Kevin Johansen/City Zen
(Sony International)

Often called the “new Manu Chao,” the half-American half-Argentine Kevin Johansen is a multicultural force. He was born in Alaska, grew up in Argentina, spent the 1990s in New York City, and then went back to live in Buenos Aires, where his musical roots are, judging by the overall stamina of this album. City Zen (which is nominated for a Grammy as Best Latin Pop album) is a colorful folksy pop-rock recording where Johansen includes elements of Latin American folk genres from milongas to Andean sounds to boleros. Kevin’s lyrics — in English and Spanish — shift from heart-wrenching to heartwarming to downright funny. When you first listen to Johansen, you can’t help thinking of Uruguayan singer Jorge Drexler: they both have the same soothing tone in their voices, they both have taken folk music to a new level of experimentation, and they both write highly sophisticated lyrics that are finally catching up with Latin audiences in the Unites States. And it just so happens that the two are good friends. Drexler collaborated with Johansen on City Zen and can be heard singing on “No Voy a Ser Yo,” a song they wrote together. Other guest appearances on the album include Vicentico — the ex-lead singer of Los Fabulosos Cadillacs — and Argentine music legend León Gieco. Johansen’s charming vocals and quirky lyrics, as well as the superb instrumentations of his band The Nada, are a delightful find. It is hard not to fall in love with these playful, witty, and uplifting sounds. Got zen? Get this happy zen! (MPS)