Rey Azúcar

Imagine a mix of The Toasters, Joe Ely, Khaled, Les Negresses Vertes, and Tito Puente and you might get a vague notion about this Argentine pop band. Lots of horns, loud electric guitars, fat funky bass, and a varied Latin and rock percussion sound give the record lots of spice. They also offer some star power on this record: Mick Jones of the Clash tosses off a few lines. Big Youth toasts. Tina Weymouth and Chris Frantz produce. Debbie Harry is lost in the mix on a strange take of "Strawberry Fields Forever." It's the beauty of the beast that nothing makes particular sense in this strange brew of cultures and clashes. --Louis Gibson