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Los Lonely Boys, 'Forgiven'

The stars of ‘Texican’ rock serve up a predictable but sturdy third effort

By Michelle Lanz

Special to Metromix
July 1, 2008

Critic's Rating:

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Backstory: Heavily influenced by Latin guitar legend Santana as well as native Texans Willie Nelson and Stevie Ray Vaughan, siblings Henry, Jojo and Ringo Garza describe their music as “Texican,” a mix of country, blues and Latin rock. Their father Enrique Garza Sr. was also in a band of brothers called the Falcones. “Forgiven” is their third full-length album and their second since the 2004 single “Heaven” rocketed them to a Grammy win and critical attention.

Why you should care: Los Lonely Boys don’t take themselves too seriously. They love their fans and make music to enjoy, not to mull over and philosophize about the deep meaning of the lyrics. You’re either into how it sounds or you’re not.

Verdict: Veteran producer Steve Jordan steps in on “Forgiven” and delivers an album so clean it borders on over-produced. Every intricate guitar lick is heard and mixed to perfection, but almost to a fault—we hope their live show would have a more raw feel. The band pays homage to Steve Winwood with a well-done and bluesy cover of “I’m a Man,” and drummer Ringo Jr. makes a surprise and impressive vocal debut on “Superman”—he should rock the mic more often. Unfortunately, however, most of the tracks end up sounding so similar, boredom sets in. “Forgiven” isn’t much of a departure from or improvement on Los Lonely Boys’ previous releases, but its consistent tracks will undoubtedly please fans. 

X-Factor: The Boys recorded their eponymous first album at Willie Nelson’s Pedernales Studio about 30 miles from Austin, Texas. Uncle Willie even made a guest appearance on the album and brought the band on tour. They must be doing something right.

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