En Espanol

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 thats 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 groups demonstrated fondness for Mexican and Latin styles, thats not especially surprising. What is unexpected is that theyve 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 theyve made in the past. The eclectic spirit thats always informed their music and the sublime vocals of Raul Malo mean this isnt likely to alienate most of their fan base, and theres 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 its superb. Immersing himself in a variety of Mexican and Cuban styles (Malo is of Cuban heritage), hes 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 anyones expectations. If this is a long way from What a Crying Shame or Music for All Occasions, its adventurous and crafted with heart and skill, and thats what theyve always done best. ~ Mark Deming