Surf Punk Meets Sweet Sorrow on Chicano Mosh’s “Como Yo”
A late-night confession: The fears of trust that drive “Como Yo”
San Bernardino surf punk band Chicano Mosh has never been shy about where they come from. Made up of Bryan Bugarin and Danny Gutierrez, the Inland Empire duo has built their identity around loud guitars, cultural pride and a sense of humor that shines through in the band's self-proclaimed title, “endorsed by your tías.” Their lyrics often move smoothly between Spanish and English, but their newest single titled “Como Yo” (Translation: “Like Me”) leaves English behind completely. Instead, Chicano Mosh uses their native language to tell a breakup story of acceptance, yearning and heartache.
The song opens with a catchy, muffled guitar that immediately gives “Como Yo” a hazy and distant feeling. Bugarin sings, “Amor, dices que nadie te amó y que nadie trató como yo” (Translation: “Love, you say that no one loved you and that no one treated you like I did) focusing on the way his former partner experienced his love. This wording highlights the singer as being remembered for the way he loved someone rather than simply being loved in return. It seems that he is separating being loved from being treated well. Instead of describing what made their relationship special like many other breakup songs, he reduces that difference to the idea that no one else adored and cared for his past love the way he did.
This feeling becomes further emphasized in the song’s repetition, “Y yo no queiro amar y que nadie me ame como yo te amé a ti” (Translation: “And I don't want to love and have no one love me the way I loved you”). What makes this line so important is his rejection of love on both sides. Bugarin does not want to love again, but he also does not want anyone to love him with the same intensity that he once gave. This expresses how difficult it can be to try and love someone else after experiencing and ending such a passionate relationship.
Keeping the entire song in Spanish makes that feeling even more intimate. For listeners who understand the language, there is a familiarity in hearing these words which makes the heartbreak feel even closer, almost like overhearing a personal conversation. In this sense, Spanish is not a stylistic choice, it’s just the language Bugarin naturally reaches for when describing something vulnerable. The music video reflects these feelings by showcasing Bugarin walking alone late at night with his guitar while the lyrics appear across the screen. The music video is mellow, creating little distraction from the meaning of the song. Bugarin has also stated on Instagram that he wrote “Como Yo” around two years ago after his first real breakup, describing trust as scary and love as even scarier. He dedicated the song to “all the hopeless romantics” and “the sad foos.”
“Como Yo” will appear on Chicano Mosh’s upcoming album No Me Siento Bien, arriving Oct. 31. After songs like “A Witch, a Surf Punk,” “Slow,” “Triste Luna” and “Cucuy,” “Como Yo” reveals a more personal side of the band. This suggests that their upcoming album will not only expand the band’s sound, but also allow listeners to hear a more exposed side of who they are.