One of the often repeated maxims regarding regional Mexican music is that, unlike pop, it is in a state of constant reinvention. The latest example of this is Texas-based group ATM, which mixes rootsy Tejano music with rap, soul and pop. The result is both urban and folksy; ATM’s trademark instrument is a melancholy accordion, but its vamps and raps are decidedly edgy. There is also R&B vocalizing—”Se Acaba el Amor” (a Spanish cover of “All Out of Love”) and “No Te Me Vayas”—while “Olvídanos” has a more pop/rock feel. ATM is similar to Kumbia Kings in its fusion of sounds. The group also pens its own material, trades off vocalists and aims for a trademark group, rather than a solo sound. And they pull it off. ATM is a band to keep an eye on.—LC
