Unlike most bands in their second decade of recording,
Los Lobos
gets more daring and diverse as they get older, creating sonic landscapes that are based in their justly celebrated
roots rock
but twisting off into wild, unexpected directions.
Colossal Head
is their most adventurous work to date, building on the moody, atmospheric
Kiko
without losing sight of their gritty
blues
roots. While it certainly shows signs of
David Hidalgo
's
lo-fi
,
experimental
Latin Playboys
project, the album isn't merely an exercise in sound.
applies their broad musical palette to a set of tightly written, inventive songs that may not be as immediate as their past work, but are no less melodic and rewarding. Instead of running through a number of different genres on each individual song, they make a dream-like sonic collage that draws from
jazz
funk
, and
avant-garde
as much as their traditional
rock
R&B
Latin
. What keeps
from drifting off into space is
' love of American musical traditions. Not only have they mastered their influences, they have fully assimilated them into their sound, creating their own, unique music. And that's far more interesting than simply regurgitating the same
, Mexican, and
country
licks. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine