Aterciopelados

Oye (Nacional)

Inevitably, Colombia’s Aterciopelados – “Velvety Ones” – have located the velvet rut. 2000’s career creamer, Gozo Poderoso, got even Grammy’s attention, but neither solo album from the group’s yin-yang, nor a 2002 greatest hits broached a follow-up. Now, Oye leaves word of Triple-A. Platter six packs its predecessor’s “powerful pleasure,” but flatter, as if sound wizard Héctor Buitrago forgot to light the disco ball. Andrea Echeverri, meanwhile, sounds … ordinary. African and Middle Eastern accents (“Majestad”) bottom out well, but opening “Complemento” sets a complacent tone among adult tempos. “Don Dinero” tallies cash cows, but its leaden beat begs youthful irreverence on the order of Café Tacuba. “Cruz de Sal” percolates convincingly, only without a “Dinero” hook, and perky protest “Cancion Protesta” fails to convince. Echeverri crooner “Insoportable” tangs and pangs to the rescue, sparking the desert exotica of “Paces,” a throwback to the spunk of 1997’s La Pipa de la Paz. Mas Peace Pipe por favor.

**.5

This article appears in December 22 • 2006.

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San Francisco native Raoul Hernandez crossed the border into Texas on July 2, 1992, and began writing about music for the Chronicle that fall, debuting with an album review of Keith Richards’ Main Offender. By virtue of local show previews – first “Recommendeds,” now calendar picks – his writing’s appeared in almost every issue since 1993.