Every time Los Lobos puts out a new album, it's kind of an "oh yeah..." moment. Meaning, "Oh yeah, EVERY TIME they put out a new album it is really good/great." I talked a bit about this on The Morning Jolt with Larry Flick recently, how people take them for granted. I guess that, in a way, I am guilty of that also. I have never seen them in concert! I remember a couple of years ago they co-headlined with The Chieftans, I wanted to go but couldn't. I've got to catch them next time around.
On Tin Can Trust, they supposedly got back to basics by recording in a no frills studio situation in L.A. I never think that their sound is too "frilly" anyway, even when they were recording with Mitchell Froom and Tchad Blake. But they produced this one themselves (that must be interesting, the band has numerous songwriters, I'm sure they all have ideas about production as well). But they are tight as hell, and this album has all the elements that make them great: the garage punk sound, some real weird sounds (very weird solo on "Jupiter Or The Moon") and the traditional Mexican stuff. They are one of the only bands I can think of who could tour with The Dead (or Furthur, or whatever they call themselves these days), Social Distortion and even someone like Tom Waits.
The songs are great, it isn't just about the sounds. The first song, "Burn It Down" (with backing vocals from Susan Tedeschi) should be the opening sequence of a movie. I have no idea what "Yo Canto" is about, but it makes me want to dance. "All My Bridges Burning" (featuring lyrics by The Grateful Dead's Robert Hunter) is great... and their cover of the Dead's "West L.A. Fadeaway" beats the original. I have lots of Los Lobos albums, but I don't listen to them enough ( and I still don't have their box set, Mas Y Mas). Listening to Tin Can Trust reminds me that I need to amend both situations.
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