July 18, 2009

By Leila Cobo

Following the extraordinary success of his 2007 studio set "Para Siempre" and the subsequent live album "Primera Fila," the ranchera icon Vicente Fernández returns to the studio with "Neccesito De Tí." With the title track standing at a relatively modest No. 21 on Billboard's Regional Mexican Airplay chart, one might feel tempted to downplay the album's potential. But pretty much anything Fernández releases sells. In this case, after teaming with fellow singer Joan Sebastian, who wrote and produced his past album, Fernández turns to the songwriting skills of Manuel Toscano and Manuel Monterrosas. The album has a feeling of bittersweet love that alternates in tone from the crooning found on "Me Tienes Mimado," to the uptempo, almost danceable twirl of guitars, trumpets and strings of the title track. The latter song is a contemporary take on traditional mariachi, but overall this album is vintage Fernández, showcasing an entreating signature voice that can infuse a single track with dynamics and nuance. For particular poignancy, listen to "Camino Al Cielo," a song about a successful son who now yearns for the father and mother whose dreams he wasn't able to fulfill in life.

Subscribe to Billboard magazine today!