The Mavericks [11 Tracks #2]

1	I Want to Know 3:31
2	In My Dreams 4:42
3	Shine Your Light 3:45
4	I'm Wondering 3:15
5	By the Time 4:35
6	Would You Believe 5:24
7	Too Lonely 3:06
8	Time Goes By / Willie Nelson 4:37
9	San Jose 3:35
10	Because of You 3:33
11	Air That I Breathe 4:01

Barnes & Noble

The Mavericks are back on record for the first time since 1998's Trampoline, and you'd never know they'd been away. Their eponymous comeback is replete with their trademark twangy rockers and heart-rending ballads, along with smart arrangements, meaningful original songs, and, of course, lead singer-songwriter-producer Raul Malo's strictly powerhouse exhibition of vocal prowess. The Mavs roll out an infectious Afro-Cuban rhythm to propel the ebullient "Shine a Light" but shift to horn-based rock on "Would You Believe," which comes by way of Chicago and the Beatles, with blaring horns, a "Lady Madonna"–like pounding piano, and a soaring melody line that advances the lyrical conceit about the mess humans have made of the planet. A quintessential romantic ballad, "Wondering" has an old-world feel in its small-combo shuffle and aching harmonica solos, whereas "A Little Too Lonely" steps into Nelson Riddle territory with a lush string arrangement, Malo fervently crooning every lonely man's late-night lament about screwing up a good thing. "Time Goes By" finds Willie Nelson engaging Malo in a feisty vocal pas de deux with a clattering arrangement that has roots in both rock and southern soul. And for sheer drama, nothing compares to the slow-boiling cover of the Hollies' "The Air That I Breathe." This inspired rendition achieves even greater grandeur than the original by way of a baroque arrangement defined by wailing guitars, pounding drums, ascending string lines, and a breathtaking vocal performance by Malo. Don't know how the Mavs could top this one, but here's hoping they give it a go, again and again. David McGee

All Music Guide

On their first studio album since leaving MCA in 1999, the Mavericks find themselves at a creative crossroads. While vocalist and songwriter Raul Malo is able to freely indulge his muse on any number of projects, the band as whole has been making numerous musical decisions. The results are not always positive. First, the good news: when at their best, as they are for a good part of this recording, the Mavericks are simply the best there is. On tracks such as "In My Dreams," informed as it is by Roy Orbison's ghost and Malo's deeply expressive singing, the band becomes larger than life. Singing a midtempo ballad, the band gathers around him and allows him to walk out on the emotional edge of his vocal and dig a lot deeper than the arrangement would normally suggest. Likewise, on the son-infused "Shine a Light" sheeny Cuban soul acts as the fiber the tune builds upon. A well-placed horn section and numerous strains of polyrhythmic drive make this the party tune everybody's been waiting to hear from them. Likewise, the slow rumba feel of "Wondering" with Malo's '50s-influenced singing makes this the greatest song k.d. lang never recorded. "By the Time" showcases the band's still deep country waltz roots, and the B-3 touch that hovers in the background is positively haunting. The slightly funky country AOR root of "Time Goes By" is one of the dirtiest and most emotional tunes the group has ever recorded. The Latin lounge of "San Jose" -- not the Bacharach tune -- would be the best thing on the album if it weren't for the badly intoned synthed-out strings. Likewise, "Would You Believe" and "Because of You" with their thickly textured busy-ness draw away from the emotion inherent in them, and they are swallowed by arrangements. The performance of "Air That I Breathe," while valiant and seemingly heartfelt, cannot redeem this song from the shmaltz pile. The Mavericks are still more than capable of coming up with the goods when it comes to fine songwriting and performances, but next time they should hire a producer to rough up their overly rounded surfaces. Malo may indeed be the problem, trying to maneuver his band into playing for his solo moods, but with a unit this fine, he should be writing for them. [Sanctuary issued a second, 11-track edition in 2008.] Thom Jurek

Entertainment Weekly

Nonclassifiable and thus classically Mavericks. (B+) Marc Weingarten