Whether in English or Spanish, the much-travelled singer's left-field take on Latin music is quite beautiful, says Charlie Gillett

Of all the excuses for being late, none beats Kevin Johansen's improbable tale in 'La Falla de San Andrés' (San Andrea's Fault): 'It was our anniversary and I remembered it this time/ I was going to get you in my Chevy '86/ When on one side of the highway, something strange was in the mix/ And the whole earth was opening and the people were falling/ This time it wasn't my fault, it was San Andrea's Fault.'

The album is a mixture of songs in Spanish, English and English-and-Spanish, reflecting Johansen's upbringing in Alaska (as a child), Buenos Aires (as a teenager) and Brooklyn (in his early twenties). No wonder he is alert to potential alternate meanings of phrases an English speaker might take for granted, also reflected in the album's title, and in the song 'Buenos Aires Anti-social Club'.

This UK release comes more than a year after the album's first release in the Americas, where it surprisingly won a Grammy nomination for best modern Latin album. This music is neither distinctively Argentinian (no tango rhythms in sight) nor any kind of salsa. There are occasional echoes of the music David Byrne made when he first left Talking Heads, but Kevin's voice is warmer and always in tune.

Compared to the original album, this version has fewer tracks and an improved running order, with the Spanish language songs bunched together at the start, leading through the bi-lingual earthquake song to five in English at the end.

This is not music designed to demand attention or tear down walls; rather, it slips through half open windows, filling the room with light. Sheer pleasure, offered with intelligence and humour. Why would anyone say no to that?

Charles Gillett