Tommy Guerrero - Soul Food Taqueria (2003)

Having long since abandoned the capricious punk of his Bones Brigade-era band, the skatepunk outfit Free Beer, Tommy Guerrero's kept busy by churning out records of pleasant, if not earth-shattering, mellow gold, and Soul Food Taqueria doesn't stray too far from the groove into which he's settled. For the hour duration of Soul Food Taqueria's mostly instrumental, sample-based, and Latin-tinged grooves, the only element that occasionally breaks up the very pleasant monotony of the tracks are the vocals. Lyrics Born, Gresham Taylor, and occasionally Guerrero himself all sing on the album, some to greater effect than others (e.g., Lyrics Born's "Gettin' It Together" is the standout track here, the sole hip-shaker among a gaggle of moodier pieces -- the biggest inspiration for which seems to be the general street vibe of San Francisco's Mission district). And while Guerrero describes that scene pretty accurately with his music, on the whole Soul Food Taqueria fails to stick to the ribs because it simply lacks the proper spice.~Soul Food Taqueria Review by Bryan Carroll