De Amerikaanse groep Calexico combineert Amerikaanse & Mexicaanse muziek met elkaar. Hun naam is afkomstig van de plaats Calexico in Californië aan de grens met Mexico. Ik kende ze vooral van hun nummer Quattro van hun album Feast Of Wire (2003).

Onlangs vond ik het prachtige lied Crystal Frontier dat ze speelden tijdens een concert met het ORF Radio Symfonieorkest van Wenen in 2012. Het concert kun je vinden op het live album Spiritoso (2013). Het lied is opgedragen aan de Mexicaanse schrijver Carlos Fuentes (1928-2012) en is geïnspireerd door zijn boek La frontera de cristal uit 1995 en het korte verhaal met dezelfde titel dat er in staat.

Crystal Frontier
Marco’s shadow falls on the door,
to the seven lost cities of gold.
Finds a raven’s head and a rattler’s tail.
Dead in his tracks, this godforsaken soul.
Unwanted here and the crystal frontier.

With Amalia’s face hides behind the mask.
Sweating on the factory line.
With that smile on her face is starting to crack.
Welding back the pieces of a shattered heart,
that’s scattered out here, in the crystal frontier.
Searching for your lost child on the river of tears.

While Ramón tightens up his leather belt.
And slips on through a hole in the face. (?)
He can get you anything that you want.
Might cost you a life,
might cost you the whole price of freedom here,
on the crystal frontier.
Searching for your lost love,
along the river of tears.

Marco’s shadow falls on the door,
to the seven lost cities of gold.
Finds a raven’s head and a rattler’s tail.
Dead in his tracks, this godforsaken soul.
Unwanted here and the crystal frontier.

With Amalia’s face hides behind the mask.
Sweating on the factory line.
With that smile on her face is starting to crack.
Welding back the pieces of a shattered heart,
that’s scattered out here, in the crystal frontier.
Searching for your lost child on the river of tears.

At the end of the working week,
when drunken worlds meet.
Both sides keeping a close eye,
for a break in the line here,
on the crystal frontier.

While Ramón tightens up his leather belt.
And slips on through a hole in the face. (?)
He can get you anything that you want.
Might cost you a life,
might cost you the whole price of freedom here,
on the crystal frontier.
Searching for your lost love,
along the river of tears.

Blood spills out on the streets,
and bodies are missing for weeks.
Both sides keeping a close eye,
watching the bullets fly here,
on the crystal frontier.