A.b. Quintanilla - La Vida De Un Genio -2010- -

A.B. Quintanilla - La Vida de Un Genio -2010- is a solid 3.5/5 star effort. It is too dense and self-referential for a casual listener looking for "Bidi Bidi Bom Bom," but for students of Tejano and Latin pop history, it is essential listening.

In the sprawling universe of Latin music, few names carry as much weight—and as much tragedy—as Quintanilla. While the world rightfully venerates Selena as the “Queen of Tejano,” A.B. Quintanilla - La Vida de Un Genio -2010- makes a compelling, long-overdue argument: the King behind the throne was just as crucial. Released in 2010, this album is not a nostalgia trip for the casual fan; it is a bold, autobiographical statement from the man who wrote the soundtrack to a generation. A.B. Quintanilla - La Vida de Un Genio -2010-

A.B. Quintanilla is a visionary producer, not a lead vocalist. He wisely chooses to rotate vocalists throughout the album, but the lack of a consistent frontperson hurts the album’s identity. One track features a raspy rockero, another a smooth R&B crooner. While this variety shows off his range as a writer, it prevents the album from developing a singular voice. You never forget you are listening to A.B.’s album, but you frequently forget who is singing on it. In the sprawling universe of Latin music, few

The standout track, "Herida" (Wound), is the emotional core of the record. Without explicitly naming Selena, the lyrics paint a portrait of a man haunted by a moment in a Corpus Christi motel room. Lines like "Soy el que escribe la canción, pero no el que la vive ya" (I am the one who writes the song, but not the one who lives it anymore) are devastating. He moves between boasting about his catalog of 30+ hits and admitting that those hits feel like ghosts. Released in 2010, this album is not a