by Alex Truong - A&SB Contributor

The duo of Joey Burns and John Convertino have been known for the range of instruments contributing to their eclectic sound. Calexico’s latest album, Carried to Dust, aspires to capture part of the struggle of the writer’s strike that has just barely left our recent memory. Part of is it a sort of folksy, adventurous tone that utilizes a lot of instruments (including an accordion!) to achieve its soulful chillness. The sound is distinctly latin-southwestern with a definite nod to Calexico’s last albums, but the tracks come out not nearly as soft and lulling as their work with Iron and Wine.

They define themselves quickly in tracks like “Crystal Frontier,” and then elaborate on that vision with tracks like “Going to Acapulco with Jim James.” Sure, the album is a collection of horn-heavy strife-ridden anthems, and the loose affiliation with an otherwise get-over-yourself type of protest comes off as a little pretentious. Despite the message, the tracks are solid and definitely worth a listen. Check it out if you’re willing to chill for a bit, but don’t want to fall asleep.

$10 Buy Carried to Dust | Calexico on Myspace