Calexico – The Thread That Keeps Us

Agree with the other sentiments expressed here. Muffled, muted - whatever it is, it doesn't sound very lively or particularly good. Mine is the Anti- pressing.

My Deluxe pressing is 100% perfect, no noiae or distortion. All os ok and I have a 1978 Sony turntable. Great americana album with some psyche, jazzy vibes!

I wish I could say this issue sounded better than the terrible US pressing I also purchased-- but it does not. They cram way too much music per side, over-compress it, and then use cheap poor quality vinyl to finish off this turd. This is only commenting on the vinyl quality as I love Calexico's music-- and feel like this album deserved SO MUCH BETTER than this.

Awful mastering of this release. Lifeless & dull.
Can't take it longer than max. 10 minutes. Kills the great music for me.

The work is beatiful......but the very work in my opinion is the bonus disc [Very Calexico Style] !!!!!!

Drawing their name from a combination of California (Cal) and Mexico (exico), Calexico have delivered another in a series that for me, adds but two songs to my collection. That being said in no way indicates that the music has not been thoughtfully considered, or in line with Calexico’s musical history … it’s just that this is one more in a lone line of bands from whom I pick and choose the songs that move me the most, leaving the rest of the material for someone else.

I don’t believe that Calexico have ever delivered a top flight album, though they’re a band who inspire most listeners to keep their fingers crossed, hoping that this will be the perfect set of songs that ride the currents of numbers such as “Voices In The Field” and “End Of The Night” (which is a bonus track), two sonic and emotional tracks that ride easily in my back pocket. If you were to ask me what Calexico was all about, I’d certainly shove my hands deeply into said pockets, kick at a couple of stones with the toe of my boot, then sheepishly shrug my shoulders saying, “I’ve no idea really, I just know the music from them that I like, and as of today, my collection consists of fourteen songs.” Though thinking on that question, if really pinned down, I might suggest that Calexico are a mixture of an indie rock band married to a mariachi band, but that was in the early days, when there was a sense of punk, surf and folk that was layered with a heavy southwestern feel, where there was a mesh of cultures and tones … yet that sense of labeling has long since disappeared.

All of the music rags have been touting The Thread That Keeps Us as the album that will put Calexico in the same room as say Wilco or R.E.M., where this outing will deliver unto us fresh and precious barnstorming, along with an evocative atmosphere of intimacy, where the band are constantly engaging each other. But I don’t hear that, nor have I ever understood what people are hearing when they suggest that Calexico’s music has been meticulously crafted, and the fact that they’ve moved from familiar geographical territory (Arizona, New Mexico and southern California) to the coastline of the Pacific northwest, to record in a rundown studio may sound romantic, their efforts have channeled little that comes across as new, inventive and inviting.

This is no doubt Calexico’s most political album to date, yet even those songs do not resinate with the sense of urgency one might expect, there is no ratcheting up of tension, or direct pointing of fingers, it’s all rather mater of factly suggested at and inferred.

One reviewer (Andy Gill) went so far as to say, and I paraphrase, “The Thread That Keeps Us ingeniously blends Radiohead-esque descending minor chord unease with plangent Everly’s (Everly Brothers) style harmonies, that brilliantly evokes the contrasting moods which give the album its drive and energy, a dichotomy heralded by Joey Burns’ determination to seek love in the age of the extremes.” See, this is the sort of statement that fans, or those paid to write a solid favorable review write … it’s not honest, it’s not inclusive, it’s not informative, and it will lead you nowhere, unless you’re an ardent fan, and then you’re already on board.

Arguably, Calexico have never, in over twenty years, delivered their breakout album, nor do I think they every will. Their time has ed, their musical ideas do not follow a defined course, and their songs for the most part do not sound as if they’ve been considered and refined. Calexico are in need of someone who can steer their craft in one direction or another, and until that time, and probably after, I will slide their most comfortable tunes into my ever increasing collection of solid first rate material.

Review by Jenell Kesler

I have a new release double vinyl copy; EU edition on City slang. Very noticeable limited dynamics especially bass guitar which blurbs along pointlessly muffled, and i think the drummer is locked in a broom cupboard down a long corridor. It's sounds like someone messed up the mastering or mixing, this is a shame because musically it's quite good with some fine musicianship.
I have 2010 reissue vinyl copies of Hot Rails and Feast Of Wire albums on City Slang label and they both are wonderful in the Sonic Q department so this new album poor sound quality has come as a big disappointment.

yes get the eu pressing, first class!.go for it wes;

Noted that the 2LP deluxe edition was autographed by Burns and Convertino if pre-ordered through their PledgeMusic campaign. (Ditto the PM campaign deluxe double CD and the white label test-pressing.)

Another really good Calexico album ruined by what I believe is a very poor quality pressing. My copy was warped, had physical damage visible on a track on side one, has loud excessive surface noise very audible on all quiet ages. Distortion is also evident-- don't know if it's from the mastering but it's obvious. Side one is nearly 28 minutes long-- EL CHEAPO! You can hear the limited dynamics and muffled bass. All to avoid using two vinyls instead on one. The inner sleeve was a joke-- hard statically charged glossy paper that clings to and scratches the LP on every insertion and removal-- pure cheap crap. I cleaned the LP and resleaved it-- no improvement. Going to return it for another try. I'll update this after I've sampled another copy but I suspect I'll just order the EU version-- which is pressed on two vinyls and I can't imagine it being worse than this. Another crap pressing from ANTI. Thanks dudes!