Chicano Batman is a living example of how you can fill arenas with Mexican psychedelic rock. With a slight change in the lineup, as former drummer Gabriel Villa is no longer active with the group, the band shows no signs of stopping their lead in the new psychedelic pop scene.
With this single, it is easy to hear the variety of sounds that the group has honed collectively. With the heavily produced mix of the tracks and interesting vocal box effects that sound distantly familiar to Julian Casablancas’ vocals — the lead singer of The Strokes — the project makes it known that they are willing to take it to the next step.
The first track of the single, “Live Today,” brings back comforting soft synths accompanied by clean guitars that provide a simple yet groovy melody. Throughout the song’s verses, Bardo Martinez, frontman vocalist and synth player, discusses his difficulty keeping his emotions stable using phrases such as “Can’t get mad at every dog that barks at you” and “Can’t free all of the animals inside of the zoo.” However, with the upbeat and lively mood of the song, this message is more seen as conversational and easygoing. Once the chorus hits, it is almost like Bardo lets go of his emotional buildup. He finally tells the world that life is too short to care about the little things.
The next song, “Era Primavera,” takes a language shift. It opens up with a beautiful and swaying string section, clearly hinting at the future chorus. The guitar holds back on this song, with the synth and clean double-tracking vocals working together with the strings. Knowing this band’s early sound, it would be fair to assume that this song is truly what they envisioned with all their songs in the past. The higher budget for production, use of a full set of strings and the resonating background choir make this song feel alive. “Era Primavera” shows that going back to the roots can still work.
Moving away from that romantic and moving song comes the final track of the single, “Fly.” With a similar sound to “Live Today,” “Fly” has a bit more of a sultry and funkadelic sound. The type that makes you want to dance in your living room alone as if you are the grooviest person in the world. This song is the highest streamed out of the trio, and it is easy to see why. “Fly” hits you with a repeated guitar melody that does not feel overdone. The bassline is simple yet moving enough to keep you engaged throughout the mix. Bardo’s repeated lyric “I wanna fly” feels like the best kind of brainworm.
Overall, this single was a perfect pick of three songs that provided enough variety to keep the listener moving in one way or another. From letting go of the weight of other’s opinions to a romantic and seductive melody, this band has shown that they know how to make good music, regardless of the message. If you have been missing the sounds of old Mexican ballads or ‘70s funk with a modern flavor, this single would satisfy all of your desires.
