Sarah Fox and Joel Guzman

Latinology (Guzman Fox)

Fans patiently awaiting the long-overdue disc from Joel Guzman and Sarah Fox may be surprised, both good and bad. Latinology is a wide departure from 1999’s Aztex, the couple’s previous Tex-Mex roots platter. Latinology also features said genre, along with pop, blues, and jazz tunes. Unfortunately, the album kicks off with the weakest songs first. A talented vocalist, Fox sounds surprisingly nasal on “Una Historia” and elsewhere. This song about a devoted daughter eager for a connection with her reticent father is further hindered by prosaic lyrics. To get a better sense of Fox’s skills, skip to “Pray for Peace,” a lovely, howl-at-the-moon blues anthem. Latinology doesn’t hit the gas until track five with “Sangre Azteca,” a brilliantly arranged cumbia seasoned by Guzman’s lively accordion. From there the album percolates, but the uneven nature of Latinology will further try the patience of the patient.

**

This article appears in September 7 • 2007.

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