Julión Álvarez Y Su Norteño Banda Essentials

Backed by throbbing tubas, soaring trumpets and hard-hitting tambora rhythms, Julión Álvarez presses all the buttons to make listeners laugh, cry or dance. Whether pouring his heart out in lullabies (“Lágrimas”), putting it all on the line in corridos (“El Guitarrero”) or crooning glorious kiss-offs (“Márchate”), he's one of regional Mexican music's most quixotic protagonists.