LA RADIOLINA - MANU CHAO
Six years after Many Chao’s last U.S. studio release, “La Radiolina” swoops in to save the day with the renowned energy of his live shows. Not content to just be bangin’ on his bongo drum, Chao brings a palpable sense of urgency to rock anthems like “Rainin’ in Paradize,” “El Hoyo” and “El Kitapena.” Similar arrangements are repeated throughout, but their beautiful textures — reggae, flamenco, horns and guitar-picking that’s banjo-like in its precision — are involving enough to reel you in every time. The simple, humanizing beauty of “Me Llaman Calle” does for prostitutes what “Clandestino” did for immigrants in 1998. La Radiolina
