Despite Christmas looking dodgy at best this year, Calexico are gearing up for their first holiday collection. Called Seasonal Shift, the album by the Americana heroes will arrive on December 4 via Anti-.
As a press release explains, the record isn't exact a traditional Christmas album. As it states, "Less of a Christmas album and more of a cross cultural seasonal celebration, the themes of Seasonal Shift are based around that familiar end of year feeling of reflection, of ceremony and of recognition of the year gone by and changes it brought for better and for worse."
For a taste of that, you can hear the album's newly shared track "Hear the Bells," which you can check out below via a lyric video.
"When writing songs for a seasonal album, I wanted to include some of the aspects of celebrations and traditions observed in Tucson around early November," said vocalist / guitarist Joey Burns of the track. "This song is about holding time and space for memories. Dia de Los Muertos and the All Souls Procession are two events that have influenced Southern Arizona and remembering those who've passed away. But it could also be about giving memories importance, too. The story could be about two lovers or two family members."
In addition to a bunch of festive originals, Seasonal Shift features a few covers, including John Lennon and Yoko Ono's "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" and Tom Petty's "Christmas All Over Again."
"It's more of a seasonal album and like all seasons they are about change and how those changes in the world resonate inside of you," Calexico's Joey Burns said. "I never thought this would have gone the way that it did. We were aiming to record a six=song EP and we kept going. I guess I never thought I would be on semi-permanent hibernation mode either, but I'm super happy and extremely grateful."
Seasonal Shift:
1. Hear the Bells
2. Christmas All Over Again
3. Mi Burrito Sabanero
4. Heart of Downtown
5. Seasonal Shift
6. Nature's Domain
7. Happy Xmas (War Is Over)
8. Glory's Hope
9. Tanta Tristiza
10. Peace of Mind
11. Sonoran Snoball
12. Mi Burrito Sabanero (Reprise)
Pre-order Seasonal Shift.
As a press release explains, the record isn't exact a traditional Christmas album. As it states, "Less of a Christmas album and more of a cross cultural seasonal celebration, the themes of Seasonal Shift are based around that familiar end of year feeling of reflection, of ceremony and of recognition of the year gone by and changes it brought for better and for worse."
For a taste of that, you can hear the album's newly shared track "Hear the Bells," which you can check out below via a lyric video.
"When writing songs for a seasonal album, I wanted to include some of the aspects of celebrations and traditions observed in Tucson around early November," said vocalist / guitarist Joey Burns of the track. "This song is about holding time and space for memories. Dia de Los Muertos and the All Souls Procession are two events that have influenced Southern Arizona and remembering those who've passed away. But it could also be about giving memories importance, too. The story could be about two lovers or two family members."
In addition to a bunch of festive originals, Seasonal Shift features a few covers, including John Lennon and Yoko Ono's "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" and Tom Petty's "Christmas All Over Again."
"It's more of a seasonal album and like all seasons they are about change and how those changes in the world resonate inside of you," Calexico's Joey Burns said. "I never thought this would have gone the way that it did. We were aiming to record a six=song EP and we kept going. I guess I never thought I would be on semi-permanent hibernation mode either, but I'm super happy and extremely grateful."
Seasonal Shift:
1. Hear the Bells
2. Christmas All Over Again
3. Mi Burrito Sabanero
4. Heart of Downtown
5. Seasonal Shift
6. Nature's Domain
7. Happy Xmas (War Is Over)
8. Glory's Hope
9. Tanta Tristiza
10. Peace of Mind
11. Sonoran Snoball
12. Mi Burrito Sabanero (Reprise)
Pre-order Seasonal Shift.