Mariachi on Steroids--Chingon's Mexican Spaghetti Western

Mexican Spaghetti Western is an album I picked up only recently by Chingon, an Austin group put together by Director Robert Rodriguez, and their music has appeared on several soundtracks, probably best known from Kill Bill Vol 2, From Dawn to Dusk, the Mexico and Mariachi's comp and Once Upon a Time in Mexico. This is their first album, released in 2004 on some subsidiary of Rounder Records Europe, Continental Song City. Or at least the copy I own is.

If you like Calexico, you will really love this album. It's a stirring, highly energized combination of Mexican music, rock n roll, western balladry, surf guitar and Morricone, with impressively deft guitar runs throughout. This music is big and full of heart, and it's in your face desert rock. En Espanol. Gritty and Fun party music. Great music for a soundtrack or for a road trip. They don't call themselves Chingon for nothing.

The majority of the band seems to be Del Castillo, which include the Rick and Mark Del Castillo on guitar, Alex Ruiz on vocals, and Rick Holeman on percussion. Additionally, you have Robert Rodriguez on guitar, and a host of other musicians like Rafael Goyal, Dony Wynn, Sunny Sauceda, Carl Thiel, Cecilio Ruiz, Alex Ramirez.



The guitar work is both intricate and at other moments simply incendiary with stinging guitar leads. Maleguena Salerosa (La Malaguena), song number 2, is one of the many fine moments on the album. A fairly intense ballad with great guitar interplay. The Del Castillo's definitely know how to play and Alex Ruiz lilterally sings his corazon out. Former Plugz (long overdue for reissue) singer Tito Larriva (who is also part of Tito and Tarantula)cameos on his slow smoldering cancion Alacran Y Pistolero. Nice stuff. Chingon perform the traditional Cielito Lindo starting in an understated fashion to completely over the top. Great stuff--it sounds like a Joe Strummer interpretation of the old standard. Excellente!



Another cameo vocalist is actress Salma Hayek, who sings the sultry ballad Siente Mi Amor and she does a terrific job. Se Me Paro, the opener to Spaghetti Western is a catchy call and response number with effortless guitar licks, a lot of fun. When you hear this first number you will understand clearly what you are getting into on this album. Fideo Del Oeste (Mexican Spaghetti Western) is another great mariachi raveup and a fitting title track. Great lightning fast acoustic leads on this one.

Mexican Spaghetti Western is a smoking hot Mex-Tex raveup that is a great party record. Unfortunately, this one seems to be a bit hard to obtain right now, but it is well worth the effort. I can't help but think that a lot of people over a broad cross-section of tastes would find this appealing. I won't be in Arizona for Christmas this year, so I guess Chingon will be my consolation for no Barrio Cafe this month.