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Garden Ruin - Calexico
Garden Ruin Image
Metascore
75 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 27 Critics What's this?

User Score
7.8 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 26 Ratings

Your Score
10 out of 10
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  • Summary: Joey Burns and John Convertino return with an album produced by J.D. Foster (Dwight Yoakam).

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 23 out of 27
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 27
  3. Negative: 0 out of 27
  1. Amazon.com
    90
    It's what Sigur Ros might sound like if they came from Arizona, and it's truly excellent.
  2. Entertainment Weekly
    83
    True, some distinctiveness has been lost along the way, but that is largely recompensed by the quality of such tracks as "Cruel," "All Systems Red," and the quite beautiful "Bisbee Blue." [26 May 2006, p.106]
    All this publication's reviews
  3. PopMatters
    60
    In the end, Garden Ruin feels like a transitional album that will bear greater fruit later on.

See all 27 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

Write a Review
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 9 out of 13
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 13
  3. Negative: 2 out of 13
  1. Jules
    10
    It is a great pity if the carnival of diverse cinematic sounds that thrilled on Feast of Wire is seen as the only interesting and songworthy thing about Calexico. A pity because Garden Ruin is a feast of intensely emotional and delicately crafted songs that continue to grow their twisted way into my heart. In fact, this album has a sincere angry beauty that I had always hoped lay beneath all the haunting southwestern soundscapes and studio trickery. The iron/wine collaboration didn't impress me that much but this is an altogether different beast and is certainly far from a generic alt-country effort. In short, I don't give a damn where this fits into broader musical history or that of the band - these songs are seductive angry laments that are a joy to experience.… Expand
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  2. adric
    5
    boring
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  3. DDB
    3
    Really dull. I love the band, but this CD is not good. Do not understand all the positive reviews. It goes from boring to just plain annoying. A disappointment for many fans I would guess.… Expand
    • 0 of 0 users said yes

See all 13 User Reviews

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  2. Feast of Wire - Calexico

    • Release Date: Feb 18, 2003
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