It's perhaps unfortunate that
Jaguares have been given the
rock en espanol tag, since it seems to put them in a ghetto. The real truth is that they're a world-class
rock band who just happen to sing in Spanish, and those who can't get past the linguistic barrier are losing out. There's still a darkness to their sound, but as
"Bruja Canibal" shows, there's also a strong sense of '60s
psychedelia. Indeed, they're not afraid to wear some classic ideas on their gaudy sleeves. It's been a long time since they've released any new material, and this makes a welcome return, whether it's the
rock/
pop of
"La Forma" or the gently crazed
waltz of
"Madera," with leader
Saul Hernandez again contributing the majority of the material. While their ideas might come from other places and times, there's something fresh and seductive about the way they put them together; it's the kind of
rock music that's not being made much these days -- not as obviously commercial as, say,
Tom Petty, but hardly
Linkin Park, either. The sound's expansive and sometimes lush (listen to the guitars in
"Tu Me Liberas," for example), but without being overpowering -- this is very definitely a group. The addition of
Beatles fan
Adrian Belew (among a few others) probably helps focus the sound and give it an edge, but there's no substitute for good material, and these guys have that in spades -- even the Cuban-inflected mood of
"Hay Amores Que Matan" works. There's plenty of texture in the sound, and
Hernandez has developed into a truly charismatic voice. Welcome back indeed. ~ Chris Nickson
