Laura Pausini, a multilingual Italian pop singer who won a Latin Grammy in 2005 for Best Female Pop Vocal Album, decided to record an album of cover songs when she returned to the studio to record her follow-up effort. This is a fairly standard npractice for pop/rock artists, of course, especially in the wake of a mammoth success like the one Pausini experienced with Resta in Ascolto (released concurrently in Spanish as Escucha in the Americas). Yo Canto (likewise released concurrently in Spanish) is a somewhat unusual covers album, however, for it's comprised of Italian pop/rock songs from the 1970s, '80s, and '90s -- few, if any, of which will be familiar to listeners across the Atlantic. Pausini performs the songs in a manner similar to that of Resta in Ascolto: the songs are heavily produced, layered with guitar, bass, and drums in addition to strings and synthesizers, and the performances are quite dramatic, often soaring to intense heights during the choruses, complemented by lyrics that are moody and poetic. Conseque

Io Canto (likewise released concurrently in Spanish, as Yo Canto) is a somewhat unusual covers album, however, for it's comprised of Italian pop/rock songs from the 1970s, '80s, and '90s -- few, if any, of which will be familiar to listeners across the Atlantic. Pausini performs the songs in a manner similar to that of Resta in Ascolto: the songs are heavily produced, layered with guitar, bass, and drums in addition to strings and synthesizers, and the performances are quite dramatic, often soaring to intense heights during the choruses, complemented by lyrics that are moody and poetic. Consequently, anyone who enjoyed Resta in Ascolto will find much to savor on Io Canto, as the two albums sound similar musically. The difference is in the songwriting, which is wonderfully varied, in terms of lyrics as well as arrangements, resulting in one of the most interesting albums of Pausini's career to date. Io Canto is interesting not only because of the array of songwriting showcased throughout, but also because of how personal these songs are to Pausini. She expresses this herself in her liner notes: "Recording an album of covers, and therefore having to choose among the songs which have been with me, are with me, and will be with me every day of my life, was no easy task. It would take ten albums like this one just to be able to touch on the essence of all the music I love. Decisions had to be made. And decisions were made. And so here is the music I listen to when I'm at my saddest, or when I feel a moment is special, the songs I used to sing as a young girl when I first started performing, and above all those which taught me to love music, and how music can move you so deeply, regardless of its genre or style." A lot of the songs on Io Canto are indeed deeply moving, beginning with the surging title track, which opens the album powerfully, as if sung from a mountaintop with arms outstretched. And so begins the second dazzling album in a row by Pausini, who seems to have found a comfortable place for herself musically in the wake of the indifference shown to her English-language crossover bid in 2002.

That disappointing album's title was From the Inside, but this album feels ten times more heartfelt, as these covers reveal aspects of Pausini's personality generally eclipsed by the towering melodrama of the usual material bestowed upon an international mega-star of her stature. ~ Jason Birchmeier


  Gipsy Kings CD
  by Gipsy Kings
Our Price: $11.85 CD / $9.99 MP3
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On this, arguably the finest of the group's efforts, the caliber of the musicianship is striking. Rhythmically athletic acoustic guitars, passionate singing, and stirring, syncopated handclaps coalesce to create a fresh, romantic, and eminently danceable sound. Modulations of mood abound, from joyous, percussive romps ("Bem, Bem, Maria") through more sedate tunes evocative of intimate Spanish cafes ("Quiero Saber"), to plaintive melodies embellished with gorgeous flamenco motifs, such as "Tu Quieres Volver." Also included are two of the band's biggest hits, "Djobi Djoba" and the endlessly infectious "Bamboleo." GIPSY KINGS is an excellent place to start exploring this inventive, wonderfully accessible music.

This eponymously-titled U.S. debut introduced the world to the Gipsy Kings' unique, pop-inflected take on native Spanish music, in the process bringing the band international popularity. Though the group's members aren't technically "gipsies" (they acquired the name during their early days of traveling, gigging, and playing in the streets of Southern France), their music draws heavily from gipsy and flamenco traditions in content and style. However the Gipsy Kings regional roots are only the first ingredient in their special brand of World Fusion; elements of Latin American, Middle Eastern and North African music are also in evidence.

Gipsy Kings: Nicolas Reyes (vocals, guitar); Tonino Baliardo (lead guitar); Andre Reyes (guitar, background vocals); Maurice "Diego" Baliardo, Jahloul "Chico" Bouchikhi (guitar, handclapping); Jacques "Paco" Baliardo, Paul "Pablo" Reyes (guitar); Dominique Perrier (synthesizer); Gerard Prevost (synthesizer, bass); Claude Salnieri (drums); Marc Chantereau (percussion).


  La Caratula CD
  by David Calzado Y Su Charanga Hab
Our Price: $10.49 CD
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Cuban bandleader and singer David Calzado has been playing with his 14-piece band Changara Habanera since the mid-1990s, and the polish, professionalism, and just sheer joy the group has playing together is evident on 2009's LA CARATULA. With one foot rooted in traditional Afro-Cuban sounds, and the other in charanga, timba, salsa, and Latin pop, Calzado and co. make music that's both familiar and uniquely inventive. Calzado is one of the most vital forces in contemporary Cuban music, and LA CARATULA, packed front to back with excellent arrangements and performances, is proof positive.

  Greatest Hits: 1971-1980 CD
  by Demis Roussos
Our Price: $10.45 CD / $9.99 MP3
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This import compilation collects 16 tracks from Greek singer Demis Roussos, spanning the 1970's.

Australian pressing. Special Anthology of recordings made by the popular Greek singer from his most fruitful decade when he rose to prominence fronting the group Aphrodite's Child (which also included Vangelis) and later Sstruck out on his own. 16 total tracks. Unviersal. 2004.

  100 Anos De Mariachi CD
  by Placido Domingo
Our Price: $9.89 CD
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This masterful tenor hardly needs any introduction, with a vast discography that embraces the opera and pop worlds alike. 100 ANOS DE MARIACHI is Domingo's passionate homage to this wonderful Mexican musical tradition which, decade after decade, continues to grace innumerable celebrations. It's a lovely collection of favorites, each of which is arranged tastefully with lush, moving strings and brass that form the perfect background for Domingo's crooning.

Made classic by singers like Jorge Negrete, the spirited, up-tempo "Ay, Jalisco No Te Rajes!" should surely set couples young and old dancing, as should "Yo Soy Mexicano." Elsewhere, soft, lilting guitars conjure up bright images of old Mexico in + time as Domingo makes an operatic fanfare of the mesmerizing "La Malaguena." All around, these are classic Mariachi themes sung with all the power and subtlety that this man has to offer.

100 ANOS DE MARIACHI won the 2000 Grammy Award for Best Mexican-American Performance.


  Live CD
  by Ruben Blades
Our Price: $9.09 CD / $9.99 MP3
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One year after the release of ANTECEDENTES, Ruben Blades and his Son Del Solar played to a packed, smoky Lone Star Roadhouse in Greenwich Village, New York, and LIVE! is the electrifying result. With its characteristic emphasis on keyboards and percussion rather than horns, Son Del Solar is at its best, making Blades' lyrical masterpieces groove hard with a tropi-pop luster. At the congas sits session man Marc Quinones who, only a few years later, would introduce Latin percussion into that Southern blues rock totem, the Allman Brothers Band.

The spirited rendition of "Decisiones" became a subsequent salsa club favorite, with the keen wit of its verses and fiercely catchy chorus. "El Padre Antonio" and "Buscando America" are each given long, hearty treatments, with Ruben calling out his stirring verses of Pan-American unity in epic fashion. An up-tempo "La Cancion Del Final Del Mundo" addresses the threat of nuclear war with deceptively good cheer, while 1978's "Pedro Navaja" slowly builds into a trombone-fueled anthem. Ruben's pithy banter with the audience makes the set a special treat for Spanish speakers.

Recorded live at The Lonestar Roadhouse, New York, New York on October 29 & 30, 1989.

Personnel: Rubén Blades (vocals, guitar); Marc Quiñones (acoustic guitar, congas); Leopoldo Pineda, Angel Papo Vasquez, Renaldo Jorge (trombone); Oscar Hernandez (piano); Arturo Ortiz (synthesizer); Robert Ameen (drums); Edwin Montalve (congas); Roger Paiz (bongos); Ralph Irizarry (timbales).

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