Search - Lydia Mendoza :: Best of Lydia Mendoza

Excellent introduction to this giant of Tejano balladry

Joe Sixpack -- Slipcue.com | ...in Middle America | 05/17/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Arhoolie Records has long been the curator of the legacy of Texas music legend Lydia Mendoza, one of the most powerful singers to hail from the Tex-Mex border area in the 20th Century. Mendoza passed away in December, 2007, and this collection is a fitting legacy. Culled from the many albums Arhoolie issued over the years, it presents Mendoza's passage from the powerful stylist of her youth (the opening tracks, from the 1930s, evoke the same sort of gravitas and depth as Edith Piaf during the same era) to her more mature years, including live performances in the 1980s that show her still a tremendous singer and interpreter of song. There is musical experimentation along the way, and a variety of styles that always serves to underscore the clarity and beauty of her voice. This is a great single-disc introduction to a highly-revered artist; if you like what you hear on this best-of set, there's plenty more to explore from here. (DJ Joe Sixpack, Slipcue music reviews)"