SEP 24
Vikki Carr
Viva la Vida (Sony)
***
Her first album since 2001. A collection of songs backed by José Hernández’s Mariachi Sol de México and the National Symphony of the Americas.
SEP 25
Ozomatli
Ozomatli Presents OzoKidz (Hornblow/Megaforce/RED)
***1/2
Children’s album produced by Robert Carranza, who had already worked with them in 2007’s Don’t Mess with the Dragon.
Alejandro Sanz
La música no se toca (Universal)
***1/2
First album in three years by one of the most talented mainstream superstars in Latin pop. Co-produced by Colombian Julio Reyes Copello.
OCT 22
Café Tacuba
El objeto antes llamado disco (Universal Music Latino)
The long-awaited return of Latin alternative’s most critically acclaimed band. Ten new songs recorded live with all four members facing each other in front of small or medium-sized crowds in Los Angeles, Mexico City, Santiago, and Buenos Aires.
OCT 23
Tony Bennett
Viva Duets (Columbia)
A silly name for an intriguing album (at least they didn’t call it Spicy Duets or Suave Duets). With guests like Nuyorican Marc Anthony, Puerto Rican Chayanne, Mexican Thalía, Dominican Juan Luis Guerra, Cuban Gloria Estefan, Brazilian Roberto Carlos, and others (all superstars), this should be a hit-and-miss. But previous duets with Juanes and Alejandro Sanz were done tastefully, so I’ll be listening.
NOV 19
Pitbull
Global Warming (RCA)
Seventh studio album by the Cuban kid who started as an average rapper and became a dance empire. So far, everything he has touched has turned into gold, and having a first single featuring Shakira shouldn’t hurt him this time, either. — Enrique Lopetegui
This article appears in Sep 26 – Oct 2, 2012.