Ride This: The Covers EP

1	Jockey Full Of Bourbon 3:29
2	More Than I Can Stand 4:08
3	Uncomplicated 5:12
4	Patria 5:19
5	Shoot Out The Lights 4:55
6	It'll Never Be Over For Me 3:44
7	Marie Marie Live 2:56

Barnes & Noble

As a logical bookend to The Ride -- on which they were joined by a slew of genre-bending talents -- this long-lived Angeleno combo offer up a mini-album of covers that pay homage to those very guests. Los Lobos tear through the Blasters' "Marie Marie" with the same combination of ferocity and breeziness present in their own best early work, and hark back to their East L.A. bar-band roots with a gritty, soulful take on "It'll Never Be Over for Me," from the catalog of Latin R & B stalwarts Thee Midnighters. They also venture outside their comfort zone for a handful of interesting covers, notably a sharply focused rendition of Richard Thompson's "Shoot Out the Lights" and a woozy adaptation of Tom Waits's "Jockey Full of Bourbon" that's reminiscent of the band's Latin Playboys offshoot. Los Lobos are among the few bands that are able to consistently reinvent themselves, but as this disc proves, they never forget where they came from. David Sprague

All Music Guide

Los Lobos are, quite simply, one of America's great rock bands, and versatile enough to put their stamp on practically any sort of music they choose. Anyone looking for proof of this assertion ought to pick up Ride This: The Covers EP, in which the band runs through seven tunes from other artists, most of which were recorded during the sessions for Los Lobos' fine 2004 album, The Ride. Rambling from the late-night creep of Tom Waits' "Jockey Full of Bourbon" to the primal roots rock wail of the Blasters' "Marie Marie," Ride This finds East L.A.'s finest sounding tough, passionate, and soulful throughout. Top honors here go to their emotional take on Thee Midniters' "It'll Never Be Over for Me" (featuring a glorious vocal from Cesar Rosas) and the menacing rumble of Richard Thompson's "Shoot Out the Lights," which -- unlike most covers of Thompson's work -- features a guitar player nearly as gifted as RT himself, the estimable David Hidalgo. On all seven tunes, Los Lobos honor the spirit of the originals while putting their own spin on the material, and show that they're one band whose top-shelf chops never get in the way of making honest, soul-satisfying music. Not quite an essential Los Lobos release (these guys are still at their best on their own fine songs), Ride This: The Covers EP is still a treat for fans, or anyone who likes to hear a world-class rock band playing some really great songs. Mark Deming

Rolling Stone

1/2 The often exquisite results reveal new dimensions in every cut. Vic Garbarini