The Mavericks have proven that there’s no such thing as too much of a good thing with their latest release, En Español (Edición Deluxe). Adding three additional recordings to a 12-track album might seem like overkill to some, but trust me on this, these new additions do nothing but keep the fun going. There are a million reasons to be excited about this latest release from The Mavericks, but truthfully, what excites me most about this release of En Español (Edición Deluxe) is that I finally get to share with the world my thoughts on what I believe is one of The Mavericks’ best releases to date.
Something I love about The Mavericks is how they seem to have always been genre-less, in a way. There have always been a wide variety of influences prevalent in their music and there isn’t an existing category that quite sums them up. This album to me is a culmination of all their various influences into one single hour of music. Who would have thought Latin, rock, country, and Americana music could be combined to create something so mind-blowingly wonderful?
I can’t count how many times I’ve spun En Español since its initial release back in August of 2020. Combining classic covers with brilliantly written originals, this is the perfect record for lovers of Latin music and newcomers to the genre alike. Despite not being a Spanish-speaker myself, what’s so impressive about this record is how if you really listen, it doesn’t matter if you speak Spanish or not. You may not get the full translation, but the mood of the music and the emotion pouring out of Raul Malo’s masterful vocals are enough to grasp the overall meaning of each track.
I could go on and on about each of these songs, but in the interest of time, I’ll hit you with what I believe to be some of the highlights. “La Sitiera” opens the record, and there is no better track to guide you into the hour long journey you’re about to embark on. You’re introduced to all the elements and players that contribute to this record’s classic but unique Latin sound. Beginning as a trio of guitar, strings, and Malo’s voice, the song builds up to a gorgeous full band piece with horns and accordion rounding out the track. Every piece of this puzzle is important, and the track wouldn’t be the same without all its players.
One of my personal favorites from the middle of the record is “Me Olvidé de Vivir”. I find it to be reminiscent of 60s and 70s folk music – it has a serious John Denver vibe to it that makes it absolutely irresistible. For me, it stands out from the rest of the album in its energy, but it doesn’t feel out of place. Clocking in at over five minutes, I somehow feel that this song just doesn’t last long enough. I’d be happy for it to go on for ten or even 15 minutes! This is one of those songs that I could play on repeat for hours and never get tired of it.
Of course, with this being the Edición Deluxe, this record has grown by three songs, and after hearing them, I honestly can’t imagine listening to this record without them. The first of the three additional recordings is “Por Ti (Yo Quiero Ser)”, an upbeat track that immediately lets you know the fun isn’t over just yet. This track is obviously meant to be listened to loud, and loud is the best way to get the full effect of my favorite part of the song, that bit just before the chorus comes in – give this song a listen and you’ll know exactly what I mean. Everything about this track is the perfect blend of The Mavericks’ Cuban roots and rock, and the end result is insane. En Español wouldn’t be the same without it.
I keep finding myself going back to the second of the new additions, the Ranchera Version of “Poder Vivir”. While the standard version of this tune is one of my favorites from the album, I especially love the Ranchera Version. It has this wonderful bolero quality, and it really showcases Malo’s beautiful vocals. This version forces you to take a moment and recognize just how beautiful and lovely a song this truly is without straying too far from the standard version. This is another one from this record that I could play on repeat for hours and never find myself tired of hearing it.
The last of the additional tracks is the El Dusty remix of “Mujer”. I’ll be completely honest, I’ve never particularly cared for remixes. A handful of my favorite artists have partnered up with someone and released a remix here and there, and I usually find that the remix takes away from the song rather than adding to it. This remix, however, absolutely blew me away. El Dusty stays true to the root of the song, leaving Malo’s vocals seemingly untouched, but giving the song a modern, Top 40, funky flair. It’s easy to take a remix too far and lose sight of the original piece of music, but that’s not the case here. It’s very enjoyable to listen to, and it’s a perfect closing track for this record.
En Español is the most beautiful blend of everything you could ever want from The Mavericks. It’s classic, it’s fresh, it’s fun, it’s unique. It’s Latin, it’s rock, it’s country, it’s Americana. You can hear the passion that went into every single track, and it’s a perfect album for any audience, young or old, Spanish-speaking or not, lovers of any and all genres of music. Each track brings you something a little different, though they’re all incredible. Give an hour of your time to En Español (Edición Deluxe) and I’m certain you’ll agree with me: This record is proof that music is a universal language, and a beautiful one at that.