Dave Alvin & Jimmie Dale Gilmore

The geographic theme reflects Alvin's repeated journeys to record in Central Texas with Gilmore and the Austin-based backing band that has toured with the duo for the past few years.

As Alvin puts it in the liner notes, those road trips informed the music they made on 'TexiCali'. The 11 songs on this double LP also connect their shared fondness for a broad range of American music forms. Gilmore is primarily known for left-of-center country music, while Alvin's compass points largely toward old-school blues. But there's a lot of ground to cover beyond those foundations, and both artists also are well- known for transcending genre limitations. So it's not surprising that they've spiked 'TexiCali' with cosmic folk narratives, deep R&B grooves and even swinging reggae rhythms.