Calexico's School of Philosophy

There's a lot of immigrants here, and they bring with them their music, their culture, which is what makes this place great. And we pick up on that vibe, which is inherently American. -Joey Burns

"Playing festivals like Bonnaroo or Telluride or all sorts of festivals in Canada whether they be called 'Folk' or 'Jazz,' like Montreal Jazz Fest – their lineups are all over the place. It's not being so strict," he continues. "So, I think what people are responding to is this natural desire to want to mix it up, to have variety. I'm really glad to see that is starting to take place in some of the bigger festivals, and not just Bonnaroo, but some of the other ones as well. That shows promise, you know?"

Calexico

"I think as soon as you step outside of the United States border things drastically change. There is awareness [of American popular culture], but there is also preservation of different countries' cultures that make them unique. They are not about to just buy into a corporate program that's going to make everything become homogenized. People are very serious about their culture, and that's inspiring. Of course, they support the arts a lot more in other countries, especially in Europe, than we do here at home."

The concept behind Calexico's latest release Carried to Dust (released September 9 on Quarterstick), originates in a challenge faced by American artists. Their fifth full-length album is, as Burns explained it, a story of an L.A. writer during the 2007 Writers' Strike. The protagonist takes a spontaneous road trip out east, finds a pre-marked map at a swap meet and follows the route it lays out for him to a cabin. From there, he travels on to local thrift stores, picking up old issues of National Geographic and stopping at roadside diners to listen to folks' stories along the way. The experience renews his creativity. I found it noteworthy that the writer's rediscovered inspiration is born out of a slightly romantic "light out for the territory" reaction to the conflicts of the digital age.

"I could identify with the writers that were having a hard time sorting out the digital rights for creative property," Burns says. "I guess musicians are kind of further down that road, maybe not so fortunate, but it's a tricky question, it's a tricky debate. You know, we all have to think about our future. There's some really interesting arguments that have been broadcast on NPR about digital creative property. I think everyone can identify with that. We want to keep doing this, but where will it lead? Every time you do a new album it seems like technology has changed. These questions are important to bring us back to square one and come full circle."

Convertino & Burns - Calexico

"I think in general our live shows [Calexico is on tour now, dates available here], especially in Europe, are pretty well known for being dynamic and exciting, at times very spontaneous. There's a lot of guests that show up that aren't planned, so I think that word has gotten out. Most of our tapers have started out, I think, in Europe, although there are some in the States. There seems to be a growing community of people who are getting more involved with music and live shows and recording. That's exciting that people are that excited about something that they want to be a part of it and get involved. We encourage it [taping]. We have a friend of ours who coordinates it and is part of a recording community. His name is Jim Blackwood and he has a website called Litterbox Music Services. He is not only a taper but an archivist – for Calexico, Giant Sand and Victoria Williams. He's been a big fan of the Grateful Dead since he was a young kid and he also does a morning radio show here in Tucson called Your Morning Brew. He was the one who really encouraged us to make available free live recordings of a show [a bounty of live Calexico can be found here]."

From digital rights to a story of a singular journey where the larger world drifts in, the album's concept is also immediately reflective of Burns' own process as a writer and of the inspiration he, Convertino and their extended musical family receive from traveling. Always interested in stories, I inquired after some of the tales that inspired the songs on the new album.

"Both John and I have been talking about some of the references to water and the ocean on this record, which is unusual for a band that lives in the Sonoran Desert," he reflects. "But, we both spent a great deal of time living on the coast, and it's still a part of us. Then having traveled to South America we went to Chile, to the coastal town of Valparaiso, which up until the Panama Canal was built was receiving a fair amount of business. But after the Canal it started becoming more of a stop on a trade route, and this town slowly and surely started drying up a bit. It's kind of preserved like an old ghost town, where they still have this fabulous elevator system that enables people to travel up these very steep hills, kind of like a cable car in a way, but it's a box like an elevator."

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