La Historia

When Selena was murdered in 1995, many people who weren't overly familiar with regional Mexican music wanted to know exactly what tejano was — how did it differ from other Mexican styles, or from Latin music in general? The answer is that tejano has represented a sleeker, smoother, more pop-minded approach to Mexican music; tejano, arguably, is to the regional Mexican audience what salsa romantica is to the salsa/Afro-Cuban audience. And one of the groups that has epitomized that sleeker, softer side of Mexican music in the '90s and 2000s is Intocable, whose La Historia is aimed at those who like their Tex-Mex rhythms laced with a big dose of Latin pop. This 2003 release looks back on the sextet's previously released '90s and early-2000s recordings, and it isn't the first Intocable best-of that EMI has put out — La Historia follows 1997's Lo Mejor de Intocable: 12 Super Exitos and 2001's 14 Grandes Exitos. But La Historia is more generous; 20 hits are offered instead of only 12 or 14, and it's a two-disc set — in addition to the 20-track audio CD, listeners are given a bonus DVD containing 12 Intocable videos. For novices, this is a logical place to get acquainted with hits like "Y Todo Para Qué," "No Te Vayas," and "Coqueta," and seasoned fans will be happy to have so many favorites under the same roof. La Historia doesn't cater to Tex-Mex purists; those who prefer to stick to a more hardcore approach would be off with a best-of by los Rieleros del Norte. But those who appreciate the softer and more pop-minded side of regional Mexican music will find a great deal to admire about this rewarding collection.