Billy Bacon

The debut album by San Diego's Billy Bacon & the Forbidden Pigs (originally released just under the latter half of the band name, but reissued under the full moniker) sets the course that the trio has rarely deviated from in the ensuing years: elements of blues, country, rockabilly (particularly in lead guitarist Jerry "Hot Rod" DeMink's twangy delivery), swing and Tex-Mex combine like some sort of genetic experiment cross-breeding NRBQ's disdain for genre restrictions and Doug Sahm's unpretentious party aesthetic. The no-frills recording and punky immediacy of the rough-edged arrangements make Una Mas Cerveza! a bit more exciting than some of the comparatively slicker albums that followed: the title track has the sweaty immediacy of a prime Texas roadhouse-style conjunto tune, complete with the oompah waltz-time verses, and the slinky "Morenita Mia" has remained a huge fan favorite throughout the band's career. ~ Stewart Mason, All Music Guide