“Each album has its distinct character. But Quetzal’s new album marks a radical reconstruction that once again broadens the band’s sonic palette and the parameters of Chicano music. “Cowboy” is a lot less folkloric, a lot more urban. It even incorporates elements of R&;B with the addition of bearded, bespectacled Quincy McCrary on keyboard and vocals (in English) that evoke Stevie Wonder, but the key flavors are all still there traditional son jarocho from Veracruz, tasty salsa rhythms from the Caribbean and rock influences from Santana to Morrissey. “The point was to go places we haven’t been before, to shed our skin,” Flores said over lunch recently at a Mexican restaurant in El Sereno. “Instead of trying to replace people or a sound,” added Gonzalez, “we just let the sound change.” That restless creativity has been a hallmark of a group that has single-handedly carried the torch passed on by Los Lobos, East L.A.’s greatest band.”

– Agustin Gurza, LA Times

Recording Location:
Brando’s Paradise, San Gabriel, CA
Hayes Ave, Highland Park, CA
OC Garage, Westminster, CA

Record Tracklist