Soul Disguise

Cesar Rosas | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 2, 1999)
• Original Release Date: February 2, 1999
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Rykodisc
• ASIN: B00000I04L
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #183,080 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

On this fine solo-album debut, it comes as no surprise to find veteran Los Lobos singer-songwriter-guitarist Cesar Rosas revisiting the R&B, soul, roots-rock, and norteño ingredients that made his East L.A. band's musical stew so compelling. What's revealing is Rosas's willingness to deconstruct his Grammy-winning band's sound back to its constituent components, making Soul Disguise play like a loving journey across borders both musical and national. Rosas largely eschews the slick production values of '90s-vintage Los Lobos for considerably more grit and funk. Here he tackles with playful abandon everything from traditional Tex-Mex (his own "Angelito" and a cover of "Adios Mi Vida," both with legend Flaco Jiminez adding his distinctive accordion flourishes) to a swampy version of Ike Turner's "You've Got to Lose." Rosas stubs his toe only once, on the '70s-ish acoustic utopian ballad "Better Way." Similar journeys have been made by everyone from Steve Miller and Ry Cooder to precliché ZZ Top; it's Rosas's excursions into Stax and New Orleans R&B territory (like the delicious "Struck" and the funky "Shack and Shambles"), along with his sharp border-music and blues-roots sense, that makes Soul Disguise so distinct and satisfying. --Jerry McCulley

Entertainment Weekly

The solo debut of Los Lobos' goateed frontman is a straight-ahead album of pulsing MexiCali blues and border soul.

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great roots music CD, December 20, 2004

By 

William H. Maruca "Bill Maruca" (Wexford, PA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Soul Disguise (Audio CD)

Rosas steps out in front on this CD with great songwriting, hot guitar work and powerful singing. Very much like the early Lobos sound. I pulled this out to play the other day and had forgotten how good it was. Was curious to read the other reviews. If you like the bluesy, rootsy side of Los Lobos, check it out. There's some tex-mex and norteno too, and a nod in the direction of New Orleans, but mostly R&B in the style of "Don't Worry Baby." Lyrically the CD doesn't stray far from the "she done me wrong" blues tradition - I think David Hidalgo may be the stronger lyricist of the two, but it's got plenty of grit.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars The great Los Lobos album Los Lobos never made..., April 15, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Soul Disguise (Audio CD)

Fans of Los Lobos' rhythm and blues and rock tracks (Don't Worry Baby, Rosalie) will love this album from start to finish. Rosas' best work since Los Lobos' "How Will The Wolf Survive". Has a unfinished, loose quality to it that listeners will find they either love or hate.

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Labor of Love, sabes?, January 20, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Soul Disguise (Audio CD)

When Soul Disguise came out, I flipped out in sheer delight! Great tunes covering many musical styles! Having a party? Put it on and watch the house start rockin! Every song on the cd is great. Even Cesar Rosas' Soul Disguise concert in Seattle was awesome! I gotta tell you the man plays his heart out. It was great to hear the cd's songs played out loud, rockin' and raunchy. Obviously, the crowd also got off on the musica norteña part of the show. A real jammer, he also mixed it up on a medley featuring Don't Worry Baby and Pipeline! Cesar's coolness was confirmed when he greeted me and others afterwards and signed our cds. His solo effort solidifies him as one of the best singer/songwriter/guitarists of our time. I will see him with his band or with his "carnales" anytime, anywhere. He's keeping real music alive, ese.