All right, lemme start by saying that this album has had me on an emotional roller coaster since it was first announced back in April of 2007. My initial reaction was that it was a joke. The Bronx are a hardcore band, the idea that they would put out a mariachi album just seemed absurd. Then again their first three albums have all been self-titled which is equally absurd in a way, so with them who knows. Since then I have read rumblings of the mariachi album on the internet and I usually pass them off as just that. A couple months ago I heard it’s definitely coming out this Summer. Still I’m thinking no fucking way is this happening. So I’m surfing the net and I come across a Spin Magazine sponsored Tribute album to Prince and unable to pass up anything free I downloaded it. What do I find on it but a mariachi version of I Would Die 4 U by The Bronx. Now I’m thinking two things. The first is that The Bronx weren’t full of shit about this summer. The second thing I thought is that this song would be a standalone track and serve no other purpose than to perpetuate the joke. Days go by and I read September 1st is the release date. I go to The Bronx’s website for more info and find an album cover with a crab on it that simply says Mariachi El Bronx and an ad for “Barrio Sweat Cologne”. This doesn’t fucking help at all. Fast forward to a Friday night at my local record shop two weeks back and with mine own two eyes I see it on the shelf. It’s early but this shop likes to break street dates. I buy it with a quickness. Still I’m unsure what awaits me when I fire up my CD player. Will it be another Hardcore album? Maybe it’ll have some songs sung en espanol? Maybe it will be some sort of hybrid hardcore with a mariachi horn section type of deal. It can’t really be a mariachi album… right?
Here it is. The Bronx are men of their word. I am sorry I ever doubted them. In fact I’m really sorry because not only did they do exactly what they said they would but also they did it in such a way that it is one of the must fucking awesome albums I have ever owned. Seriously. If you are not familiar with The Bronx, buy any of their albums, they’re one of the best hardcore bands out right now. Then buy Mariachi El Bronx and have your mind blown. It’s that kind of album. The only explanation for it is that it was made in the Mexican part of outer space. Singer Matt Caughthran is known for his scream but Jesus Christ he can fucking sing the shit out of mariachi music as well. I’m sorry for all the expletives in this review but I cannot stress enough how good this album is. I will forever more believe The Bronx implicitly. If they say they’re going to record a tribute to Engelbert Humperdinck I’ll quietly mark my calendar and await its release no questions asked. I’ll also believe in The Bronx implicitly as they can musically do anything they put their hearts and minds into.
If you haven’t watched the video for Cell Mates yet, stop reading, check it out and come back. I’ll wait…
Oh you’re back. And it’s awesome you say? Well that’s just the tip of the mariachi iceberg. Every song on this album is a winner. Silver or Lead, Slave Labor, Holy, and My Brother The Gun are some of my favorites, but seriously there’s not a clunker in the bunch. Go out and buy this album. In fact, go to the Swami Records site and order it there, for a couple extra bucks they’ll even send you a bottle of “Barrio Sweat Colgne”. They weren’t joking about that either.
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