Cada Vez Mas Fuerte (CD - 2008)

In contrast to all the English-speaking rock, R&B, country, and hip-hop artists who might take two, three, or four years to come out with a new album, regional Mexican artists tend to record much more often. Consequently, they build large catalogs in a hurry. Liberación are a good example; there are countless Liberación albums to choose from, some more memorable than others. Cada Vez Mas Fuerte (Stronger Every Time) is among the group's more consistent efforts, and one of the things that makes this 2008 release a creative success is the fact that Liberación keep things lively and inspired on both the hardcore ranchera side and the crossover/Latin pop/grupero side. Cada Vez Mas Fuerte kicks into high gear with the humorous opener, "Quién Te Manda Estar Tan Chula," which combines mariachi trumpets, banda brass, and norteño accordion; equally straight-ahead in their approach to regional Mexican music are "Me Cae Que Te Olvido" (which is heavy-duty norteño) and "Siento Celos." But there is plenty of pop-minded material as well, and more of a grupero outlook prevails on tracks like "Como Se Olvida," "A una Almohada de Distancia," "Pecado Mortal," and "Pregúntale." Those songs aren't designed with regional Mexican purists in mind, but from a grupero/Latin pop perspective, they get the job done -- and Liberación's ability to use a little banda here and a little norteño there even when they are in crossover mode adds to the variety, which is a good thing. Cada Vez Mas Fuerte has too much Latin pop appeal to win over the die-hard purists and traditionalists who insist on a strictly straight-ahead approach to regional Mexican music, but those who appreciate both a hardcore approach and a crossover approach will find it to be an enjoyable addition to Liberación's sizable catalog. ~ Alex Henderson minimize