Calexico had its origins in 1990 when Burns, who was studying music at the University of California, Irvine, met up with Convertino, who was playing drums with Howe Gelb in Giant Sand. Burns joined them, after first playing upright bass on a European tour.
Giant Sand moved to Tucson, Arizona in 1994. John and Joey formed the Friends of Dean Martin (later the Friends of Dean Martinez) which scored a record deal with Sub Pop. However, the pair split up with Bill Elm, the co-founder of The Friends of Dean Martinez in 1996. The band subsequently became a kind of indie rhythm section for hire, working with the likes of Victoria Williams, Barbara Manning and Richard Buckner before forming Calexico.
Calexico first recorded Spoke in 1995 for German independent label Hausmusik with a limited edition of 2,000 copies. At that point the band was still called Spoke and the album was technically self-titled. After the band signed with Quarterstick Records (a subsidiary of Touch and Go Records) and changed their name to Calexico, Spoke was reissued by that label in 1997. Burns and Convertino also collaborated with Gelb and Lisa Germano on the album Slush released under the name OP8 that same year.
Their second album The Black Light was released in 1998. This was a concept album about the desert of Arizona and northern Mexico and received excellent reviews, with the critic from the Wall Street Journal rating it as one of the best records of the year.
The band built their profile by touring as support acts for bands such as Pavement, the Dirty Three and Lambchop. Calexico has regularly played festivals such as the Bonnaroo Music Festival, the Hurricane Festival and All Tomorrow's Parties. The Road Map album was a limited recording released in 1999 for sale only at Calexico's live shows.
Calexico released its third album Hot Rail in May 2000 featuring the addition of horns and violin to their sound. The duo was busy in 2000 as they also appeared on a Giant Sand record called Chore of Enchantment as well as a tour only record Travelall.
At the end of 2000, Burns and Convertino joined with two French friends Naïm Amor and Thomas Belhôm to record "Tête A Tête" (Wabana Records, 2001) released under moniker ABBC (Amor/Belhom/Burns/Convertino). Calexico released two collections of rarities during 2001. Even My Sure Things Fall Through collected outtakes from previous albums, B-sides, remixes and material previously unreleased in the US. The album also featured Mariachi Luz de Luna who frequently played live with the duo. The Aerocalexico album was sold exclusively at their gigs in 2001.
The Scraping live album was released in 2002. Their next studio recording Feast of Wire was released in 2003 and made the charts for the first time appearing on Billboard's Heatseekers and Independent album chart. They made their first video for "Quattro (World Drifts In)" which was a single from Feast of Wire. They released a live DVD in 2004 called World Drifts In: Live at the Barbican. The song "Güero Canelo", from Feast of Wire, was featured in Michael Mann's Film, Collateral, starring Tom Cruise and Jamie Foxx, in which the band appears.
Calexico contributed the song "Burnin' Down the Spark" to Nancy Sinatra's self-titled album in late 2004. The album featured artists who cited Sinatra as a musical influence. The song was released in the UK as the second single from the album in early 2005.
In 2005, Calexico joined up with Miami-based band Iron & Wine. Howard Greynolds of Overcoat Records was responsible for bringing the two bands together having previously been responsible for Tortoise and Will Oldham recording together. The In the Reins EP was released in September 2005 and received a positive reception with an MSNBC review giving it honorable mention. It also made an appearance in the Billboard 200 album charts, becoming their first recording to make the album charts, and No. 12 on the independent charts. In October 2005, they commenced a US tour with Iron & Wine to promote the record.
Released in 2006, Garden Ruin is Calexico's fifth studio album and was produced by JD Foster. The sound strays slightly from earlier works, focusing less on the horn section, and placing more emphasis on guitar and vocal tracks, giving the whole album a more mainstream sound.
In 2007, Calexico was invited by Arcade Fire to record a cover of their "Ocean of Noise." This recording was used as the B-side for Arcade Fire's "Intervention" single, originally released on vinyl on May 21, 2007. Also in 2007, Calexico recorded a revamped version of the Bob Dylan song "Goin' to Acapulco" for the Dylan biopic "I'm Not There". The song featured Jim James of My Morning Jacket on vocals and was featured on the soundtrack of the film.
Several of Calexico's songs, usually their shorter instrumental pieces, have been used as interstitial and background music on Public Radio International's This American Life. Their songs "Ballad Of Cable Hogue" and "Service And Repair" were featured in the 2001 German comedy movie Lammbock.
Their sixth studio LP is called 'Carried to Dust', featuring Sam Beam of Iron & Wine, Douglas McCombs of Tortoise and Pieta Brown. It was released in the USA via Touch & Go Records on September 9, 2008. The album enjoyed solid reviews, with hometown paper the Arizona Daily Star praising the band's "ability to sweep you into its world, taking listeners to the American Southwest. This is one of the reasons Europeans love Calexico and others in this country are beginning to come around."
On October 16, 2008, a three-song live acoustic video performance premiered on LiveDaily Sessions, featuring Joey Burns performing the songs "Two Silver Trees," "Writer's Minor Holiday" and "Man Made Lake".
In 2009, the song Banderilla was featured in an episode of AMC's Breaking Bad.
In 2010, a new album of Calexico was released: the soundtrack of the documentary "Circo". The band also spent part of 2010 touring with Arcade Fire along the west US coast.
In May 2011, their song "Slowness" was dedicated by Gabrielle Giffords to her husband astronaut Mark Kelly as the wake up song aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour on its final flight.
Algiers was released 11 September 2012 on ANTI Records and CITY SLANG (Europe).
In April 2014, the band began referring to a new album on Twitter in posts from Mexico City, Coyoacan, Mexico, and Athens, Greece. Edge of the Sun was announced on 27 January 2015, and released on April 14, 2015. The album features guest appearances by various artists such as Sam Beam (Iron & Wine), Ben Bridwell (Band of Horses), Gaby Moreno, Carla Morrison and members of the Greek instrumental group Takim.
The current members of Calexico are:
Joey Burns – vocals, guitars, bass, cello, piano, keyboards, accordion, percussion, vibraphone
John Convertino – drums, percussion, piano, keyboards, vibraphone, marimba, accordion
Paul Niehaus – steel guitar, guitars
Jacob Valenzuela – trumpet, keyboards, vibraphone, vocals
Martin Wenk – trumpet, guitar, keyboards, accordion, glockenspiel, vibraphone, theremin (occasionally harmonica & French horn)
Volker Zander – standup bass, electric bass
Live tour 2013:
Joey Burns - vocals, guitars
John Convertino - drums, percussion
Sergio Mendoza - Keyboards
Jairo Zavala - bazouki, baritone guitar, vocals
Jacob Valenzuela – trumpet, keyboards, vibraphone, vocals
Martin Wenk – trumpet, guitar, keyboards, accordion, glockenspiel, vibraphone (occasionally harmonica & French horn)
Ryan Alfred - bass, vocals
Frontera/Trigger
Calexico Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
never had he found that twist of pleasure
remembering times when they were younger
setting the town on fire
and watching as his fellow friends
fell apart in the wake
claiming it was all just a mistake
and he shot everyone
it was all just a mistake
when he shot everyone
nothing will stand in the way
when hunger hasn't eaten for days
scrounges around where ends meet
and disappears into the fray
he hopes for awhile he'll reconcile
the pain that never dies
the ghosts of his family constantly
gnawing at his insides
he pulls out a worn photo
and an old handmade gun
wishes it was he who was frying
when he set the whole town on fire
he walks off crying
he shot everyone.
The lyrics to Calexico's song Frontera/Trigger describe a man who is haunted by a past event where he shot and killed everyone in his town. As he walks along the river, he remembers a time when he and his friends were young and reckless, setting the town on fire for fun. However, as they grew older, their friendship fell apart, and he ultimately found himself alone and hungry. It is implied that these feelings of isolation and desperation were what led him to commit the shooting.
Throughout the song, the man is shown to be struggling with the guilt and pain of his actions. He hopes that by reconciling with the past, he can find some relief from the constant haunting of his family's ghosts. The mention of the photo and handmade gun suggest that he is carrying mementos of his past, perhaps as a way to remember what he's lost or even as a means to justify his actions.
The lyrics of Frontera/Trigger are a poignant reminder of the lasting effects that violence can have on both individuals and communities. It speaks to the toll that trauma and regret can take on one's mental and emotional well-being, and the importance of addressing these feelings in order to move forward.
Line by Line Meaning
Walking south along the river
He is walking down south beside the river.
never had he found that twist of pleasure
The man never felt such a sensation of pleasure.
remembering times when they were younger
He recalls happy moments when they were young.
setting the town on fire
Burning down the town.
and watching as his fellow friends
Contemplating on how his friends,
fell apart in the wake
Had scattered after the disaster.
claiming it was all just a mistake
Saying it wasn't intentional, a misjudgment.
when his finger pulled the trigger
But he did shoot everyone when he pulled the trigger.
and he shot everyone
He killed everyone without exception.
it was all just a mistake
He killed them unknowingly or unintentionally.
when he shot everyone
When he killed every citizen.
nothing will stand in the way
As the starving man walks, nothing could stop him,
when hunger hasn't eaten for days
As he didn't eat for some days, he is so desperate.
scrounges around where ends meet
He is looking for food wherever he can locate it.
and disappears into the fray
And hides in conflict or confusion.
he hopes for awhile he'll reconcile
He longs for peace or a compromise,
the pain that never dies
A wounded heart that never heals.
the ghosts of his family constantly
His kin repeatedly haunt him,
gnawing at his insides
Tearing apart inside.
he pulls out a worn photo
Taking out an old picture.
and an old handmade gun
He has an old weapon which he made himself.
wishes it was he who was frying
He wishes that he burned to death,
when he set the whole town on fire
Which he did when he burnt the entire city.
he walks off crying
He goes away while weeping.
he shot everyone.
He did shoot everyone.
Contributed by Ruby S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
iesus68
If you look to the audience faces at 2:20 you'll get how's the feeling at any Calexico's show. This band is amazing
Bluehopi Bridge
seen them 27 times ....never ever been deceived - on the contrary - they bring me in the heart each time
Eugene Unger
@Bluehopi Bridge 27? Woah!
Bluehopi Bridge
@Eugene Unger actually , its 30 times when i add their last Fall European Tour from 2019 🤗😁
Bluehopi Bridge
@Eugene Unger hi Eugene , do you know the Calexico FB fan page called " Service & Repair " ? Check it out ....its full of great gems . 😊🤗
Eugene Unger
@Bluehopi Bridge I sure do. It's great.
Trista Fischer
And Joey..... that voice!! Love you guys!! WOW!
Andy Eisinger
Had the great pleasure of seeing Joey, John and Jacob a few times now. Most notably with Sam Beam on two occasions. He is so humble and kind in person!
Bert Pauw
The horns at 2:08 are so beautiful!
Barbara G.
Master Piece ❤️