Leyenda y Tradición - Los Mejores Corridos de los Jefes de Jefes

Album Review

This collection of corridos by true “leaders of the leaders” Los Tigres del Norte (Tigers of the North) is a grand retrospective of their norteño/conjunto-style ballads that go all the way back to 1974’s smash “Contrabanda y Tracions,” which changed the sound of Mexican popular music on both sides of the border. Los Tigres' meld of accordion, saxophone, bajo sexto, and pumping electric bass is infectious, and the proof is in the grooves. There are 15 hit singles assembled here that comment on everything from drug trafficking and the toll it takes to love, social commentary, ambition, desire, and betrayal. Each and every song, despite the evolution of personnel in the band, is a stone killer of the genre. Despite the band’s many compilations, this entry in the Leyeda y Tradicion series is the first time that a collection made up exclusively of the quintet's corridos has been issued. Other notable tunes on the set include “Cesar Chavez,” “Un Hombre de Ley,” “Mi Soldado,” and “La Bronco Negra.”