Audio CD review:
Calexico - Spoke

Calexico - Spoke

Band: Calexico Title: Spoke Rating: Release Date: 12 August, 1997 Media: Audio CD Tracks: 1: Low Expectations 2: Mind The Gap 3: Mazurra 4: Sanchez 5: Haul 6: Slag 7: Paper Route 8: Glimpse 9: Navy Cut 10: Spokes 11: Scout 12: Point Vicente 13: Wash 14: Ice Cream Jeep 15: Windjammer 16: Mazurka 17: Romoved 18: Hitch 19: Stinging Nettle

Editoral Review With vocals murmuring just below hearing level and guitars pushing and shoving between a lonesome, distant twang and a sleepy strum as on "Sanchez," the music feels like a soundtrack from a hippie western where the hero survives banishment in the desert by eating peyote buttons. As one might expect from former members of Giant Sand and Friends of Dean Martinez, this one is another sun-dried tomato. Like the Dean Martinez hombres, Calexico draws upon a choice array of exotic instrumentation (accordion, mandolin, violin, vibes), but the heart of the record is closer to a low-key Meat Puppets hootenanny, the primary combination of guitar and snare drum providing the colors as well as the frame on gentle beauties like "Glimpse" and "Spokes. " A well-placed occasional rocker, like the surf-fired "Scout" or the bar mitzvah delight "Mazurka," shake things up nicely, but for the most part, you won't stray too far from the futon. Then again, why should you? --John Chandler .. You can see a complete list of all Calexico discography, or go back to the Calexico tabs