When Julian Fernandez of Los Texas Wranglers asked me to write the liner notes for Aye, Que Tan Bonita, the guys’ most recent album full of original material, I was honored and I jumped at the chance.
Here’s what I wrote:
For over a decade, Austin’s own Los Texas Wranglers have cultivated a uniquely Texas sound, deeply rooted in traditional, accordion-driven Conjunto with accents from Country, Blues, and other genres. This album is a great showcase of this sonic signature that has earned the veteran group a loyal following and awards and recognition nationwide.
This collection of original songs, written and composed by bandleader and drummer Julian Limón Fernandez, is at once fun-loving, romantic, and down-to-earth. The analog recording not only captures the cohesiveness of the group (which is as comfortable as a favorite pair of boots), but also reflects one of the very best things about Los Texas Wranglers: their live shows. Listening to these recordings, you can feel the friendly atmosphere where no one is a stranger and everyone loves to dance.
Here you will find some easy-going cumbias like the ode to the Lone Star state, “En Tejas,” as well as the romantic “Aye Que Tan Bonita” and “Aquellos Tiempos.” There are also some hardcore, deep-down-in-your guts instrumental polkas, like the aptly-named “Sonny Boy Polka,” with award-winning acordeonista Sonny Trujillo getting down on the squeeze box, and “Nellie’s Polka,” with some seriously intricate bajo sexto embellishments by Epifaño Sandoval, Jr. The polkas continue with “A Donde Vas,” which also features a great three-voice harmony and the dancefloor favorite “Esos Caprichos,” giving the spotlight to the super-tight rhythm section with Fernandez outdoing himself yet again.
The Wranglers spread their wings a little bit with the blues and rock selections “Get to Shaking” and “Te Amo Means I Love You,” and the positively playful ranchera tribute to “Texas Girls.” The romantic side of the guys, especially the smooth primera voz of Amador Salazar, comes out on the waltz “Sueño de Ti,” and the bolero “Chica Linda.”
Aye Que Tan Bonita is as “Wranglers” as it gets!
Aye Que Tan Bonita, along with more from their catalog, is available at Turntable Records in Austin, online at CD Baby and Amazon, or directly from the band.
To learn more about Los Texas Wranglers, and to book them for your event, visit their website at iconjunto.com, follow them on Facebook, or call Julian at 512-933-1485.