Stick at any job for 20 years without any major promotion and you’ll probably find yourself considering taking a running jump out your office’s second floor window.
Calexico, however, have prospered in the rather small-scale and specialist workplace in which they’ve plied their cinematic sound.
Earnestly stumbling into popularity with a massive audience seemed to happen by complete chance. After several critically lauded outings, and more than enough attempts by the press to pigeonhole them into new makey-uppy genres (post-mariachi-acoustic-rock being one of the better ones I’ve bumped into), founding members Joey Burns and John Convertino are content to sit out their success on indie label City Slang and plough their own trough free from the influence of any peers or critics.
Bassist John Convertino insists boredom never kicks in at the Calexico company. “The challenge is to try new things, but keep with our aesthetic. Acoustic instruments have always been the foundation of our songs. We’ve been very fortunate to have this long a run… I guess it means we’re doing something good. I’ve always thought that so long as the music stands the test of time we’re doing something good. But it’s all about constantly opening new musical opportunities for ourselves.”
Perhaps the most tangible influence on newest release Carried To Dust is that of their closest musical friends: fellow Tucson native Neko Case and lo-fi king of Florida, Iron & Wine. “The most inspirational thing for us is getting out there and seeing other bands we like playing, which leads to collaboration. Other artists bring in styles that are more authentic and add so much to the sound of a new album. Sam Beam [of Iron & Wine] became really good friends with us, and once that door’s open, you both help each other out with records. Other artist’s methods teach us new ways of looking at our music, and make it worth continuing.”
Since 2003’s Feast Of Wire, Calexico have been on the receiving end of enough critical and commercial plaudits to make a major label PR department blush. Strikingly though, the band’s widescreen song dynamics don’t equate to their economic goals. “Yeah, we’ve had several offers. I guess we’ve been so happy with being on Touch and Go, Quarterstick and City Slang, it’s been a very personal relationship, and a long one. If there’s a lot of respect there, why change it? Why ruin it?” Because you could buy a boat with the money? “I guess there is that temptation of a good deal more money and fame but… no!”
So what exactly are the rewards of touring away from their families for months on end to promote a new record? Nearing their second decade as a functioning band, are there still goals to be achieved, new experiences to be had or is it just a day job that has to get done? “We always wanted to have a little more time so that we could fulfill our desire to work more with orchestration. Working with the mariachi was quite like working with an orchestra, having all that energy flying around, with the strings and stuff, is really great. It seems like that door may be opening up a little bit. We’ve done some movie score work, and it looks like we’re going to be able to do more of that. We’re going to score this movie about to come out, with Helen Mirren and Joe Pesci in it [Love Ranch; set of course, in a ranch]. I guess the instrumental aspect of the band lends itself well to soundtrack work.”
As Convertino mentions leaving his family at home for the forthcoming tour, the wrench of uprooting himself for three months is palpable. I wonder if Calexico is coming to a natural end so that the members can properly settle down. Does it end, does it ever stop? “I think it’s just always changing,” the bassist offers, compromisingly. “There will be breaks, it’s something you can’t really force. That’s one of the reasons we never moved to a major label. We don’t really work well with that kind of pressure or that kind of confinement. Nothing’s exclusive, we get to work with whoever we want, and as long as that spirit’s alive we still have a reason to keep coming back.”
Carried To Dust is out now on City Slang Records.
