Los Lobos

When Los Lobos write their own songs, life is good. The East LA roots rockers’ 18th album runs from the smouldering atmospherics and righteous indignation of ”˜I’ll Burn It Down’ to the slinky instrumental ”˜Do the Murray,’ with two Spanish-language stops along the way on the cumbia ”˜Yo Canto’ and norteño ”˜Mujer Ingrata.’ But when Los Lobos hook up with songwriters like ex-Grateful Dead lyricist Robert Hunter, things start to go downhill in a hurry. Hunter’s contributions on Tin Can Trust (see the cringe-worthy hippie regrets of ”˜All My Bridges Burning’) and on 2004’s The Ride are unfortunate moments on two otherwise solid discs.

Key Tracks: ”˜I’ll Burn It Down,’ ”˜The Lady of the Rose,’ ”˜Yo Canto’