Search - Los Desperadoz :: Rawhide

Like Los Palominos, the Hometown Boys, and Intocable, Los Desperadoz are a neotraditional conjunto outfit mining the old style for new audiences. Here the Villarreal brothers--Mike and Lee--reinvent an old Mexican standard, "Cancion Mixteca," by cranking up the speed and laying down weaving accordion runs and a heavier foot-stomping rhythm. The brothers also tackle the late composer Cornelio Reyna's "Sufriendo Penas," another chestnut in norteño circles but reworked here by injecting tense bass lines and melancholy accordion riffs. "Que Te Paso" showcases lead singer Mike's plaintive vocals as he asks a former lover how it feels to be on the other side of a losing game. Guest musicians include veteran session players Chente Barrera on drums, Jesse Medina on bass, and Gilbert Velasquez on guitar. --Ramiro Burr