Por el Resto de Tu Vida

It's no coincidence that one of the singles Mazizo Musical are best known for is their 2006 cover of Marco Antonio Solís' "Loco por Ti." Solís is a Latin pop superstar — one of Mexico's most enormously successful, in fact — and Mazizo Musical have emphasized the Latin pop side of duranguense. Por el Resto de Tu Vida ("For the Rest of Your Life") doesn't contain any Solís covers, but it is definitely the type of duranguense album that favors a considerable amount of Latin pop appeal. The bouncy duranguense sound has become more and more diverse, which is one of its strong points; the fact that duranguense includes everything from rancheras and corridos to Latin pop-minded material is a plus — and on Por el Resto de Tu Vida, Latin pop-minded material is dominant. Energetic, danceable tracks such as "Mas Que a Mi Vida," "Para Recordar," "Como Cuento de Hadas," and "Niña Preciosa" have plenty of rhythmic bounce, but they also have plenty of romantic sentimentality. One track that is atypical of this 35-minute CD on the whole is "Se Acelero la Plebada," which goes for a strong ranchera flavor rather than stressing the romantic Latin pop element that usually defines Por el Resto de Tu Vida. That tune adds a bit of variety to an album that tends to be predictable. But if Por el Resto de Tu Vida sounds formulaic at times, it is enjoyably formulaic. Mazizo Musical are obviously good at what they do — and while this disc doesn't take a lot of chances, it is nonetheless a likable effort that does nothing to alienate the Chicago-based group's hardcore fans.