There are many reasons the late Mexican singer/songwriter Juan Gabriel is beloved by audiences (and artists) internationally: He could write hits in almost any genre and despite his success and dramatic originality, his trademark is canny simplicity. After his induction into Billboard's Songwriters Hall of Fame, he told an interviewer, "I compose songs with simplicity because my school has been the streets and people have been my books." This is inarguably true of the posthumous Mexico con Escalas en Mi Corazon (Ciudades), a conceptual collection about the cities Gabriel loved and performed in. It was finished just months before his passing. Each song reflects the affection and respect he had for Mexico's cities and towns, including several reflecting his birthplace, Paracuaro, Michoacan. Gabriel pushed himself. These songs range from rock and Latin pop to mariachi and ranchera and include hybrids of them all and more. 22 cuts were previously unissued. With the exception of several featured guests, Gabriel performed all the vocals himself, including the choruses. Opener and single "Mexxico Es Todo" weds romping glam rock to a choogling chord progression that channels the Bay City Rollers, ELO, and Queen, and adorns it with horns, keyboards, and electric guitars. "Cancun y Yo" follows; it's a tender, midtempo yacht rock ballad led by piano, syncopated hand percussion, and strings. "A Ciudad Juarez" weds country & western to gospel and a Vegas-style, swinging, string- and horn-laden chorale. There are two versions of the highlight "La Mera Mera (Tijuana Baja California Norte)." The first is a hopped-up mariachi that grafts on a Phil Spector-esque girl group refrain and then shifts to bumping cumbia. Gabriel recorded one version solo and one with Los Tucanes de Tijuana. "Obregon Es Obregon (Ciudad Obregon Sonora)" features Colombian pop duo Zona Prieta. While it commences with a moody desert vibe and chanting, a gradually building percussive assault gives way to orchestral disco before shifting to EDM, all with a singsong melody a la ABBA Disc two opener "De Sol a Sol (Paracuaro, Michoacan)" stitches rumbling, polished downtempo ranchera to Cuban bolero. Its warm, edgeless percussion weaves together layers of percussion, atmospheric synths, electric guitars, and strings. Its pristine, spacious production and dramatic yet warm and seamless sound could easily have been recorded at Peter Gabriel's Real World studios. The horn-fueled "Tulum" joins mariachi to salsa with an anthemic celebratory melody. "El Recuerdo de Amor (Cancun, Quintana Roo)" is a gorgeous, lush, cantina waltz with acoustic guitars, ukulele, and a double bass as Gabriel, in six-part harmony, delivers this lush romantic ballad, summoning in chamber strings and a country guitar. "Hermosilla Sonora" is an elegant ranchera that features opera soprano Barbara Padilla soaring above Gabriel's passionate baritone, accompanied by orchestral strings, string bass, and accordion. Mexico con Escalas en Mi Corazon (Ciudades) is a remarkable document. Gabriel had finished 11 of these songs and performed them on tour before deciding to record them as a concept album. It is remarkably consistent over two discs and does a better job than many of his albums in capturing the breadth and range of his music. ~ Thom Jurek