Los Lobos – By The Light Of The Moon (1987) [MFSL 2012 # UDSACD 2064] {SACD ISO + FLAC 24bit/88.2kHz}

Los Lobos might have touted themselves as “just another band from East L.A.”, but it’s quite likely that even the group’s humble members recognized that few—if any—other artists in the late 1980s rivaled their soulful music, rousing performances, and eclectically blended arrangements. While lacking the commercial status of the quintet’s subsequent La Bamba release, By the Light of the Moon stands as the band’s most enjoyable excursion into American-hued soul, penetratingly reflective lyrics, and earnest roots rock. The music making is simply extraordinary.

On How Will the Wolf Survive?, Los Lobos seemed to be feeling out the boundaries of how much they could say about the hard realities of life within the framework of good-time R&B-flavored rock & roll, and on their next album, 1987’s By the Light of the Moon, the group gently shifted their focus to favor their more contemplative side. While the band certainly hadn’t lost the ability to rock out (check out “My Baby’s Gone” or “Shakin’ Shakin’ Shakes” for proof), most of the album displayed a lighter touch musically, with David Hidalgo’s deft lead guitar and Cesar Rosas’ precise rhythm chords fueling lean but smoky R&B numbers like “Is That All There Is?” and “All I Wanted to Do Was Dance” and understated musical snapshots like “One Time, One Night” and “River of Fools.” Lyrically, By the Light of the Moon is dominated by the sad mysteries of life and the less-than-generous nature of fate, as ordinary people try to come to terms with death (“One Time, One Night”), disappointment (“Is That All There Is?”), love that’s faded into the shadows (“The Hardest Time”), and the mingled comfort and uncertainties of faith (“Tears of God”). While the soundtrack album to the movie La Bamba, released the same year, captured Los Lobos at their most carefree and high-spirited as they called up the spirit of Ritchie Valens, By the Light of the Moon showed the other side of the coin as the group looked into the hearts and souls of themselves and the community around them, and if it’s a harder album to enjoy than those that preceded it, its depth rewards repeated listenings.

Tracklist:
01. One Time, One Night
02. Shakin’ Shakin’ Shakes
03. Is This All There Is?
04. Prenda Del Alma
05. All I Wanted To Do Was Dance
06. Set Me Free (Rosa Lee)
07. The Hardest Time
08. My Baby’s Gone
09. River Of Fools
10. The Mess We’re In
11. Tears Of God

Mastered by Shawn R. Britton at Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab, Sebastopol, CA.

SACD ISO

mqs.linkLsLbsByTheLightfTheMn1987MFSL2012SACDIS.part1.rar
mqs.linkLsLbsByTheLightfTheMn1987MFSL2012SACDIS.part2.rar

FLAC 24bit/88.2kHz

mqs.link_LsLbsByTheLightfTheMn1987MFSL2012FLAC2488.2.rar