Califone began as Tim Rutili's solo vehicle—and its hermetic origins are captured on a raw acoustic demo of “Mittens”—but evolved into a proper band. That collaborative spirit carries over to his sideline pursuits: Rutili brought his quirky sonics to Isaac Brock's off-kilter roots-rock outfit Ugly Casanova, while his work on The Fruit Bats' jangle-pop opus “The Ruminant Band” imagines what Califone might sound like with the kinks ironed out.