Published on Apr 14, 1999
It’s a rarity for a band to last 20 some odd years. It’s even
more of a rarity when a band actually grows and shows no sign of
contentment. And for a band that’s only a few years shy of an
induction for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Los Lobos is one of
the few potential inductees who may still have a potential classic
of an album up their sleeve.
For starter fans (at least the ones who know that the band is
far more capable than a mean cover of “La Bamba”),
Just Another Band From East L.A.-A Collection can almost be
qualified as an essential purchase. For a double disc, the “best
of” collection packs little to no filler. And it showcases a band
who has always been willing to let the sounds of blues, rock and
soul work their way into their music while remaining true to the
sounds of their Latino heritage.
The first disc consists mainly of their early days (late ’70s
tomid ’80s). The gritty, bluesy sounds of “Shakin’ Shakin’ Shakes”
and”Will The Wolf Survive?” showcase a band who was more at home
tearing down the walls of a club rather than playing stadium shows.
Little has been said about the strong spiritual currents in their
songs, but it is more than showcased in songs like “Tears Of God”
and “The Neighborhood,” which is basically a blues-fueled
prayer.
As good as the first disc is, I’m beginning to wear grooves in
the CD for the second disc. Basically, the two CDs are in
chronological order, so the band’s later period is obviously the
focus on the second disc. Though their sound became more polished,
they also freed themselves up to actually refine their jamming
styles.
Much of the material from the second disc comes from
Kiko, an album that many people consider to be the band’s
finest album. An album that came almost 15 years after the band
formed. It was in that album that the band incorporated many traits
of third world music and blended it with their own sound. It also
includes a sorching live version of “Peace,” a song that actually
sounds better live than in the studio version.
After seeing many of the bands I grew up with release “best of”
collections, I began to feel both skeptical and fairly ancient.
Skeptical, obviously because the “best of” collection is always a
way of bringing in more cash flow to a band whose peak has well
passed (hello White Lion, Warrant and Styx). Ancient… well,
obviously when you remember buying the debut album a couple of
years ago, then seeing a “greatest hits” surface in the record
aisles, it does adjust your time clock.
Yet with
Just Another Band From East L.A., it almost seemed like a
history lesson. How any band could blend in socially conscious
lyrics, bar busting blues and remain virtually untouched by
consumer and record industry pressure is a definite cause for
recognition. Just another band? Bullshit.