Reggaeton swaggered to the upper reaches of the charts, turning bling-sporting rappers Daddy Yankee and Don Omar into stars. Teen sensation RBD released three CDs in a blatant effort to cash in before its fickle audience moved on to the next disposable group. Plus, we got the welcomed return of Alejandro Sanz, David Bisbal, Mana and Aterciopelados with great new discs.
That's the story of Latin music circa 2006.
Top 10 Latin CDs:
1. ALEJANDRO SANZ "El Tren de los Momentos" (Warner Music Latina)
Spanish singer-songwriter's most completely realized disc in a career full of formidable releases.
He experiments with jazz, reggaeton, R B, pop, samba, salsa and, of course, his native flamenco. He expresses songs brimming with poetic, panoramic lyrics. And he's casually confident throughout.
2. DEL CASTILLO "Brotherhood" (Smilin' Castle Records)
Austin's Latin rockers brilliantly found their muse on CD No. 3.
Whether it's the Del Castillo brothers' fiery fretwork on those smoking Spanish guitars, the thick rhythm section or lead singer Alex Ruiz's passionate turns on the microphone, "Brotherhood" emanates mystic Latin power.
3. LA OREJA DE VAN GOGH "Guapa" (Sony BMG Norte)
Another Latin music treasure from Spain.
Combine breezy melodies and an effervescent mix of pop, folk and rock with the sweet vocals of Amaia Montero to craft a sparkling gem of a record that grows more infectious with each hearing.
4. PEPE AGUILAR "Enamorado" (EMI Televisa Music)
Zacatecas-raised romantic ranchero vocalist has no competition.
His supple voice, strong yet sultry, caresses a batch of cover tunes mostly from the '70s and makes them his own, particularly his stunning takes on Emmanuel's "Todo Se Derrumbo" and Mocedades' "Quien Te Cantara."
5. JULIETA VENEGAS "Limon y Sal" (Sony BMG Norte)
She may have started as an alternative, perhaps unwitting member of the rock en espanol brigade, but don't be fooled.
Mexico's Julieta Venegas is an alt-pop lady and a darned good one, too. Aside from the reggaeton-spiced "Primer Dia," all of Limon y Sal comes brimming with crisp, left-of-center pop numbers.
6.
ATERCIOPELADOS "Oye" (Nacional Records)
After solo projects, including one each from the group founders Andrea Echeverri and Hector Buitrago, Aterciopelados returns with a sinfully delicious little record. The sinewy power of Echeverri's voice is most evident now as she glides through moody, rock-influenced pop tracks "Complemento," "Don Dinero" and "Insoportable."
7.
OBIE BERMUDEZ "Lo Que Trajo el Barco" (EMI Televisa Music)
Puerto Rico's pop-tropical singer-songwriter helped pen and produce his fourth disc, about the enduring value of familial and romantic relationships from immigrants' points of view. Highlights: the salsa-meets-pop "Ella Tiene Algo (El Secreto de Victoria)," the soulful, soaring ballad "Si Fuera Facil" and the slightly percussive "Sigo Con Ella."
8.
DAVID BISBAL "Premonicion" (Vale Music/Universal Music Latino)
Latin pop for the sheer fun of it, for that exhilarating rush - from a hooky chorus to a rhythm so tightly played you can't help but get off the chair and work the hardwood floor. The Spanish singer found the perfect merger of mainstream pop, flamenco touches, rock and even reggaeton spice on his third major-label studio effort.
9.
MANA "Amar Es Combatir" (Warner Music Latina)
Yes, the CD's too long. Mexico's Mana can be self-indulgent. But everything these guys record is an event, and there's something so worldly about their music, especially tracks such as "Labios Compartidos," "Bendita Tu Luz," "El Rey Tiburon" and "Relax.
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10. CONTROL "Controlmania" (Univision Records)
Control is the cumbia lovers' dream. Here's a Mexican group that dared to take the cumbia out of the requisite Tejano genre, where it flourished for years, and away from its Colombian roots.
The results? Dance music for the sheer joy of dancing. Play "Viva el Amor" and cut loose.
Looking ahead:
Call it the little independent Latin label that can. Nacional Records, based in North Hollywood, Calif., opened its doors in March 2005 but really showed the industry its moxie in 2006.
The imprint released acclaimed discs by Aterciopelados, the band's first studio album in six years; a solo CD by Hector Buitrago (from Aterciopelados); the hypnotic soundtrack to "La Mujer de Mi Hermano"; and a revamped reissue of "Red Hot Latin: Silencio Muerte," among others. The label has plenty of presence on iTunes and eMusic and has enjoyed four Grammy nominations. Expect bigger things from this progressive-thinking label and its artists in 2007.
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