Description:

An album about crossing physical and metaphorical borders that has never been timelier: Calexicos classic album The Black Light turns 20 this year. This limited celebratory anniversary edition includes all new artwork by Victor Gastelum, extensive linernotes, and 11 bonus tracks.

What was surprising about The Black Light (and what set its architects apart from their indie rock peers) was the albums unusual willingness to wade into the rapids of American and Mexican culture, fully immersing itself midstream. From the outset, with Gypsys Curse, the record combines guitar twang and flamenco flourishes; and by its end, almost an hour later, its contrived a skillful and instinctive union of smoky bar room jazz, arthouse indie rock, and compelling mariachi brass in Frontera. If Calexico falls short as a name, its only in the fact that - alongside their mining of Mexicos fertile musical past - Joey Burns and John Convertino werent just digging into Californias songbook...they were unearthing Americas too.