(2018) Calexico - The Black Light [20th Anniversary Edition]

Review: 
For a record to remain interesting 20 years after its release is one thing. For that record to be predominately an instrumental work, from a band entering a ‘real’ studio for the first time, and for it to still take up space in people’s hearts is quite another. But that’s Calexico for you: inspiring devotion whenever they play. Some bands just encourage acolytes – you know the type, fans who insist their band is the best. Calexico inspire such devotion because of the tender and loving care they put into recording albums. 
The Black Light, first released in 1998 on Quarterstick Records, was the Arizona-based post-rockers second album, and one that captured hearts and minds immediately. Its wide open spaces and thrift store orchestra sound revealed a group of Tex-Mex melody makers who were in love with Morricone-esque strings, mariachi horns and cheap-sounding rattle’n’roll acoustic instruments. Songs such as Minas De Cobre (For Better Metal) would have made the perfect soundtrack to any Breaking Bad season finale – had it been around back in 1998 – while the likes of Missing and Over Your Shoulder are the perfect scene setters for the books of new wave Americana fiction writers like Willy Vlautin and Nickolas Butler. 
Evocative as The Black Light is, it’s a heavy listen and struggles under the familiarity of its own weight sometimes. But, small quibbles aside, it remains a statement-and-a-half from a band who have gone on to make many more since. The Black Light was Calexico’s first big shot across the bow and it connected with everyone listening. That’s all you can ask any record to do. 

Tracklist: 
01 - Gypsy’s Curse.flac 
02 - Fake Fur.flac 
03 - The Ride Pt.2.flac 
04 - Where Water Flows.flac 
05 - The Black Light.flac 
06 - Sideshow.flac 
07 - Chach.flac 
08 - Missing.flac 
09 - Minas De Cobre (For Better Metal).flac 
10 - Over Your Shoulder.flac 
11 - Vinegaroon.flac 
12 - Trigger.flac 
13 - Sprawl.flac 
14 - Stray.flac 
15 - Old Man Waltz.flac 
16 - Bloodflow.flac 
17 - Frontera.flac 
18 - El Morro.flac 
19 - Man Goes Where Water Flows.flac 
20 - Glowing Heart of the World.flac 
21 - Too Much Sprawl.flac 
22 - Rollbar.flac 
23 - Minas De Cobre (Extend-O-Mix).flac 
24 - Minas De Cobre (Spatial Mix).flac 
25 - Minas De Cobre (Acoustic Mix).flac 
26 - Lacquer.flac 
27 - Drape.flac 
28 - Bag of Death.flac 

Summary: 
Country: USA 
Genre: americana, post-rock