David Hidalgo and César Rosas of Los Lobos and Raul Malo, a cuban from Miami doing country music, got a bug up their asses about some older "latin" songs. The Mavericks, Malo's primary band (up to the point that this record was released, anyway,) did pretty straight-ahead country, and they're one of the only country bands whose music I don't immediately hate. So the Los Lobos guys got a buncha guys together and went and recorded Canto with them and released it as Los Super Seven (I really love that the band name is in spanglish). I have to say that I really dislike most stereotypical "latin" music (notable exceptions: "el la ciudad de la furia" by Soda Stereo y Aterciopelados and Manu Chau's "proxima estacion...esperanza" album). But this album is nice. Really nice. The puns and rock guitar touches on "Compay Gato", the kiss-off of "Me Voy Pa'l Pueblo" (the guajiro (roughly the spanish equivalent of a hick from the sticks,) goes to town and says "L8RZ" to his chick), and the final touch of Caetano Veloso singing his own "Baby" (a big hit for Os Mutantes in Brazil in the 60's -- I like this version more, although the Os Mutantes version does have the bonus of being in english, if you're not into the portuguese singing). They have other albums (which I just found out about,) and all have rave reviews. Must pick them up soonish.
Yousendit.com link to "Baby" by Los Super Seven and Caetano Veloso
Yousendit.com link to "Me Voy Pa'l Pueblo" by Los Super Seven and Raul Malo
Yousendit.com link to "Compay Gato" by Los Super Seven
Los Super Seven website -- streaming audio and some video of the making of the album.
Amazon link (no referrer, just if'n you wanna check it out).
Secondspin.com has 9 copies for about 7 bucks each. Do yourself a favor and pick it up.
16 May 2005
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