Feast of Wire

eat your girlfriend out to this album

One of those 1,001 Gift albums. New to me, and enjoyed it. Reminded me a little of 'Friends of Dean Martinez" (Ifykyk) 1022

Always got time for Calexico, but never listened to this all the way through before. Lovely. They're such a fully formed product of their influences. Second listen was the charm. Couple of tracks from the bonus CD (the Black Heart dub, and the very faithful Love cover) worth the listen too, for a change.

a lot of ideas, most are good

Enjoyable and never heard of them.

This sounds like the kinda music I like. Not enough to really be like “wow I really like this” though.

It's a breath of fresh air. Really would like to visit this one again.

Love Calexico.

Pretty solid but drifts along in a very alt-00s kind of way. Instrumentals are great

This is another of the bands I'd heard of but never listened to, but I had a feeling I'd like them. And boy I was right about that. This album was such a fun listen. I loved the mix of instrumentals and songs with lyrics. I thought there was a cool mix of sounds and styles. This was a record full of surprises, and I had no clue what was coming next. And I loved all of it. There were too many standouts to name, so suffice it to say this is a five star album.

Quite unique and enjoyable.

This was fine overall and I liked the blend of genres but as far as having great songs nothing ever stuck out to me.

Loved the first half or so. Lost me a little on the second half.

3 out of 5. Interesting blend of styles here. Probably enjoyed the instrumentals more that the songs with vocals.

I loved this, having never heard it before. I’d only ever listened to Calexico with Iron and Wine. Immediately listened to it again (and then more Calexico) after I was done.

It's a fantastic album, and it's been a regular on my music machines since I found it. A mix of Americana and Mexican influences (that should surprise no-one) but expertly crafted, interesting and enjoyable. Sure, it'll annoy the purists...but that's part of the charm. (Minor thing - Spotify link leads to the special edition, with an extra disc of remixes and stuff. It doesn't really add much of value. While the cover of "Alone Again Or" is fine....why bother?)

Pretty inoffensive stuff, some good songs here.

A master class of mood, style, and storytelling. While the southwest instrumentation may seem cliche, it works and weaves interesting dramatic and tense stories à la desert noir. At multiple points in the album, I found myself surprised at the quality of the tracks - even the instrumentals, which are not usually my favorite tracks. This is the kind of album that make you want to make a movie.

What a strange album. The songs went from really good to subpar with really nothing in between. It would be hard to recommend due to the bad but the good Telly should be heard.

Ruim

This was a nice find. I enjoyed it quite a bit and found it refreshingly original.

Started stronger than i expected then fell off

Not what I expected, pleasant surprise. Very chill and ethereal. Like a modern Simon & Garfunkel.

I listened to this album three times in a row. It was so good. I loved the eclectic mix of sounds—one minute you’re listening to a dramatic soundscape, then mariachi, then jazz, then even some classical. It all flowed and felt so cohesive as an album though. Very special listening experience.

8.0/10. A unique album with a wide array of genres, from Irish jigs to jazz suites to waltzes to Latin rock, and it was a wild listening experience. I liked it, though; it was very unique in its build and transitions, but nothing was explicitly bad, and I liked the short instrumental songs that served as a break between longer, more intense songs.

One of the worst

A laid-back acoustic album with some Mexican influence. Not too impactful but very decent.

a really interesting album

This is the kind of music I live for - I went into it with a shit attitude and came out with a new 5/5

Quite nice. 3.5 stars really. Didn't grab me with two hands.

Well that was pretty damn good. A very unique mix of genres that works so well.

A solid and deeply atmospheric blend of indie rock and desert-noir textures. While its moody, cinematic vibes make it feel like the perfect late-night album, it doesn't quite hit the same peak during a daytime listen, making for a decent but slightly mixed experience.

Overall a fun listen. It struck me as cinematic - almost like you'd expect the soundtrack of a modern western to sound. Plenty of interesting rhythms and melodies.

Sux

okish

A little Latin, a little bluesy, a little folksy, and very boring. It’s fine not bad but I just ask why.

Overall quite nice and cohesive. There’s no standouts as they all blend nicely together. I wouldn’t necessarily save it and relisten to it but it was enjoyable and I wouldn’t mind if someone put it on.

So much of this list is comprised of bands everyone has already heard and Brit-Pop, but every once in 100 albums or so something truly unique and interesting will break through. This is one of those for sure. Really haven't heard anything quite like this on this list or elsewhere. I wasn't huge into the vocals, but the instrumentation and atmosphere more than made up for it.

Este folk yanki me parece que no es lo mio. Encima es el segundo consecutivo que me sugiere. Nada personal, pero no es lo mio.

11 out of 17 songs are good. Really good. It was all great until I heard "Attack! El Robot! Attack!" and then the quality went down. Sure there were still good songs after that, like "Across The Wire" (which is one of the best in the album) and "Whipping the Horse's Eye" and... actually, those are the only good ones after Attack! El Robot! Attack! I like the ones without words, especially "Pepita" and "The Book and the Canal". So yes definitely worth a listen, but some songs aren't great.

very nice

This was a really nice listen. Checking out more by this group

Lush production and varied, but missing those tracks that stick with you

Pleasant if a little too one note. It's folk by way of the desert, which is pleasant but works most when it's slower and languid. I'd probably need a few listens and the right mood to really dive in further.

Ideas that stick about as much as a hobby by a guy with ADHD. 3/5

Outta nowhere. Super good!

ok

This felt like middle of the road 00s indie with a little bit of Latin America thrown in. It kind of reminded me of bands like The Bees and Wilco. Perfectly inoffensive, with the occasional good song, but ultimately indie by numbers.

Realllyyyy like this. Takes me back to my time in Texas and Arizona

Interesting and fun.

I had no idea what to expect with this but it was really enjoyable.

Feast of Wire - Calexico (2003) I had never heard of this band before. This is a very nice album, with tons of good ideas. These guys have a great musicianship, the production is very neat and the album is never dull. They sometimes remind me of Portishead, sometimes of Radiohead, with nice Mariachi, Afro-Cuban and Jazz explorations. On a very side note, some songs (Attack El Robot!) make me think of old, cheesy French songs I know. For the record it's Dans les yeux d'Émilie by Joe Dassin and Bambino by Dalida (which Itself is based on an Italian song). Don't know what to do with this. Honestly it's probably just a me thing. Or maybe that's not a coincidence since one of the bonus tracks is a cover of a modern French song (Si tu disais by Françoiz Breut). Fave: Black Heart, Close Behind (so Ennio Morricone-like), The Book And The Canal, Pepita. ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 7.75/10

I was aware of Calexico, being an indie kid, but never fully listened to a whole album. I mean, I am from Brazil and fusion of rhythms is quite popular in Brazilian Music, so this is not too strange for me, but the fusion of sounds, especially with Mexican sounds is very interesting. The instrumental music is good, but the whole concept of the album was kinnda lost in the second half. An interesting listen 3/5

I wouldn't have sought this out on my own, but I kinda liked it and caught myself dancing at my desk to it.

Where has this album been all my life?!! Albums like these are why I wanted to start this 1001 album journey in the first place. I will definitely be checking out more from Calexico!

This was actually very nice and kinda calming Spanish guitar style. Listened to it while in labor and it was nice

The band name was familiar to me. When "Quatro" came on I remembered why. They have a cool sound so far. Now I see why that one was the radio song. Good stuff on the album but not too much that really moved me. At times I heard Los Lobos vs. Tom Waits and some pretty, cinematic songs. A few I'd go back to but I'm not going to add the album to my own library, yet anyway.

Interesting album. They definitely have carved out a genre that they execute well. Overall an enjoyable listen even if I won’t come back to it.

Haven't heard of them. Based on the rather positive opinions here I was expecting something good but at best it'd be a nice background music in a cafe or somewhere. The instrumentals were actually quite fun but the rest was just unremarkable 2/5

Oli ihan kuunneltavaa musaa. Tykkäsin soitin valikoimasta (paljon akustisia soittopelejä), biisit jäi harmillisesti valjuksi.

Ambitious and skillful, but of no interest to me whatsoever.

Albums like this are why I am doing this list. Folksy, latin-infused, post-rock flavoured indie rock that is unlike anything else and is damned good. Incredible stuff

what genre is this what genre is this what genre is this i love it! like... country. midwest emo. indie rock. some elliot smith-esque vibes in there too. big fan!

All over the place musically but anchored in the early 2000s folk scene. Some songs were great. Built in interesting ways and grabbed me completely. Then others were played out instrumentals that could have been cut to really make a concise album statement. Overall a fun trip down memory lane and a true transport back to a musical time and place.

Great instrumental tunes. Grooovy and banging

DNF - maybe I’m just being impatient. Counter argument, this was really bad

I love this album; I love this band. We’ve attended their concerts time and again over the last 20 years, and it’s always been fantastic. No matter the lineup, it’s always been a delight. The album masterfully blends the atmospheric elements of alternative country, Americana, and Mariachi horns that define the signature "Tucson sound" of the band led by Joey Burns and John Convertino. You could even call it desert rock with Mexican influences. The record opens with "Sunken Waltz." With its characteristic 3/4 time signature, the song immediately draws the listener into the band's dusty, cinematic "desert rock" universe. "Quattro (World Drifts In)" emerges seamlessly from the melancholic fade-out of the opener, "Sunken Waltz." The track quickly became one of the band's unmistakable signature songs. A steady, rhythmic guitar strum forms the foundation, paired with John Convertino’s precise, jazz-inflected drumming. "Black Heart" is the undisputed, majestic centerpiece and the absolute highlight of the album! The strings are the song's defining element. The melancholic, descending chord progression and the wailing, almost screaming violins in the finale evoke the sweeping scope of a dark John Ford Western. Joey Burns sings with an unsettling restraint—like a condemned man dictating his final farewell. I would compare the dark, melancholic Gothic-country mood to bands like Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds or Tindersticks. Next up is "Pepita"; this instrumental track breaks up the intense, almost oppressive heaviness of "Black Heart." "Not Even Stevie Nicks..."—another masterpiece! It’s incredible live!!! In contrast to the expansive desert sounds of the previous tracks, this song possesses a much stronger indie-rock and West Coast pop dynamic, driven by a propulsive bassline and a straightforward drum beat. "Close Behind" once again delivers a widescreen Western sound in the best sense of the term. Despite the omnipresent Mexican and dusty desert influences, this orchestral—almost bombastic—track never feels kitschy; instead, it evokes the familiar theme song of a forgotten classic film. "Woven Birds" stands out thanks to a fragile, almost ethereal melody. The lyrics describe a ruined village where the mission bells have fallen silent and the village square lies in rubble. Side 3 of the double album opens with "The Book and the Canal." Clocking in at just 1:45, the piece is a brief, classically tinged "piano and cello sonata"—or perhaps a double-bass meditation. It conjures the atmosphere of an abandoned, dusty hotel lobby, serving as an atmospheric breather before the album continues with the quirky "Attack! El Robot! Attack!" "Across the Wire" forms the political and thematic heart of the entire album. The song transports listeners directly to the geographical and cultural dividing line between the US and Mexico—a boundary already embedded in the band's name. It denounces the brutal disparity between the privileged and the desperate at the border, contrasting the bitter reality of those who have "so much and so little fear" with people risking everything in the sand in search of a new life. On "Dub Latina," the band noticeably slows the tempo, presenting an unexpectedly sensual and alluring soundscape. "Güero Canelo," the opening track on Side 4, is another absolute showstopper. Danceable, infectious, spectacular. Driven by a cumbia beat, the song brings raw energy and an urban street atmosphere to the album; unfortunately, the studio version falls significantly short of the hypnotic live version. Next up is "Whipping the Horse's Eyes," an instrumental carried almost entirely by a distinctive, deep double bass, wistful pedal steel guitar accents, and the subtle rustle of maracas. While the band had previously experimented with cumbia and cool dub elements, with "Crumble" they dive deep into the sound of 1960s spy movie scores. On the final track of the original release, "No Doze," Calexico sends us off into the endless silence of the desert landscape with a deeply atmospheric, contemplative coda. I also own other limited editions and the reissue released twenty years later—which includes a live concert from Stockholm—but I’ll spare you any commentary on those. That said, I would still recommend listening to a live recording.

Nice atmosphere. The brass and the quieter guitars are a good combination.

This was not what I expected based on the album art, and goes to show you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover! I enjoyed my time with this album, I appreciated how the sound evolved as the album went on and it went a long way to hold my interest.

Ok this was kinda cool? and more intriguing than expected. I feel like the name Calexico kinda hinted at what this was going to sound like but there was more depth there. The genre classification I got on streaming was "Worldwide" and that really says nothing (and needs to be removed from all musical conversations). It kept me on my toes and while I didn't love every song I'm glad I listened to it and found the musical variability really cool. Faves were Sunken Waltz, Güero Canelo and No Doze

So many moods and styles on this record. I don't find their sound as quite as compelling as I did on Convict Pool, but there are some fantastic tracks, like Not Even Stevie Nicks.

Liked it, 3/5 and will wanna listen again to see if it grows on me more.

Latinorytmejä ihan jees

Me gusta mucho

1. 4 2. 4.5 3. 2.5 4. 3.5 5. 4 6. 3 7. 3.5 8. 3 9. 2.5 10. 3 11. 4 12. 4.5 13. 4 14. 3 15. 3.5 16. 3

Surprised how much I liked this

Interesting mix of folk tunes and authentic sounding Mexican music. Never sounded dull and the short songs keep everything moving. 3.9/5.0

Pretty chill stuff. Very much a 2003 indie folk record. Reminds me a bit of The Decemberists but with some mariachi thrown in.

1) почему я про них не слышала если они творил и инди в нулевых? 2) местами звучат как дес кэб, местами нуар джаз какой-то, местами латина, что это)) 3) в целом даже не надоело но дескэбовщина слишком меланхоличная

7/10 Definitely in my wheelhouse, gentle Americana with an edge. 1st listen was better than 2nd though

Never heard of these guys before listening to this album, but this is a great mix of blues, Americana and Western.

Removed

It was fine. Didn’t really like the guys voice. Not the most interesting music to me. Run time was too long. Not coming back to this

very pleasantly surprised

Unique. Original. A little too much indie rock sensibility for my liking, but I can respect it. No need to hear it before you die, but I'm not mad at this one.

Better than I expected

Grrreeeattt stuff! J'aime les sonorités mexicaines, et je deviens de plus en plus fan de post-rock. J'ai aimé les gros jams de fin d'album. Par contre, le cover, quossé ça? On dirait un cover art d'album pop-punk du début 2000.

Wow la belle découverte. Formé par d'anciens membres de Giant Sand en plus, que j'ai découvert il y a quelques semaines. De beaux accents latins subtils, qui ne prennent pas toute la place. J'y retournerai

This was a little different and interesting. I didn't love every minute of it but I enjoyed it all and appreciated that it was something a little different in the musical world, blending together styles and sounds I hadn't heard before.

This is the second album in a row where I don’t understand this music or what they’re going for here. It wasn’t awful, it was just like sort of trying to have a Mexican flair sometimes, which felt forced, and the rest was just like, there.

Okay

This Album is really cool I like the sound of it I remember getting this on CD when it first came out I hadn't heard it in ages and after listening to it again it still holds up great album

I did not like it one bit. Maybe a second listen will cause me to appreciate it more.

Love it

hyvä

Decent? Not really sure what this was supposed to be but it was alright

More like 3.5. Good album, better than most of my 3's.

3.5

3.5

Good stuff