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WHEREVER THEIR music takes them, the members of Carne Cruda express their East Bay pride loudly with a sharp horn section and a hard-hitting funky groove. Back from an extensive European tour, Oakland's eclectic surf-Latin-funk band is hard at work finishing a new album and contributing to the soundtrack for a Mexican Wrestling documentary. Drawing from influences as varied as Oakland funk legends Tower of Power, surf rock and traditional Latin, Cuban and salsa music, Carne Cruda is blending a wide range of styles to create its most polished and refined work to date. "We are trying to look at the elements we use and focus those into a more defined sound," says vocalist-guitarist Camilo Landau, 25, on the tres, a six-string Cuban guitar. Landau, who has studied music in Cuba and Nicaragua, says the album will be a huge progression from the band's self-released 2005 album "Spicy Sea Adventures." The band plans on releasing its next full-length album, "Oakland's Hella Tight," at the end of the year. The album's featured track, an upbeat funk jam called "Oakland's Tight," has already become a staple of Carne Cruda's live set. The song praises all that Oakland has to offer, from Jack London Square and Chinatown to Lake Merritt and the Conservatory. Landau grew up in San Francisco but feels that the city has become too classy and upscale. He now lives in a warehouse in East Oakland with Carne Cruda saxophonist Charlie Gurke, 26, and works as a full-time musician in numerous bands. "What I like about Oakland is the feeling of real people doing their thing," says Landau. "I feel more at home here." Oakland's Hella Tight" is being produced by Camilo's uncle Greg Landau, a Grammy-nominated producer who has worked with many acclaimed Latin, fusion and rock artists, including Buena Vista Social Club's Juan de Marcos Gonzalez, Dr. Loco, Quetzal and Los Mocosos. Carne Cruda plans on releasing the album themselves, without any label distribution. Landau feels that digital music is changing the music industry, empowering artists to work independently. "The problem with a label is that it doesn't make sense anymore," says Landau. "We don't see why we need to share profits of our artistic creation with a corporation." <p> Carne Cruda's music is available on iTunes, CD Baby and the bilingual Latin music site MisRolas.com. On their third European tour last month, Carne Cruda performed in Belgium, Germany, Italy and Switzerland as well as in Poland, Croatia and Slovenia. Performing at an annual anti-fascist rally in Eastern Germany was one of the most memorable days of the trip, says Landau. German police in full riot gear separated hundreds of fascists from a much larger crowd of anti-fascist demonstrators and "socially conscious punk rockers," Landau says. Despite the tension in the air, Carne Cruda played a solid set with as much groove and conviction as ever. "Being on the side of good, you don't ever feel out of place," says Landau. "It feels good to stand up for what you believe and prove that your music is actually about fighting for justice. "I've got to tell you — it feels good to rock against fascism." Other high points of the tour were music festivals along the Adriatic Sea in Italy, in Lotz, Poland, and in Zagreb, the capital of Croatia. In addition to touring Europe again next year, the band is interested in touring the United States, Canada and Latin America. Until then, they will be laying down the funk in their hometown of Oakland. For more about Carne, visit http://carnecruda.com/ or http://myspace.com/carnecruda.