Performer Notes

Los Super Seven: Flaco Jim‚nez, Freddy Fender, Joe Ely, Raul Malo, Rick Trevino, Rub‚n Ramos (vocals).
Additional personnel: Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown (vocals, electric guitar); Delbert McClinton, John Hiatt, Lyle Lovett, Rodney Crowell (vocals); Calexico.
HEARD IT ON THE X is something of a tribute record (in spirit, at least) to the border radio stations of Mexico and Texas in the 1950s and '60s. These famed stations, whose broadcasts reached far into the United States, thanks to their 500,000-watt transmitters, played a mixture of mariachi, rock, blues, and country, that is justly celebrated here by Los Super Seven. A loose amalgam of roots-rock musicians assembled by manager/producer Dan Goodman, this incarnation of Los Super Seven features members of Calexico and ace session hands like Charlie Sexton, along with a battery of Texas musicians, including Lyle Lovett, Joe Ely, Delbert McClinton, Raul Malo, and Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown.
The album plays like a roots primer, spinning through traditional country blues (Blind Lemon Jefferson's "See That My Grave Is Kept Clean"), classic mariachi ("Cupido"), and '50s rock & roll balladry ("Talk to Me"). The disc even includes a ZZ Top cover--the song, also a nod to border radio, gives the project its title. The wide-ranging tracks all fit together perfectly, amounting to a fascinating case study on the musical melting pot of the American Southwest.

Professional Reviews

Rolling Stone (p.72) - "The pileup of country, norte¤o and R&B that is Texas music would not exist without border radio."

Uncut (p.108) - 4 stars out of 5 - "Here country, soul and blues get a mariachi flavoring and everything rocks fabulously."

Dirty Linen (p.45) - "Banjo player Gregory Liszt is a crisply precise picker who seems to draw inspiration from every banjo innovator from Earl Scruggs to Bela Fleck."

Living Blues (p.60) - "The music is eclectic - highlights include Ely doing a Bobby Fuller song, John Hiatt doing one by Sir Doug, Rodney Crowell doing a Buddy Holly, and Lyle Lovett doing a Bob Wills..."

Mojo (Publisher) (p.64) - Ranked #4 in Mojo's "2005 Americana Albums Of The Year."