Me Gustan las Viejas Buenas

Certain adjectives have a way of coming up a lot when Banda Jerez is being described — adjectives that have included, among many others, exuberant, funny, humorous, irreverent, fun, spirited, tireless and lively. All of those adjectives are applicable on this 2006 release, which underscores the fact that even though Jerez' members are well aware of regional Mexican music's rich past, they are not stuck in it. Me Gustan Las Viejas Buenas leaves no doubt that Jerez is well aware of the great ranchera and corrido contributions of previous generations of Mexican artists, and yet, this 34-minute CD is quite modern and contemporary sounding by 2006 standards. Of course, not all regional Mexican listeners are fans of Jerez' irreverent approach; Jerez have had their share of detractors who were critical of some of their more off-color lyrics. But folks who do appreciate where Jerez is coming from musically — those who realize that art is not polite 100 percent of the time — eat their albums up, and Me Gustan Las Viejas Buenas does not disappoint. The usual Jerez aggression is impossible to miss on colorful, hot-blooded tracks like "Tamarindo," "Corrido del Perico," "Tu Madre" and "Discúlpeme Amigo." That said, Me Gustan Las Viejas Buenas isn't quite as essential as Y Arriba Zacatecas: Homenaje a Don Antonio Aguilar (another 2006 release) or 2005's Billete Verde, but it's still an inspired, exciting example of the in-your-face outlook that Jerez brings to banda.