Aqui Me Tienes

Album Review

Aquí Me Tienes, Yolanda Pérez's second album, won't totally silence those who have compared her to Jenni Rivera, the Mexican-American star who did more than anyone to make banda safe for young women. There are too many parallels between Pérez and Rivera for the comparisons to be avoided altogether. But Pérez is clearly her own person — she's far from a clone of Rivera or anyone else — and creatively, this unpredictable sophomore effort is a major step forward for the Los Angeles-based singer. If Rivera — who is famous for her angry, sharp-tongued diatribes against men who have done her wrong — is the Alanis Morissette of banda, Yolanda Pérez, aka la Potranquita, may be evolving into banda's answer to Christina Aguilera or Janet Jackson. In fact, parts of Aquí Me Tienes find her moving into hip-hop, urban contemporary, and dance-pop territory — especially "Juran y Juran" (which features rapper Sporty Loco), the title track, and "La Reina del Mall" (a fun, humorous duet with radio personality Don Cheto). In Spanish, "La Reina del Mall" means "queen of the mall," and the tune is about a traditional, very old-school Mexican father who thinks his Americanized daughter spends too much money on clothes; "La Reina del Mall" may very well be a Chicana equivalent of DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince's "Parents Just Don't Understand." But if parts of Aquí Me Tienes sidestep banda, Pérez's banda credentials are alive and well on "Cancion de la Palomilla," "Corrido de la Potranquita," and "Me Voy a Bailar." That isn't to say that Pérez ever gives the illusion of being a banda purist; for Pérez, banda is something to be combined with everything from hip-hop to cumbia. And that eclectic outlook is a big part of the fun; Pérez seems to enjoy keeping her listeners guessing. Dejenme Llorar, Pérez's first album, had its moments but was mildly uneven; with the more consistent and focused Aquí Me Tienes, Pérez definitely takes it to the next artistic level.