Bubba Hernandez

Dancing en Fuego (Moon Zero Bird)

Two-time Grammy winner and onetime Brave Combo member Bubba Hernandez headlines his second solo disc, a high energy, mostly cumbia, pop-rock disc, with 14 tracks that “loosely follow a love cycle.” The timeless, multifaceted subject of love should be an easy sell, and the tempos are danceable all right, but overall, the music’s as memorable as concession-stand food: tasty in the moment but ultimately unfulfilling. And lyrics such as “You are my shotgun; I am your bullet. Jump on the trigger; we’re going to pull it” (“Hero”), flanked by shrieking, Tejano-style accordion riffs, induce laughs – but not the good kind. What Dancing en Fuego delivers is Hernandez’s solid vocals. He’s especially great on “Avisame,” arching from low growls to heart-wrenching, rock & roll-style howls with shocking ease.

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This article appears in September 19 • 2008.

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