Contigo

Contigo

Honest lyrics, mature themes and solid musicianship distinguish this fine album. The band, based in Zapata, Texas, quickly stood above the herd when it broke through in the mid-'90s with a distinct pop/blues/Norte±o sound. Lead singer-accordionist Ricky Mu±oz has always sounded like the legend Ram³n Ayala, but with the bottom-heavy rhythms and folk/rock melodies injected here, this is not your father's Norte±o music. Daring and inspiring, the music pushes the envelope with tension-filled tunes such as "Fuerte No Soy," a bluesy ballad, and "Es Tan Bello," whose folk/pop acoustic opening is like a fresh rain in a staid genre. The first single released, "El Amigo que se Fue," is a tribute song for two band members who were killed in a January 1999 highway accident in Mexico. <I>--Ramiro Burr</I>