Algiers

by Calexico

Overview

Calexico had intended to record the follow-up to 2008's gorgeous Carried to Dust somewhere in Europe, but when those plans fell through, they chose America's most European city, New Orleans, as their destination. The change of scenery is definitely felt in Algiers, named for the neighborhood in which they set up shop. While Joey Burns and John Convertino haven't suddenly thrown Cajun and zydeco into their repertoire, there's still a rich stew (or should that be gumbo?) of sounds here. Calexico are never obvious, and their homage to the Big Easy is neither grandiose nor simple; instead, they incorporate subtle hints of the city's storied musical heritage into their own distinctive style. Algiers is bookended by songs that allude to "The House of the Rising Sun" in their pedal steel melodies; Convertino emphasizes the jazz side of his formidable percussion skills; and "No Te Vayas" is a fitting, and dramatic, tribute to New Orleans' Latin and jazz musical roots. This time, however, Calexico's attitude, while not exactly boisterous, is a lot less studied and restrained than it has been in years, resulting in a more down-to-earth set of songs than they've delivered in quite a while. "Splitter"'s big brass and drums make it louder than the band's past few albums combined; "Sinner in the Sea" strikes sparks with its mix of blues and Latin rhythms, marking the first time in a long time that Burns' voice has risen above a whispery croon; and while "Maybe on Monday"'s bitter but ambiguous farewell to a lover may not be a true murder ballad, it has the sharp sting of one. However, the band still deals largely in shadows and echoes, and Algiers has plenty of those. "Puerto" and the title track feel like they could be a part of Calexico's catalog from way back when, while the single "Para" shows off their eerie, hypnotic side and the lovely Americana pop of "Fortune Teller" and "Hush" recalls Garden Ruin's folky idylls. While these tales of people trying to escape their pasts aren't quite as masterful as Carried to Dust, Algiers has some great songs and a vitality that Calexico should try to hang onto in the future. ~ Heather Phares

Product Details

Release Date:	09/11/2012
Label:	Anti-
UPC:	0045778720811
Rank:	37330

Tracks

1. Epic
2. Splitter
3. Sinner in the Sea
4. Fortune Teller
5. Para
6. Algiers
7. Maybe on Monday
8. Puerto
9. Better and Better
10. No Te Vayas
11. Hush
12. The Vanishing Mind

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Calexico   Primary Artist
Paul Niehaus   Pedal Steel
John Convertino   Drums,Percussion,Vibraphone
Joey Burns   Piano,Guitar,Vocals,Accordion,Keyboards,Vibraphone,Bass (Upright)
Volker Zander   Bass (Upright),Bass (Electric)
Martin Wenk   Trumpet,Theremin,Accordion,Wurlitzer,Vibraphone,Sampled Strings
Chris Schultz   Moog Synthesizer
Craig Schumacher   Mellotron,Wurlitzer,Percussion
Tom Hagerman   Viola,Violin
Jacob Valenzuela   Vocals,Trumpet,Vibraphone
Pieta Brown   Vocals (Background)
Michael Fan   Violin
Jairo Zavala   Vocals,Bazouki,Percussion,Slide Guitar,Guitar (Acoustic)
Craig Klein   Trombone
Jason Mingledorff   Sax (Tenor),Sax (Baritone)
Sergio Mendoza   Piano
Anne Gratz   Cello
Chris Lopez   Trombone
Joseph Pagan   Viola
Michael Carbajal   Trumpet
Rose Todaro   Violin

Technical Credits

John Convertino   Composer,Producer
Joey Burns   Composer,Producer
Chris Schultz   Engineer
Craig Schumacher   Mixing,Producer
Jacob Valenzuela   Composer
Pieta Brown   Composer
Daniel Majorie   Engineer
Jairo Zavala   Engineer
Chris George   Engineer
JJ Golden   Mastering
Ryan Trayte   Artwork,Layout Design