Carlos Vives El Rock De Mi Pueblo CD

With EL ROCK DE MI PUEBLO, Colombian soap-opera star Carlos Vives tempers his previous forays into his native Vallenato rhythms with Caribbean influences and an ample dose of rock & roll; there's also a taste of Spanish rap for good measure. But if the album can be summed up in one track, that song might be the multicultural "Santa Marta-Kingston-New Orleans," a reggae-sweetened pop nugget that's a tribute to Vives's good-natured, outgoing brand of music. The title track is Vives's typical accordion-flavored rock with Vallenato overtones, lending it a somewhat John Mellencamp-like flavor, while the traditional-sounding "Gallito de Caramelo," perhaps the record's most intriguing cut, packs a wealth of South American culture into its danceable rhythms. Carlos Vives's cheerful cross-pollination is a treat for anyone craving a little pop with their world music.