Manic Hispanic

The Recline of Mexican Civilization (BYO)
by Scott Hefflon

Anyone fortunate enough to hear Manic Hispanic‘s Doctor Dream debut six or so years ago always kinda wished they’d hit the taco stand again. And this time out, along with the punk classics adapted to Mex culture, there’re a couple tips of the bandanna to the new breed. If you haven’t heard this, you have to!

Opening with a brief stop at “Alberto’s” (the actual name of an ALL song, but this is Descendents’ “Der Wiernerschnitzal,” which most’ll hopefully remember was played twice in Pump Up The Volume), Manic Hispanic quickly set the tone by covering the Ramones’ “Chinese Rocks” as “Mexican Tar.” The chorus of “I’m living on Mexican tar, everything I own’s in my car” may be considered unPC, but it’s called punk for a reason…

The soon-to-be classic “Get Them Immigrated” is a perfect adaptation of The Offspring’s “Come Out and Play (Keep ’em Separated),” and that song’s been abused badly over the years. A trumpet playing the fill is the perfect touch. Following are plenty of old’n’new classics, so pick yer faves: “Uncle Chato’s Garden” (Bad Religion’s “Atomic Garden”), “Brown Man in O.C. Jail” (Clash’s “White Man in Hammersmith Palais”), “If the Vatos are United” (Sham 69’s “If the Kids Are United”), “Mommy’s Little Cholo” (Social Distortion’s “Mommy’s Little Monster”), “Bored with You Esse” (Clash’s “I’m So Bored with the U.S.A.”), “Rudy Cholo” (Rancid’s “Rudy Soho”), “Lynch the Landlord” (Dead Kennedys’ classic of the same name), “Brown Girl” (X’s “White Girl), and “Tijuana Must Fall” (the cool’n’obscure Catholic Discipline’s “Underground Babylon”).
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