Los Lobos

It's been a pleasure to watch and listen to how this venerable L.A. band have consistently defied attempts by outside forces to confine them to the narrow parameters constructed after their early chart success. The fact is that over the past 20 years, Los Lobos have been one of the most fearless American bands around. They proved that with their previous album, The Town And The City, a loosely structured song cycle inspired by the contentious U.S. immigration debate. Of course, the band's Latino heritage will always be present in their sound, but Tin Can Trust strikes a compelling balance amongst all the elements that make Los Lobos great. There is authentic tejano ("Yo Canto"), sweaty roadhouse blues ("Do The Murray"), moody experimentation ("Jupiter or the Moon"), folk-country balladry ("The Lady and the Rose") and, for good measure, a well-selected cover (the Grateful Dead's "West L.A. Fadeaway"). Such a grab-bag puts Tin Can Trust in the same league as past albums, such as Colossal Head and The Neighborhood, meaning that while it's not an obvious turning point in the band's style, the level of creativity remains unsurpassed.