Calexico’s Joey Burns and John Convertino return in 2022 with their luminous 10^th studio album, El Mirador; a hopeful, kaleidoscopic beacon of rock, bluesy ruminations and Latin American sounds, to be released on April 8. Animated by director Elefanto and MERO ESTUDIO, watch a journeyman travel far and wide for ‘el corazón’, or the heart, in the colorful video for the album’s title track below.

Convening at longtime bandmate Sergio Mendoza’s home studio in Tucson, Arizona, the ensemble recorded throughout the summer of 2021, crafting one of their most riveting and whimsical productions to date. Convertino, who now resides in El Paso, and Burns, who relocated to Boise in 2020, channeled cherished memories of Southwestern landscapes and joyful barrio melting pots into an evocative love letter to the desert borderlands that nourished them for over 20 years.

“El Mirador is dedicated to family, friends and community,” says Burns; singer, multi-instrumentalist and co-founder of Calexico. “The pandemic highlighted all the ways we need each other, and music happens to be my way of building bridges and encouraging inclusiveness and positivity. That comes along with sadness and melancholy, but music sparks change and movement.”

Burns and Convertino have been performing together for over 30 years, sharing a deep love of jazz and usually building songs on a foundation of bass and drums. But all these years later, Calexico is still breaking new ground. El Mirador showcases a sunnier side of the band, cutting through two years of pandemic fog with a blast of danceable optimism. Writing and recording alongside Sergio Mendoza (keys, accordion, percussion), the album expands on long-running influences of cumbia, mariachi and the plethora of diaspora sounds flourishing throughout the Southwest.

El Mirador also features vocals from Guatemalan singer-songwriter Gaby Moreno, while Spanish rocker Jairo Zavala brings his signature bravado to the upcoming track “Cumbia Peninsula.” By working with friends and recurring collaborators, Calexico also highlights the unique social and linguistic intersections at the US-Mexico border and the magnificent possibilities of a borderless world.

“I’ve been playing with Calexico for about 15 years, and I admire Joey and John’s constant search for new sounds,” reflects Mendoza, who’s newly built home studio became a refuge for the band and reduced pandemic risks while fostering a more organic creative process. “After so many albums,” he adds, “I’m really proud we were able to achieve something so fresh together.”

EUROPEAN TOUR DATES
2/18 – 2/20 – Cancun, Mexico – Dave & Tim Riviera Maya SOLD OUT
4/23 – Linz, Austria – Postof Zeitkultur Am Hafen
4/24 – Munich, ND – Neue Theaterfabrik
4/26 – Roma, Italy – Auditorium Parco della Musica
4/27 – Milan, Italy – Alcatraz
4/29 – Zurich, Switzerland – Xtra
4/30 – Wien, Austria – MuseumsQuartier
5/1 – Leipzig, Germany – Felsenkeller Leipzig
5/3 – Nijmegen, Netherlands – Doornroosje
5/5 – Dortmund, Germany – Konzerthaus Dortmund
5/6 – Berlin, Germany – Tempodrom
5/7 – Cologne, Germany – E-Werk
5/8 – Hamburg, Germany – Fabrik
5/10 – Amsterdam, Netherlands – Paradiso
5/11 – Luxembourg City, Luxembourg – den Atelier
5/12 – Paris, France – Le Trianon
5/13 – Brussels, Belgium – Ancienne Belgique
5/14 – London, UK – O2 Forum Kentish Town
6/23 – 6/26 – Laytonville, CA – Kate Wolf Music Festival at Black Oak Ranch