Repressed on vinyl for the first time in a good while, limited availability. Spoke is the debut studio album of Calexico, from Arizona. The back cover photo of Spoke is a furrowing farm machine, and in the context of this recording, one might imagine clouds of birds following the machinery to eat up the disturbed insects. Calexico snatch up the bits of Americana turned out by a rototilling of the national music psyche. The 19 resultant tracks can be small as insects (the shortest being half a minute in length) and erratic in flight; there are lo-fi songs and themes that proceed without concern for what came before. One bit is held up by guitar, another by accordion, then one by vibes. A bit of desert dust sprinkled throughout may be the only constant theme -- a Santa Fe rummage sale of sounds. Spoke is very intriguing and well worth exploring.

TRACK LISTING

A1 Low Expectations
A2 Mind The Gap
A3 Mazurra
A4 Sanchez
A5 Haul
A6 Slag
A7 Paper Route
A8 Glimpse
A9 Navy Cut
A10 Spokes

B1 Scout
B2 Point Vicente
B3 Wash
B4 Ice Cream Jeep
B5 Windjammer
B6 Mazurka
B7 Removed
B8 Stinging Nettle