Los Lobos are, quite simply, one of America's great rock bands, and versatile enough to put their stamp on practically any sort of music they choose. Anyone looking for proof of this assertion ought to pick up
Ride This: The Covers EP, in which the band runs through seven tunes from other artists, most of which were recorded during the sessions for
Los Lobos' fine 2004 album,
The Ride. Rambling from the late-night creep of
Tom Waits' "Jockey Full of Bourbon" to the primal roots rock wail of
the Blasters' "Marie Marie,"
Ride This finds East L.A.'s finest sounding tough, passionate, and soulful throughout. Top honors here go to their emotional take on
Thee Midniters' "It'll Never Be Over for Me" (featuring a glorious vocal from
Cesar Rosas) and the menacing rumble of
Richard Thompson's "Shoot Out the Lights," which -- unlike most covers of
Thompson's work -- features a guitar player nearly as gifted as
RT himself, the estimable
David Hidalgo. On all seven tunes,
Los Lobos honor the spirit of the originals while putting their own spin on the material, and show that they're one band whose top-shelf chops never get in the way of making honest, soul-satisfying music. Not quite an essential
Los Lobos release (these guys are still at their best on their own fine songs),
Ride This: The Covers EP is still a treat for fans, or anyone who likes to hear a world-class rock band playing some really great songs. ~ Mark Deming