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Austin, Texas punk powerhouse MUJERES PODRIDAS returns to us hot off the heels of a Japanese tour with their "SANGRE Y SOL" LP, the first we have heard from them since 2021's "MUERTE EN PARAISO." Over the years, each release has seen the band not only honing their skill but ultimately carving out their own territory within the vast sonic terrain we're all immersed in as enthusiasts of this music and "SANGRE Y SOL" is truly the pinnacle of their nearly decade journey thus far. The aural steamroller that is this ensemble aside, this record is not meant to be merely a linear punk album with one sound but rather a cohesive collection of experiences of growing up on the border of South Texas reflected by varied levels of mood and intensity. These songs are about love, violence, death. They reflect the general passion that comes from balancing the intense highs and lows of life while still being proud of the land that nourished and raised the members of this group. In short, "SANGRE Y SOL" is meant to represent the violence and danger people face crossing the border on foot and the long journey that lies ahead navigating through a society and landscape that are often both inhospitable and harsh.
Our take: Texan punks Mujeres Podridas return with their second 12” release, Sangre Y Sol. It’s funny, I still think of Mujeres Podridas as a new band, but their first EP came out in 2017, so they’re definitely veterans at this point… and that’s even without considering the other bands members have served time in, including Criaturas, Kurraka, and Wiccans, among many, many others. If you missed their first 12”, 2021’s Muerte En Paraíso (which we named Record of the Week when it came out), Mujeres Podridas’ sound takes the surfy rhythms and melodic lead guitars I associate with early SoCal punk and fuses them with the ferocity and high-level musicality that is synonymous with Texas punk of the past couple decades. If you loved Mujeres Podridas’ first 12” as much as I did, tracks like “Fantasmas” and “Cruces” are right in that stylistic wheelhouse and just as good, but in general the melodies on Sangre Y Sol feel more downcast, even melancholy. This may reflect Sangre Y Sol’s lyrical themes, which examine life near the US/Mexico border in south Texas; according to Beach Impediment’s description, these songs “represent the violence and danger people face crossing the border on foot and the long journey that lies ahead navigating through a society and landscape that are often both inhospitable and harsh.” While Sangre Y Sol still sounds like hardcore punk, it’s a more mature, reflective take on the sound, with a big dose of the sun-bleached melancholy you hear on so many records from Texas, both within and beyond the world of punk. If you love punk that not only gets you on your feet but also stimulates your brain and tugs at your heartstrings, Muerte En Paraíso is a must-listen.