ALBUM REVIEW: The Mexican Standoff Pay Tribute to Mexamerica Sound on ‘Hola Texas!’
Jim Shahen
Posted On March 10, 2025
It should go without saying that America, at its finest, is an example of the wonders and importance of multiculturalism. Of course, there are many who seek to deny or downplay the beauty in people of various social and ethnic backgrounds coming together. Fortunately, the debut LP by the all-female Mexican-American quartet The Mexican Standoff and its fusion of Tejano, mariachi, country and even a little bit of punk rock is here to serve as a celebration of diversity in personhood and in song.
Releasing on Tuesday, March 11 – the birthday of one of the album’s biggest sources of inspiration, Tex-Mex legend and accordionist Flaco Jimenez – Hola Texas! is a six-track blend of original material and covers. With its energetic exploration and elegant incorporation of its cultural forebears balanced by the members’ own personal touch, The Mexican Standoff’s first record evokes the spirit (and a little bit of the sound) of Los Lobos’ 1978 Los Lobos del Este de Los Angeles.
Hola Texas! begins with a cover of “El Pantalon Blue Jean” and it’s an ideal entry point into The Mexican Standoff’s appreciation for its heritage and ability to advance it in a new direction. The original dates back to the 1950s and (if Google Translate can be trusted) plays as a slightly sexist and bemused look at the popularity of blue jeans. Through the tight harmonies of the four female vocalists – and the help of a jubilant melody courtesy of Flaco Jimenez, who coincidentally the son of the song’s composer Santiago Jimenez, on the accordion – the song’s narrative is challenged and repurposed from a lamentation on declining social norms to a lighthearted statement of personal liberation.
“Amor Bonito” is an up-tempo tribute to Lydia Mendoza, a trailblazer in the Tejano music movement, while “In Heaven there is no Beer” is an irreverent drinking anthem. The album concludes with “Sola” and it’s a bit of a palette cleanser. Gone are the accordion and propulsive folk-country rhythms of the preceding fare. It’s a poignant ballad, featuring a pared-down arrangement and a moving vocal performance from frontwoman Fernanda Ulíbarri. It makes for a sincere capper to a strong first record and a heartfelt tribute to the sounds that inspired The Mexican Standoff’s existence.
The Mexican Standoff’s Hola Texas! is out March 11.
