Vega Sings a Positive Tune

Two of this year’s finest salsa albums and the comeback of a Mexican star whose voice has an almost addictive quality are the focus of this month’s Latin Pulse, a look at noteworthy releases in the field of Latin music.

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*** Tony Vega, “Hoy Quiero Cantarte,” RMM. Until now, Vega was known to salsa lovers as a pleasant Puerto Rican singer whose potent voice compensated for his iffy material. But his sixth album for RMM Records is a different story. “I am not who I used to be/I am a new man,” he sings on the opening “Mi Nuevo Amor,” describing a religious transformation that has obviously brought a positive change to the musical side of things as well.

Although notable “salsa romantica” nuggets such as “Si Tu Supieras” make up most of the record, the standout is an eight-minute tribute to singer Ismael Rivera. The medley captures all of the elements that make this type of music so magical: the earthy sense of humor, the tender poetry of the words and the warm mix of percolating percussion and a joyous brass section. Salsa dancers will have a field day with the electrifying breaks that erupt between songs.

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*** 1/2 The Latin Brothers, “De Nuevo . . . ,” Discos Fuentes. This contender surpasses the Vega record in dance-ability, and its success lies in its lack of pretension. A band with a long trajectory in the genre of Colombian salsa, the Latin Brothers on this album introduce new singer Harold D. Pelaez, whose simply irresistible “Amor Callejero” takes salsa back where it belongs: the darkest, seediest corners of any Latin American urban center. The gritty, extra-spicy sound permeates all the tracks, from the guaracha “La Tormenta” to the giggle-inducing cumbia “Delia La Cumbiambera.” But it is Pelaez who carries things. When another track carrying his rootsy lead vocals starts, you know you’re in for a treat.

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*** Angeles Ochoa: “Ayudame a Pasar la Noche,” PolyGram. Another voice worth waiting for, the youthful Ochoa infuses the sometimes tired genre of Mexican popular music with energy, singing with a sweetness and purity of phrasing that recall a bygone era. With its creamy arrangement, the ranchera ballad “No Discutamos” is pure sentimental delight. And Ochoa’s excursion into more traditional fare turns into a rousing, speed-of-light mariachi rendition of Juan Gabriel’s “Siete Versos” that actually rivals the original version. A heart-wrenching reading of the classic “Gorrioncillo Pecho Amarillo” suggests that her vocal range knows no limits.

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Albums are rated on a scale of one star (poor), two stars (fair), three stars (good) and four stars (excellent).