Album of the Day

Working with Los Lobos in the early 1990s, producer Mitchell Froom heard demos from that band's David Hidalgo that seemed to go beyond the Grammy winners' usual sound – thus the Latin Playboys were born. With Los Lobos percussionist and songwriter Louie Pérez and Froom's colleague Tchad Blake joining in, the group's self-titled 1994 debut takes Mexican-American roots rock into experimental territory, and such impressionistic tracks as “Manifold de Amour” and “Forever Night Shade Mary” reward repeated listening. Giving the collection an A+ grade, noted critic Robert Christgau called it “Magical, mystical, the kind of inner-child fantasia that usually guarantees self-indulgence, but here is a field recording from two amigos' mutual unconscious.” Have a happy Cinco de Mayo with the LATIN PLAYBOYS.