CALEXICO > Carried to Dust

Whereas Calexico’s last album, Garden Ruin (2006), saw the group leaning towards more traditional rock song structures, earning rave reviews as they thrived in the simplicity, their new effort is a step backwards to the melancholic vibe of albums past. On Carried to Dust, the 6th album from the Joey Burns-led collective, the band returns to their trademark rock/country/mariachi-infused sound, with Burns singing in whispers on the majority of the tracks[Rating: 2.5 STARS]

Whereas Calexico’s last album, Garden Ruin (2006), saw the group leaning towards more traditional rock song structures, earning rave reviews as they thrived in the simplicity, their new effort is a step backwards to the melancholic vibe of albums past. On Carried to Dust, the 6th album from the Joey Burns-led collective, the band returns to their trademark rock/country/mariachi-infused sound, with Burns singing in whispers on the majority of the tracks. But the album’s high notes are where the cultural mélange of Americana and Mexico meet, such as the Spanish language songs “El Gatillo” and the beautiful duet, “Inspiración.” Since the band’s inception, Calexico have flourished in the collaborative nature of the group and this album is no exception, with a laundry list of guests such as Sam Beam, Jairo Zavala, and the amazing Amparo Sanchez (on “Inspiración”). But this overuse of outsiders leaves the album lacking focus. The band plays it safe on Carried to Dust; the sound is distinctly Calexico, an abstract and ghostly hodgepodge of Tex-Mex sounds, but will be a welcoming return for longtime fans.