Bachata Roja: Acoustic Bachata from the Cabaret Era

Before bachata became about lyrical seduction and sonic sophistication, the beguilingly rugged style belonged to the working class of rural Dominican Republic, as charted on the austere ‘60s-era Bachata Roja. Delivered in amargue fashion (a.k.a. bitter music), the requinto-driven “Ladrona” depicts a shattered heart, as does the dramatically yearnful “Muero Contigo” (Dying with You). On the flip side, the bongo-laden “Yo Pagaré La Cerveza” chronicles a night of excess and debauchery, while the merengue-tinged “Si Me La Dan La Cojo” hunts its prey.