I would have to say that I have a pretty good ear for things, especially for music. Fairly quickly, I have the ability to distinguish a melody I know, whether it be identifying music in a restaurant with the buzz of people’s conversations surrounding me or recognizing what song is playing at the neighbor’s party four houses down. It can certainly come in handy.

This past summer, as I was toiling to the long list of yard work my parents had left for me, I was tuning into the distant transistor radio sitting by the open window in my house. It was a hot day, and the labor and heat was probably getting to me, but out of the radio comes the faint three chords of a riff that were unmistakable. It was an ‘Odysseus and the Sirens’ kind of moment. So I dropped the hedge clippers and walked towards the sound.

And as I got close to the radio I heard the distinct flare of a flamenco guitar, then suddenly another as two people blended into a song which was coming to life. Within minutes, a soft and lulling intro was set ablaze into a fiery duet.

They were playing Stairway to Heaven, and not just the Zeppelin original that all those 80s teenagers heard five times a day; this was art. Immediately I searched for covers on the song and found a guitar duo by the name of Rodrigo y Gabriela. I was instantly hooked.

Both born in Mexico City, Rodrigo Sanchez and Gabriela Quintero were raised on not only the rooted sounds of Mexican flamenco, but also classic rock and heavy metal bands like Metallica. The two met at age 15 and knew they were read to make music.

After realizing each other’s passions and skills in musically limited Mexico, they snagged a liberating opportunity to go to Europe where they started their serious career. From that came the modern flamenco that incorporates classic rock and metal into an enticing sound.

But Rodrigo y Gabriela’s secret isn’t hard to see; besides the fact that they use their guitars in place of their vocals, the magnificence in what they do can be attested to the simple fact that they have two guitarists. Both Rodrigo and Gabriela create a beautiful partnership that ultimately sells records. Matter of fact, it’s scary because sometimes they play so in-sync, you don’t even realize there’s two of them.

Songs that I’ve grown to love are The Soundmaker, the opening track on their 2014 album 9 Dead Alive. On the same album is Sunday Neurosis, a plunge into the thoughts and views of religion and God, made up of various opinionated voiceovers. Misty Moses and Somnium other favorites of mine. Overall, the entire album is really well put together.

Songs in other albums grab my attention too. One such tune is F.T.U.S.V.D, a jab at the US’s infamous slow pace with immigration. The duet includes the famous Smoke on the Water intro in the midst of a song that’s used as an amusing acronym for “F*** the United States Visa Department.” The US Embassy declined to renew Rodrigo’s Visa, resulting in the loss of half a dozen tour dates.

I would have to agree that music is one of the best kinds of revenge.

Other albums of theirs include 11:11, Rodrigo and Gabriela, and Foc, all focusing on the duo’s innovative style of a previously classical type of guitar playing.

However, in order to get the full Rodrigo y Gabriela experience, make sure to watch a live performance of any song. If you thought just the music was good, wait until you see them play.