Hearing the Kronos Quartet play selections from this album and talk about it one morning on NPR's St. Paul Sunday, I was captivated. They talked about the Mexican composers and musicians and how they had found them, and the instruments they played, the ways in which they were recorded. I wanted to learn more about these unique composers and musicians, and bought the album that morning. However, the liner notes offered absolutely nothing beyond who-played-on-what. It was a many-paged booklet, so cost wasn't a factor. Instead of discussions of these Mexican musicians and their instrumentation and careers, there were a lot of captionless photographs. Boring. The music that is haunting is still, of course, haunting and unique, but the producers could have enriched the whole experience for listeners with some intelligent liner notes. And finally, the last cut on the album: whose idea was that? Crashed the entire ambience that had been so carefully created. Dance mix? Isn't Kronos Quartet beyond such gimmicks?

The recording contains nary an unadulterated string quartet track. Each recording is either electronically altered or features additional instruments, presumably native to Mexico. But, who can tell? The booklet contains no program notes--just 15 pages of unidentified images, presumably from South of the Border. Many of the tracks end with a faux "on location" soundscape. Did the album's producer imagine there was an audience for random street noises, laughter and snippets of conversation? I wanted music, not feeble attempts at sound collage. And then there's the music itself. While each piece was performed with undeniable zeal by Kronos, none of it, in my view, was the least bit memorable. The sole representative from the "classical" repertoire, the arrangement of Revueltas' Sensemaya, illustrated to me just how important the original orchestration is to the success of the piece. Ackk!

I bought it for the one-armed grass-leaf player. It's worth it just for that, but the first track is enough to put you off the rest of the album. It gets better once the rhytms overtake the sound.

At about 66 minutes, this recording is a better value than some of their CDs. But one almost constant complaint that I have with Kronos Quartet releases is their poor or non-existent liner notes. This release is especially guilty. There is a big, thick booklet of worthless photography--mediocre pictures reproduced poorly on cheap paper. Were they trying to throw some some photgraphers a bone? There is nothing about the composers (except their birth dates) or their music, or the musician's perspective, etc. And, since some of the composers are deceased, an opportunity was lost to discuss their music and their lives.

Very, very poor production decisions.

If you by chance still don't know what Kronos`s is about remember that there are two types of chamber music ensembles: Kronos and the rest. So if you have in your mind the traditional sound, aesthetic of a string quartet, go for the rest (Alban Berg, Ittaliano, Melos, Emerson...) and forget Kronos. For if I had only one chance to apply the title- word "avant-garde", I would do it concerning Kronos. They are irreverent. Forget traditional repertoire (and Bartok is traditional for them). As far as I know they play modern music (Glass, Reich, Scnittke) or new repertoire like World Music. They play with amazing virtuosism and richness of textures. If you try to explore Kronos world, open your mind to a new, non conventional type of sounds.
So what is "Nuevo"? A diverse, impressive, multilayered (that is, there are several strata, several kind od compositions) portrait of Mexican music. A comprehensive landscape of Mexican music. But ... not exactly mexican music is what you hear in most of the tracks, but the Kronos' POINT OF VIEW, that is, Mexico through Kronos' glasses. For I don`t find a truly traditional Mexican track (perhaps only "Son Huasteca" and that before 12/12 are those which most resemble to a truly traditional "Mexican" sound). Almost everything in this rich album is a new way of listening to mexican music.
Why? Arrangements are varied and colourfull. Every track shows novelty and spontaneity, even in well known pieces like "Perfidia" or "Sensemaya". All in this CD is "Nuevo (New)": music that you have not listened before, no matter your knowledge on Mexican music!!
The type of music is quite diverse: classical (Sensemaya), TV music (Chavosuite), bolero (Perfidia), local music (Sinaloense), processional music (12/12), even dance music!!
The sound is also quite strange sometimes: the editor distorts some tracks in order to show the quartet as if they were listened through an old radio player. This is quite amazing!!! or listen to 12/12: quartet strings combined with recording of a traditional "ritual" music and fireworks. Also there are includede street noises between the tracks, thus creating a kind of "leitmotive", like a "Concept Album".
Let me say this: I don't care of mexican music. I don't know too much of it. Nor it is something I love. What I like of this CD is not Mexican music legacy but WHAT KRONOS DOES WITH IT. I think they could do the same with every (rich) music culture in the world. The reason why Mexico is chosen perhaps is a personal experience of Kronos' members (as I have red in an interview).
Booklet contains track details, a lot of credits but not a single word of commentary about the music (a pity).
More than great Mexican music, this is a great Kronos show. If you like Kronos or want to investigate what Kronos truly is and /or If you like mexican music, buy it!
If you don't like mexican music, buy it too!! You will think, as I do, that this Kronos release is essential.