Viento a Favor

Viento a Favor is Mexican superstar Alejandro Fernandez's 15th studio disc in as many years as a singer. But he still approaches each project with the urgency and earnestness of a newbie singer. That's what makes each tune a small celebration, an intimate moment of discovery. There are no wasted moments amid the sterling arrangements, some of the best in Fernandez's lush pop repertoire. (He's an equally heralded ranchera singer.) Viento a Favor features tunes written by Leonel Garcia and Noel Schajris (better known as emotive Latin-pop duo Sin Bandera) and Mexican singer Reyli Barba. They're all taken to wuthering heights by Fernandez's stellar vocal range, which goes from hushed whispers to booming intensity. First single "Te Voy a Perder" is an epic romance, and "Amor Gitano," a duet with bilingual diva Beyoncé, expectedly smolders. Closing tune "Cuando Estamos Juntos" is another surprise, an acoustic-flavored ode to simple joy. --Joey Guerra  more