From the Facebook, but for the records:
10 Albums Challenge Day 4… supposed to be “… an album cover that greatly influenced your taste in music. No explanations, no reviews …” But. …
After deep diving into the blues as a middle school kid, I started to expand the pallet a touch into “songwriter” stuff in high school. Top of that list is this record by Los Lobos. The production on this one? Hard pans? Drums more percussive as opposed to normal rock kits? That Mitch Froom (and later Tchad Blake) sound? Killer. This is one of those perfect records for me when it comes to Production, a high water mark I would also strive for when making my own albums years later. Put a headset on and just dive into this sonic world.
As much as I loved Los Lobos, to this day and back in high school, no one hated them more than Duane Murray. I tried to convince him that they’re more than the La Bamba soundtrack. So when Los Lobos came to the Montreal Jazz Festival I bought four tickets and dragged him out, alongside Phil and Leng. Before we left, Duane told me “I hate los lobos.” I told him he was wrong. He endured the concert. After I dropped him off at home, “see, told you, it was awesome right!” … “No Shane, I hate Los Lobos”. Duane is still wrong and this album is proof.
PS – for the super keen, check out the two Latin Playboy records by David Hidalgo, Louie Pérez, Mitchell Froom and Tchad Blake … the natural evolution from this Kiko one.