By calling their band -- formerly known as A Fir-Ju Well --
Gringo Star, the Atlanta-based quartet of brothers Nick Furgiuele and Peter Furgiuele, plus Pete Delorenzo and Matt McCalvin, suggests a
Beatles tribute band with a Latin flavor, which turns out not to be what they are on their self-titled debut EP (except, perhaps, on "Esmerelda," which is set to a tango rhythm). But they certainly are
Beatlesque, a term that always has to be qualified by what period of
the Beatles' career is being evoked. In this case, it's 1964-1965, the lovable mop top era, which is what
Gringo Star recalls with its twangy guitars and catchy tunes. The bandmembers extenuate the zaniness of their approach by switching from one instrument to another between tracks. Somewhere on these six songs, Delorenzo sings lead and background vocals and plays guitar and drums; Nick Furgiuele sings lead and background vocals and plays guitar and bass; Peter Furgiuele sings lead and background vocals and plays guitar, piano, drums, and percussion; and McCalvin plays guitar, bass, drums, and accordion. But no mater who's playing what, the music is earnest and entertaining in a deliberately retro sort of way. ~ William Ruhlmann