The Mavericks: All Night Live, Vol. 1

All Night Live, Vol. 1 captures the legendary Tex-Mex/country/everything-but-the-kitchen-sink group the Mavericks in their natural environment: live and on stage. Here they are able to stretch out, augmented by a full horn section, allowing the songs to live and breathe on their own. At the center of it all is the inimitable voice of Raul Malo, one of the best, most underrated singers of the past quarter-century-plus. Add to that some top-notch songwriting and All Night Live, Vol. 1 is as fine a distillation of the group as you’re liable to find.

Culled primarily from their most recent albums, the band here proves to be in its element, rollicking through these 16 tracks with unbridled joy. It’s a textbook example of what a live show can and should be, the band rolling from one track to the next with the utmost air of professionalism. The difference is that, unlike other similarly technically proficient groups, the Mavericks still sound like they’re having fun. That translates into each performance, resonating with the live audience and channeling all the way through to the listener. All Night Long, Vol. 1 is a treat for fans and neophytes alike.