In Brief

Crisply produced by rock en espanol pioneer Guillermo Bordarampe, the debut album by this sextet of L.A.-based Colombian expatriates delivers equal measures of cumbia and vallenato through a refreshing pop blend defined by solidly grounded beats and sweet washes of accordion. Singer-songwriter Diego Palomino’s sociopolitical lyrics about the troubled land that was left behind can sound preachy at times, but his ironic stabs at life in the U.S. and at Shakira’s gringo-friendly rock are poignant--and timely.

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Albums are rated on a scale of one star (poor), two stars (fair), three stars (good) and four stars (excellent). The albums are already released unless otherwise noted.