Calexico - Carried To Dust

Although I've always been a so-so fan of the Tucson sextet's music, some part of me felt that I owed it to Calexico to review their new album after living in the same city as them for four years of my life. At fifteen tracks long, my first concern was that Carried To Dust would carry me to sleep, but thankfully the songs aren't very long and the album clocks in at just over forty-five minutes. Sticking to the alt-country sound they've honed so well, Calexico incorporate trumpet and Spanish vocals ("Victor Jara's Hands") with swells of strings and guitar-picking ("The News About William") and traditional mariachi music ("Inspiracion") to create an album that sounds pretty much like, well, themselves. It's a bit slower and more introspective than 2006's Garden Ruin, but those differences aside, it's still the same Calexico. Those who thoroughly enjoy the group's Southwestern charm will really enjoy Carried To Dust, but for anyone that isn't that interested, this album will fail to change their mind. That's not to say that this is a bad album by any means, it's just very subdued and doesn't do much to grab the listener and surprise them or inspire them with any innovative concepts. If you're a fan, there are still a handful of decent tracks worth checking out though.

DOWNLOAD: Calexico - Carried To Dust [Quarterstick]
Recommended Tracks: "Victor Jara's Hands," "Writer's Minor Holiday," "Fractured Air (Tornado Watch)".