Prisionero de Ti

In norteño/Tex-Mex circles, the name Raúl Hernández carries a lot of weight. He was a founding member of los Tigres del Norte — one of norteño's most exciting groups — and when he launched a solo career in 1996, it was big news for norteño enthusiasts. As it turned out, the veteran singer's solo output has been somewhat of a departure from his work with los Tigres; although Hernández has continued to embrace norteño as a solo artist, he has also turned his attention to banda and mariachi (two things los Tigres aren't known for). Prisionero de Ti, like other solo albums Hernández has recorded for Fonovisa, is hardly a carbon copy of los Tigres' work; nonetheless, he remains one of the more traditional vocalists in the regional Mexican market. Hernández doesn't make any pop moves on this CD; steering clear of the sleek, polished grupero and tejano styles, he maintains his earthy outlook and provides an album that should have no problem appealing to Mexican purists. Whether Hernández is getting into straight-up banda on "Las Garras de una Fiera," "Se Acabó Mi Paciencia," and "El Cheque" or offering an inspired mariachi/norteño blend on "Dos Amores" and the title track, Prisionero de Ti isn't Mexican music in the crossover sense — this is hardcore Mexican music, and Hernández brings a great deal of warmth and vitality to his sentimental performances. Hernández doesn't necessarily isolate these different Mexican styles; in fact, he often mixes things up and is likely to combine two or three of them. The ambitious "El Toro Palomo," for example, manages to unite banda's chugging tuba and mariachi's trumpet with ranchera's acoustic guitar and norteño's accordion. And when all is said and done, Hernández has delivered an album that is fairly unpredictable but consistently excellent.