While it reaps in critical acclaim for its collaborative album and tour with Iron & Wine, veteran rock act Calexico has put the finishing touches on its next studio set. Due April 11 via Quarterstick, the 11-track “Garden Ruin” was produced by J.D. Foster, who has worked with everyone from Dwight Yoakam and Marc Ribot to Nancy Sinatra and Alejandro Escovedo.
“The songs have that moodiness and ambience, but there’s also some more electric, rockin’ numbers,” group member Joey Burns told Billboard.com this summer of the new material.
Indeed, there are a few more overt rock moments on “Garden Ruin” than usual, particularly on the sprightly “Letter to Bowie Knife” and the Crazy Horse-tinged second half of the six-minute album closer “All Systems Red.”
But for the most part, the album boasts another helping of the group’s signature desert rock sound, from the hushed, largely acoustic “Yours and Mine” to the soulful, string-flecked “Bisbee Blue.”
“Garden Ruin” is the follow-up to 2003’s “Feast of Wire,” which debuted at a career-best No. 23 on Billboard’s Top Independent Albums chart. The Calexico/Iron & Wine album, “In the Reins” (Overcoat) was even more successful, opening at No. 2 on the Heatseekers tally and No. 12 on Top Independent Albums.
The two acts’ supporting tour will wrap tomorrow (Dec. 16) in Atlanta and will resume in Europe next spring. To close out the year, Calexico will play two shows with Mariachi Luz de Luna and Nick Luca on Dec. 22 in Los Angeles and Dec. 30 in Tucson. Three showcase gigs are also on tap for Jan. 24 in New York, Jan. 26 in Los Angeles and Jan. 29 in San Francisco.
As previously reported, Burns and Calexico mate John Convertino guest on Neko Case’s upcoming Anti- album, “Fox Confessor Brings the Flood,” due March 7.
Here is the track list for “Garden Ruin”:
“Cruel”
“Yours and Mine”
“Bisbee Blue”
“Panic Open String”
“Letter to Bowie Knife”
“Roka”
“Lucky Dime”
“Smash
“Deep Down”
“Nom De Plume”
“All Systems Red”
Source billboard.com.
