Atlas

With Atlas, Latin rock quintet Kinky move closer to actual rock than the electronic pop of their 2001 debut allowed. But contagious numbers like "Minotauro," built from a great twangy riff, and the breezy, acoustic shuffle of "Not Afraid" clearly put these Monterrey, Mexico, natives in the company of modern stateside pop groups like Sugar Ray. That's not to say the Gil Cerezo-fronted outfit avoids its roots, as traditional South American rhythms on "The Headphonist" create an ideal forum for Cake vocalist John McCrea's spoken observations on sound. Although some might argue that McCrea's visit on track number two is distracting, coming about nine songs too early, the musical flow isn't deterred for long, as the edgy, percussive "Snapshot" affirms. Speaking of Cake, "Airport Feelings" recalls those Californians at their quirkiest and most likable, although Cerezo's paranoia over air travel loses something in the translation to English. He's best served sticking to his native Spanish, as his commendable vocal performance on "Presidente" -- augmented by the undeniably hard, thumping funk groove of his bandmates -- exhibits. ~ John D. Luerssen|