El Cancionero Mas y Mas

People so often refer to Los Lobos (The Wolves) as a Chicano group that it obscures the fact that they are a quintessential American rock band. As facile with roots rock, R&B, rap and guitar hero twazzling as they are with Mexican folk music, Los Lobos is a formidable assemblage of rhythms and riffs that can knock on just about any door and leave listeners happy. This four-disc set follows the group chronologically from 1977 through 2000, with most of the essential work included. It’s a great collection for the curious, and for longtime fans the book is full of some of the most revealing anecdotes about a band ever put in print.

Check out other box sets full of music and spoken-word greatness which are stocking the shelves this season.

Larry Gabriel is the Metro Times editor. E-mail [email protected].