Son Demasiado

David Alvarez is one of the brightest young hopes of Cuban music, approaching it with a verve that owes a debt to tradition, but still has all the panache and energy of youth. There are also plenty of outside influences in his music, like accordion, as well as touches of hip-hop and Cumbia, making for a fascinating stew. It kicks off a cappella with Juana la Loca before diving headfirst into the main body of songs. Alvarez has become a very confident, powerful singer, with a vibrato thats quite distinctive (and, surprisingly, not annoying). Hes certainly not afraid to mix it up in his music, as in Amor a Primera Vista, which is actually a remake of a Cuban cha cha classic. But what a remake, with flute and African-style guitar (an acknowledgment of the cross-cultural fertilizations of Cuban and West African music, perhaps?). On top of that, the polyrhythms never stop, and the band is in top form throughout, pushing into the songs as eagerly as Alvarez himself. With this, his second release for Tumi, Alvarez shows himself to be one of the shining talents emerging from the new Cuba. ~ Chris Nickson