Calibration (Is Pushing Luck and Key Too Far)

Calibration (Is Pushing Luck and Key Too Far) is the fifth studio album by Omar Rodríguez-López, and the fourth released in the "Amsterdam series".^[1] The album was released in Japan on December 15, 2007 with a following U.S. release later on February 5, 2008, one week after The Mars Volta's The Bedlam in Goliath. The album art was illustrated by graffiti artist GREY, a childhood friend of Rodriguez-Lopez's.^[2] According to the label, the original title given to them by Omar was "Calibration Is Pushing Luck and Key Too Far" but the "Is Pushing Luck and Key Too Far" part of the title appeared nowhere on the physical release.^[3]

Calibration (Is Pushing Luck and Key Too Far)
Studio album by Omar Rodríguez-López
Released	December 15, 2007
Recorded	2005 in Amsterdam – 2007
Genre	Experimental rock, acid jazz, electronica
Length	53:33
Label	Rodriguez Lopez Productions
Producer	Omar Rodríguez-López
Omar Rodríguez-López solo chronology
The Apocalypse Inside of an Orange (2007) Calibration (Is Pushing Luck and Key Too Far) (2007) Omar Rodriguez-Lopez & Jeremy Michael Ward (2008)
Omar Rodríguez-López chronology
Amputechture (2006) Calibration (Is Pushing Luck and Key Too Far) (2007) The Bedlam in Goliath (2008)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	link
Artist direct	link
Twisted Ear	link
Alternative Press

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Mexico"		3:00
2.	"El Monte T'aï"		2:33
3.	"Una Ced Lacerante"		2:47
4.	"Calibration"	Omar Rodríguez-López, Cedric Bixler-Zavala	3:36
5.	"Grey (Canción para Él)"		3:29
6.	"Glosa Picaresca Wou Mên"	Rodríguez-López, John Frusciante	3:27
7.	"Sidewalk Fins"		6:32
8.	"Lick the Tilting Poppies"		5:17
9.	"Cortar el Cuello"		3:24
10.	"...Is Pushing Luck"	Rodríguez-López, Bixler-Zavala	8:11
11.	"Las Lágrimas de Arakuine"		11:11
Total length:			53:33

All tracks are written by Omar Rodríguez-López, unless noted.

Release history

Region	Date	Label
Japan	December 15, 2007 /Re-Issued April 25, 2011	N2O Records
United States	February 5, 2008 /Re-Issued April 25, 2011	N2O Records
United Kingdom	February 25, 2008 /Re-Issued April 25, 2011	N2O Records
United States (2LP vinyl)	November 11, 2008	N2O Records
United Kingdom (2LP)	December 2023	Clouds Hill Recordings

Sales

Calibration was Omar's second album to chart on a Billboard music chart and his highest charting yet, peaking at #29 on the Top Heatseekers chart .

Personnel

• Omar Rodríguez-López – guitars, bass (6–8), synthesizer (1, 3, 6–8, 11), Mexican harp (1), vocals & lyrics (2,7,8), vocals (4), Wurlitzer (3), tea kettle (3), TVs (5), rhodes (7), drum machine (7), clavinet (8)
• Juan Alderete – bass (1, 2, 4, 7, 10, 11)
• Thomas Pridgen – drums (1, 7, 11)
• Marcel Rodriguez-Lopez – drums (2, 4, 6, 8, 10), percussion (2, 6, 10), synthesizer (1, 6, 7, 11), clavinet (6)
• Adrián Terrazas-González – woodwinds & percussion (2, 10)
• Money Mark – synthesizer (2, 10)
• Cedric Bixler-Zavala – vocals & lyrics (4, 10)
• John Frusciante – vocals & lyrics (6)
• Sara Christina Gross – saxophone (7)
• Tina Rodriguez – voice (1, 6)
• Kim Humphreys – violin (2, 5, 8, 10, 11)