The guitar quartet is an increasingly popular chamber ensemble, appealing to any listener due to the familiarity of the guitar and capable of incorporating a wide variety of repertoire. This disc of new music from Mexico will provide a delightful change of pace for guitar quartet lovers looking for something beyond the Baroque melodies, Spanish selections, and pop tunes that make up the usual concert fare. All the works were composed for the youthful group of performers, the Cuarteto de Guitarras de la Ciudad de México or Mexico City Guitar Quartet, and all are tonal, accessible works that draw on Latin American folk and popular traditions. Within this general framework, their distinctiveness is impressive. The titles of the works and movements, with their collection of metaphors, give an indication of the variety: Reloj de Arena (Sand Clock), Jícamo a 4 ("Jícamo" is an elusive Afro-Cuban rhythmic term), Los cuatro Elementos (The Four Elements), Caudas (Tails), and Rumbas. Some of the works are pictorial, some rhythmically oriented; Caudas is a more formally complex piece. The standout of the group is Gerardo Tamez's Jícamo a 4, with lyrical elements and little fughettas interspersed among Cuban danzón and son rhythms, but each work treats the guitar ensemble interestingly and slightly differently. The performers don't get the recording quality they deserve. There's a degree of hiss in the background -- always annoying, and even more so in the case of guitar music that is beautifully played, with elegant, confident ensemble work and an absolute minimum of extraneous noise. And the booklet is loaded with errors; AMG's copy even included an erratum slip correcting the spelling of the name of Rumbas composer Ernesto García de León. Despite these irritations, the disc is recommended to any fan of the guitar in search of fresh sounds. For presenters seeking a guitar quartet that would come cheaper than the big names in the field and deliver some great crowd-pleasing music, it's essential listening.