More than most of their peers in Nashville,
the Mavericks have never been afraid to step off the beaten path and do something out of the ordinary, and that's never been more true than on their 2020 release
En Espanol. As the title suggests, all 12 songs on this album are sung entirely in Spanish, and given the group's demonstrated fondness for Mexican and Latin styles, that's not especially surprising. What is unexpected is that they've set their country and retro-rock influences on the sidelines for these sessions --
En Espanol is a straight-up Latin album, and while the occasional twangy guitar figure or lounge-appropriate arrangement reminds us this is still
the Mavericks, in the truest sense this is a nearly total departure from the music they've made in the past. The eclectic spirit that's always informed their music and the sublime vocals of
Raul Malo mean this isn't likely to alienate most of their fan base, and there's a playful yet reverent tone in the performances that keeps things buoyant. That said, even more than on most of their albums,
En Espanol is a showcase for the vocal stylings of
Raul Malo, and on that score it's superb. Immersing himself in a variety of Mexican and Cuban styles (
Malo is of Cuban heritage), he's at the top of his game here, sounding passionate and fully invested in the material while never sending his delivery over the top, and his phrasing and accents honor the music without dulling the impact of his personality. He makes these songs sound like they were written for him, such as the slinky tango-turned-mariachi number "Sombras Nada Mas," the lively "No Vale la Pena" (including a guest appearance from
Flaco Jimenez), the coolly romantic "Sabor a Mi," and the starkly atmospheric Cuban country song "La Sitiera," and he also wrote or co-wrote five tracks that blend with the standards and traditional numbers like a charm. They may have been country superstars in the '90s, but
the Mavericks have always been more concerned with following their muse rather than living up to anyone's expectations. If this is a long way from
What a Crying Shame or
Music for All Occasions, it's adventurous and crafted with heart and skill, and that's what they've always done best. ~ Mark Deming
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