I once read that name-dropping should never been
done in either a band or record review because it inadvertently besmirches
the cred of not only the reviewer (for lack of knowledge or sheer
laziness), but also the band/recording being reviewed (for lack of
originality or mere purpose). I deeply pondered the ramifications
of this possible misfortune, and due to the fact that this is my first
critical endeavor for this magazine, I finally decided to piss in
the wind and put both my reputation and the dignity of a great band
in jeopardy (while standing upwind).
My journalistic sacrifice
is on behalf of those of you who feel as adamantly as I do about true
blue musicians—such as Barbara Manning, Richard Buckner, Victoria
Williams, Michael Hurley, Bill Janovitz, Vic Chesnutt, and Lisa Germano—and
the artistic values they embrace. Besides sheer genius, the one major
credit they all share is having collaborated with both Joey Burns
and John Convertino—the bread and butter of the multi-faceted Tucson-collective
band Calexico.
Calexico was formed sometime in 1996, when Burns
and Convertino parted ways from founding member Bill Elm (of another
Ten years down the road, Calexico still retains the beauty of creating
music that cannot be pigeonholed. After staking their claim
in unknown territory with their first release, Spoke, to their most
recent, Garden Ruin, there is not one shred of evidence that this
band is marketing themselves to the lowest common denominator music
consumer (if you are feeling adventurous, I highly recommend that
you purchase their phenomenal 2003 release Feast Of Wire). Caveat
Emptor: If you are looking for conceptual or contrived radio-friendly
music, I suggest steering clear of this band; Calexico is the antithesis
of those overwrought ideals.
To say
their music is challenging may sound pretentious and aloof, but their
post-modern interpretations of spaghetti western music, 50’s and 60’s
jazz, and African and Peruvian music with a hint of Portuguese lands
them in a genre cross-section that is a far cry from the “alternative
country” genre they have been so commonly relegated to. Don’t
get me wrong, there are hints of country music to be found in many
of the Burns/Convertino compositions, but they are mere spice to the
overall Calexico smorgasbord.
In 2006 they released Garden Ruin—a work
that just may be their “breakthrough” album. Despite the slick
production value, which, for once, enhances their musical creativity
rather than bury it, this is still Calexico at its finest and a great
place for new fans to start. For us old fans, relax—there is
no need to cut and run. As a confirmed music snob and loyal
Calexico pilgrim, I swear on my iPod that in no way does this overproduction
negatively affect the traditional mischievousness found on past Calexico
recordings. In fact, it may be the underlying reason why this
recording goes leaps and bounds beyond anything else that was released
last year (although Black Heart Procession’s The Spell comes in at
a close second), making it my number one choice for best album of
2006.
