I've been slightly disappointed with the last two Los Lobos records ("The Ride" and "Good Morning Aztlan") but that's perhaps just because I love the previous three ("This Time," "Colossal Head" and "Kiko") so much. Well, we wolves have mended fences now that I picked up a copy of their most recent EP.

"Ride This - The Covers EP" is a brilliant effort. It works on so many levels. It's a bit of a tip of the hat to the artists who collaborated with them on "The Ride" and, as the title implies, is composed of seven covers. The selection and the execution are both amazing. Choosing to cover Waits ("Jockey Full of Bourbon"), Costello ("Uncomplicated") or Thompson ("Shoot Out The Lights") may sound like odd choices for a Latino rock band but, man, do they smoke. The live take on the Blasters' classic "Marie, Marie" may be more obvious but is equally welcome. The only miss to me is when Cesar Rosas takes over the lead vocals for a shot at "It'll Never Be Over For Me," a soul ballad from '60s Latino rock icons Thee Midniters. But again, that may just be because I'm a David Hidalgo fan.

So in review, it's short. It's cheap. It's great. Go pick it up!