Mariachi El Bronx: III

LA punk ragers head south of the border once more

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There’s something oddly amusing about Mariachi El Bronx. Is it the fact that their breezily upbeat and joyful music is made by the same people that scream so furiously about shitty futures in their day job as The Bronx?

Or that this band that, on paper, should be a one-album curio have made it to their third release and almost commercially outstripped said day job? Or is it just that trumpets and clippy-cloppy Mexican music are somehow inherently funny?

Whatever the reason, Mariachi El Bronx will make you smile. This isn’t the heaviest album you’ll find in these pages, but you’d have to be a very sombre individual to not be seduced by the gentle sway of Nothing’s Changed or the bum-shaking finger-click of opener New Beat.

Expertly written, performed and produced, III’s lush strings and rich brass add warmth to the subtle vocals of Matt Caughthran. Amusing: yes. Joke band: certainly not. Mariachi El Bronx are too good for that./o:p

Stephen joined the Louder team as a co-host of the Metal Hammer Podcast in late 2021, eventually becoming a regular contributor to the magazine. He has since written hundreds of articles for Metal Hammer, Classic Rock and Louder, specialising in punk, hardcore and 90s metal. He also presents the Trve. Cvlt. Pop! podcast with Gaz Jones and makes regular appearances on the Bangers And Most podcast.