Edge of the Sun [LP]

by Calexico

Overview

Calexico have had a chiaroscuro career: after each of the band's more somber efforts, they tend to return with something lighthearted. Such is the case with Edge of the Sun: arriving after Algiers' journey into New Orleans noir, it feels like a working holiday -- probably because it was close to one, with Joey Burns, John Convertino, and company spending ten days in Coyoacan, a Mexico City borough, for inspiration (later on, they recorded in Los Angeles and Athens, among other locales). Despite its Mexican beginnings, Edge of the Sun often tips toward Calexico's affable Americana, with particular success on "Falling from the Sky"'s tumbleweed pop and on the gently insistent "Tapping on the Line," which is elevated by Neko Case's clarion vocals. On these tracks, Edge of the Sun recalls Garden Ruin and Feast of Wire, although the latter album negotiated its sonic and emotional twists with more drama. On the other hand, the gentle melancholy of "Follow the River" and the squinty-eyed, implosive "Bullets & Rocks" feel as genuine as "Cumbia de Donde," a vibrant celebration of the footloose life. As always, Edge of the Sun is beautifully crafted, from the gorgeous arrangements and chord changes on "Coyoacan" and "Woodshed Waltz" to "Miles from the Sea"'s poignant lyrics, which fall somewhere between a short story and a lullaby. ~ Heather Phares

Product Details

Release Date:	04/28/2015
Label:	Anti-
UPC:	0045778738014
Rank:	39139

Tracks

1. Falling From the Sky
2. Bullets & Rocks
3. When the Angels Played
4. Tapping on the Line
5. Cumbia de Donde
6. Miles from the Sea
7. Coyoac¿¿n
8. Beneath the City of Dreams
9. Woodshed Waltz
10. Moon Never Rises
11. World Undone
12. Follow the River

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Calexico   Primary Artist
Carla Morrison   Vocals,Featured Artist
Steff Koeppen   Vocals
Thomas Konstantinou   Lute,Bouzouki
Takim   Featured Artist,Featured Artist
Paul Niehaus   Pedal Steel
Ben Bridwell   Vocals,Featured Artist
Greg Leisz   Guitar,Pedal Steel,Featured Artist
John Convertino   Drums,Percussion
Joey Burns   Bass,Banjo,Cello,Organ,Congas,Shaker,Ukulele,Accordion,Harmonica
Nick Urata   Vocals,Featured Artist
Martin Wenk   Trumpet,Vibraphone,Synthesizer
Neko Case   Vocals,Featured Artist
Chris Schultz   Vocals,Percussion
Adrian Perez   Harp
Craig Schumacher   Moog Bass
Tom Hagerman   Strings
Sam Beam   Vocals,Featured Artist
Jacob Valenzuela   Trumpet
Pieta Brown   Vocals,Featured Artist
Antonio Pro   Guitarron
Amparo Sanchez   Vocals,Featured Artist
Jairo Zavala   Bass,Guitar
Ryan Alfred   Guitar,Vocals,Synthesizer,Bass (Upright),Bass (Electric)
Sergio Mendoza   Organ,Piano,Guitar,Ukulele,Vihuela,Accordion,Mellotron,Percussion,Vibraphone,Vocals (Background)
Gaby Moreno   Vocals,Featured Artist
Isaac Rodriguez   Vocals

Technical Credits

Ryan Trayte   Artwork,Layout Design
Gerard Casajus   Engineer
Alejandro Jimenez   Engineer
Paul Niehaus   Group Member
Ben Bridwell   Engineer
John Convertino   Composer,Producer,Group Member
Joey Burns   Composer,Producer,Group Member
John Svec   Engineer
Martin Wenk   Group Member
Jose "El Nino" Marquez   Engineer
Lynne Earls   Engineer
Chris Schultz   Engineer
Craig Schumacher   Mixing,Producer
Jacob Valenzuela   Group Member
Pieta Brown   Composer
Craig Parker Adams   Engineer
Jairo Zavala   Composer,Group Member
Ryan Alfred   Group Member
Bill Reynolds   Assistant Engineer
John Burns   Composer
Sergio Mendoza   Composer,Producer,Photography,Group Member
Dimitris Karpouzas   Engineer
JJ Golden   Mastering