Accessibility links

Calexico Calexico artist page: interviews, features and/or performances archived at NPR Music

Calexico

Friday June 14, 2019

New Music Friday: Our Top 8 Albums Out June 14

The rapper Goldlink. His new album, Diaspora, is on our shortlist for the best new releases of the week. Joyce Ng/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

toggle caption

Joyce Ng/Courtesy of the artist

All Songs Considered

New Music Friday: Our Top 8 Albums Out June 14

June 14, 2019 • Our list of the week's best new albums includes Bruce Springsteen's wistful ode to orchestral pop, the rock artistry of Baroness, DMV rapper Goldlink, the spoken-word artist Kate Tempest and more.

New Music Friday: Our Top 8 Albums Out June 14

Listen · 30:57 30:57

Download
Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/732602085/732609401" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">

Thursday June 6, 2019

Calexico And Iron & Wine Return, With 'Years To Burn'

Iron & Wine's Sam Beam teams up with Calexico for Years to Burn, their first album-length collaboration since 2005. Piper Ferguson/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

toggle caption

Piper Ferguson/Courtesy of the artist

Review

First Listen

Calexico And Iron & Wine Return, With 'Years To Burn'

June 6, 2019 • Sam Beam and Calexico's first album-length collaboration since 2005 feels most of all like the work of a complete, cohesive band — a group of old friends who've gathered to sing in a single voice.

Friday November 23, 2018

New Music Friday For Nov. 23: 6 Albums You Should Hear Now

My Brightest Diamond's A Million And One is on our short list of the best new albums out on Nov. 23. Shervin Lainez/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

toggle caption

Shervin Lainez/Courtesy of the artist

All Songs Considered

New Music Friday For Nov. 23: 6 Albums You Should Hear Now

November 23, 2018 • This week's essential new releases includes the warped and wild pop sounds of My Brightest Diamond, a stunning instrumental record from Ed Harcourt, punk with heart and humor from Art Brut and more.

New Music Friday For Nov. 23: 6 Albums You Should Hear Now

Listen · 23:12 23:12

Download
Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/670004354/670352258" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">

Tuesday February 6, 2018

Calexico On World Cafe

Calexico Jario Zavala Ruiz/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

toggle caption

Jario Zavala Ruiz/Courtesy of the artist

World Cafe

Calexico On World Cafe

WXPN

February 6, 2018 • The band's album The Thread That Keeps Us is jangly desert mashup of Western Americana, Latin influence and any other sounds Calexico has picked up along the trail.

Calexico On World Cafe

22:22

Thursday January 18, 2018

Review: Calexico, 'The Thread That Keeps Us'

Calexico's The Thread That Keeps Us comes out Jan. 26. Zavala Ruiz/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

toggle caption

Zavala Ruiz/Courtesy of the artist

Review

First Listen

Review: Calexico, 'The Thread That Keeps Us'

January 18, 2018 • The American Southwest continues to inform Calexico's sprawling, cross-cultural indie rock, but here it's a more self-contained, even lonesome affair.

Saturday October 28, 2017

Heavy Rotation: 10 Songs That Public Radio Can't Stop Playing

This month's Heavy Rotation playlist includes a song by Autonomics, a DIY garage rock band from Portland, Ore. Margaret Jacobsen/Rola Music hide caption

toggle caption

Margaret Jacobsen/Rola Music

World Cafe

Heavy Rotation: 10 Songs That Public Radio Can't Stop Playing

October 28, 2017 • Ten DJs from around the country share the songs they can't stop spinning, from Chicago hip hop to Portland garage rock.

Tuesday August 18, 2015

Calexico On World Cafe

Calexico. Cameron Pollack/WXPN hide caption

toggle caption

Cameron Pollack/WXPN

World Cafe

Calexico On World Cafe

WXPN

August 18, 2015 • The border-straddling purveyors of all things Southwestern are back for another live set.

Calexico On World Cafe

24:00

Wednesday July 29, 2015

Calexico, 'Falling from the Sky' (Live)

Calexico performs for opbmusic at Edgefield Winery in Troutdale, Ore. opbmusic hide caption

toggle caption

opbmusic

Favorite Sessions

Calexico, 'Falling from the Sky' (Live)

OPB

July 29, 2015 • An Oregon vineyard is a beautiful setting for songs originally recorded in Mexico City. Watch Calexico play "Falling from the Sky" from the new album Edge of the Sun.

Sunday April 5, 2015

Review: Calexico, 'Edge Of The Sun'

Calexico's new album, Edge Of The Sun, comes out April 14. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

toggle caption

Courtesy of the artist

Review

First Listen

Review: Calexico, 'Edge Of The Sun'

April 5, 2015 • Though the scenery of the American Southwest remains largely unchanged, the band's sense and understanding of it continues to deepen and grow.

Monday April 8, 2013

Calexico On Mountain Stage

Calexico performs live on Mountain Stage. Brian Blauser/Mountain Stage hide caption

toggle caption

Brian Blauser/Mountain Stage

Mountain Stage

Calexico On Mountain Stage

April 8, 2013 • The group has spent nearly two decades fusing spaghetti Western themes, surf music and alt-country into evocative desert rock. Here, the genre-bending band plays songs from its latest album, Algiers.

Calexico On Mountain Stage

30:42

Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/176569713/176428341" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">

Friday March 29, 2013

Calexico On World Cafe

Calexico. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

toggle caption

Courtesy of the artist

World Cafe

Calexico On World Cafe

WXPN

March 29, 2013 • Tejano-loving indie stars Joey Burns and John Convertino visit the World Cafe studios for a four-song set.

Calexico On World Cafe

28:49

Tuesday October 23, 2012

Calexico: A Beautiful Breakup Song

Calexico's Joey Burns performs on The Current. Nate Ryan/The Current hide caption

toggle caption

Nate Ryan/The Current

Favorite Sessions

Calexico: A Beautiful Breakup Song

The Current

October 23, 2012 • The genre-bending Arizona band, led by Joey Burns and John Convertino, released a fine record this fall called Algiers. Watch the group perform the album's first single, "Splitter."

Saturday September 15, 2012

Calexico: Road Songs For Wandering Souls

John Convertino and Joey Burns have been performing as Calexico since 1996. Their latest album is called Algiers. Jairo Zavala/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

toggle caption

Jairo Zavala/Courtesy of the artist

Music Interviews

Calexico: Road Songs For Wandering Souls

September 15, 2012 • The Tucson, Ariz., band's newest batch of story-songs about people in transition is titled Algiers, named for the New Orleans neighborhood where it was recorded.

Calexico: Road Songs For Wandering Souls

Listen · 7:20 7:20

Download
Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/161074897/161194888" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Transcript

Monday January 24, 2011

Calexico On Mountain Stage

Calexico. Brian Blauser hide caption

toggle caption

Brian Blauser

Mountain Stage

Calexico On Mountain Stage

January 24, 2011 • In the group's second appearance on Mountain Stage since 2003, Calexico played a set of songs from its latest album, Carried to Dust. The band's robust, dynamic sound — driven by two trumpets, pedal steel, bass and piano — incorporates many ethnic influences.

Listen Now: Calexico In Concert

29:36

Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/125864622/125817331" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">

Sunday January 9, 2011

Band's Lead Singer On Singing For Giffords

Calexico's lead singer, Joey Burns. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

toggle caption

Courtesy of the artist

Music

Band's Lead Singer On Singing For Giffords

January 9, 2011 • Calexico has played at a number of Giffords' campaign events. The band's lead singer, Joey Burns, talks about playing for Giffords.

Band's Lead Singer On Singing For Giffords

Listen · 3:01 3:01

Download
Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/132788795/132788831" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Transcript

More from Calexico