Wolf Tracks: Best of Los Lobos

 (8 customer reviews)

Where does one start with the Los Lobos catalogue? There have been three Los Lobos "Best Of's" (a 4 disc set, a 2 disc set and this single disc) and, although they all give a fair overview of the band, I would suggest that if you are hard-core Los Lobos fan you probably own most of this material already. Los Lobos have been releasing albums now for 30 years and have gone through a number of stylistic changes in this time. They started off as a traditional Mexican music band and have moved through country, blues, atmospheric groove, rock, rock and roll, R&B and pop. What has distinguished them throughout has been superb musicianship, songwriting, lyrics and vocals and an unbending desire to release albums that satisfied the band before a record company. All this has led to many vastly different albums some of which may alienate the casual listener. For example, compare "Will The Wolf Survive" with "KIKO", "La Pistola y el Corazon" with "Colossal Head" or "Papa's Dream" (a superb...Read more

... but, essentially this is the third retread of the same canon - Live at The Fillmore, Acoustic en vivos, and now this. It's a slightly better compilation than the other two, but, the wolves have a bit of Costello-itis: retread the same stuff ad nauseum. It doesn't sound particularly remastered.

I, for one, wish they would release some of the really amazing sets I have heard from them (The Fillmore doesn't make the cut). For example, their set at the Philadelphia Folk Festival some years back was maybe the best 45 minutes of live music I have ever heard, and closed with an incendiary take on Neil Young's "Cowgirl In the Sand," over the protestations of the numb-skull mc of that festival. I'm sure you would find it interesting hearing an audience boo a moron who was intruding off the stage - it just leant an extra edge to the whole set. Best part was they wound it up with a segue into "Cinnamon Girl" that exceeded their alotted time considerably. It's great to see control...Read more

Isn't this the spirit of what America should be? Understanding, tolerance and melding, not building fences, work cards and vigilante militias. Isn't that what America was supposed to be to begin with? Los Lobos have always embodied that ideal musically. Tejano, Norteno, folk music (both American and Mexican), Blues, Rock and Roll, R&B, Country etc. etc.
This "Best Of" is a pretty good grouping, but, as many people have said, it's hard to really compile a best of by a band that so prolifically releases quality music like Los Lobos. I've never heard a "filler" track by this band on any album. It shows that they take a lot of pride and musicianship in what they release. I suppose that "Wolf Tracks" should be considered an "Intro", rather than "Best Of". It's a good place for anyone interested to start. A lot of good music, and only a taste really. The new track, "Border Town Girl" is really a great, high energy, blues/boogie, worth buying the album for alone, one of my favorite Los...Read more