Nuevo Flamenco Romancero

Eric Hansen's Nuevo Flamenco Romancero transforms romantic pop ballads, including "Killing Me Softly With His Song," "If You Leave Me Now," and "Fields of Gold," into flamenco-inspired instrumentals. As a whole, the collection walks a fine line between inspired and schmaltzy, though that may be due to how well-known the source material is rather than Hansen's interpretations. But for the most part, the album manages to stay more on the inspired side, particularly on the renditions of "Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman," "And I Love Her," and "God Only Knows." For those unfamiliar with the nuevo flamenco subgenre, this may be a reassuring way to try the style out with songs they probably already know.