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From the Indietorrents nfo file:
Calexico had some recent down time from touring in support of their most recent LP, Garden Ruin. So much, in fact, that they recorded an instrumental album titled Tool Box.
The 14-track effort was recorded at Tucson, Arizona's Big Block Studio with engineer Mike Prado and mixed by Craig Schumacher at Wavelab in the same city. It will be available at the group's shows and through their website.
"The songs were written while tossing ideas around for a three day stretch and after we finished John [Convertino] suggesting asking Victor Gastelum if we could use one if [sic] his earlier works," singer/guitarist Joey Burns wrote on the site recently.
"For the recording process John and I ping-ponged parts and popped out the album in three days. We wanted to go back to basics and see what we could do with just a handful of instruments played between the two of us. It was fun and sounds good with lots of soundtrack worthy material and headphone friendly sounds for those who never leave home without their music bubble."
Convertino and Burns played acoustic and electric guitars, a Mexican waylacho (part of the guitar family), drums, upright bass, cello, vibes, accordion, glockenspiel, cuatro and banjo.
Calexico are recording new material for I'm Not There, the new Todd Haynes film about Bob Dylan. "So far what we've seen of the film is really good, especially the parts featuring Cate Blanchett," Burns reports.
The band are also working on new material and some cover songs in preparation for a summer European tour that kicks off in the Netherlands on July 5 and concludes with an appearance at the U.K.'s WOMAD Festival on July 28.
From Pitchfork:
Like a dollop of "Southwestern sauce" on the proverbial chalupa of indie rock, Calexico are always giving you a little more than you expect. The atmospheric Arizonian horn-blowers will match their European tour that kicks off tonight with a brand new CD, available only at shows and through the band's website.
Tool Box, the CD in question, features 14 instrumentals and this really cool cover figure wearing what appears to be a welding mask and some manner of aluminum foil suit. The artwork, typically stencil-y, may well be worth the price of admission alone; and, hey, you might also get to see a really cool show out of the whole affair. Sound good? Good.
Tool Box:
01 Above the Branch
02 When Bellows Crack
03 Lo-Fi Moon
04 Barcelona Mosaico
05 Hair Like Spanish Moss
06 Vinyassa
07 The News About William
08 The Road Back
09 In the Quiet
10 Maria Chuchena
11 Waitomo
12 Detroit Steam
13 Departure in F Minor
14 When Only the Ashes are Left