Search - Nobleza De Aguililla :: Pa Mis Valis De Tierra Caliente

Norteño music for gringos

W. H. Holliday | Oakland CA | 10/12/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Recently I had the opportunity to take a few of my "illegal immigrant" friends on a road trip to Vegas. This CD, "Pa' Mis Valis de Tierra Caliente", and Patsy Cline's Greatest Hits were only two CD's we thought to bring with us, so during the 7 hour drive I heard this CD over, and over, and over again. I'm not a huge fan of "Norteño" style music, as which La Nobleza de A. more or less qualifies, I much prefer Cumbia rhythms. To me, one Norteño ballad (corrido) sounds very much like the last, and the one before that, and the one before that... etc. And I'm sure that to latino listeners, alot of American pop music is one of a muchness as well. However... I really got into this CD. At first, I thought it was just because it was the soundtrack to a hella fun road trip. But even at home, several months later, I find myself listening to it (We traded CD's... I got this, my friends got Patsy.) It helps that I speak some rudimentary spanish, and I can understand about a third of the lyrics... even so, there are some great cuts on this album. "La Bonita" stands out as one, an infectious dance beat that leaves you humming the first time you hear it. I'd love to name other cuts I love, but I can't! Naturally, mine is an authentic Mexican bootleg copy, with 10 songs more than the liners indicate, and totally out of sequence! Nevertheless, the music is great, the singers can sing (I think that several of the members of the band take turns at the mike) and whether you speak spanish or not, the songs are catchy and loveable. As a stupid gabacho that knows nothing about this kind of music, I have to say this a fun and accessible intro to Mexican popular styles."