Akwid Albums (10)
'Los Aguacates de Jiquilpan'
Release Date 8/30/2005
Tracks 13
Label Univision
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
For their third Univision album in three years, Akwid frame it with a concept, much like what they'd done a year prior on Komp 104.9 Radio Compa. While that album was framed with a fictional radio station concept, Los Aguacates de Jiquilpan is framed by a fairy-tale concept, complete with a soft-spoken Latina narrator who tells the tale of how these two brothers left Mexico for the urban jungle of Los Angeles. It's an autobiographical tale, and it's often infused with a good dose of humor, which distances Akwid from the generally hardcore style of most Los Angeles rappers, Chicano or otherwise. The Gómez brothers are first-rate rappers, and as usual, they produce their own beats, which are likewise first-rate. Of particular interest are the productions for "Sentir la Vida" and "Como Perros." The beats for both songs are derived from early-'80s funk classics -- the former is derived from Zapp's "More Bounce to the Ounce," the latter from George Clinton's "Atomic Dog," both of which were staples of golden age hip-hop sampling and thus carry with them substantial import. Akwid are aware of this, no doubt, as they first garnered mass attention for their sampling of Juan Gabriel's "Te Lo Pido por Favor" on their breakthrough hit, "No Hay Maner." "Sentir la Vida" is the closest Los Aguacates de Jiquilpan comes to matching the infectiousness of that breakthrough single, as it too is awfully catchy and has a feel-good message about living life to the fullest. And to draw more comparisons, like Komp 104.9 this album is somewhat burdened by its conceptual frame. On the one hand, it gives Los Aguacates de Jiquilpan character and showcases the duo's creativity; on the other hand, however, it can interfere with selective listening. But either way, its biographical undertones help further develop the Gómez brothers as people, and at this point, several albums into their career, Akwid are really shaping up to be an influential Latin music act, not the one-hit novelty act "No Hay Maner" may have foreshadowed. ~ Jason Birchmeier, All Music Guide
'Komp 104.9 Radio Compa'
Release Date 6/15/2004
Tracks 20
Label Univision
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What The Critics Say
Komp 104.9 Radio Compa follows Proyecto Akwid, a very successful album that earned a Latin Grammy nomination on top of selling a lot of CDs and scoring a big hit single with "No Hay Maner." As such, it arrived in mid-2004 with high expectations. The duo responsible for the music, Akwid, responded by recording a sort of concept album, one that plays as if it were a radio station. The diverse listing of songs, several of which include guest performers, are interspersed by fictional radio segments. It's a fun and creative approach that certainly differentiates this album from its predecessor and therefore avoids some of the obvious comparisons this follow-up was likely to draw to the celebrated Proyecto Akwid. That said, the concept can be a little distracting if you want to skip around, because you're continually drawn into the radio concept if you let the CD play for a couple tracks. Still, that's not really a problem, given the quality of the music, which is of higher importance. The standout track, "Jamas Imagine," isn't as novel as "No Hay Maner" was, but it's a good song nonetheless and gets the album off to a strong start. Everything considered, Komp 104.9 Radio Compa doesn't seem as revolutionary as Proyecto Akwid had been upon its release, but that's largely because it was released in the shadow of that breakthrough. So if you're simply looking for more of what you heard on Proyecto Akwid, you'll find it here and most likely be satisfied with the results. Otherwise, you're recommended to start with Proyecto Akwid before giving this album a spin. If you do that, you'll better appreciate Komp 104.9 Radio Compa. ~ Jason Birchmeier, All Music Guide
'Hoy, Ayer and Forever'
Release Date 2/24/2004
Tracks 13
Label Aries Music
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What The Critics Say
Francisco and Sergio Gómez, the two brothers who comprise Akwid, take a huge leap forward with their debut album for Univision, Proyecto Akwid. The album follows a couple independent efforts that charted the blueprint for the duo's urban regional sound (i.e., the synthesis of Mexican regional, particularly banda, with hip-hop), and while those albums were fine, albeit rudimentary, Proyecto Akwid is full-fledged, boasting vibrant productions, liquid-smooth raps, and catchy songwriting. And too, it boasts a killer hit single, "No Hay Maner," which notably samples the well-known hook from Juan Gabriel's "Te Lo Pido por Favor." As such, Proyecto Akwid is somewhat groundbreaking. Sure, there's nothing especially revolutionary about the urban regional sound trademarked here by Akwid, but it hadn't really been done this well to date, which makes these brothers the first of their kind to break this style into the Latin music mainstream. ~ Jason Birchmeier, All Music Guide
