Shout! Factory

It’s been four years since Los Lobos has released a batch like this: full of new, original music. The band’s personnel remains unchanged since ‘84: David Hidalgo, Cesar Rosas, Conrad Lozano, Louie Perez and Steve Berlin. Through 11 songs – seven by Hidalgo and Perez, three by Rosas (who contributes the Spanish “Yo Canto” and “Mujer Ingrata” ) and a choice cover of the Grateful Dead blues haunt “West L.A. Fadeaway” – Los Lobos once again proves that it can convincingly play across styles and genres. Special guest Susan Tedeschi adds vocals to the opening cooker “I’ll Burn It Down,” with some crawlin’ blues via the title track lament, and classic, old-style rock and roll as only Los Lobos can play it, with the guitar-heavy instrumental hoe-down “Do The Murray.” The mysterious “Jupiter or the Moon” and the aching, funky “27 Spanishes” add touches of studio exotica.