The Devil's Swing

[Louis Proyect <lnp3@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Various Artists
The Devil's Swing: El Columpio Del Diablo
Arhoolie www.arhoolie.com

When oral tradition quickly slipped away in the 20th century, the art of
ballad writing seemed to go with it. Luckily, in isolated spots like La
Junta de los Ríos, corridos, or narrative ballads, have continued to
thrive. These ballads preserve Texas-Mexican border culture dating from the
mid-nineteenth century to the present, documenting everything from cattle
drives to modern day drug lords.

Vibrant accordion and bright singing enlivens much of The Devil's
Swing.   Los Palomares De Ojinaga enlists vivid harmony in Corrido De
Kiansas to tell the story of a dangerous cattle drive in Kansas, while Los
Palomares Del Bravo recalls the legendary Pancho Villa in La Tumba De
Villa.   Many songs, like Los Jilgueros Del Arroyo's bloody ballad, La
Muerte De Fermín Arévalos, document the illegal trafficking of drugs and
assassinations of rival drug lords. The music of these story songs is often
happy and danceable, despite the grim subject matter.

The Devil's Swing was recorded as a companion for the film of the same
name. This fresh recording, with its ballads and acoustic instruments, will
probably evoke an earlier, simpler culture to many listeners.  But the
tales of drug smuggling disavow that. The lyrics also point out the
continued uneasiness between Mexicans and Americans along the border. The
Devil's Swing manages the twin tasks of documenting the life of a unique
culture while remaining musically enjoyable.  - Ronnie D. Lankford

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00004NRR9/rootsworldmagazi/
---
From:

RootsWorld Bulletin:
The Latin Tinge: US, Mexico, the Caribbean and South America
http://www.rootsworld.com/rw/
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Louis Proyect
Marxism mailing list: http://www.marxmail.org/