Los Lobos C/D

Yeah, good point. I always forget all the local stuff Los Lobos was doing before their first national EP (not to mention the rockabilly-label Blasters LP before *their* first national LP). But wasn't Los Lobos's earlier stuff extremely folkloric, mainly devoid of the more eclectic, and well, I hate to say modernized but I will anyway, country/r&b/soul/rock/etc hybrid they eventually hit with, a hybrid I'm *pretty* sure the Blasters uncovered first? That's certainly the impression I always got, though I could be wrong. Either way, as far as I can tell, the Blasters did it *better* -- better (as in more specific, less obtuse) songwriting, better (as in more beautiful) singing, more push. And even at that, I don't much care about the Blasters (or the Alvins solo) after *Nonfiction* or so, either. (And honestly, Los Lobos's lyrics never really did all that much for me.)

>it's not like Kiko and Colossal Head were really any kind of weird avant-garde statement or anything, just the same sorts of grooves with a bit of Tom Waits and psychedelia layered on top. They were allowed to do that, it's a free country<

Who said they weren't? But yeah, maybe it was the Tom Waits part that stood in my way. Tom Waits parts do tend to do that to me. (And given that Tom ranks with history's all-time cornballs, and given that NPR-style "roots-rock", which usually tends not to have very much rock in it, is kinda cornball by definition, there you go.)

CLASSIC

The 2000's Los Lobos that is a Tex-Mex jam band - DUD.

I'm only familiar with the 1990's avant-garde Lobos in passing, so I can't comment (even though I love the Latin Playboys). But when a review copy of the GOOD MORNING (MAZATLAN?) album came my way around 2002 or so, I was shocked at how hippiefied they'd become.

For some reason, the vinyl of HOW WILL THE WOLF SURVIVE? is so common that if you pay more than $3 for it, you've been had. It's probably the best $3-or-less album you can get for the money.

And GOOD MORNING SACRAMENTO (or whatever the hell that was called) may as well be an avant-garde Los Lonely Boys. I'm sticking with HOW WILL THE WOLF SURVIVE and BY THE LIGHT OF THE MOON.

WHICH, as I've said before, IS FINE. Because those albums rocked too. But they always still do rocking tracks on all their records. Yes, including on Good Morning AZTLAN.

b) So they still do rocking tracks, huh? Rock as in "classic rock," or rock as in greasy, pre-psychedelic, ROCK & ROLL like they used to do in the punk clubs back in the 80s? 'Cause for the one minute I owned GOOD EVENING MASHMAHKAN (sold it long ago), I only remember hearing rock of the posthippie "classic rock" variety. I would have bought an El Chicano album if that's what I wanted.

Now you may be right - remember, I sold that joker because none of it sounded good to me. So even if they rocked and rolled like on the Slash albums, evidently it didn't make an impression.

(P.S. Froom's "Cafe Flesh" soundtrack - "The Key of Cool" - is pretty dull.)

I lump This Time and Colossal Head together--both are post-Kiko, very "deconstructed," rough, loopy, and seems to trade the delicate production and melodicism that preceded them for a rougher style, both in production and in songwriting. More droneys, blues progressions, found-soundy effects, and lots of distortion. I liked Life Is Good because I can clap to it, and I liked "Buddy Ebsen Loves The Night Time" because it reminds me of sleepytime. That said, it was pretty disconcerting if you listened to The Neighborhood, which I loved for the AOR/folky pop songs, and Kiko, for its balance of that songwriting with a little more weirdness, and then turned on Colossal Head. Still neat for a major label album for me.

Unfortunately, or fortunately, LL seems to sway with the adventurousness of their producers--and this is the period when Froom/Blake started moving more and more towards experimenting beyond the polite edge of adult-alternative pop music, and they took a lot from Latin Playboys back to LL. After these two albums, LL went in search of new producers, with some middling results. Now this new one is with Tchad Blake sans Froom. And I don't like it so much.

Don't know if this at all answers your post. I suppose the other respnose could be, what do you think about it?

I myself only like them after "Kiko." "Kiko" is a bit diffuse for my tastes. for me, "Colossal Head" is far and away their best record, actually big-hearted and political, song structures actually ingenious, playing up but relaxed, plus their best-ever songtitle, "Buddy Ebsen Loves the Nighttime." Having seen them live a couple times, I think they're a tad overrated, but not much, and their whole shtick comes from Steve Berlin, my friends who know some of the band tell me. Anyway, I'll leave discussions of Cougar vs. The Wolf to others, but as usual Chuck makes an interesting point. To my ears, they are indeed the Little Feat of the (fill in the era). I think their specifics are far more in touch with the "world" than Lowell George or Bill Payne goin' on about Rock and Roll Doctors and their whole white-negro-funkateer thing they got into, but I get some bad wishy-washy vibes from "Kiko" that make the undeniable virtues of the *music* seem not so undeniable But I think the Latin Playboys are great, and I even have a live boot of them that's pretty amazing, with great sound. And it occurs to me that Calexico's stuff owes an awful lot to the Playboys, only it's not as good.

Maybe John Cougar's band didn't have enought Telecasters or something.

Often? I would say maybe temporarily (around Spotlight Kid, Clear Spot).

i was hoping the video for 'Kiko & The Lavender Moon' would be on youtube. but no joy. :(

-- Konal Doddz (blueski), Friday, 14 July 2006 12:34

is is now :)

REVIVE!

I would like to commend David Hidalgo's work on the smash hit single of the year, "Must Be Santa"

I think the new Los Lobos album is a total peach! liking Los Lobos is an accomplishment for me, since years of SoCal operant conditioning made it difficult for me not to say "shut up Robert Hilburn" every time the subject of Los Lobos came up

shut up Robert Hilburn

Is this a return to their roots move?

i looked online but couldn't find out who produced tin can trust. if they've dropped Froom i'm more excited about this

Producer is just listed as Los Lobos here: http://music.barnesandnoble.com/Tin-Can-Trust/Los-Lobos/e/826663121100/?itm=2&USRI=los+lobos

I hate it when bands take a production credit - the engineer on this record is John Macy.

I heard at a barnesandnoble yesterday, and I recognized the Grateful Dead cover, the Clapton/Winwood vocals, the Spanish language song, and correctly guessed Los Lobos. It was good though, and the best thing barnesandnobles was playing.

listened to the samples of this on Amazon .. wow, it sounds fantastic. will definitely pick this up

Has anybody heard the Hildago/Rosas CD?

Um, sorry...it's Hidalgo.

Colossal Head rules. One of the best albums of the 90s.

if yous need some hip cliches, the second half of it is like portishead remixing Peter green era fleetwood Mac

C

Leave us not forget:

Desperado Soundtrack (1995)

"Canción del Mariachi" ("Morena de Mi Corazón") (Los Lobos and Antonio Banderas) 2:06
"Six Blade Knife" (Dire Straits) 4:34
"Jack the Ripper" (Link Wray) 2:31
"Manifold de Amour" (Latin Playboys) 2:03
"Forever Night Shade Mary" (Latin Playboys) 3:00
"Pass the Hatchet" (Roger & The Gypsies) 3:00
"Bar Fight" (Los Lobos) 1:54
"Strange Face of Love" (Tito & Tarantula) 5:51
"Bucho's Gracias/Navajas Attacks" (Los Lobos) 3:56
"Bulletproof" (Los Lobos) 1:42
"Bella" (Carlos Santana) 4:29
"Quédate Aquí" (Salma Hayek) 2:05
"Rooftop Action" (Los Lobos) 1:36
"Phone Call" (Los Lobos) 2:16
"White Train (Showdown)" (Tito & Tarantula) 5:57
"Back to the House That Love Built" (Tito & Tarantula) 4:41
"Let Love Reign" (Los Lobos) 3:22
"Mariachi Suite" (Los Lobos) 4:22

(Tito, of course, was a colleague of LL & Blasters and Flesh Eaters and Impalas when in The Plugz, then

Larriva teamed up with former Plugz bandmates Charlie Quintana and Tony Marsico to form the Cruzados. With the Cruzados, Larriva's music began to move in a different direction, straying from his typical punk rock to a bluesier 1980s rock sound.

Oh speaking of David Hidalgo guesting with Los Centzontles, as I did upthread in 2020, he's also with them a couple of times on the 2022 release Putamayo Presents--Songs From The Sonoran Borderland---Feels Like Home: Linda Ronstadt's Musical Odyssey, musical companion to her book of approximately the same title. This is my fave of all the non-LR tracks (by various artists), in terms of song, playing, and singing---DH only gets to pick on the other one with Los C., and it's good too, but

https://putumayo.bandcamp.com/track/voy-caminando

(He's not on the tracklist for this one, but gets credit in the notes, along with Taj Mahal.)

I’ve always struggled to find an entry point to LL, although I love I Got Loaded, and (the song) This Time, and this wonderful late cover that utterly trounces the Shins original:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpcJ-8_Bxws

Any pointers?

Maybe this?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Just_Another_Band_from_East_L.A._–_A_Collection

Sorry, link didn't come up right.

Just Another Band from East L.A. – A Collection

Kiko seems to be the obvious entry point, and also their best album, but maybe it's just me that feels that way.

Chuck, I had the same problem. It took the pandemic to give'em the listen they deserve.

Los Lobos rules. They're here again this weekend, playing a benefit. Don't think I'll be able to go, but I know they'll be great.

I'd Koko was their best too, but for someone who is still trying to get into them, it may be worth exploring that compilation first before diving into the albums in their entirety.

That comp is a great, great overview of their career up to that point, and will in turn send you to the right starting place/album depending on what pops out at you.

Just saw the do a spectacular free show at a city park amphitheater up the road from me in Houston. They said Cesar Rojas was under the weather, so he didn't play, but they more than made up for it in a situation where you could understand them taking a sleepwalk. Encored with "She's About A Mover" & "La Bamba" -> "Good Lovin'" -> "La Bamba".

LEGENDS

Band is so good.

i was at the show tonight as well. beautiful weather, great set, my 80 yo parents were there too and they really dug it

Free show in NYC:

NYC’s River & Blues Festival will be back this summer with free shows on four consecutive Thursdays, from July 11 – August 1 in Battery Park City. This will be their second year at Rockefeller Park and here’s the 2024 lineup:

July 11: Los Lobos & DJ Reagonomics
July 18: Hurray for the Riff Raff & DJ Suzan Z Anthony
July 25: Leela James & DJ Suzan Z Anthony
August 1: Abraham Alexander & DJ Reagonomics

Doors for all River & Blues Fest shows are at 6:30 PM with the DJ starting at 7 PM and the main act on at 7:30 PM. You can RSVP and get more info here.

Cesar Rojas is doing a solo show at Folly Theater in Kansas City on Saturday, February 1, and you can actually get seats very close to the stage for $15 including fees if you use the code "Chiefs" (normal price for those premium seats would be $66).

Sorry, that should be Cesar Rosas

New West is bringing out the Antone's 50th Anniversary box, with live advance tracks of Los Lobos covering Willie Dixon's "300 Pounds of Joy," and 20-year-old Gary Clark Jr.'s vintage version of "Catfish Blues,""backed by legends like Double Trouble and Jimmie Vaughn."
stream on various services:
http://newwst.com/antones50EM?utm_source=Mailing+List&utm_campaign=f4ea5f25db-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2025_06_17_03_29&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-f4ea5f25db-415586925&goal=0_9d7f017887-f4ea5f25db-415586925&mc_cid=f4ea5f25db&mc_eid=3ce2be0c08
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCdibW0VNcI

He's fine now, but I was stunned to find out that Louie actually had a heart attack back in June.