LA PUNK BAND THE BRONX TO RELEASE ALBUM AS MARIACHI EL BRONX

QUINTESSENTIAL LA PUNK BAND THE BRONX RELEASES
SELF-TITLED NEW RECORD AS MARIACHI EL BRONX

ALBUM AND ACCOMPANYING COLOGNE BOTH CAPTURE
THE ESSENCE OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AND MEXICO


The latest offering from Los Angeles punk band The Bronx, like its previous releases, encapsulates the ethos of their hometown. This time, however, the band takes a slightly different approach- by taking audiences on a border-bending journey of the senses and performing as Mariachi El Bronx. The band's self-titled full-length will be released on September 1st on Swami Records. The soulful, passionate musical influences of Mexico, achieved by such exotic elements as norteno, jorocho, wasteka, bolero and corridos, combine with the band's songwriting expertise to provide a sun-drenched summer soundtrack equally appropriate to Los Angeles as south of the border.

This embodiment of The Bronx was originally conceived as a new twist on the electric-goes-acoustic performance. Citing the influence of various worldwide locales, as well as the addition of guitarron player Vincent Hidalgo (son of David Hidalgo of Los Lobos and Latin Playboys,) eventually Mariachi El Bronx was born. The record was produced by Jon Avilla, and features percussion by Alfredo Ortiz and orchestration by an unnamed but renowned string quartet.

The band will perform in a variety of different ways, sometimes incorporating mariachi into their punk set, sometimes playing two nights at a venue performing each band respectively, often having one band open for the other.

Though at the outset this reincarnation of The Bronx as a mariachi outfit may seem like a departure, it in fact deviates little from the band's original path. According to the band, "mariachi music is every bit as much a soundtrack to southern California" as The Bronx's raucous punk rock. With Mariachi El Bronx, the band yet again proves it can and will redefine what punk means, sounds like, and doesn't look like.

Just as Mariachi El Bronx attempts to capture the aural essence of Mexico and its palpable influence on Southern California, the band introduces a cologne to harness that essence in a fragrance, to be released in conjunction with the new record. Barrio Sweat is warm and masculine... inhale for initial notes of leather, sage, thyme and green fig... exhale and experience earth properties of adobe, loose sand and dry grass transporting a finish of sweet agave and caramelized goat's milk. Each bottle of Barrio Sweat comes complete with a larvae of the agave snout weevil imported from Jalisco, drowned at the bottom of this mystical potion, reminiscent of the finest Mezcal. Barrio Sweat, just like Mariachi El Bronx, captures the intoxicating magic of Mexico, while honoring the time-honored traditions and values of another age that continue to shape the "barrios" of today- in Los Angeles and beyond.