Today
Raul Malo's  velvety tenor is warm and dirty in all the right ways. As the primary songwriter  and frontman for theMavericksand as a member of all-star bandLos Super Seven, Malo's  soulful croon has bent round the blue notes of country and spread itself thickly  yet pliantly between and on top of the polyrhythms of Latin roots music. A  tremendous and far-reaching effort,Today(Malo's solo debut) showcases  not only what a genre-blending writer and powerful singer he is, but makes clear  just how connected Malo is in his delivery and phrasing, both in Spanish and in  English. There's something behind and under every syllable the man utters, from  the excitable title cut to "It Takes Two to Tango," a frisky duet with pal and  vocal powerhouse in her own right Shelby Lynne.Today, a full-on  exploration of roots and rhythm, rocks righteously and rolls with balanced  restraint and abandon.--Paige La Grone