Alejandro Fernández, Beastie Boys, Swizz Beatz, Shop Boyz and Delux.

the music press

tue 6/26/2007

A collage of Alejandro Fernández, Beastie Boys, Swizz Beatz, Shop Boyz and Delux.

prev next

Mexican crooner Alejandro Fernández releases his Aureo Vaqueiro-produced album, Viento A Favor, which is “filled with a range of rhythms that will take him closer to the Latin American public," according to El Nuevo Día newspaper. El Potrillo is lauded by The Houston Chronicle for alternating “effortlessly – and successfully – between the ranchera sound immortalized by his legendary father, Vicente Fernández, and the slick pop of Viento a Favor.”
Hip hop veterans Beastie Boys are back in the fold with The Mix Up, their second all-instrumental album since 1996's The In Sound from Way Out!. Entertainment Weekly finds it lacking “the rhythmic mojo of the circa-1970 obscurities they’re imitating here." A more forgiving Rolling Stone claims: "The Beasties play their old grooves like they realize how bad people miss them and how high their stock remains despite so many years away.”
Hey snitches, Swizz Beatz releases his debut album, One Man Band Man. Spin.com quips the New York-based producer-rapper “makes schizophrenia a virtue." Vibe magazine also vouches for Swizzy, if halfheartedly: “[H]e certainly lacks the transcendent personality of Kanye West, but in comparison to other producers-turned-rappers, he comfortably holds his own.”
Atlanta rappers Shop Boyz' debut, Rockstar Mentality, delivers “plenty of gratifyingly good-natured shout-and-fight boisterousness,” according to Billboard.com. Party Like A Rockstar is a radio favorite, but AllHipHop recommends the Boyz “thank their lucky (rock) stars because the album might make fans want to smash their CDs rather than guitars.”
Mexican punkers Delux release their major label debut, Entre La Guerra Y El Amor. The Tijuana emo-quartet has been rocking the border for almost seven years and is described by the Zeta newspaper as "one of the best representatives of Mexico's new wave of rock." Mexican rock magazine Sonika gives Entre La Guerra four out of five stars and compares it to releases from "División Minúscula, Finde's album and stuff from Panda (but good)."