Hund on Lobos

"Dr. Hund," like me, a frequent contributor to the No Depression Yahoo group tried to fit this long rambling rebuttal to my recent Los Lobos review into the comment section of this blog. It was way too long.

I couldn't resist posting the whole thing here.



You want interactive? YOU CAN'T HANDLE INTERACTIVE! Check out my scathing rebuttal (which could not fit on that mickey mouse blog):

Steve, you ignorant slut. You miss the whole point of this fun album.

It is not a tribute album, friar's roast, nor Chieftains Syndrome. Nor is Los Lobos getting lazy. The band members (especially Hidalgo & Perez) just like to expand their horizons, experiment (which gave us their best work so far in the Latin Playboys), and keep the music fresh. It's not like they are slackers in original album and song production. Even the old tunes here (totally re-invented and less than half the album) are fresh. And there is some great new writing from Hidalgo/Perez, both as their usual songwriting team and collaborated with others like Luis Torres, Dave Alvin, Tom Waits, and Ruben Blades. Cesar Rosas and Robert Hunter also wrote a song for this diverse album.

BTW...why do you have a blog? You are published constantly in the major New Mexican newspapers, beam a radio show, have a media chokehold on New Mexican politics, and are already all over the internet. By proxy, your words are constantly being delivered by
other Southwest power brokers. You even have your own phraseology that is now coined worldwide and borrowed by many, such as, "Green Chile Diplomacy", "Boomburbs", and "Car Wheels on a Gravel Road".

With New Mexico losing judges, politicos, writers, celebs, and other speak boxes like vanishing desert land – you are now the de facto voice of the entire region - albeit via a "Last Man Standing" scenario. You have more market penetration and exposure in New Mexico than Clear Channel. You need a blog like George W. needs another asshole.

Back to your review. Sure, sometimes its difficult if not impossible to hear Los Lobos on a few of these songs but I like how they gather so many all-star sounds in such an unselfish quest for a unique album recorded with friends which they may never have a shot at again. But make no mistake...there are plenty of new sounds from Los Lobos here within the generous 13 songs. The first song with Café Tacuba is a fun summer tour de force followed by "Rita", which is one of the best Los Lobos songs ever. Both of these are new.

It seems from your review, you like these songs plus "Charmed", "Hurry Tomorrow", "Chains of Love" , "Somewhere in Time," (which you describe as "a duet between David Hidalgo and Dave Alvin, featuring a Drifters/"Spanish Harlem" beat and Leisz's hypnotic steel, almost sounds like a latter-day Righteous Brothers tune with baritone Alvin as Bill Medley and Hidalgo as Bobby Hatfield"...isn't that cool?), the Waits track, "Kitate" (you say "sounds like something off one of the Latin Playboys' CDs. Like the music of that Lobos side project, this tune sounds like a surreal field recording from some Mexican or Central American street festival, with lots of percussion, horns and carnival organ. Waits scats and shams and growls in languages nobody speaks in a near call and response with Martha Gonzalez of the band Quetzal"....isn't that cool?), and the new version of "Wicked Rain" is sung by '70s soul man Bobby Womack, as a part of a medley with Womack's Blaxploitation movie title song, "Across 110th Street" , and "The Wreck of the Carlos Rey," featuring "Hidalgo trading verses with Thompson, is a rocking tune. But with its folk rock riffs and Thompson's guitar, it sounds like something right off a Thompson album -- even though it's written by Hidalgo and Louie Perez." This all sounds sweet and it is!

Terrell, I think you are just pissed with what you call "the one truly misguided song here" (one misguided song out of 13?!) is Elvis Costello's version of "Matter of Time." The best part of your review is this history of this song that you so compassionately describe:

"The song is a conversion between a Mexican man and his wife right before the man leaves her to go to the U.S. to seek a decent future. It's the story of this country and all its immigrants. `I'll send for you, baby in just a matter of time.'

"It's a moment full of tenderness and uncertainty. But in the original 1984 version on How Will the Wolf Survive, the rhythm is upbeat and Steve Berlin`s sax, is jaunty, giving a sense of optimism even when the singer wonders if he's just pursuing an empty dream.

"Costello's version is slow and maudlin. Pretty, yes. But it sounds like a sad dirge. The promise of a new life, which propelled the original version, is completely missing here."


Yes Terrell! They are totally different approaches and versions because of this. I think that was the point. And what the hell is a "dirge"? Is that Latin, Mr. Smarty Pants? You do brilliantly describe the original's "sense of optimism" in such a sad song – which is so typical of Latin music. Even the sad songs seem to have some happy vibe underneath. But Costello is no Latino and sings this slowly with a solo piano accompaniment - and it is much sadder than the original. It also brings new light to the words and the music.

Did you want a rehash here of the original that only Hidalgo and Berlin could deliver in such a way you described? I think you are still pissed at Costello for becoming Mr. Diana Krall. But Steve, I ask you this, have you seen her legs? And at least Elvis is not
pussy-whipped to the point that he could actually be dragged to a Styx concert...for instance.

As you Steve, I do prefer full throttle new Los Lobos (what I would really love is new Latin Playboys) song batches - but the guest list, fun, and hybrid sounds of The Ride makes more than a decent ride.

It is one of the best albums this year.

LIVE! HATCHET WIELDING JEWS!

Dr. Turner, formerly of The Angry Samoans, and myself will be doing a little entertaining next weekend.

First there's the Friday night (7 p.m.) at the Aztec. This will be the first time the two of us have played there since a pre-Christmas gig three or four years ago.

Then the next night about 6 p.m. we'll play at the grand opening of Twisters Vintage, 1810 Second Street (right by the Second Street Brewery.)

The Hatchet Wielding Jews are only half Jewish, and I'm not that half. But as you can see in the poster, I do wield a mean hatchet.

Unfortunately our busy schedules prevented us from rehearsing adequately, so we'll basically be doing our cheesy solo acts that you know and love -- and haven't seen much of lately.

Hope to see you there.

TERRELL'S SOUND WORLD PLAY LIST

Sunday, May 30, 2004
KSFR, Santa Fe, N.M.
Host: Steve Terrell

OPENING THEME: Let it Out (Let it All Hang Out) by The Hombres
Undercover of the Night by The Rolling Stones
The Blue Mask by Lou Reed
Black Sheets of Rain by Bob Mould
Stride of the Mind by Patti Smith
Falling by Mission of Burma
Just a Gigolo by Bing Crosby

Illusion, Coma, Pimp and Circumstance by Prince
I'm So Proud by The Isley Brothers
Ain't That a Bitch by Johnny "Guitar" Watson
Me and Mrs. Jones by Billy Paul
Will It Go Round in Circles by Billy Preston
Bitch/Dumb Ass by Gary "U.S." Bonds with Phoebe Snow and Dickie Betts

Los Lobos Set
(All Songs by Los Lobos unless otherwise noted)

Hurry Tomorrow
Good Morning Aztlan
I Got Loaded
Kitare (Los Lobos with Tom Waits and Martha Gonzalez)
Fiesta Erotica by Latin Playboys
Lonely Dying Love by Houndog
Rita

Wreck of the Carlos Rey (Los Lobos with Richard Thomopson)
Down Where the Drunkards Roll
Manny's Bones
Angelito by Cesar Rosas
El Canoero by Los Super 7
A Matter of Time
Rio De Tenampa
CLOSING THEME: Over the Rainbow by Jerry Lee Lewis

R.I.P. Watergate Heroes

Two of the major good guys of the Watergate scandal died this weekend.

Rest in peace Archibald Cox and Sam Dash.

THE SANTA FE OPRY PLAY LIST

The Santa Fe Opry
Friday, May 28, 2004
KSFR, Santa Fe, NM
Host: Steve Terrell

OPENING THEME: Buckaroo by Buck Owens & The Buckaroos
Smoky Shadows by Cornell Hurd
Three Wishes by Jim Stringer
Fake Love With Me by Audrey Auld
You've Never Seen me Cry by The Flatlanders
Half a Boy, Half a Man by Queen Ida
Paper In My Shoe by Michelle Shocked
Fancy Dancer by J.J. Cale
This Old House by Loretta Lynn
Merchants Lunch by The Austin Lounge Lizards

Choctaw Bingo by James McMurtry
Borrowed Bride by The Old 97s
Excuse Me While I Break My Own Heart Tonight by Whiskeytown with Alejandro Escovedo

I Love You Baby (And I Hate Myself) by Uncle Dave & The Waco Brothers
Tramp on Your Street by Billy Joe Shaver
Say a Little Prayer by Mary & Mars

Don't Gossip In the Sauna by Emily Kaitz
Anything for a Laugh by Graham Parker
She Even Woke Me Up to Say Goodbye by Cowboy Johnson
Disappearing Angel by Tav Falco
Presently in the Past by Dan Hicks & His Hot Licks
Wishin' by Jon Rauhouse
If You Love Me You'll Sleep on the Wet Spot by Asylum Street Spankers
In the Shell by Angel Dean & Sue Garner
Baghdad by Ed Pettersen

I Saw the Buildings by James Talley
The Assassin by Patterson Hood
Sweet Saviour's Arms by Grey DeLisle
Are You Still My Girl by Joe West
Marie by Randy Newman
Sign of Judgment by Dave Alvin
CLOSING THEME: Comin' Down by The Meat Puppets

Steve Terrell is proud to report to the monthly Freeform American Roots Radio list