Review : Calexico 'The Thread That Keeps Us'

Apart from Americana or Tex-mex, it’s tricky pinning Calexico’s sound down with a strict umbrella definition. On The Thread That Keeps Us Together they veer all over the place, from down and dusty acoustic strums to electro-funk jamborees. The main unifying strands are the rootsy spirit and a healthy lash of trademark Mariachi horns.

There’s barely a duff track, and a lucky dip approach yields charms like ‘The Town And Miss Lorraine’, a melancholy slice of life that comes off like a missing page from the Phil Ochs songbook. Another delve and it’s the raucous garage grit of ‘Dead In The Water’. Indeed, it’s a veritable selection-box of treats. Fancy some Madchester baggy-era shuffle? Try ‘Another Space’.

Tipping the sombrero to Calexico’s own musical past, the horns are in full effect on ‘Flores Y Tamales’, a track as fragrant and spicy as the title suggests. If alt-rock is more to your taste, look no further than the Pixie-ish ‘Eyes Wide Awake’, or opener ‘End Of The World’ - which sounds like Teenage Fanclub gone south- of- the- border.

So while there’s not quite something for everyone - no metal, grime or hip-hop for starters - there’s still enough tasty tidbits to satisfy most musical palates.

Rating: 7/10