Who wouldn’t respect an erstwhile anthropologist drop-out from the University of Minnesota who decided to become a ranchera folk singer in Oaxaca? Lila Downs has a voice that sounds like it’s coming from a deep cavern of sparkling brass, but the production tends to go overboard with faux-indigineity, crossover electric guitar solos, and Sandra Cisnerosesque sentimentalism. These two tracks, from her newish album La Cantina “Entre Copa Y Copa…”, largely avoid those pitfalls.

Lila Downs - Cumbia del Mole
Lila Downs - La Tequileria