CALEXICO Spoke (2009 issue UK 19-track CD album - Nearly ten years has passed since we embarked on these initial home recordings on our trusty 8 track reel to reel. These were the first experiments of writing and recording with the newly bought thrift store instrumentation featuring marimba, vibraphone, accordion, cello, mandolin as well as the respective drums, guitar and bass. The songs have a certain lean to them and we appreciated the unusual character that came from this session. We started off minimal and one by one started adding instruments, both John [Convertino] and I as we saw fit, or adding vocals when we needed storyline. 'Spoke' has an organic feel to it. In addition to these songs there are field recordings and outgoing tape machine messages that help to paint the picture of crooked adobe walls and empty downtown streets of Tucson. There's an element of space on this album that unfolds nicely upon the ear and it evokes the kind of late night aesthetic that holds up well to this day - Joey Burns.)