La Fuerza
Veneno
(Q Zone Records)

Upstart Tejano group La Fuerza broke on to the scene with a mixture of traditional polkas and new dance cumbias. Led by light tenor Ben Miranda, the group is a versatile crew, mixing up keyboards and accordion to fit the mode and pace. Case in point is the single “Ilusion,” a Tejano cumbia with lyrics about making a mistake in a relationship. The keyboard-driven rhythms slightly echo Bobby Pulido’s cumbia style. The rest of the cumbias on the CD recall the energy and dynamics of progressive conjuntos like Grupo Vida and David Lee Garza. The rest of the band is Jaime Soliz, bass; Billy Garcia, drums; Edgar Miranda, guitar; Odell Soto, accordion; and Gibby Villarreal, keyboards. (RB)