AllMusic’s Favorite Latin Albums of 2008
December 10th, 2008 | 4:15 pm est |
Aterciopelados - Rio
Babasónicos - Mucho
Buena Vista Social Club - At Carnegie Hall
Calle 13 - Los De Atras Vienen Conmigo
Natalia Clavier - Nectar
Daddy Yankee - Talento de Barrio
Lila Downs - Shake Away/Ojo de Culebra
Fania All-Stars - Campeones
La India Canela - Merengue Tipico from the Dominican Republic
Mariachi Los Camperos - Musica Ranchera: Amor, Dolor y Lagrimas
La Oreja de Van Gogh - LOVG: Grandes Exitos
Peru Negro - Zamba Malato
Tito Puente - The Complete 78s, Vol. 1
Puntillita y el Conjunto Todo Rumbero - A Tribute to Gonzalo Asencio Tio Tom 1919-1991
Bebo Valdes/Javier Colina - Live at the Village Vanguard
Monica Vasconcelos - Hih
Julieta Venegas - MTV Unplugged
Andy Votel - Brazilika
Various Artists - El Barrio: Latin Funk
Various Artists - El Barrio: Sounds from the Spanish Harlem Streets
Various Artists - The House That Al Built: The Alegre Records Story 1957-1977



The weather in Chicago today is chilly and cloudy, but you’d never know it based on the sunny sounds of the Windy City’s Allá (pronounced “ayê-ya”). The trio’s globally savvy pop embraces not just their Mexican heritage, but immaculate Swedish pop, Brazilian Tropicalia, Krautrock, and Chicago’s post-rock scene. Singer Lupe Martinez sounds alluring no matter what backdrop brothers Jorge and Angel Ledezma put behind her, whether it’s the languid guitars on “Golpes del Sol” or “Un Dia Otra Noche”’s giddy strings and handclaps. Allá spent four years recording self-financed sessions all over the globe, stopping at musical ports of call including Chicago’s Soma Electronic Studios and Sweden’s Tambourine Studios, where Jorge worked with arranger Patrick Bartosch to get the string and horn sounds that have graced the Cardigans’ and Eggstone’s music.
When there are as many great music releases as there were this past October, it’s difficult to narrow down my favorite albums, let alone songs. PJ Harvey’s
Beginning with a series of high-profile concert performances this past summer at Lollapalooza (Chicago), Central Park SummerStage (New York), and the Hollywood Bowl (Los Angeles), 