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Part of what makes Kid Ramos such a great guitarist is that he plays equally well with anyone and everyone, be it the James Harman Band, the Fabulous Thunderbirds, the Mannish Boys--even on his solo albums, where he's presumably the star, he gives his guests as much space as he does himself, crafting his own contributions to fit into the overall sound. Despite his undeniable flash, the man's a pro, not a glory hound, though he often can't help but stand out anyhow. So it is with Los Fabulocos, fronted by himself and accordionist/lead singer Jesus Cuevas (best known for his work with the Blazers), with James Barrios on bass and Mike Molina on drums.
Though the music owes more to the Gulf Coast, their sterling debut is being called Cali-Mex because the group hails from the Los Angeles area. However it's classified, it's arguably THE roots album of the year so far, a kaleidoscopic blend of blues, r&b, rock & roll, rockabilly, swamp pop, conjunto and Mexican music sung in Spanish and English and held together by the musicians' Chicano soul sensibility. You need only hear the beginning and ending tracks--"Educated Fool," on which Cuevas' harmonica-like accordion intro and outro and Ramos' jagged guitar solo and fills help recreate New Orleans jivemeister Huey "Piano" Smith's "disturbance in your mind," and the self-explanatory-even-if-you-don't-understand-Spanish "Mexico Americano" borrowed from Texans Rumel Fuentes and Los Pinguinos del Norte--to get an idea of the range. The passion and conviction these guys bring to everything they do makes the music feel like blues even when it isn't.
There are originals like Cuevas's "If You Know," with its sprung rhythms and guitar-accordion interplay, and Barrios's muscular country boozer "You Keep Drinkin'." Cuevas also shines on his "Day After Day," featuring some of his most "outside" accordion work, and on Rockin' Sidney's "You Ain't Nothin' But Fine," where his playing verges on dissonance (which I believe would be a first for accordion). He channels Flaco Jimenez's accordion on "Un Mojado sin Licencia" (written by Flaco's father Santiago Jimenez). Ramos brings his deft touch and fat tone to the group's raunchy remake of Clifton Chenier's "All Night Long," while his instrumental "Burnin' the Chicken" sounds like something Ennio Morricone might produce on Duane Eddy. His lovely guitar lines transform the Johnny Burnette Rock & Roll Trio's "Lonesome Tears in My Eyes" into an "El Paso"-like Mexican-flavored ballad also marked by his own moody vocals. But for me, anyhow, the high point of the album is Lloyd Price's "Just Because," which blows away the original while shimmering like a mirage behind Cuevas's trembling, heartfelt vocals. This is Gulf Coast triplets heaven.
But then, with its shifting textures and sinewy music, the whole album provides transcendence of one kind or another. Most of all, it's great fun, a transcendent dancehall romp with boundless energy and good feeling that gets deep in your bones and won't let go. With the increased interest in Chicano soul these days, it'd be nice to think that there's much more to come from Los Fabulocos.
