Recorded for the
Falcon
label in McAllen, Texas, from the mid-1950s to the mid-1960s, this has four tracks apiece by a half-dozen female Tex-Mex acts:
Las Hermanas Degollado
,
Las Hermanas Segovia
Las Hermanas Cantu
Las Hermanas Mendoza
Rosita Y Aurelia
, and
Las Dos Marias
. Sung in Spanish exclusively, the songs usually feature accordion prominently, often in tandem with alto sax, while the bajo sexto, bass, and occasional percussion round out the arrangements. The juxtaposition of six such acts does help lend the collection more variety than many such anthologies of Mexican-American music from the period, though a basic vibe characterizes many of the selections: plaintive close harmonies and love songs that are forlorn even when the tempo is peppy ("go find some dry twigs and build yourself a crow's nest" reads the English translation to one lyric in
's
"Contestacion a 'Quisiera Ser Pajarillo'"
).
's contributions stand out for their simpler arrangements, which emphasize the acoustic guitar more than their neighbors on this compilation. These Mendozas, incidentally, were
Maria Mendoza
and
Juanita Mendoza
, sisters of the legendary Mexican-American singer-guitarist
Lydia Mendoza
. ~ Richie Unterberger