Known for innovating within the regional Mexican genre, Edén Muñoz is always on the lookout for new ideas and fusions. However, he’s been wanting to return to his musical roots, which he does in his new album, Piedras A La Luna.
“Personally, it’s one of my most beautiful projects because it touches on my roots — it embraces banda, norteño — done as it should be, with the traditional sound. There are songs with double meanings; it’s my essence, what people want to hear from me,” Muñoz tells Billboard Español. “I had forgotten how wonderful it is to make that kind of music.”
Released on Thursday (Aug. 28) under Sony Music Mexico, the 15-track set — including the previously released singles “Qué Loco El Plebe,” “Te Juro Que Te Amo,” “La Dama,” and “Mi Primer Día Sin ti” — evokes the sound of iconic groups like Banda El Recodo and La Arrolladora Banda El Limón, who recorded in the legendary Estudio Hugos in Los Mochis, Sinaloa. For this album, Muñoz’s team included people who worked in that studio.
“We achieved the classic touch, the roots of our music,” explains the singer-songwriter. “In the end, that’s where all regional Mexican artists come from. Let’s say it’s music made with grandma’s recipe.”
The album, his fourth studio effort as a solo artist since departing Calibre 50 in 2022, is a musical journey through the sounds of the traditional Sinaloan banda and norteño music that he grew up with. From love songs like “Raite Pa’ Con Diosito” with a ranchera style, to heartbreak tunes like “Mi Primer Día Sin Ti,” where the tuba adds drama, and the norteño track “La Dama” featuring Óscar Maydon — the only collaboration — Piedras A La Luna appeals to the classic sounds of regional Mexican music.
The album also includes a track surprisingly inspired by Gustavo Cerati, “Gracias Por Venir,” whose title is a lyric from the song “Puente” by the late Argentine rocker. “[He’s] one of my favorite artists,” Muñoz reveals. “I study him a lot on a musical level.”
There’s also one cover, “Te Juro Que Te Amo,” made famous in the 1970s by the Venezuelan group Los Terrícolas, and which now receives the norteño-banda treatment.
Overall, the album’s lyrics are family-friendly. Muñoz, who expanded his fan base to include children after recording a 2023 version of “La Nena” by Banda Pequeños Musical, along with Cosme Tadeo, has been more mindful of his lyrics since then, understanding the responsibility that comes with this new audience.
“The show is now a bit more family-oriented,” he adds. “Now I stop myself from saying something inappropriate because there are minors, and they deserve respect. I owe myself to the audience of all ages and from all places in my country. I want to sound like Mexico in every sense.”
Below, Edén Muñoz breaks down five essential tracks from Piedras A La Luna. Listen to the full album here.
“Raite Pa’ Con Diosito”
When the idea for this song came to me, I got excited. Whether it came from Joan Sebastian, God, or whoever dictated it to me, it’s very gratifying because it’s been a long time since I made a song with the characteristics of “A La Antigüita” [from Calibre 50] or “Como Quieras Quiero,” two tracks in that style. However, “Raite Pa’ con Diosito” is even more retro in terms of sound. The banda, playing with all its strength, envelops the lyrics, which tell the story of a man in love asking a father for permission to date his daughter, but warns that, if he’s denied, he’ll take her anyway. It’s a story straight out of the 1950s.
“Gracias Por Venir”
One of my favorite artists is Gustavo Cerati. I study him a lot musically. This phrase is from one of his iconic songs, [“Puente”], and it gave me the line and the idea for a song with a very beautiful metaphor. It’s about the reconstruction of a human being, about when you break. It’s one of my favorites. Musically, the sound of the accordion gives it the dramatic touch that makes it so special.
“Sin Yolanda”
This is very much in the vein of “Ni Que Estuvieras Tan Buena” or “Te Estoy Engañando Con Otra,” that kind of humor I played with in Calibre 50. This line from the lyrics says it all: “I’m going to grab whatever moves/ Watch out because I’m hurting/ So you can take advantage of the offer/ The ones you’ve always wanted/ Now there will be plenty for everyone and for an indefinite period of time.” Musically, it’s an intense norteño track, with the accordion played the way it should be.
“Maldito Dinero”
This song talks about the two ways of seeing money: one, from the perspective of those of us fortunate enough to have a job, an income, and maybe even some extra; and the other, from the perspective of those who are chasing every peso just to get by. I think it’s a very deep song. The banda sound is very special. I brought in the best trumpet and the best trombone from the old school.
“Lejos Estamos Mejor”
This is a song about a love that ended and, with time, has healed, becoming something of the past, putting each person in their rightful place. The title says it all: “Lejos Estamos Mejor” (We’re Better Off Apart), each one creating the best version of themselves. It’s a norteño-banda ballad with a smooth rhythm, mixing nostalgia with a welcome to a new life.
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