Border Review by World Village

Lila Downs - Border / Narada World

It's only a year since Downs issued her last, remarkable album. But she obviously has a lot to say, and her third release focuses on the Mexican border and the migrant workers. Musically it's her most adventurous outing to date, experimenting with form and feel. And like all experiments, not everything works. In fact, where she harks back to the jazziness of her debut she seems weakest. It's when she's taking chances, as on the hip-hop inflected "Sale Sobrando," that things really take off, while the acerbic "Smoke" and an odd, bust mostly compelling medley of "Pastures Of Plenty/This Land Is Your Land/Land" not only fits in thematically, but pushes a couple of sonic envelopes too. Downs's voice continues to grow, both physically and as an artist. And the fact that she's willing to risk so much so often is all to her lasting credit.

FUENTE