Mariachi inflected pop
November 22, 2014 6:19 PM   Subscribe

I'm looking for indie pop with mariachi elements, specifically the soaring trumpet fills, but jangly acoustic guitar is cool too. Something in the vein of Calexico, but less folk-y more pop-y. Barring actual good music I'd gladly take recommendations for mariachi style covers. You know how there's albums of Bossa Nova style covers and reggae style? Someone must make mariachi style covers? Okay, screw it, I want cheesy pop hits of yesteryear transcribed into a mariachi idiom.
posted by Keith Talent to Society & Culture (20 answers total) 17 users marked this as a favorite
 
Response by poster: Oh, forgot to add, my query was motivated by stumbling across this on youtube while searching for a video of the theme to Kingpin, short lived NBC Sopranos knock off about a Mexican drug cartel.
posted by Keith Talent at 6:27 PM on November 22, 2014


Maybe not exactly what you're looking for, but...
Nortec Collective
Mexican Institute of Sound
posted by neroli at 6:35 PM on November 22, 2014 [1 favorite]


Best answer: Again, I'm not sure that this is what you're looking for, but you should at least be aware that LA hardcore punk band The Bronx also has an incarnation called Mariachi El Bronx that has improbably released three albums.
posted by Juliet Banana at 7:14 PM on November 22, 2014 [4 favorites]


I assume you know 50 Ways to Say Goodbye, by Train?
posted by chainsofreedom at 7:20 PM on November 22, 2014


All She Cares About Is Mariachi
posted by Yma at 7:31 PM on November 22, 2014


Kirsty MacColl - In These Shoes(?)
posted by stinkfoot at 7:33 PM on November 22, 2014


Another one of the 'this may not be what you are looking for' answers
Ween - Fiesta
posted by Trivia Newton John at 7:50 PM on November 22, 2014


my first thought is cake, whose first three albums i will forever stand by... their track frank sinatra would be a good place to start for the vibe you're talking about...
posted by noloveforned at 7:57 PM on November 22, 2014 [1 favorite]


The Crooked Fingers album Dignity and Shame has a current of this throughout; the whole album's got a bullfighting/flamenco/Spain theme going on. Valerie's one of the most obvious examples of the sort of thing it's doing.
posted by redsparkler at 8:04 PM on November 22, 2014


'Alone Again Or' by Love has a great mariachi trumpet break.
posted by dydecker at 8:53 PM on November 22, 2014 [2 favorites]


Spoon -- The Underdog
posted by Nerd of the North at 9:13 PM on November 22, 2014


My immediate thought here is The Refreshments! So much stuff by The Refreshments, and also Roger Clyne's solo/spinoff stuff with the Peacemakers.
posted by aecorwin at 9:14 PM on November 22, 2014 [1 favorite]


You should also probably check out Los Super Seven. And going back a ways further, maybe the Plugz
posted by Nerd of the North at 9:19 PM on November 22, 2014


This isn't mariachi and is probably drearier in tone than you're looking for, but Beirut made half an album called March of the Zapotec with Banda Jimenez, a traditional marching band from the small town of Teotilan del Valle in Oaxaca. Interesting blend of indie with a traditional Mexican style.
posted by dahliachewswell at 9:59 PM on November 22, 2014 [2 favorites]


Response by poster: I love that Beirut album. That's exactly what I'm after more of.
posted by Keith Talent at 11:03 PM on November 22, 2014


Senor Coconut is worth your time to check out - Fiesta Songs is perhaps the best starting place, though if you enjoy 70s era electronic music you might be amused by the Kraftwork and Yellow Magic Orchestra tribute albums as well.

Also, the Book of Life soundtrack might be of interest as well.
posted by Candleman at 11:24 PM on November 22, 2014


El Sol No Regresa by La Quinta Estación
posted by Gordafarin at 6:22 AM on November 23, 2014


This dude Herb Alpert was huge in the 1960s.
posted by chrchr at 8:41 AM on November 23, 2014


I'm sorry that so many of these answers are not what you asked about at all. Do you know Eef Barzelay and Clem Snide? How about Butane Variations and Phosphorescent? Lots of trumpet and other Southwestern orchestration etc on those records.

Also, there's a bunch of great Latino Cow-punk from Southern California in the early 90s/late 80s that combined power pop, country and Mexican music. How about Alejandro Escovedo with or without Rank and File? Early Los Lobos of course and Wall of Voodoo as well as Lone Justice, Blood on the Saddle, and El Vez, plus later period John Doe solo records.
posted by Potomac Avenue at 8:07 PM on November 23, 2014


Also, My Affair by Kirsty MacColl.
posted by mippy at 5:50 AM on November 26, 2014


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