Metascore
75

Generally favorable reviews - based on 27 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 23 out of 27
  2. Negative: 0 out of 27
  1. In the end, Garden Ruin feels like a transitional album that will bear greater fruit later on.
  2. Urb
    50
    Painfully unexciting. [Mar 2006, p.122]
  3. This new set fills in the spaces with sweeter, fuller arrangements, but the songs are hit and miss.
  4. Fans of Calexico's darker, rougher, and more cinematic work will pine for just that, even though the band's clearly evolving on Garden Ruin.
User Score
7.8

Generally favorable reviews- based on 26 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 21 out of 26
  2. Negative: 2 out of 26
  1. SotirisT
    Feb 2, 2007
    8
    A very good album. Not what Calexico fans were expecting but this album marks the exploring of new music horizons by Calexico.
  2. Jon
    Aug 17, 2006
    9
    It's the songs, people. Try to get "Yours and Mine" or "Bisbee Blue" out of your head. And the arrangements: less "cinematic," more It's the songs, people. Try to get "Yours and Mine" or "Bisbee Blue" out of your head. And the arrangements: less "cinematic," more economical...the horn section in "Cruel" lifts the sadness and tension of the song with a welcome kiss. Solid, solid stuff. Full Review »
  3. adric
    Jul 13, 2006
    5
    boring