For Calexico’s 10th studio album, El Mirador, co-founders Joey Burns and John Covertino, and longtime collaborator Sergio Mendoza reunite for a sonic adventure across the Southwest full of shady characters, dusty barrooms, and psychedelic cumbias. If it sounds like the plot of a Hollywood western you wouldn’t be far off. Calexico excels at creating these cinematic experiences. Distant horns and a hint of accordion draw the listener over the horizon to hear what stories the song’s lyrics might unravel next.
The band kicked off their first visit to KUTX in over 4 years with the album opener, “El Mirador,” a haunting warning about searching for what cannot be found. It and the follow-up, “Cumbia del Polvo” perfectly showcase the band in its expanded format, with horns, bongos, and synths all swirling together to create a heady cumbia perfect for a late-night dancefloor. Watch the band’s full session from Studio 1A in the player below and follow Calexico and their current tour with the links provided.
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Set List:
“El Mirador” / “Cumbia del Polvo” / “Then You Might See”
Credits:
Host: Laurie Gallardo; Producer: Deidre Gott; Audio Engineer: Jake Perlman, Rene Chavez; Audio Mix: Jake Perlman; Cameras: Patricia Lim; Rene Dominguez, Karina Noeli Lujan; Edit: Patricia Lim
