POST NO. 31: NO ODD COUPLE

The pairing of southwestern Americana band Calexico with indie folk darling Iron and Wine is a no-brainer, so it comes as no surprise that the resulting seven-song EP In the Reins is receiving favorable press. The songs were written by Sam Beam, and hence they remain familiar to fans of Iron and Wine. Calexico is essentially here to give Beam's songs some spice -- to toss a few cattle skulls in front of the barbed-wire fence. So, on "Burn That Broken Bed" -- the longest song on the album at a shade over five minutes -- we get a warm bass line, a windy atmosphere provided by the electric guitar, and a lone, effects-drenched trumpet. Of particular interest is the album's opener, "He Lays in the Reins," which briefly blends Tuscon-based flamenco singer Salvador Duran's voice into the sonic mix. The bold move -- consider Duran's operatic voice in stark contrast to the gentle upper register meanderings of Beam -- actually works, giving the song further south of the border flavor and a touch of dark bravado otherwise missing.

But even with the unique embellishment, "He Lays in the Reins" still sounds like a dolled up Iron and Wine song. Only two songs here truly sound like a successful fusion of two artists. The first is "A History of Lovers," which sways to a fairly uptempo beat, features a full horn section, and sorta rocks in a country & western sense that's unlike Beam's own work. The second is the backwoods bluesy stomp of "Red Dust," which one could fairly call a tad funky. While the rest of In the Reins is memorable, I would have preferred that Calexico had an even heavier hand as heard on these two songs. If Sam Beam is going to open his music up to interpretation, why not go for broke?

Calexico with Iron and Wine - "He Lays in the Reins"

Visit Sam Beam and Calexico, or see October tour dates for the pair here.