Norteño/Tex-Mex can, depending on the artist, be anything from gutsy, provocative, and hard-hitting to gently romantic. Grupo Exterminador and
los Tigres del Norte epitomize the hardcore side of norteño; their ballsy corridos -- many of which have dealt with subjects like poverty, illegal immigration, and drug trafficking -- are every bit as daring and substantial as anything by
Ice-T,
U2,
Bob Dylan, or
KRS-One. But
Industria del Amor is one of the groups that has represented the lighter side of norteño; they aren't as consistently slick as some of the norteño light groups in the regional Mexican market, but they definitely have a softer, more pop-minded approach than
los Huracanes del Norte.
Si Te Perdiera has its share of romantic fare; ballads like "Te Amare," "Que Pena," "Mi Vida Eres Tu," and the title song are essentially Latin adult contemporary. But
Si Te Perdiera offers some surprises here and there. This time,
Industria provides duranguense arrangements of two well-known Mexican standards: Bulmaro Bermúdez's "Los Caminos de Michoacan" and
José Alfredo Jiménez's "Camino de Guanajuato." Duranguense isn't the first thing one expects from
Industria, and their willingness to explore that style is a plus. Meanwhile, the other
Jiménez song on this 36-minute CD, "En el Ultimo Trago," has a norteño arrangement that is more typical of the group.
Jiménez, of course, was a major figure in regional Mexican music; he was arguably the
Antonio Carlos Jobim of Mexico, and the fact that his songs are still being performed by a variety of Mexican artists in a variety of ways shows how prolific a songwriter he was.
Si Te Perdiera won't go down in history as the most challenging regional Mexican CD of 2005, but it's a pleasant and likable addition to
Industria del Amor's sizable catalog. ~ Alex Henderson