With a more pronounced western side, far from mere folklore, The Black Light (1998) brings the duo Calexico fully into a new era, that of panoramic sound. Spoke, its predecessor, resembled a short film made with limited resources, while The Black Light, an album "storyboarded" by its creators, is shot in cinemascope and displays more vibrant colors. Joey Burns and John Convertino revive the nuances of American independent rock and recontextualize it within beautifully expansive landscapes. With a healthy open-mindedness, this album also weaves stronger connections with Mexico, from which trumpets, Spanish guitars, and mariachi orchestras are repatriated for the listener's great pleasure (listen to the excellent "Minas De Cobre"). The whole constitutes a work with climates that are soberly yet majestically crafted. A true delight.