Los Cenzontles again offer an eclectic mix of various styles of traditional and contemporary Mexican music on
Pocas Palabras, including pirekua, cumbia, ranchera, and danza. The contemporary original material stands out more than the traditional-grounded stuff, in part because it sounds a little bit different when stacked against a competent but average polka-beated tune like "La Medallita." The title song, for instance, has gently flowing guitars and harmonized voices against tapped (and tap-danced) rhythms; "Tu Sonrisa" has a haunting melody that to some listeners might even echo klezmer music; and "Puno de Tierra" is all voice and clacking rhythm, in a manner reminiscent of the most elemental world music from Latin America, Africa, or even Mardi Gras Indians. The traditional numbers aren't wholly dispensable; "Flor de Cariela" is a lovely harmonized guitar ballad, and "El Canoero" goes into a moodier, brassier, more theatrical realm. This is an enhanced CD that also includes music videos of "Pocas Palabras" and "Tu Sonrisa," shot in Mexico and California by Mexican filmmaker Ricardo Braojos. ~ Richie Unterberger