Border (La Linea)

OK, folks, listen up! It's been a few hours since I went to see Lila (pron. Lee-la) Downs in concert at San Juan College. Yes, in Farmington, NM(!), and the two months I've waited since I bought the ticket was worth it! Most of the songs was taken from La Linea (The Border), which thematically describes the immigrant experience of Mexicans into the US, and is dedicated to those who were killed trying to enter. I will admit, with the audio footage during the performance of migrant workers and women enslaved in the maquiladoras, I felt my leftist stirrings bubbling. She clearly came with an agenda, but using the language of music to entertain but also educate, standing on a stage and not wagging her finger on a soapbox. Here are the highlights.

"Sale Sobrando" (Good For Nothing) is a song about the indigenous experience, from the time of Cortes to the massacre in Chiapas, and the racism encountered: "your face is dark but you want to be white/but you really like your taco and...Read more

Add a star to this superb collection of songs, it's that good! The CD is organized around the theme of Mexican immigration from south of the border by people seeking a better life. Lila Downs is probably the best artist out there you may not have heard of. She sings a variety of styles and could be a giant in any genre if she chose. Instead she defies classifiation and tantalizes in various styles. If you've heard her distinct voice you'll never forget her. Without a doubt this is her finest release to date. Her vocal range is fantastic and defies the norm for "divas." This is also her most accessible CD with several songs in English. Easily my favorite CD from the summer of 2001, this is one of those that can be played over and over. Lila's voice flows seemingly effortlessly from husky baritone to soaring tenor into soprano with a range that is operatic reaching notes off the scale. Her voice is heartfelt and full of emotion that touches the listener and captivates one's...Read more

Listening to this CD is like watching a good movie or reading a good book. Every time it plays I am touched on a different level, hear something new, or put two previous images together for a brand new "ah hah! oh wow!" experience.

The musuical arrangements are well crafted, from lush to stark, as the lyrics appropriate. And the lyrics! Alone they would touch your heart with emotion and provoke thought. Likewise, the voice of Ms. Downs pierces your senses without needing to know what the words mean. She goes places and utilizes her voice like I have never heard before.

The songs are in Spanish, English, and in Indigenous Mexican dialects. To guide you through, the booklet includes bilingual translations of all the material (*some of the English lyrics do lack Spanish translation, though). And the booklet itself is so beautifully put together it seems to me to be as important a part of the album as the music. Almost every time I play this CD I end up with the...Read more