Calexico
Album: Edge Of The Sun
Label: Anti
Tracks: 18
Website: http://www.casadecalexico.com

First impressions upon hearing 'Falling From The Sky', the opening track of Calexico's 9th album? Pop anthem!! As starters for 10 it's utterly glorious as it opens the latch on your head and invades your brain uninvited before making itself at home as your newest earworm. It's a sweepingly breezy song that's more redolent of American indie-rock peers The Shins and opens the record quite brilliantly.

Is the rest of the record up to scratch though? The answer is a resounding yes. All the elements of Calexico's back catalogue are present and correct and on top form as always. The Mariachi sounds that litter the bands back catalogue are here as usual in the form of 'Cumbia de Donde' and 'Coyoacan'. The former is a quirky electronica infested party tune while the former is sneeringly cool and inhabits the middle ground between the soundtracks of Breaking Bad and From Dusk 'Til Dawn.

Take those 2 out of the equation though and what you're left with is 10 tracks that throw senses of light and dark around with outstanding effect. 'When The Angels Played' has some serious Dylan vibes about it and rolls along on a lustrous slide guitar but is then followed immediately by the understated tension of 'Tapping On The Line'. As an album it flows wonderfully and feels more like a whole piece of music rather than a simple collection of tunes.

Calexico have always been a band that sail deliciously close to the mainstream without ever needing to break through. They'll sell theatres and concert halls out on the back of this album without ever needing to be play-listed or paraded on chat shows and that in itself is part of the appeal. It's just great music made for passionate fans by fantastic songwriters. Don't believe me? I suggest you get a ticket to one of their upcoming shows and see them play the soaring travelling song 'Miles From The Sea' live. It'll be a joy to behold as is 'Edge Of The Sun' on the whole. Another triumph for one of Americas most precious acts.

Rob Fearnley