The specifics of the plot, however, are up to the listener. Against a backdrop of dusty, reverbed guitars, the protagonist trusts a mysterious French woman to hide his stash of gold. Things go awry. They just twist round and round. It's Calexico's music, though, that adds depth to these sparse, evocative images.
Some tracks play with flamenco flourishes, while others star mournful accordions.
Still others divert from traditional Southwest sounds. It's a soothing end-note, but you get the feeling that the rested travelers will soon shake off their sleep and hit the road again. Lisa Gidley is a New York freelance writer. All rights reserved.