|
| Carried to Dust | 
 enlarge | Artist: Calexico
Label: Quarterstick
Category: Music
List Price: $15.99
Buy New: $10.58
You Save: $5.41 (34%)
New (40) Used (6) from $10.58
Avg. Customer Rating:  15 reviews
Sales Rank: 525
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 5.5 x 4.9 x 0.3
MPN: 20108
UPC: 036172010820
EAN: 0036172010820
ASIN: B001CVCB9O
Release Date: September 9, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
|
| Tracks:
| • | Victor Jara's Hands | | • | Two Silver Trees | | • | The News About William | | • | Sarabande In Pencil Form | | • | Writer's Minor Holiday | | • | Man Made Lake | | • | Inspiracion | | • | House of Valparaiso | | • | Slowness | | • | Bend to the Road | | • | El Gatillo (Trigger Revisited) | | • | Fractured Air (Tornado Watch) | | • | Falling From Sleeves | | • | Red Blooms | | • | Contention City |
|
| Similar Items:
|
| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com
It's impossible to experience any undue tension or stress while listening to Calexico. Despite time spent in Los Angeles, where they met, founders Joey Burns (vocals, guitar) and John Convertino (drums) produce sounds more reflective of their sun-blasted Tucson environs. Since spinning off Howe Gelb's indomitable Giant Sand and forming their own collective, their songs have always been too hushed, too much like lullabies not to soothe the most savage breast, and Carried to Dust marks their most relaxed and confident effort to date. Burns and Convertino pursue such a mellow, yet expansive muse that they blur the lines between indie rock, imaginary soundtracks, and ethnographic explorations. As with the work of Douglas McCombs (Tortoise) and Sam Beam (Iron & Wine), who contribute to their sixth long-player, this isn't such a bad thing (the duo previously collaborated with Beam on 2005’s In the Reins). What they lack in edge or, God forbid, trendiness, the band makes up for in beauty and creativity. Note, for instance, the cascading keyboard figures of "Two Silver Trees" or the way toy piano and chimes entwine on lovely closer "Contention City." Calexico don't make music to get the party started, but to bring it to a warm and satisfying conclusion. --Kathleen C. Fennessy
Product Description
There's always been intrigue and adventure at the heart of Calexico. Joey Burns and John Convertino have constantly imbued their music with an unparalleled sense of drama, calling upon the myths and iconography of the American West and its Spanish speaking neighbor Mexico. "Carried To Dust" represents the pinnacle of their achievement, a thrilling and moving journey through a landscape that draws upon the modern world as much as it does the decayed reminders of times past, stumbling upon unexpected delights whilst always moving forward with a pioneering sense of purpose.
Album Description
US LP pressing. 'Carried To Dust' is the sixth studio album from Joey Burnsand John Convertino's Calexico. Recorded at Wavelab Studiosin Tuscon, Arizona with long time collaborator Craig Schumacher, the album sees Calexico successfully bring together the rock orientated elements of their 2006 album 'Garden Ruin'with the classic Mexican inspired border town Americana that graced their early albums. 'Carried To Dust' also featuresguest spots from the likes of Iron and Wine's Sam Beam, Canadian singer Pieta Brown and Amparanoia's Amparo Sanchez.
|
| Customer Reviews: Read 10 more reviews...
 Frankenstein folk September 13, 2008
9 out of 10 found this review helpful
The heart of Calexico, Arizonians Joey Burns and John Convertino, have always played music which is difficult to nail down into one category or another. Like the border town from which their name originates, Calexico's music is a mish-mash blend of California and Mexico, Western and spaghetti western, good and evil, grounded and uprooted.
Some might get the idea that the "Mexican" influence means Calexico's music sounds like a failed Taco Bell ad campaign, colorful tacos and sombreros mandatory. They'd be dead wrong. It's more like the self-assured, world-wise output of Chile's storied and excellent Inti-Illimani---based upon certain elements, but ever steering the ship into uncharted waters---or the alternative soundtrack to Tarantino's awful Kill Bill movies (no offense to Morricone intended).
Perhaps the defining Calexican moment was singing and dancing along with their "Sunken Waltz" (from 2003's near-flawless Feast of Wire), a modern folk-pop fairytale about a maverick who builds a machine to sink California into the Pacific Ocean. Carried to Dust's opening cut, "Victor Jara's Hands," crackles with the same experimental folk energy. Expert Latin horns and drumwork infuse it with an elusive mystique uncommon to folk Americana. Elsewhere, slower cuts like "Falling From Sleeves" or the closing "Contention City" deliver more pastoral vibes.
The album is a "return to non-form" of sorts, as Feast of Wire was the biggest step outside of a comfort zone evident on other Calexico records, with tracks like the introductory subsonic rumbling of "Pepita," or the truly unique "Quattro (World Drifts In)." Nothing on Carried to Dust quite matches up to these moments in terms of strangeness, but it is certainly a more varied and gratifying effort than the lackluster Garden Ruin (2006).
Fans of this intoxicating blend of playing Frankenstein with American folk rock may also enjoy the oddity of Slim Cessna's Auto Club or Munly & The Lee Lewis Harlots, purveyors of a rollicking new "Denver sound"---a heady mixture of spooky Americana and psychopunk/rockabilly.
 Calexico's Finest Album To Date September 20, 2008
8 out of 9 found this review helpful
I'll admit I have been a huge Calexico fan for awhile, but each of their albums have had a few songs that just didn't do it for me. Not so with this album, which could alternately be titled "The Best Elements Of Calexico From Start To Finish." If you're looking for Calexico's trademark mariachi-style trumpets married to a modern techno beat, you'll find it in "Inspiracion" and the guitar-heavy "El Gatillo". "Two Silver Trees" is a superb effort that combines some seriously seductive hooks with the softer side of Joey Burns' amazing vocals. Like many people, I'm eagerly waiting for another Iron & Wine/Calexico collaboration, so I was delighted to listen to Sam Beam's guest contribution on the exquisitely gorgeous "House of Valparaiso". As a whole I think Calexico take a step or two toward the pop side of things, but let me stress that this is not a bad thing in the least. ALL of the classic elements of the band are here in spades - the creative instrumentation, thoughtful lyrics, and wonderful vocal arrangements. This makes for one heck of a fine album, and an extremely enjoyable one at that.
Nothing Trite, Nothing But the Best September 12, 2008
6 out of 7 found this review helpful
In their 6th CD Calexico does not disappoint. Joey Burns gets better and better, Jacob Valanzuila is an incredible talent, the band's performance as a whole is flawless. And they bring in the very best guest performers. This CS is second only to seeing them in live performance, an experience which is a must for any music lover. Great depth in this music.
Their best yet October 11, 2008
6 out of 7 found this review helpful
Calexico = California + Mexico in case you didn't know. So, what is Calexico? I'd call them a roots group, but the duo of Arizonans Joey Burns and John Convertino has been dubbed folk, pop, and country. Their music has a feel of the West, an authentic blend of the Anglo and Hispanic music that formed it.
"Inspiracion" sung in Spanish is a heavy Latino beat with trumpets and drums.
"House of Valpraiso" makes me think of Dire Straits intense grooves with a Mexican trumpet backing.
Just listen to "Two Silver Trees." You'll see the imagery in the sound. "Fractured Air" is another song that conjures up the green skies and sharp winds of a plains cyclone.
If you want 'different', Calexico is definitely a group you are going to want to hear. I'd call them a blend of the best of both worlds and this CD is their finest so far.
Rebecca Kyle, October 2008
Best Band in America September 13, 2008
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
Easily in the top 10 of '08. Burns and Convertino are at the top of their collective game with this batch of tunes. As another reviewer stated- seeing this band perform live is quite the musical treat. Next to the word "eclectic" in the dictionary stands a picture of the band Calexico. You spaghetti western? You got it. You want southern rock? Sure. You want pop? No problem.
|
|
|
Powered by Associate-O-Matic
| |
