Worf101
07-30-2004, 03:20 AM
The similarities between the two bands run far deeper than their respective names. I sat down with both their "commercial" debut albums last night and listened to them back to back, a couple of times.
1. Production - Whle "And a Time to Dance" was their first "commercial" release, Los Lobos didn't go "wide" until "How Will the Wolf Survive?". Despite being more than 20 years old, the latter album by Los Lobos has a more polished feel. Although not their first album, it's the first one anyone outside of East L.A. might have heard. You can tell that there's a major label behind the production of the work. "Los Lonely Boys" has a more retro/garage tinge to it. Whether this is the result of default or design I do not know. Both are listenable with no glaring artifacts.
2. Songs - The Lonely Boys albums has hooks, but often it's the same hook. There are three songs that are quite similar in feel to the hit "How Far is Heaven?" It's not a bad thing so much as worrisome thing for future production. Los Lonely Boys also display the tight harmonies that only brothers singing together can sometimes produce. Los Lobos' debut is fare more musically diverse. It's also closer to it's Tejano roots with the use of Flaco on accordian on many tracks. To sit and listen to, Los Lobos, to dance to, Los Lonely Boys.
3. Musicianship - Los Lobos can play rings around the new comers, simple as that, except maybe in the area of drums. But to be fair Los Lobos is a LOT larger band. Los Lonely is a three piece outfit and often it sounds like it. I'd love to see em live though to really check out how they handle it.
Conclusion - Los Lobos has been around for years and have done the hard work, producing interesting and complex albums over that time. Los Lonely Boys are young, handsome, and somewhat talented but I give no kudos until the sophmore album is done. The second effort is where the rubber meets the road. The combination of touring, writing and pressure for a followup album has killed more bands than anthrax. It's simple truth though that without Los Lobos there'd have been no Los Lonely Boys, hell they could be their kids musically. I'll be watching to see what the kids have for round two.
Da Worfster :cool:
1. Production - Whle "And a Time to Dance" was their first "commercial" release, Los Lobos didn't go "wide" until "How Will the Wolf Survive?". Despite being more than 20 years old, the latter album by Los Lobos has a more polished feel. Although not their first album, it's the first one anyone outside of East L.A. might have heard. You can tell that there's a major label behind the production of the work. "Los Lonely Boys" has a more retro/garage tinge to it. Whether this is the result of default or design I do not know. Both are listenable with no glaring artifacts.
2. Songs - The Lonely Boys albums has hooks, but often it's the same hook. There are three songs that are quite similar in feel to the hit "How Far is Heaven?" It's not a bad thing so much as worrisome thing for future production. Los Lonely Boys also display the tight harmonies that only brothers singing together can sometimes produce. Los Lobos' debut is fare more musically diverse. It's also closer to it's Tejano roots with the use of Flaco on accordian on many tracks. To sit and listen to, Los Lobos, to dance to, Los Lonely Boys.
3. Musicianship - Los Lobos can play rings around the new comers, simple as that, except maybe in the area of drums. But to be fair Los Lobos is a LOT larger band. Los Lonely is a three piece outfit and often it sounds like it. I'd love to see em live though to really check out how they handle it.
Conclusion - Los Lobos has been around for years and have done the hard work, producing interesting and complex albums over that time. Los Lonely Boys are young, handsome, and somewhat talented but I give no kudos until the sophmore album is done. The second effort is where the rubber meets the road. The combination of touring, writing and pressure for a followup album has killed more bands than anthrax. It's simple truth though that without Los Lobos there'd have been no Los Lonely Boys, hell they could be their kids musically. I'll be watching to see what the kids have for round two.
Da Worfster :cool: