Cordero: De Donde Eres

Ani Cordero and her band are all about mood. Forget all the clichés about Latin music, the spicy this, the fiery that, because none of that cuts it with this Brooklyn indie outfit that just happens to operate in Ani's native tongue rather than Engish. Take the vocals out of the mix and Cordero can easily be mistaken for Calexico, but comparisons are pointless here except as a ballpark frame of musical reference. De Donde Eres, Cordero's fifth album and second on alt-country label Bloodshot Records, flat rocks in any language. More importantly, it doesn't copy anything or anyone, unless you want to make far-flung associations like "Fin del Mundo" sounds like U2 jamming with R.E.M. in a Nuevo Laredo mariachi bar. Whether she's singing a quiet, tense ballad like "Guarasecretos" or rocking on the slinky "Ruleta Rusa" — yeah, that's Russian Roulette — Cordero's voice is absolutely riveting. Combine that voice with the band's funky, syncopated beats, jazzy keys and trumpet that comes from somewhere near Miles Davis and you've got a musical mixture that transcends styles, borders and cultures, providing something truly fine for all who listen with open ears and minds.