Search - Los Lobos :: How Will the Wolf Survive

A Landmark Album

Kurt Harding | Boerne TX | 02/22/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I became aware of Los Lobos during the early 1980s with the release of their EP "...And a Time To Dance" and made sure I saw them live when they were doing the promotional tour for this album. They have since become a national act but How Will The Wolf Survives stands as one of the most enduring albums of its day. With the airwaves awash in glamrock and corporate-rock powerhouse groups, Los Lobos was a breath of fresh air. Its infectious mix of hard-driving roots rock, country, and blues judiciously tinged with the pulsing accordion of David Hidalgo provided an antidote to the stale pap being cranked out in the top-40 and AOR formats. My favorites are the irresistable Don't Worry Baby, I Got Loaded, the country-ish Our Last Night and, arguably the best song on the album, the accordion-driven The Breakdown. I think the title cut and the two Norteno songs are mediocre but the quality of the rest of the music gives it the five stars. How Will the Wolf Survive stands as the best mostly English-language album issued by Los Lobos. It is a landmark album that has yet to be matched by any of the band's subsequent releases except for the fabulous La Pistola y El Corazon. If your tastes run to the eclectic with a strong leaning toward the southwest, then this comes highly recommended. And by the way, the accordion is an important component of the music, so if you don't like accordions, you are not going to like this."

Still Smokin' after all these years!

John L. Lyons | Auburn, AL | 11/24/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is the album for a new listener to start with as an introduction to Los Lobos. Los Lobos' music blends blues, zydeco, rock, & norteno into a rich melting pot of sounds! This album doesn't mess around - it roars off with the bluesy "Don't Worry Baby." Cesar Rosas powers it with strong vocals & guitar riffs! It also has beautiful ballads by David Hidalgo such as "A Matter of Time." The soft & stringly "Lil King of Everything" leads into their great classic "Will The Wolf Survive." Los Lobos' music has something for everybody! Since it's release in 1984, this albums remains one of my top favorites! I highly recommend it!"

Straight from the soul

Tyler Smith | Denver, CO United States | 03/19/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This terrific mid-80s release is a great place to start if you have not sampled the work of Los Lobos, one of this country's most essential bands. From traditional Mexican folk music to straight-ahead rockers, to outright country the band sounds fresh and free of musical preconceptions.One of the attractions of "How Will the Wolf Survive" is that it keeps the listener pleasantly off balance throughout. In the first three cuts, for example, they deliver a steaming rocker ("Don't Worry Baby"), a poigant but topical ballad on the hopes and dreams of migrant workers ("Matter of Time") and the Hispanic roots piece "Corrido #1." Los Lobos pulls off this musical diversity because whatever the play, they remain true to the spirit of the tune. For example, when they take on the C&W tune "Our Last Night," they take you back to the honkey tonk, but they are not mocking the song.Best of all, the band just sounds like they are having a great time playing. Listen to the sly rocker "The Breakdown" (complete with accordian breaks) and the drinking tune "I Got Loaded" for examples of their exuberant tone and attitude.Los Lobos continues to this day to show that when you remain open to the musical sources and ideas, you never lack for inspiration. Messrs. Hidalgo, Rosas and company deserve a big round of applause for the tasty smorgasbord they offer up on "How Will the Wolf Survive?""