It’s sometimes hard to recognize greatness. Nowadays it’s more likely for a book to be judged by its cover. This is the same for albums, as people get more and more busy and distracted and as music is moving through different phases of popularity, bands are transforming their sound. I hear a busy tone from most of Calexico’s songs off of the new album Edge of the Sun. I feel a lot of this comes from the Latin influence, but also the fact that these guys are working on so many different projects. They’ve been experimenting with new members and influences since the start. Calexico was formed back in the 90s when Joey Burns met John Convertino and Howe Gelb in Giant Sand. After the band had moved to Tuscon, Arizona, Burns and Convertino formed another band. This band, Friends of Dean Martinez, became sort of a band for hire until they finally formed Calexico.
With their first album, Spoke, in 1997 the band was beginning to gain traction. They began with a folk vibe and by their next album had already changed to a more jazzy tone. The Black Light was a very relatable album and even contained some accordion. These instruments just continued to get more and more diverse as the band continued to create albums. The sound was always similar for the band, but each album had a unique flair. Soon the band was being looked at by music sites and mostly received good reviews. After the release of Feast of Wire and Garden Ruin the band was beginning with movie collaborations as well. After more definition and spotlight Calexico was at the end of their inspiration in Latin Music, coming at the end of their eighth studio album titled Algiers. The newly inspired and refined band branched out and created Edge of the Sun, which was released this April.
This new album combines ideas from their past work but also has some synth and experimental vibes coming out in one of the most popular songs “Cumbia de Donde.” It is a song about origins combining the Spanish vocals of Amparo Sánchez, and English of Joey Burns. With a freeing feel the song asks "¿De dónde eres?" (“Where are you from?”) and "¿Adónde vas?" (“Where are you going?”). The band seems to be restless, and this can be seen with the six-month tour in Europe.
Calexico has a sound that is fun and seems easy to collaborate with. They have performed songs with Iron & Wine and take in some indie-rock energy on the opener “Falling from the Sky,” from Ben Birdwell from Band of Horses. Characters created by the songs are always striving to become better. The song “Miles from the Sea” talks of a worker who is worn out after years of searing heat who dreams maybe of one day finding the ocean. Through the violin and slow builds it hints of the dream that is slowly fading. There are plenty more songs that deserve a chance to be heard with the stories told being so real. For a band that is named after a city that straddles Mexico and America, Calexico really knows how to blur lines and cultures.
Grade: B-
