by Evan C. GutierrezWith a mission to bring a positive message to the youth of their native Mexico, and do so in a super-shiny, electro-pop-wrapped package, LU released their 2004 self-titled debut album. Some measured success on the Latin pop charts is only a shadow of the warm reception they've received among younger audiences. LU sound eerily similar to contemporaries, namely the highly successful Sin Bandera, both in stylistic voice and in their desired niche. The production work is spotless, every tune slick and punchy, each hook more memorable than the previous. Producer Aureo Baqueiro may have something to do with their almost clone-like flavor, having been at the helm of numerous Sin Bandera records. The songwriting, mostly from the pen of Mario Sandoval, the duo's bearded half, is by and large quite good. Any artist who can write this well in the dramatic pop quasi-ballad style, which constitutes more than half the album, and who also has a social conscience as a stated value, is a welcome addition to the genre. Though lacking variety and musical invention, LU is a great pop album from front to back.