[Postcard2] Los Lobos Goes Disney

[Dave Purcell]

Kevin Fredette wrote:

<<Nope, not kidding, although I wouldn't put their peak as far back as 
the songs Richard mentioned. To me, their strongest most original 
songwriting was on Kiko .  There have been exceptions (Done Gone Blue, 
for example), and the side projects like Houndog, Latin Playboys and Los 
Super Seven have been great.  But I think if you listen to the band 
records like This Time, The Ride, The Town and the Country - there's no 
comparison.  Colossal Head has grown on me a little over the years.  But 
overall, the songwriting has been going downhill for awhile.  There's no 
shame in it, really - everyone has a peak.  They've got a body of work 
any band would envy. >>

Wow. ;-) I agree that Kiko might be their peak in terms of hitting on 
all cylinders. But I don't see their songwriting has having gone 
downhill as much as it has evolved, and brilliantly so. I think they've 
done an amazing job of integrating their roots, experimental, blues, and 
Latino sides. Just on the last record alone, "The Valley," "Chuco's 
Cumbia," "The Road To Gila Bend," and "The Town" all stand with their 
best material.

I genuinely love all of their records, and "The Ride" is the only one 
that I don't return to frequently.

And I'd love to see another Latin Playboys record...

dp



-- 
Dave Purcell
Twitter: twitter.com/davepurcell
Radio Free Newport: www.pike27.net/rfn/