also emphasized the band's Latin music roots more fully than previous projects. He concluded his review by stating that it was "adventurous and crafted with heart and skill, and that's what they've always done best." Musical styles At the time of their signing with MCA, The Mavericks were seen as unusual in country music due not only to Malo's Cuban-American ancestry, but also to the band's origins in Miami, Florida. This was because at the time, the Miami music scene was better known for hip hop music and dance music than for country. Many reviewers have considered Malo's role as lead singer and songwriter an integral part of the band's sound. In a review of From Hell to Paradise, Alanna Nash described Malo's singing voice as "a tight, pinched vibrato that carries all the tension of a high-voltage wire". Writing for AllMusic, John D. Buchanan described What a Crying Shame as "a grand showcase for the rich, emotive vocals of Raul Malo and the band's eclectic but accessible approach." In a review of Trampoline for the same site, Thom Owens stated that Malo's voice was the defining characteristic of the band's sound; he wrote that, through his singing and production, Malo was the "driving force behind all of the group's stylistic fusions, their blend of honky tonk with country-rock, classic rock & roll, pop, and Latin." Of the songwriting, Owens continued that Malo was "among the most imaginative roots songwriting of the '90s." Tony Brown, a record producer who was also the head of artists and repertoire (A&R) of MCA Nashville at the time of the band's signing, described Malo as "bigger than life" in a way that he compared to Alabama lead singer Randy Owen; Brown also thought that having a "great frontman" was key to a country music band's success. Music critics have defined the band's musical styles with a wide variety of influences. Brown thought that the success of new bands in the 1990s such as Diamond Rio, combined with the commercial appeal of more rock-influenced country bands such as The Kentucky Headhunters, would lead to The Mavericks' success. Nash wrote that they "constitute country’s coolest ensemble, synthesizing ’50s country and ’60s pop and rock with intelligence, verve, and cultural variety." John D. Buchanan of AllMusic said of the band that "Fusing traditional country with a rich variety of rock, pop, and Latin influences, the Mavericks became