If you are a fan of Calexico, there are some things that you can only get on iTunes that I would recommend. Also, iTunes is a good way to get one track off of a compilation that you might not want to purchase the whole compilation to get.

I was out on iTunes this week as someone on the Yahoo Group Casadecalexico posted about a collaboration between Calexico and the Notwist on a compilation for the German label Hausmusik. While I was there I did some searching for other things Calexico and turned up some neat things. Click on the iTunes buttons to preview or get.

There is a free podcast of the show that Calexico did at the 40 Watt Club in Athens, GA in 2006.

Calexico: Live in Athens

Here is the Calexico and the Notwist collaboration I mentioned above titled “Careless.” I like this track a lot. Sort of a cut-up mix of Calexico.

“Careless” from You Can’t Always Listen to Hausmusik- But…

“Freunde” is another track from this compilation, this time collaborating with A Million Mercies. I’m not familiar with them, but you get to hear Calexico in German!

Calexico seems to be one of those bands that typically is drafted for tribute albums.

“I Send My Love To You” from the Will Oldham tribute album I Am A Cold Rock. I Am Dull Grass. A nice ballad. This album seems to be out of print according to the CDBaby site. I would recommend getting the whole album as it also has artists like The Iron and Wine, Mark Kozelek, Pinetop Seven, and The Court and Spark.

Here is the whole album for I Am A Cold Rock. I Am Dull Grass.

“Casey’s Last Ride” from Nothing Left to Lose: A Tribute to Kris Kristofferson. This is another cool tribute. Calexico is joined on this tribute by Califone, The Court and Spart, Richard Buckner, Howe Gelb and Grandaddy.

Here is the link for the full Nothing Left to Lose: A Tribute to Kris Kristofferson

“Wave” from Por Vida: A Tribute to Alejandro Escovedo. This compilation is pretty much a who’s who of the Americana/Alt-Country and others genre including Lucinda Williams, Lenny Kaye, Steve Earle, Sally Timms (Cowboy Junkies), Jennifer Warnes, John Cale, Los Lonely Boys, The Cowboy Junkies, Charlie Sexton, Howe Gelb, Ian Hunter, The Jayhawks, Sheila E., Chris Stamey, Son Volt, Rosie Flores, Charlie Musselwhite, M. Ward with Vic Chesnutt, the Minus 5, and Alejandro himself. Quite a cross-section of artists coming out on this one which shows what an underrated musician Alejandro really is.

Here is the link to purchase or sample the whole Por Vida album.

“Dance of Death” from the I Am The Resurrection: A Tribute to John Fahey album. On this album Calexico is joined by Davendra Banhart, the Fruit Bats, M. Ward, Grandaddy, Peter Case, and Howe Gelb. I guess Calexico must call Howe when they get these gigs!

The link for the whole I Am The Resurrection: A Tribute to John Fahey album.

“All The Pretty Horses” from At The Crossroads: A Benefit for Homeless Youth. This is also on the 2001 Tour-only CD Aerocalexico. A pretty lullabye but also a little dark it seems.

“Griptape Heart” from Graciously: A Gulf Relief Compilation. This song is also on the 2005/2006 tour-only CD The Book and The Canal. A great song with a slide guitar that reminds me of George Harrison. This compilation has Steve Wynn, Devotchka, Robyn Hitchcock, John Doe, and fellow Tucsonites Friends of Dean Martinez (whose first album included members of Calexico and Howe Gelb) and (surprise!) Howe Gelb. Howe’s song looks like it takes the “hand jive” rhythm across four songs: “I Want Candy,” “I Know What Boys Like,” “Who Do You Love,” and “Not Fade Away.” Kind of an 80’s meets 50’s thing. I may purchase that track! There was an article in the June/July 2006 issue of The Believer that followed the history of this famous rhythm. Apparently the hand-jive rhythm derives from a West African rhythm called the Juba Rhythm– which is a 3/2 syncopated rhythm made famously popular by Bo Diddley in 1955 on his “Bo Diddley” song, which was copied by everyone. (Source: “Schema: The Ends of Innocence”, Gustavo Turner, p36, The Believer, June/July 2006).

This is the link for the Graciously album.

“Gift X-Change” from Do You Think You Will Be Different When You’re Through which is another Hausmusik compilation. This track also is on the Aerocalexico CD. A Christmas song.

“La Del Ruso (Calexico Version)” from the Gotan Project remix album Inspiracion – Espiracion. The Gotan Project is a Paris-based Electronic Tango group, I guess. Calexico collaborates with the Gotan Project on this track.

iTunes is also a great way to pick tracks off of a soundtrack. Conveniently, iTunes carries the expensive soundtrack to the movie “Dead Man’s Shoes” which features four tracks from Calexico.

“Crooked Road and the Briar”

“Untitled II”

“Untitled III”

“Ritual Road Map”

“Cristal Frontier (Buscemi Remix)” from Belgian remixer Buscemi’s album Late Night Reworks a light clubby remix.

The last thing on this list is the incredible Live Session EP that you can only get on iTunes except for one track that I mentioned in an earlier post– the “Guns of Brixton” cover.

Calexico 4-track Live Session EP. Includes “Roka,” “Bisbee Blue,” “Guns of Brixton,” and “Return to Spring.” Well worth the $4.99.

I created an iMix on iTunes of the individual tracks– 18 of them including the Live Session EP. To purchase all of the tracks it would cost $17.82– not bad considering what it would cost to acquire all of the albums, and the fact that quite a bit of this is out-of-print. Note: This will only be available for one year.
Click Here for Rare Calexico on iTunes iMix