The geographic theme of Dave Alvin and Jimmie Dale Gilmore’s new album, TexiCali, 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. Its 11 songs 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 are also 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.