Title : Nuevo
Author : Kronos Quartet
Release Date : 20020409
Binding : Audio CD
Regular Price : $16.98
Amazon.com Price : $10.95
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Editorial Reviews : To say that the Kronos Quartet's Nuevo is their most adventurous outing to date is hardly an understatement. This diverse collection of Mexican compositions and traditional tunes brims with an unpredictable energy and a dazzling array of Latin American guest performers, and, yes, Kronos keeps up throughout. A cocktail pop tune from Esquivel gets covered, there's a chamber arrangement of Revueltas's sprawling orchestral work Sensemaya, and Nortec Collective member Plankton Man remixes Kronos's interpretation of 'El Sinaloense' into a sizzling dance music track, which closes the disc. The playing is spirited, to say the least (just check out 'El Llorar,' with guest vocalists Alejandro Flores and Efren Vargas). But this is foremost a party record. A bevy of reverb effects and instrumentation (including a squeaky musical leaf solo on 'Perfidia') ensures that things stay unpredictable. Production work by Rock en Espanol producer Gustavo Santaolalla infuses this disc with an edgy modernism. The bulk of these compositions have been arranged by composer Osvaldo Golijov, who seemingly brings a manic energy and a playfulness to everything he touches. Chamber music purists may scoff, but the rest of us will be busy dancing and thrilling to this exciting, genre-blurring Kronos project.
Buyer Reviews : 'South of the Border, Down Mexico Way!' and do these cats tell it like it is.
Once again concert talent can be honed and refined, and then the spirit takes over, as in 'El Sinaloenese' which could be placed on 'Austin City Limits' anytime.
God, is it good to hear talented musicians truly enjoying each other, and the 'new' Kronos has both the talent and the enjoyment which they share with each other, and with us.
The sound is superb, especially on a component stereo system. Crank up a flat response and enjoy what Yahweh and Kronos have put together. The superiority of a master mixed CD over the best shellac shows here.
Oh yes, those, like me, who enjoy the Kronos handling of tonality and dissonance of Adams & Riley, will not be disappointed with this recording. And those who wish to experience a string band and a fiddle exposition worth of Bastrop will be doing a 'Two Step' or 'Line' to their exuberant phrasings.
Now if only they could do a pairing with 'The Chieftans'?? That would be Nirvana indeed.
