Cabas - Contacto (CD)

All Music Guide

Andrés Cabas Rosales is not the new Ricky Martin. Although his naked torso features prominently throughout the packaging of his self-titled sophomore release, Cabas, any similarities are dispelled upon listening to the genre-bending collection of songs inside. The Columbia-born multi-instrumentalist and songwriter succeeds in paying homage to his heroes and remaining edgy at the same time. Slick, modern-rock guitars plow through Latin percussion on the brutal "Bolita De Trapo" and the catchy opener "La Caderona." Cabas has a gift for melody and nowhere does that shine through more than on the mesmerizing "La Conquista." The labyrinthine string arrangements and soaring vocals are comparable to Milton Nascimento and Lô Borges, whose work in the early 1970s has influenced, inspired, and informed so many aspiring Latino composers. Cabas closes the record with the plaintive "Primer amor," a warm, simple love song that, like the rest of Cabas, stays with you long after the stereo goes dim.

- James Christopher Monger, All Music Guide