With four years having passed since their most recent compilation
La Historia,
A.B. Quintanilla III and
Los Kumbia Kings were due for another collection when their 2007 release
Greatest Hits "Album Versions" hit the shelves. Thankfully this group has been spared from the common mistake made by most labels handling groups primarily marketed to a Mexican audience, that being releasing a collection of their work every three weeks. Thus when
Greatest Hits came around, it experienced similar success to
La Historia, going directly to the top of Billboard's Latin charts. Drawing material from the group's hit records such as
4 and The Remixes 2.0,
Greatest Hits achieves what all collections should aspire to do: it bring together material that only the most dedicated would own otherwise. Fans drawn in by the band's huge hits like "Shh!!" and "No Tengo Dinero" will find themselves hooked by tracks like "Pachuco" and "Te Qutero a Ti." In this way, the record is designed to turn casual fans into true believers. Even serious fans will find themselves surprised in the difference between the radio versions they own, and these tracks intended for album release. Typically longer, with more interesting and intricate arrangements, the "album versions" release is the musical version of a "director's cut" film.
Greatest Hits comes highly recommended, especially for those first time
Kumbia Kings buyers looking for a guided tour of the group's long history of innovation and stylistic alchemy. ~ Evan C. Gutierrez