I’ve been looking forward to this album since Mariachi El Bronx supported their punk alter egos, The Bronx, earlier this year. That night, Mariachi El Bronx played a set that opened eyes and should have kicked into touch any ideas that this was some sort of novelty/comedy offshoot.
The opening duo of Cell Mates and Litigation set the scene: a combination of brass, strings and guitar creating a heart-warming, joyous and generally laidback atmosphere. Sleepwalking is a delightful shuffle, Silver or Lead is a pacy number with brass and guitar intertwining like randy snakes mid-section. Clown Powder has an oddly Germanic oompah-pah sound about it. The sinister guitar intro to Holy takes us into a dark percussion lead song.
There’s an intriguing complexity about the music, in that on the surface it is cheerful clear blue skies, but dig a little deeper and there's an undercurrent of poignancy too, and Matt Caughthran’s vocals capture this contradiction. All the performances are first class but Caughthran’s voice is a revelation, with a range that his Bronx work doesn't even hint at.
I don’t doubt the sincerity of the band, and the music they have produced. It is debatable if this has repeat value, and this isn’t going to be everyone’s cup of tea, whether you’re a Bronx fan or not. If nothing else this album proves that mariachi is a diverse and serious musical genre. It may even encourage the more curious punter to dig deeper into it.
The opening duo of Cell Mates and Litigation set the scene: a combination of brass, strings and guitar creating a heart-warming, joyous and generally laidback atmosphere. Sleepwalking is a delightful shuffle, Silver or Lead is a pacy number with brass and guitar intertwining like randy snakes mid-section. Clown Powder has an oddly Germanic oompah-pah sound about it. The sinister guitar intro to Holy takes us into a dark percussion lead song.
There’s an intriguing complexity about the music, in that on the surface it is cheerful clear blue skies, but dig a little deeper and there's an undercurrent of poignancy too, and Matt Caughthran’s vocals capture this contradiction. All the performances are first class but Caughthran’s voice is a revelation, with a range that his Bronx work doesn't even hint at.
I don’t doubt the sincerity of the band, and the music they have produced. It is debatable if this has repeat value, and this isn’t going to be everyone’s cup of tea, whether you’re a Bronx fan or not. If nothing else this album proves that mariachi is a diverse and serious musical genre. It may even encourage the more curious punter to dig deeper into it.
