Los Lobos - Kiko

After their hit remake of "La Bamba," Los Lobos could easily have settled into the lazy, provincial groove of hometown heroes. But with producer Mitchell Froom's encouragement, the pride of East L.A. exploded all conventions on their one true masterwork. Their Latin roots are obvious, and so is their encyclopedic knowledge of American blues, rock, and soul. But they don't stop there, tossing South African mbaqanga into the mix of "Wake Up Delores," and fearlessly experimenting every step along the way. The more you listen, the more you marvel that the band fit so many weird, wonderful sounds into songs with deep roots in the past but perfectly suited for the future. --Keith Moerer Amazon.com essential recording

One of the best, from one of the very best

Los Lobos are a national treasure. No one has ever combined so many strains of American music so successfully. "Kiko" expanded the band's reach into new areas, as they tried out sampled percussion and vintage wind sounds. Producer Mitchell Froom pointed the way for them, but no matter how far they got from their classic guitar-based style, upon listening, the imprint of Los Lobos is still unmistakable -- the voices and guitars, and the lyrics that describe or allude to the Chicano experience in the U.S.

This album may be something of an excursion from Los Lobos' expected sound, but those who know the band's music also know that almost any sound they decide to try will be melded into what they already posess. Los Lobos stand as giants above the others, mostly midgets, of American popular music. April 6, 2008

Wonderful. Entertaining. A favorite of my collection.

This is such a great album. Great rhythms, message and production. Buy it, you'll like it. November 29, 2007

Perfume of the South-West

Here is the perfume and visuals of the South-west.'Kiko' is to Los Lobos what the Brown album was for The Band. And it has a generosity, a scale, a warmth of compable magnitude, doing for their region what the aforementioned Band disc did for the East coast. The music is at once old and progressive. It's the perfect soundtrack to Sayles,'Lone Star' film,'Three Burials'(though Doug Sham's there and no argument with that), or even,'Big Lebowski'. The side project, Latin Playboys, is for me their only other set of similar impact. But, to continue the Band affinities, it's like 'Stagefright' after those 60s works of genius. January 16, 2007

BUY THIS ONE!

Its hard to say that any album could be the quintessential Los Lobos Album. They have so many different aspects and nuances, it would be impossible to capture them in one album. Kiko comes pretty close to capturing the Lobos' essence though. Songs like Dream In Blue, Angels With Dirty Faces, & Peace showcase the basic Los Lobos "East LA Roots Rock" sound. One of my favorites, Saint Behind The Glass, is a nod to traditional Mexican Music while still maintaining approachability to the non-Latino listener. Rio de Tenampa showcases the band's ability to seamlessly meld Mexican and Country sounds together in one unique package. Every song on here is written and played with great depth and feeling, but none more than the melancholy When The Circus Comes, which I find so emotionally stirring. While this CD has a certain Hispanic flavor, it is a great introductory album to a band that appeals to lovers of all different genres of music including, Latin, Country, Blues, Rock and more! February 18, 2006

Los Lobos' Sgt. Peppers

I've got a half dozen of these guys' albums, most of which are great in their own right, but this is hands down, their absolute best. It got all kinds of accolades when it came out back in 1992. Sometimes, critics go goo-goo-ga-ga over some record, and later you wonder why. That's not the case here. This album has stood the test of time.

They're doing this album live in its entirety in a few cities right now, but there's a chance they'll expand the tour. Not to be missed. December 31, 2005

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