Decades deep into his solo catalogue, Pepe Aguilar continues to represent his homeland’s music with pride and an exacting set of self-imposed standards. Where 2024’s Que Llueva Tequila willfully brought righteous rock energy to mariachi and ranchera forms, his follow-up Mi Suerte Es Ser Mexicano manoeuvres instead toward relatively more traditional renditions of the styles he’s long operated within. That’s certainly not to suggest he’s resting on his laurels here, though that would be within his rights at this stage in his acclaimed career. Instead, he reaches excitedly into the música mexicana songbook to present favourites like “El Gavilancillo” and “Mis Dos Vicios.” His seasoned voice can carry the emotional weight of longing that necessitates the romantic pleas of “Vamos Tarde.” That evident familiarity makes even more frequently covered fare like “Caminos De Michoacán” and “Ni El Dinero Ni Nada” more pliable and powerful by way of his renditions.