Kevin Bronson on July 29th, 2011

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Mariachi .. really. When the Bronx – one of the most deliciously uncompromising hardcore punk bands to emerge in the last decade – first donned their charro suits and morphed into Mariachi El Bronx, it felt like they were kidding. They weren’t, embarking on a foray into south-of-the-border flavors that turned out to be both reverent and resonant. Their emotional songs, full of romance, regret and redemption, caught on with fans thanks to tours with the likes of the Killers and the Flaming Lips (and, upcoming, the Foo Fighters) and festival gigs at Coachella and Glastonbury. Next week, their second album as Mariachi El Bronx comes out on ATO Records. It features a collaboration with the all-female Mariachi Reyna de Los Angeles, and if ever there was a project that shows how melting-pot L.A. can make creativity sizzle, this is it.

||| Live: Mariachi El Bronx plays album-release shows Tuesday and Wednesday at La Cita. They also do an in-store at Amoeba at 6 p.m. Tuesday that will be streamed live.

||| Download: After the jump, trade your e-mail for a download of “48 Roses”: