Thee Commons‘ cumbia happily submits to possession by psych, garage, and punk spirits — sinister and snarling, but forever bailable. The band’s latest, Lotería Tribal, invokes the same familiar fiends, but there’s an added bonus: They’re taking this one on the road to cities throughout the U.S., well beyond their East L.A. hometown.
The album is actually Thee Commons’ first proper outing, a deliberately cohesive recording to follow last year’s 8-volume series, which culminated in a best-of style comp called Rock is Dead: Long Live Paper and Scissors. Burger Records reissued that one on cassette, and have also just re-pressed a condensed 10-inch vinyl version, Psychedelic Cumbia Punk. The Fullerton imprint is backing them on this go ’round as well.
Frontman and guitarist David Pacheco says he and drummer René, his younger brother — the founding core of the group — handled all aspects of the album, from their (impressively quick) two days in the studio to its ultimate pressing. Burger’s aid comes by granting them the use of their logo on Lotería Tribal, buying a sizable lot to resell, then promoting it to their massive fanbase. It’s a different kind of record deal, something more like a partnership, David says. Anyway, it’s a surefire way to recoup some funds spent, and the remaining copies, of course, belong to Thee Commons.
“We sell it at shows, and we get to keep what we sell to be sustainable,” David says.
Los Hermanos Pacheco and company expect to begin their jaunt in July with support from Onward Indian Touring, which regularly books tons of Burger bands (Another plus from that partnership, we think).
They’ve unveiled four tracks from Lotería Tribal via Bandcamp already, and we’ve got another: “Foolish King,” a jittery sax-filled number that feels like the initial summoning of the rock ‘n’ roll spirits thoroughly occupying the rest of the album.
Lotería Tribal is out on April 30, 2016.