No Way Jose- Rice, Beans & Rock ‘N Roll

Artist: No Way Jose
Album: Rice, Beans & Rock ‘N Roll
Label: Pee Shy Records
Purchase: Smart Punk
Release Date: 2007

Overall:7.5
Music: 8.0
Lyrics: 7.0
Production: 8.5

It took a while for No Way Jose to get this album in the mail, but all things set aside this album is actually good. No Way Jose, hailing from Southern California is comprised of three members who create a sound of “Spanglish Punk”. They have created a 7-song disc entirely new and different to me, but yet their sound is still familiar to some of the bands I listen to.

A little while ago, I had wanted to start listening to some “Spanglish Punk” bands but just never got around to it until now and I’m glad that they are the one to introduce me to this style of music. One of my favorite songs from “Rice, Beans and Rock ‘N Roll” is Motherfucker. Yeah I know, the title may seem a little bit harsh, but don’t judge a song by its title. The song just has the “yeah, ok, whatever, leave me alone” type of vibe, not only that but you can hear their Spanish influence in it. I can see people hearing this song and singing along to it proudly in the privacy of their own space. In their album, you can also tell these seven songs represent them and the pride they get in creating their style of music with making no compromises and following no one voices but their own. With songs like “Stripper”, which has a Spanglish version, “Wanna Be” and “Martha” you get to hear their own mix of Southern California punk and Tex-Mex. While listening to this CD in my Ipod I often create a playlist so I can listen to their CD with one of Catch 22 CDs, just to give you a perspective on how they sound. Oh, and they were selected to play on last years Hot Topic Kevin Says stage at Vans Warped Tour so you know they have to be good.

Tracklisting
1. Wanna Be
2. Don’t Worry
3. Marta
4. Te Extrano
5. Stripper
6. Stripper (Spanglish)
7. Motherfucker