Los Angeles trailblazers Mariachi El Bronx will be releasing their first album in over decade, Mariachi El Bronx IV, through ATO. The LP finds the mariachi alter ego of punk rock stalwarts The Bronx continuing to embody the boundary-pushing spirit that sparked their creation as they honor the rich Hispanic music and culture woven into the fabric of Los Angeles. Today, MEB offer another glimpse of their forthcoming album, by way of the new single “RIP Romeo.” The track features Ray Suen on violin (Childish Gambino, Lorde), who had a hand in writing it as well.
While talking about the ditty, lead vocalist Matt Caughthran says: “RIP Romeo started with a melody that wouldn’t leave my head. I brought it to Ray and we knocked out a demo in an hour. We hadn’t written together in years, but we fell right back into rhythm. It came alive when the rest of the band got their hands on it. It’s a pretty direct song on the surface, but there’s a lot going on underneath. I’ve wanted to write about Romeo for years, but only if it came from a genuine place – not something forced or cliché. This one finally felt true, so I leaned in.”
The artist adds: “The deeper layer revealed itself when I couldn’t finish the lyrics. I had most of it written, but key lines were missing. I couldn’t focus – my aunt had recently passed away from cancer, and my family was grieving. That experience ended up shaping the song in ways I hadn’t anticipated. The lines ‘How could this happen to you, it’s cruel and it’s tragic’ and ‘Amor es muerte (love is death)’ are about her – they completed the song for me.”
Photo Credit: Owen Ela
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