Calexico return to the duo-plus-other-musicians formula found on their work before 2001's "Even My Sure Things Fall Through," and for whatever reasons, the results are fresh and fantastic. Among the highlights are the lushly orchestrated anthem “The News About William,” reminiscent of Glen Campbell doing Jimmy Webb, the Gram/Emmylou-inspired “Slowness,” and closer "Contention City," which stops just short of setting the controls for the heart of the sun.

Calexico are one of the few bands that I have enjoyed at every stage of their career. While they have retained much of their southwestern flare throughout their 12 years as a musical group, they have added a little subtle something at every step of the way. From their largely instrumental duo-debut Spoke, to 2006's J.D. Foster produced indie-pop nugget Garden Ruin, Joey Burns, John Convertino and co. have been consistent in mixing the familiar with the unfamiliar in an alchemic way that evokes mirages amidst the arid landscape of their hometown of Tucson, AZ: their music surfs on sand and runs without legs.

On Carried To Dust, the band seems to have returned to a duo-plus-other-musicians formula found on their work before 2001's EP Even My Sure Things Fall Through; perhaps the process of adding rather than taking away is a better modus operandi for the group. Whatever the reason, the results are fresh and fantastic. In addition to the members of Calexico's touring band for the past decade or so, Burns and Convertino enlisted pals Doug McCombs (Tortoise, Brokeback, etc.), Iron and Wine's Sam Beam, Pieta Brown, Amparo Sanchez (Amparanoia), and Willie Nelson's harp blower Mickey Raphael to resurrect and improve upon the cinematic sound that fans have come to love in their music.

Among the highlights are the lushly orchestrated anthem "The News About William," reminiscent of Glen Campbell doing Jimmy Webb. Calexico has always excelled at doing more with less, particularly with respect to chords, and Carried To Dust reestablishes Burns as a master of the fine art of being musically succinct. "Victor Jara's Hands" is a perfect example of this skill. Incidentally, Jara was a Chilean singer/activist who was ultimately murdered for his political beliefs after the U.S. sanctioned coup of that country -- employing three chords continues to be the perfect avenue for calling out political corruption. The Gram/Emmylou-inspired "Slowness" features Brown's gorgeous and longing voice and a lilting pedal steel solo played by Paul Niehaus. The Latin-tinged, heavily grooving "Inspiracion" sees lead vocal duties taken over by multi instrumentalist Jacob Valenzuela and Sanchez = superb! McCombs adds space atmosphere to the album's creeping closer "Contention City," and stops just short of setting the controls for the heart of the sun -- a perfect way to close a collection of songs by a band that continues to evolve and surprise. Viva Calexico! [KC] (September 10, 2008)