Album review: GYPSY PISTOLEROS – The Mescalito Vampires

June 6th, 2021 by jason

Off Yer Rocka Records [Release date 14.08.21]

Gypsy Pistoleros are back and in better shape than ever. The line-up consists of vocalist/guitarist Gypsy Lee Pistolero, guitarist Mark Westwood (Shadowland, Clive Nolan), on double bass Gaz Le Bass (The Delray Rockets), drummer Jan Vincent Vellazco (Pendragon, PIG) and on trumpet Kris Jones. Quite a prog rock pedigree in amongst the band’s line-up, however, that is one style of music you won’t hear on this album.

The Latino rock meets punk action comes thick in the form of ‘Lost In A Town Called Nowhere’, ‘Viva La Revolution’ and ‘Soho Daze, Just Another Friday Night’. The latter has a nice Guns ‘n’ Roses vibe to it.

It is not all breakneck paced though as the ballad ‘The Name’s Django’ shows the Gypsy Pistoleros have a few tricks up their sleeve. Starting off as a gentle ballad, complete with gentle guitar before midway through it goes fast paced, no holds barred Latino punk, then ending as quietly as it began.

Songs like ‘Cisco Kid’ and ‘Gonna Die With A Gun In My Hand’ have the listener imagining Wild West shoot outs or gunfighter duels in the hot sun at midday. These songs would be perfect for any Tarantino Western soundtrack.

What’s that? How would an Eagles classic sound making the basis of a Gypsy Pistoleros song? “’he Mescalito Vampires (Welcome To The Hotel De La Muerto)’ does just that. Taking a little bit of ‘Hotel California’, a lot of punk and Latino rock, helps to make on the album’s many highlights.

The album ends with a superb cover of the Love classic ‘Alone Again Or’. The acoustic guitar on this is stunning, as is indeed the band’s take on the song, going for a mellow vibe which works really well.

Imagine the house band from ‘From Dusk Til Dawn’ jamming with (early era) ZZ Top, a youthful Guns ‘N’ Roses and the Gypsy Kings and you get the Gypsy Pistoleros. Latino fuelled punk rock doesn’t get much better than this. ****

Review by Jason Ritchie

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