Categories : Country + Western, Folk + Roots, Music Reviews.
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Rating: 4 / 5 Reviewer: Trent Depue |
Over the years, Calexico’s trademark blend of Southern Rock and traditional Mexican sound has, from time to time, been brought into question with critics arguing that too much of one influence or the other is present on their records. On their sixth studio effort, Carried to Dust, they appear to have things nailed down. Finding the perfect blend the band is able to maintain a unique sound that singles them out while keeping the album universally likeable by not going too heavily into the traditional Mexican sound that has turned some listeners away in the past.
The record opens with two of its best three tracks, ‘Victor Jara’s Hands’ and ‘Two Silver Trees.’ The former being one of the more heavily Mexican influenced songs with wonderful Mariachi trumpet work and an enchanting, toe-tapping chorus, the latter is contrastingly one of the albums slower tracks but equally compelling and beautiful. Throw into the mix a couple instrumental tracks and finally a pair of back to back tracks featuring inspired guest vocalist performances. Firstly, and continuing in their long time collaborations on each others’ works, Sam Beam adds wonderful backing vocals to the last of the album’s top three, ‘House of Valparaiso.’ This track is followed immediately by ‘Slowness,’ another wonderful down-tempo track, this time featuring Pieta Brown.
When looked at as a whole, Carried to Dust can certainly be thrown into the mix when compiling a best of the year list. However it is likely to be passed up and may end up being one of the year’s most underrated records. It is an inspired effort from a band whose stock only keeps going up, with the exception of one track, ‘Inspiracion,’ which for one reason or another seems slightly out of place on the record, even if there is nothing particularly wrong with the song. Aside from that, Carried to Dust is nearly perfectly put together.
