Record ID 1595
Artist Tommy Guerrero
Title Soul Food Taqueria
Field / Genre Rock
Year Recorded 2003
Label Mo' Wax
Pressing Aus
Rating ***
Discs 1
Media CD
Date Bought 15 Aug 2004
Cost ¤0.00
Cover Name —
Review <p>Having long since abandoned the capricious punk of his Bones Brigade-era band, the skatepunk outfit Free Beer, Tommy Guerrero's kept busy by churning out records of pleasant, if not earth-shattering, mellow gold, and <i>Soul Food Taqueria</i> doesn't stray too far from the groove into which he's settled. For the hour duration of Soul Food Taqueria's mostly instrumental, sample-based, and Latin-tinged grooves, the only element that occasionally breaks up the very pleasant monotony of the tracks are the vocals. Lyrics Born, Gresham Taylor, and occasionally Guerrero himself all sing on the album, some to greater effect than others (e.g., Lyrics Born's "Gettin' It Together" is the standout track here, the sole hip-shaker among a gaggle of moodier pieces — the biggest inspiration for which seems to be the general street vibe of San Francisco's Mission district). And while Guerrero describes that scene pretty accurately with his music, on the whole Soul Food Taqueria fails to stick to the ribs because it simply lacks the proper spice.</p> &mdash; <b>Bryan Carroll</b>