Garden Ruin
by Calexico

From paladisiac TOP 100 COMMENTER 07/16/2012 15:16 | #46557

Members of Calexico have made the rounds on other artists' albums since their last, most notably Neko Case and collaborations with Wilco and Iron & Wine (for a stellar EP), and the side-projects have affected their sound on "Garden Ruin", straying from their old-school Latin-influenced soundscapes with multiple instrumentals, they return with a more straight-ahead alt-rock record, less stylized and almost mainstream. But don't fret! Their new alt-folk-rock tinge is still better than most.

From paladisiac TOP 100 COMMENTER 12/09/2011 22:13 | #49438

\"garden ruin\" is calexico\'s least-instrumental album (there are no instrumentals!), keeping the same latin-inflected musicianship they\'ve become known for, focusing more on song than orchestrating songs. Garden Ruin is probably the most pop-accessible. I call this alt-mariachi. I agree with allmusic.com that they\'ve moved more into wilco or iron&wine territory on this album, incorporating more \"pop\" elements into their music. On \"cruel\", with trademark calexico horns, the world\'s so cruel that \"Birds refuse to fly / No longer trust the sky / Drifting out beyond the signals / Even the horizon is gone / Weather flees underground\". \"bisbee blue\"\'s warm melody gives the song a lazy summer day. \"roka\" is an inviting dance of death (\"Just close our eyes / Pretend we forget / North country dreams / Twist this dance of death\"), partially sung in spanish. i love the harmonies in \"lucky dime\". These songs feel well-worn and ragged yet strikingly pretty, like a flowering cactus on the side of a hot, old, dusty road. Most songs are somewhat hushed, especially vocally, but \"letter to bowie knife\" brings the roaring mustang down that old, dusty road with the closest thing to a catchy chorus (\"it\'s too late\") and guitar riff on the album. \"deep down\" also brings the rock as does the storm of \"all systems red\" (\"When the dread is flowing down my veins / I want to tear it all down and build it up again\").

From buzzdainer TOP 100 COMMENTER 06/28/2016 16:32 | #170066

Something of a departure from the mariach-indie rock of Calexico's earlier recordings, Garden Ruin is, relatively speaking, a straightforward indie rock album. I think it works to their benefit, as this album really showcases their hard-hitting lyrics and driving Arizona rock sound. "Cruel" is the strongest track here, and indeed, probably the best of all their songs, period.

Simple music and ditties for the broken hearted. Should please some with its little charms. Can't see it becoming one of my favorite ever but it did gie pleasure for a while.

This is the less-Calexico record, an attempt to be more indie-pop.
The result is a solid album, but something is missing. (Edited)