Desde la Cantina is a live album by one of the top norteño groups at the turn of the century,
Pesado, who are joined on-stage by a host of regional Mexican legends. Recorded live at Pilo's Bar, a celebrated cantina in Guadalupe, Nuevo Leon, Mexico, the album is unfortunately on the short side, including ten songs from the concert and a couple half-minute "Polka la Silla" interludes. The introductory "Polka la Silla" explains the premise of the album, which pays homage to legends of norteño music such as Las Alegres de Teherán,
Los Cardenales de Nuevo León,
Los Montañeses del Álamo,
Los Invasores de Nuevo León, and
Los Cadetes de Linares. Many of the performed songs are well-known standards; for instance, "Ingrato Amor," originally performed by
Los Cardenales de Nuevo León, has been covered by
Alejandro Fernández and many others over the years. With a decade and a half of recording experience to their name,
Pesado are well suited to tribute albums like this and
Corridos: Defendiendo el Honor (2008), which was released a year earlier. The difference with
Corridos: Defendiendo el Honor is that
Desde la Cantina was recorded live (more or less, that is, as it sounds like it was studio edited an awful lot) and features a host of norteño greats, most notably
Javier Ríos of
Los Invasores de Nuevo León ("Mi Casa Nueva") and Cesareo Sánchez of
Los Cardenales de Nuevo León ("Mi Cómplice"). Other featured guests include
Eliseo Robles ("Tragos Amargos"),
Lorenzo de Monteclaro ("Abrazado de un Poste"), Lupe Tijerina ("Prenda Querida"), and
Kiko Montalvo ("Te Creí Decente"). One of
Pesado's more interesting albums in that it reveals some of their influences,
Desde la Cantina should entertain not only fans of the group but norteño aficionados in general. ~ Jason Birchmeier