Ana Bárbara - Te Atrapare Bandido (CD)

All Music Guide

Some listeners like their regional Mexican musicbe it banda, norteño/TexMex, ranchera or mariachitraditional, straightup and uncut, which is why los Tigres del Norte are incredibly popular and why the late Lola Beltrán's recordings continue to sell. Others see the value of a more popminded outlook, which is why Ana Bárbara has been quite successful in the regional Mexican market. Like many of the hits that Intocable, Mojado and Conjunto Primavera are famous for, Te Atraparé Bandido isn't traditionally Mexican in the way that Carlos Hernandez Chavez y los Trovadores are traditionally Mexican; Bárbara doesn't embrace "Cielito Lindo" or "Allá en el Rancho Grande" on this 2003 release. Rather, Te Atraparé Bandido is sleek, romantic, sentimental Latin pop with Mexican overtones. Bárbara incorporates cumbia on some of the selectionsspecifically, the Mexican interpretation of the Colombian cumbia rhythmand she does it in a consistently popfriendly fashion, leaving no doubt that Te Atraparé Ba...ndido is Latin pop first and foremost. Actually, Bárbara's vocals have a somewhat Gloria Estefanish quality; unlike Estefan, Bárbara isn't Cuban, but if Estefan belonged to the regional Mexican market instead of South Florida's sizable CubanAmerican community, the results might resemble what Bárbara does on tracks like "Ahora Soy de Hielo" and "Lo Mejor Que Te Escuché". The bilingual Estefan is part of Latin adult contemporary, and so is Bárbaraonly Bárbara does it with a mildly Mexican flavor that you wouldn't get from Estefan (either as a solo artist or the lead singer of the Miami Sound Machine). Bárbara doesn't cater to puristsnor does she claim to be one herselfand those who like their regional Mexican music laced with a big dose of Latin pop will find Te Atraparé Bandido to be a solid, if somewhat predictable, addition to the singer's catalog. - Alex Henderson, All Music Guide Read more Less