Caifanes have played a significant role in the rock en español movement of the late '80s and '90s. In contrast to the many Latin artists drawing on American pop, artists participating in this movement have been inspired by more hard-edged, guitar-minded rock & roll. Latino rockers have proven to be as diverse a bunch as their English-speaking counterparts, and can be as goofy as
Primus or as hard-driving as
Aerosmith. With its haunting melodies and insightful use of restraint, this band inspires comparisons to
U2. In fact, the impact of
Bono's thoughtfulness is hard to miss on such offerings as "De Noche Todos los Gatos Son Pardos," "Antes De Que No Olviden" and "Los Dioses Ocultos." There's a certain yearning that immediately makes one think of
U2. But make no mistake:
Caifanes aren't simply
U2 imitators with Spanish lyrics.
El Diablito (Spanish for "the little Devil") proves that this is a band with a vital and interesting personality of its own. ~ Alex Henderson