Contigo

Honest lyrics, mature themes and solid musicianship distinguish this fine album. The band, based in Zapata, Texas, quickly stood above the herd when it broke through in the mid-'90s with a distinct pop/blues/Norte±o sound. Lead singer-accordionist Ricky Mu±oz has always sounded like the legend Ram³n Ayala, but with the bottom-heavy rhythms and folk/rock melodies injected here, this is not your father's Norte±o music. Daring and inspiring, the music pushes the envelope with tension-filled tunes such as "Fuerte No Soy," a bluesy ballad, and "Es Tan Bello," whose folk/pop acoustic opening is like a fresh rain in a staid genre. The first single released, "El Amigo que se Fue," is a tribute song for two band members who were killed in a January 1999 highway accident in Mexico. --Ramiro Burr