Editorial Review:Amazon.com:Lila Downs's sophomore U.S. release sees her take a much more folkloric tack than her debut, delving into the mystical codices of the Mexican Mixtec natives (her ancestry on her mother's side)--not that the entire album is made up of ancestral songs. There's also 'Nueve Viento,' a bolero
son as rich and satisfying as anything to come out of
Buena Vista Social Club. But the heart of this album beats strongest when it's barest, making the stark 'Yunu Yucu Ninu' (which she performed differently on her debut) into an eerie delight. Blessed with a remarkable voice, operatic training, and jazz chops, Downs can cover a lot of territory. 'Tres Pedernal' recalls the husky Tropicalia of Gal Costa. With its look at native culture and lore, this is a record that delves much deeper than Mexican pop, marking Downs as a serious singer of talent and depth.
--Chris Nickson
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Disc 1:- Simuna - Lila Downs, Cabrera, Manuel Rey
- Nueve Viento
- Arenita Azul - Lila Downs,
- La Iguana - Lila Downs,
- Yunu Yucu Ninu
- Xquenda - Lila Downs, Cabrera, Manuel Rey
- Nueve Hierba
- Tres Pedernal
- Luna
- Semilla de Piedra
- Arbol de la Vida
- Icnocuicatl
- Uno Muerte
Customer Reviews
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Exelente Musica
la mescla de musica es muy importante,el tono y realmente es la unica cantante mexicana que realmete canta canciones del pueblo, con estilo.
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Powerful Vocals
Lila Downs is a most powerful singer.I only wish I could understand the language.
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The folksy folks
This is Lila's most folksy album ever. And also one of her most beautiful, intense and probably long lasting ones. This music will be still as great as it is today, in, say, twenty years from now.
Do not miss this one. The music speaks for itself, not that I can add much more.
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The Jazzier side of Lila
TREE OF LIFE is quieter all around: Downs' songs present more of her jazzy side, tend towards less passionate riffs and displays, yet are smoothly evocative of her Mexican roots and heritage.
This isn't to say there's no spirit here: 'Nuevo Viento', for example, adopts a near-flamenco guitar style and exhibits the force of Downs' vocal trills.
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Back to roots
To the anonymous music fan from Seattle....shame on you. You have no idea what traditional Mexican music is...you must be one of those people that think burritos & "combinations" are traditional Mexican cuisine and that waltzes performed by misguided sell out mariachi bands are traditional Mexican music. Just as there is infinitely more to Mexican cuisine than is available in the U.S., consciousness about Mexican music is very superficial. Are southern gospel tunes or appalachian jigs any less American than Glenn Miller or Elvis Presley just because they were never discovered by mainstream audiences? While it is true that Lila fuses foreign influences with indigenous doesn't invalidate it...because Mexico's essence is one of mestizaje (fusion...racial, idiomatic, visual, and musical).
