Marc Ribot y Los Cubanos Postizos

Muy Divertido! (Atlantic)

Call downtown New York guitarist Marc Ribot's second Postizos CD the Manhattan Vista Social Club. It's a blend of ? & the Mysterians, Tito Puente, and the Sir Douglas Quintet, meshing garage rock, salsa, and a hint of Tex-Mex in 10 tracks.

Launched with the sweetly urgent "Dame un Cachito Pa'huele," by Cuban inspiration Arsenio Rodriguez, Ribot delivers salsa (Israel Rodriguez's "Se Formo el Bochinche," roughly translatable to "Let's Start a Riot"), weird samba (Ribot's "Las Lomas de New Jersey," or "Hills of New Jersey"), a popping bass track featuring Brad Jones (Rodriguez's sonically galvanizing "Jaguey"), and several killer dance tunes. Unlike the group's self-titled 1998 debut, there's more individuality and less homage here. This time out, Newark native Ribot contributes several tracks. Besides the surreal "Hills," there's the moody "El Gaucho Rojo" (you can imagine this behind a commercial for a cologne of the same name) and "Baile Baile Baile" ("Dance Dance Dance"), a guitar track so racy you can visualize Ritchie Valens coming of age to it.