Its a Small World" that sounds like it belongs on a tape of early Beatles recordings; it even comes complete with the crescendo from "Twist & Shout." Clearly, Los Lobos were having fun on this record, as they should have been. The interpretations are hardly definitive, but they are enjoyable and demonstrate the range and adaptability of the music written for Disney movies over the years. | ||
 | Album: 23 of 27 Title: One Time One Night: Live Recordings Vol.2 Released: 2010 Tracks: 10 Duration: 00:00 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Angel Dance (?) 2 Hurry Tomorrow (?) 3 Done Gone Blue (?) 4 This Time / Waiting in Vain (?) 5 I Cant Understand (Papa Was a Rolling Stone intro) (?) 6 Estoy Sentado Aqui (?) 7 Lets Say Goodnight (?) 8 Hearts of Stone (?) 9 Three Hundred Pounds of Heavenly Joy (?) 10 Come on Lets Go (?) |
 | Album: 24 of 27 Title: Tin Can Trust Released: 2010-08-03 Tracks: 11 Duration: 47:24 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Burn It Down (05:11) 2 On Main Street (03:16) 3 Yo Canto (02:59) 4 Tin Can Trust (04:34) 5 Jupiter or the Moon (04:22) 6 Do the Murray (03:35) 7 All My Bridges Burning (04:51) 8 West LA Freeway (07:03) 9 The Lady and the Rose (04:10) 10 Mujer Ingrata (02:45) 11 27 Spanishes (04:37) |
| Tin Can Trust : Allmusic album Review : Over the course of a recording career thats poised to enter its fourth decade, Los Lobos are a band who have never shied away from writing about folks struggling to make their way through hard times, and one might argue that in the wake of Americas financial meltdown and a recession that wont seem to go away, the rest of the United States is starting to catch up with the East L.A. barrios that have been the locale of the groups most powerful songs. The title cut on Tin Can Trust, Los Lobos 14th studio album, collects the thoughts of a guy trying to make ends meet collecting cans and bottles, whose wardrobe consists of "a dime store shirt/and two bucks for a good pair," and its a song that carries more weight than usual in a time where seemingly everyone is having trouble getting by. But later in the same number, the same character tells the woman he loves "I can give you one thing a man can bring," and its hardly the only moment on Tin Cast Trust where this band of survivors has something to say about simple determination in the face of bad luck. On Tin Can Trust, some folks are trying to repair broken love affairs, others are hoping to outrun hatred and bad luck, and a few are struggling to sort out just where their culture and their history have left them. The musicians in Los Lobos are too smart to think they have the answers to all the questions they pose, but theyre clever enough to know that sometimes giving them a good, long ponder can help, and on songs like "Burn It Down," "Jupiter or the Moon," and "27 Spanishes" they offer some powerful food for thought that happens to have some great music attached. Tin Can Trust captures this exceptional band in truly great form -- the guitar interplay between David Hidalgo and Cesar Rosas shows both men are playing at the top of their game, bassist Conrad Lozano and drummer Cougar Estrada are a strong and soulful rhythm section, and Steve Berlins keys and sax add just the right coloring. These performances are low on ego-driven flash but high on exciting, emotionally compelling music, and as Los Lobos try to sort out whats happening in their neighborhood (and our nation), they still find some room to celebrate a good, sunny day ("On Main Street") and the power of a righteous guitar rave-up ("Do the Murray"). On Tin Cast Trust, Los Lobos prove that tough times dont last, but tough music does, and those are words we can all live by. | ||
 | Album: 25 of 27 Title: Kiko Live Released: 2012-08-21 Tracks: 16 Duration: 1:19:10 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Dream in Blue (06:14) 2 Wake Up Dolores (03:10) 3 Angels With Dirty Faces (05:49) 4 That Train Dont Stop Here (06:53) 5 Kiko and the Lavender Moon (03:47) 6 Saint Behind the Glass (04:30) 7 Revas House (03:07) 8 When the Circus Comes (03:22) 9 Arizona Skies (04:03) 10 Short Side of Nothing (03:03) 11 Two Janes (04:02) 12 Wicked Rain (05:21) 13 Whiskey Trail (02:39) 14 Just a Man (09:40) 15 Peace (07:59) 16 Rio de Tenampa (05:31) |
| Kiko Live : Allmusic album Review : Los Lobos 1992 album Kiko was a remarkable step forward for a band that was already considered one of the best roots rock acts in America; while Kiko was an outstanding set of songs from a group of gifted and perceptive musicians, it also found Los Lobos working with a producer who encouraged them to explore the possibilities of the recording process in a fresh new way, and the albums sonics were a very large part of what made it so striking. So an album in which Los Lobos play Kikos 16 songs on-stage in front of a live audience must contend with the fact the studio craft that played a significant role in making Kiko so memorable is simply not going to be part of the package. Thankfully, while many acts who re-create their albums live go to great lengths to mimic the studio creation as closely as possible, Los Lobos are smart enough to know Kiko Live isnt going to be the same animal as the original album, and on these recordings, they subtly reshape the songs and their arrangements to better suit a live performance. Los Lobos have no trouble making this concert (recorded in San Diego in 2006) sound as tight and well-focused as the original studio recordings, but for this concert, they found new shapes and textures in the dynamics of these songs that are simpler but still effective; here "Peace" builds from a quiet opening to a roaring finale, "Just a Man" is leaner and bluesier, "Rio de Tenampa" is less chaotic and more graceful in its waltz-time drift, and the interplay between the percussion loops and the musicians on "Angels with Dirty Faces" is more organic and adds to the songs musical and lyrical tension. Also, the musicians approach the songs with an extra dose of sweat and passion, exchanging the cool surfaces of the studio sessions with the fire of a top-notch live band in full flight. And Kiko Live also gives David Hidalgo and Cesar Rosas plenty of extra room to stretch out on their guitars, and while more soloing might not have made the original album better, the extended jamming on these versions of "Wicked Rain" and "That Train Dont Stop Here" is well worth hearing. Kiko Live wont (and shouldnt) take the place of the classic 1992 studio album, but it shows Los Lobos take a more intelligent approach to the gambit of playing a classic album on-stage than most bands, and the more streamlined interpretations are a reminder that a set of great songs played well by a fine band is the heart of what makes most albums great, even more than a cool drum sound. | ||
 | Album: 26 of 27 Title: Disconnected in New York City Released: 2013-10-29 Tracks: 13 Duration: 59:05 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Intro (00:10) 2 The Neighborhood (06:20) 3 Oh Yeah (04:53) 4 Chucos Cumbia (05:25) 5 Tears of God (04:05) 6 La venganza de los pelados (05:03) 7 Tin Can Trust (05:20) 8 Gotta Let You Know (02:50) 9 Maria Christina (03:27) 10 Malaque (05:50) 11 Little Things (05:21) 12 Set Me Free (Rosa Lee) (03:48) 13 La Bamba / Good Lovin (Medley) (06:33) |
| Disconnected in New York City : Allmusic album Review : Los Lobos were together for 33 years before they got around to making a live album, but it didnt take long for them to grow fond of the format; Disconnected in New York City is the fourth concert set the veteran East L.A. band has released since 2005. As the title suggests, Disconnected in New York City was recorded during an acoustic gig at the City Winery in N.Y.C., and shows off the more intimate and easygoing side of the groups musical personality, with the absence of amps taking some of the bite out of David Hidalgos guitar solos, often the high point of their gigs. (He does get to show off his chops on "Tin Can Trust," and theyre as impressive as ever.) Thats not to say Los Lobos sound mellow on this date; the group is tight and emphatic at every turn, and Cesar Rosas vocals and Steve Berlins sax get a greater chance to shine in these quieter settings. The rhythms are fierce whey get a chance to simmer -- the interplay between percussionists Bugs Gonzalez and Camilo Quinones is inspired -- and rather than lean on their best-known tunes, Los Lobos reach deep into their songbook and pull out some excellent lesser-recognized numbers, including "Little Things," "Tears of God," and "Oh Yeah." (They do deliver "La Bamba" to close the show, but invest the crowd-pleaser with lots of energy, and interpolate "Good Lovin" to add a soulful spin.) Disconnected in New York City isnt quite as interesting as 2005s Acoustic en Vivo, which gave Los Lobos more room to explore their roots in Mexican folk music, but anyone who thinks this band may have run out of steam after pulling out their acoustic guitars gets schooled with a single listen to Disconnected. Forty years on, Los Lobos are still one of Americas best, bravest, and most satisfying bands, and their skills and their their instincts remain razor-sharp, regardless of their stage volume. | ||
 | Album: 27 of 27 Title: Gates of Gold Released: 2015-09-25 Tracks: 11 Duration: 43:04 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Made to Break Your Heart (04:46) 2 When We Were Free (05:11) 3 Mis–Treater Boogie Blues (03:11) 4 There I Go (03:17) 5 Too Small Heart (03:52) 6 Poquito para aquí (03:56) 7 Gates of Gold (03:52) 8 La tumba será el final (02:39) 9 Song of the Sun (03:41) 10 I Believed You So (04:24) 11 Magdalena (04:15) |
| Gates of Gold : Allmusic album Review : Los Lobos were already seasoned veterans who had close to a decade of live work under their belts when the 1983 EP ...And a Time to Dance introduced them to an audience outside Los Angeles, and 32 years on, not only are Los Lobos still together, theyre playing with the strength, fire, and imagination that have made them one of Americas truly great rock & roll bands. Gates of Gold is Los Lobos 17th studio album, and it arrives as a biography of the group, Los Lobos: Dream in Blue by Chris Morris, has been published, and while some groups might use this as an opportunity to look to the past or sum up their accomplishments, thats not how Los Lobos do business. One one hand, Gates of Gold does offer a healthy sampling of the many things that Los Lobos do well, from the straight-ahead rock of "Too Small Heart" and the raucous blues blast of "Mis-Treater Boogie Blues" to the fiery Latin swagger of "Poquito Para Aqui," the heartfelt folky simplicity of "La Tumba Sera el Final," and the inward-looking experimentalism of "There I Go" (the latter of which could pass for an outtake from Sly & the Family Stones Theres a Riot Goin On). But on the other hand, even if Los Lobos follow a few recognizable tropes from their songbook, none of these songs or this material sounds rote, and the jazz-flavored space walk through "When We Were Free" confirms this band is a long way from running out of new ideas. The performances are taut and intuitive on Gates of Gold, especially the always outstanding guitar work from David Hidalgo and Cesar Rosas (the latter is still a solid blues howler four decades on), and the production revels in new and unexpected sounds, though never simply for the sake of being eccentric. Los Lobos have lasted because they follow their instincts and trust their talents, neither of which seem capable of letting them down; Gates of Gold shows they can contemplate the infinite and chart new paths while still sounding like no one but themselves, and they can do all of this with the force and agility they commanded when half their age. They probably dont have another 32 years of great music left in them, but 21 more may be a safe bet. | ||