Jaguares

Crónicas de un Laberinto (Chronicles of a Labyrinth) is a glorious mess. Saul Hernandez (a veteran of Caifanes with Jaguares drummer Alfonso André), Cesar “Vampiro” Lopez, and coproducer Adrian Belew form a three-guitar attack, but they’re more interested in moods than in solos. The first single, “Hay Amores Que Matan” (“There Are Loves That Kill”), is an infectious Cuban-flavored verse-chorus-verse that disarms you, even if the pop-flavored trumpets lack Caribbean balls. Too often, though, the album’s songs end abruptly just as they’re about to explode. The best songs on Crónicas de un Laberinto rank among Jaguares’ best. For the rest, open the windows and let in some air.