Para Mi Pueblo

Even if the relentless banda rhythms on Graciela Beltran's Para Mi Pueblo are a bit off-putting, you've got to admire her consistency. The Sinaloa, Mexico, native incorporates a smattering of styles into her work, but every song is backed by that unavoidable banda beat--a steady stream of horns that sound like the arrival of a circus. It's pretty straightforward stuff, but Beltran has chosen songs from an impressive list of songwriters, including Guadalupe Ramos (who wrote the first single, "Animas Que No Amanezca"), Cornelio Reyna, Juan Gabriel, and Marco Antonio Solis. Beltran herself wrote two of the album's tracks, "Quise Negarlo" and "Perdiste la Partida," which flow effortlessly into the mix. The album's best moment, however, is "La Mucura," a traditional cumbia that benefits from Beltran's sassy interpretation. It also showcases how much fun Beltran's sound could be with just a little more variation. --Joey Guerra