deSol

A.D. Amorosi
Philadelphia Inquirer
Published: Friday, February 18, 2005

Not since Los Lobos put pedals to the metal has a Latin band sounded as fiery - and so ready to mess with tradition - as deSol. With their wild, curly hair and patchwork denim outfits, the hippie-ish musicians from Asbury Park, N.J., may look blissfully chilled-out. But they are, as their name implies, "of the sun" - running-hot rockers who use a blend of progressive polyrhythm, native Latin percussion, and hip-hop beat-boxing to back their hearty vocal blend of mythic chants, call-and-response, and soulful croons.

While lead singer Albie Monterrosa and vocalist-bassist Chris Guice are responsible for the heavenly roar that lifts songs such as "Karma" from the funky grooves of the septet's eponymous, Curb-label debut, lead guitarist Rich Soto pushes the envelope of psychedelia, never forgetting to hang his chunky riffs on sharp hooks.