Los Huracanes del Norte

In regional Mexican music, artists tend to record frequently; it isn't uncommon for a popular norteño, banda, or mariachi artist to provide two or even three new albums every year -- which is quite a contrast to all the alternative rock, urban contemporary, and hip-hop artists who take two, three, or four years to finish a new album. Consequently, a lot of regional Mexican artists will build a large catalog in a hurry; for every new album that, say, U2 or R.E.M. provided in the '90s, los Huracanes del Norte came out with five or six. So why do los Huracanes and similar bands flood the market with so many CDs? Because they know that regional Mexican audiences can be extremely loyal. Los Huracanes have an incredibly loyal fan base, and their more hardcore fans won't think twice about acquiring every new album they come out with. But for those who have a more casual interest in norteño, seeing how huge los Huracanes' catalog is can be intimidating. When a group has provided more than 40 albums (as of 2004), casual listeners may have a hard time figuring out where to start -- which is why a best-of like Legado Norteño: Con Fuerza y Sentimiento is desperately needed. This 2004 release boasts 20 of los Huracanes' well-known hits, including essential gems like "Pa Qué Te Casabas Juan," "El Perro de Tu Marido," and "Nomás por Tu Culpa." And Legado Norteño isn't strictly an album of Fonovisa recordings; Fonovisa has licensed four of los Huracanes' Garnex hits ("Cruz de Madera," "En Ranchero Chido," "Las Nieves de Enero," and "La Musiquera"). Legado Norteño is far from the last word on los Huracanes, but for casual listeners, it can be an excellent introduction to the Tex-Mex powerhouse. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide