Not everyone who enjoys Latin music has studied Spanish. There are some non-Latinos who listen to Latin music extensively but don't speak a word of Spanish; they savor the melodies and rhythms even though they don't understand any of the lyrics. That said, having some knowledge of Spanish is a definite plus when it comes to acquiring Latin releases -- it isn't absolutely essential, but it can certainly help give you a better idea of what you're getting. One doesn't have to speak Spanish to enjoy
Navidad con Mojado, but knowing some Spanish certainly lets you know what separates this 2003 release from other
Grupo Mojado albums. In Spanish,
Navidad con Mojado means Christmas With Mojado; so if you've studied basic Spanish, you know right off the bat that you're getting a Christmas album. Those who don't speak Spanish, meanwhile, would figure it out eventually. Hearing children providing background vocals on some of the material would help give it away, as would seeing the title "Regalo a Santa Claus" -- even if you don't know that regalo is the Spanish word for gift, Santa Claus isn't exactly a name one associates with non-Christmas recordings. And the ultimate giveaway would be the song "El Niño del Tambor," which is a Spanish-language version of "The Little Drummer Boy." Bottom line: whether you speak fluent Spanish, a little Spanish, or none at all,
Navidad con Mojado is a generally decent (if less than essential and slightly uneven) disc that will appeal to two types of people -- those who are into Mexican pop (as opposed to the more hardcore or traditional Mexican music) and those who appreciate Christmas albums. ~ Alex Henderson