Hoy Como Ayer

AMG Review of Hoy Como Ayer

Alex Henderson
All Music Guide

If any group can honestly be described as a bridge between /p>

orteńo/Tex-Mex and the romantic Latin pop of José José, Juan Gabriel, and Julio Iglesias, it is Conjunto Primavera. They aren't hardcore /p>

orteńo purists in the way that los Rieleros del Norte, los Tigres del Norte, and los Huracanes del Norte are hardcore /p>

orteńo purists, but they have always been masters of /p>

orteńo light -- masters of a style that successfully combines /p>

orteńo's accordion and polka beat with the romantic sophistication of adult-oriented Latin pop. No one will mistake Hoy Como Ayer for a Grupo Exterminador album; with this 2004 release, Primavera continue to favor the smooth, sleek approach that they have long been known for. The tempos vary; Hoy Como Ayer ranges from up-tempo polkas ("No Cabe Duda," "No Hay Nada Completo") to medium-tempo offerings ("Desesperado") to allads ("Muero" and the title track). But whatever the tempo, Hoy Como Ayer maintains a romantic outlook and is essentially a collection of Mexican adult contemporary. Arguably, Primavera is to Grupo Exterminador what Marc Anthony is to Rubén Blades. Like Blades in salsa, Exterminador deal with some edgy, challenging subject matter; their narcocorridos (corridos about drug trafficking) are every bit as biting as Blades and Willie Colon were on their late-'70s hit "Pedro Navaja" (which described the death of a hoodlum in a New York City barrio). But Primavera, like Anthony in the salsa romantica field, would rather comfort than challenge; Hoy Como Ayer is musical comfort food -- and while the material isn't adventurous, it's always pleasant and likable. This CD isn't among Primavera's essential releases; casual listeners would be better off starting out with Fonovisa's best-of collection Dejando Huella. But longtime fans will find Hoy Como Ayer to be a decent, if predictable, addition to Primavera's sizable catalog.